Vietnamese people do not wait for Tet, or Lunar New Year, to light an incense, but during this traditional festival, they burn incense sticks in front of the ancestor's altar with the conviction of having a connection between the real world and the afterlife.
Incense has long been associated with religious practice. It is believed that its use began in Ancient Egypt, eventually spreading to the rest of the world. Today incense is used in many religions such as Buddhism, Christianity and Hinduism, to name a few.
The Vietnamese people do not consider death as an end. The late national poet Nguyen Du (1765-1820) defined death as a loss of the physical body while the spirit remains with their loved ones.
For Vietnamese people, lighting an incense is the way to open the channel of connecting with their ancestor.
According to the authors of the book "Customs of cult in Vietnamese families" published in 1996, the spirit of the dead greatly influences the life of the living. Many, for honoring their deceased parents, do nothing wrong and try to think carefully before doing something that makes them anxious.
Praying in front of the altar dedicated to the ancestor
To date, there is no convincing explanation of why the Vietnamese lit three incenses (or an always odd number) to pray in front of the altar.
Whether you are performing any form of spiritual worship or not, personal use of incense can help you in various ways, like clear a room of negative energy and purify your space, or help clear your mind and increase your focus during meditation or any activity that requires concentration.