Burning incense at home, pagodas, temples, etc., as an expression of respect and gratitude to ancestors during Tet, is a cultural and religious beauty of our people. However, not everyone knows whether it is appropriate to burn incense continuously during Tet. If you are also wondering about this issue, read the article below to get detailed information.
1. To burn incense continuously during Tet or not?
Many families still maintain the habit of burning incense continuously on Tet, even when the incense is extinguished, many households continue with the hope that the worship space is always warm and cozy.
However, feng shui experts believe that the habit of burning incense continuously during Tet is incorrect. Families should not burn incense excessively and continuously. Experts recommend that the most appropriate time to burn incense is when preparing the New Year's Eve offering tray and when transitioning from the old year to the new year.
Burning incense or making offerings continuously during Tet will disturb the ancestors, especially when you do not replenish new items. This action implies inviting the ancestors to eat leftovers, showing a lack of sincerity and respect for the ancestors.
Spiritual experts recommend lighting incense only before worship. One incense stick per incense bowl is sufficient. Additionally, you can use incense rings to keep the fragrance alive on the altar during Tet and commemorative occasions.
If you want to burn incense rings to create a cozy atmosphere on Tet, remember to place the incense ring inside a dish and burn it outside the incense bowl. This helps keep the incense bowl undisturbed, and the altar can be easily cleaned.
Note that you should not dress carelessly; wear neat clothes when burning incense. During the ceremony, maintain continuous concentration without interrupting to arrange offerings or do other tasks. Express sincerity during worship to show respect for the divine and ancestors.
2. How many incense sticks are appropriate to burn?
Many people wonder how many incense sticks are suitable to burn on Tet. In Buddhism, incense is considered one of the six important offerings. There are various opinions on the appropriate number of incense sticks to burn, but most Vietnamese people choose odd numbers like 1, 3, 5, 7, 9.
According to the theory of Yin and Yang, even numbers symbolize the realm of Yin, while odd numbers signify nurturing. Avoid burning an entire bunch of incense at once, as it can produce overly strong smoke and pollute the air.
The quantity of lit candles holds no varying significance. Whether few or many, what matters is the sincerity directed towards Buddha. Many temples also encourage Buddhists to light only one candle to avoid environmental pollution and prevent fires.
Here is the answer to the question of whether to burn incense continuously during Tet that you need to understand. Save it for reference and application. Don't forget to follow Mytour to quickly update the most useful information.