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Agarwood has many
names, above are a few for this resinous, fragrant and highly valuable
heartwood produced by Aquilaria malaccensis and other species
of the Indomalesian tree genus Aquilaria. The wealth of names
for this dark and heavy wood (its Chinese name literally means ‘wood
that sinks’) reflects its widespread and varied use over thousands
of years. |
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"What
wealth of grace is here...
no lack of spikenard or saffron, of calamus or incense tree, of myrrh...
of aloes or any rarest perfume."
Solomon: Song of songs
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Agarwood calms
the nervous system, expels negative energies, brings alertness, relieves
anxiety, invokes a sense of strength and peace and enhances cerebral
functioning. It eases neurosis and obsessive behaviour and helps create
harmony in your home.
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Agarwood is
highly psychoactive. It is used for a spiritual journey, enlightenment,
clarity and to bring the deep peace necessary for meditation. It is
recommended by experienced practitioners for providing motivation and the
necessary devotion for meditation. It brings communication with the
transcendent, refreshing the mind, body and spirit. It
is said that prayers arise with the fragrant smoke of agarwood incense
carry the prayer to the Creator.
Buddhists use
agarwood for transmutation of ignorance.
Tibetan monks use it to bring energy to calm the mind and
spirit. The Sufis and Japanese Shaman use agarwood oil in their esoteric
ceremonies. It enhances mental clarity, opens the third eye and all of the
upper charkas while calming the entire system. |
What is Agarwood ?
Aloeswood is the resinous wood from the Aquilaria tree, an archaic
tropical evergreen tree native to northern India, Laos, Cambodia,
Malaysia, Indonesia, Southern China and Vietnam. Its scientific name is
Aquilara Malaccensis or Aquilaria agallocha. The Aquilaria tree grows
up to 40 meters high and 60 centimetres in diameter. It bears
sweetly-scented, snow-white flowers. The trees frequently become infected
with a parasite fungus or mold, phialophora parasitica, and begin to
produce an aromatic resin in response to this attack. The resin of a tree
from a natural fungal attack and immune response is commonly known as agar
#1.
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The fungus and decomposition process
continue to generate a very rich and dark resin forming within the
heartwood. Thus, agarwood develops very, very slowly over time, typically
several hundred years! This produces the earths most valuable and
sacred oil.
An inferior resin is created by the deliberate
wounding of an aquilaria tree; leaving it more susceptible to a fungal
attack by using a forced method. This is commonly called agar #2 and found
in commercially grown trees. Kacha Stones does not use oil from this
forced method. |
Agarwood -
Interesting
Facts:
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Lord Buddha was to have said that the
smell of agarwood burning "is the scent of Nirvana". It is also
a
favourite
of Lord Krishna, being mentioned throughout the oldest written texts - the
Sanskrit Vedas.
Although the southern Arabian Peninsula has been long
identified with aromatics, few Westerners are familiar with agarwood. This
obscurity is partly due to agarwood rarity and cost.
Agarwood has also
been used in nearly every religious tradition around the world and revered
for thousands of years by many cultures as the most treasured incense
ingredient. It was agarwood and Myrrh that was burned at Jesus' burial
ceremony.
Ayurvedic, Arabic, Sufi, Unanai, Tibetan and Chinese physicians have all used
agarwood in their practice to treat various diseases including mental
illness.
King Louis XIV of France had his shirts washed in rose water in which
agarwood had been previously boiled.
Samurai warriors scented their armour with
agarwood smoke
for luck before going to battle.
This is the legendary "tree from the garden
of Eden" where Adam and Eve were only allowed to take cuttings from the agarwood tree.
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The Indian poet Kalidasa once wrote:
"Beautiful ladies, preparing themselves for the feast of pleasures,
cleanse themselves with the yellow powder of sandal, clear and pure,
freshen their breasts with pleasant aromas, and suspend their dark hair in
the smoke of burning agarwood."
Egyptians used agarwood to embalm and anoint the dead.
"Gold is just dust when still in the ground, and oud, in its country
of origin, is just another kind of firewood." Eighth-century Egyptian poet Muhammad Ibn Idris al-Shafi'I
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Agarwood Uses
Medicinal
Tonic, aphrodisiac, diuretic, relieves epilepsy, antimicrobial,
carminative,
anti-asthmatic.
Useful in nervous disorders, digestive, bronchial complaints, smallpox, rheumatism, illness during and after
childbirth, spasms in the digestive and respiratory systems,
fevers, abdominal pain, asthma, cancer,
colic, diarrhoea, nausea, regurgitation, weakness in the elderly,
shortness of breath, chills, general pains and cirrhosis of the liver. It
also acts as a director or focuser for other medicines. It has been used
as a treatment for lung and stomach tumours.
Perfumery
The
resin is also used in perfumery. Yves Saint Laurent and Amouage use agarwood
as a base in their most exclusive perfumes.
Culinary
Used in Malaysia to flavour curries and Taiwan uses Agarwood as an
aromatic ingredient in their local wines.
Aphrodisiac
Agarwood is the most potent aphrodisiac of all the essential oils.
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Insomnia
Valerian is a natural component of agarwood resin and functions to
relieve insomnia and calm the nervous system before sleep,
allowing one to have a deeper, longer sleep.
Wicca
In Wicca agarwood is used for love and
spirituality and is called for in many of the most powerful
magical formulas to draw a lover near.
Sign: Sagittarius
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Jupiter
Element: Air
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Aromatherapy
Agarwoods ability to invoke a deep sense of
relaxation makes it extremely useful in any aromatherapy session, but is
especially effective where anxiety and depression are present. Also widely used
as an effective
aphrodisiac.
Kacha Stones
is proud to offer premium grade, pure, wild-crafted agarwood resin
alone and as part of our
Less Stress Kit
Less Stress Kit
Information >>
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