The Historical and Cultural Significance
“He looks at the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smoke.” – Psalm 104:32
Through my research, I have discovered that nearly every ancient culture has understood this magical aspect of smoke for centuries.
Smoke is not only a by-product of the fire, but more than this, it has been used as a medium through which humans can access God.
For example, in many native cultures, smoke is considered sacred as it can carry your prayers to the gods.
I shall never forget the first time I went along with a smudging ritual.
I was surprised to experience smudging as it is a method of burning herbs – such as sage or sweetgrass that I learned about with Native American tribes.
By waving the scented smoke over oneself or through space, it is said to ritually purify and cleanse, banishing dismissed energies while bringing auspicious entities.
Smoke breaks have been employed even back in ancient Greece and Rome.
In cultures like those, incense burning and offerings in temples were not simply ceremonial actions but a means to convey something to the gods.
The air filled with the sweet aroma of incense smoke from frankincense, myrrh and other resins, lending a mood of serenity and respect.
More importantly, these were not just sensory experiences; they all held profound symbolic acts to please the gods in return for good fortune.
This was a real lightbulb moment about how much these rituals are part of everyday life and spiritual well-being.
Some Eastern spiritual practices also have a high regard for smoke. Incense is a classic component of meditation and temple ceremonies in various Buddhist and Hindu traditions.
One of the first memories that I have from my visit to a Buddhist monastery is that of monks lighting incense sticks before they sat for meditation.
The smoke that rose also conveyed the idea of ascension; it let Buddhist practitioners know they should leave behind all mortal things and contemplate as a being in pure spirit form.
The experience of lighting incense ended up becoming a ritual for me – one that enables me to connect with the deeper currents of reality.
Spiritual Meanings Of Smelling Smoke:
It is a messenger from the Spirit World
“As smoke that flees, so is our life: it seems a breath, and soon it vanishes.” – Dante Alighieri
In my spiritual path, I interpret that the other side (the spirit world) communicates with us in such subtle but powerful ways.
Scents are one of the most interesting ways we communicate in this respect, and smoke is notable (when there is no visible association).
I well remember the first time I smelled smoke for no reason.
This familiar smell of burnt wood that was drolling down to Earth warned me I am all the time in my home, deeply lost in a book.
No fireplaces or candles were burning (or even nearby) that would have justified the aroma.
I was a little puzzled at first, and maybe slightly apprehensive but really more curious.
Suddenly, however, I felt intense warmth and security – as if someone loving were wrapping its arms around me.
It was not until that moment then I noticed it was more than coincidental. This is a message from the realm of spirits.
The nostalgic scent of smoke can trigger a wave of memories and feelings.
So, every time I witness this phenomenon today, I literally stop everything and think.
I wonder who comes to mind and what memories I call upon.
Most often, it’s a dead loved one or friend trying to tell us something and show they are there for us.
Because in those moments I believe my mind and heart will steer me to the right course.
They are usually quite subtle, but when I listen closely, there is great wisdom in them.
These events have shown me that sensing and intuition are essential.
The spirit world usually communicates in easy-to-miss ways — if you are not present to listen.
One of the best ways to know you are near a fire is when you smell smoke but can’t see where it’s coming from.
It reminds us to keep our hearts and minds open and ready for the messages from our loved ones who have passed, as well as through spirit.
It is a sign from Heaven or Hell
“Such people are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that keeps burning all day.” – Isaiah 65:5
The sense of smell is something so interesting to me.
It is the passage to our memories, emotions and even spiritual feelings.
The angels, who are always gifting divine grace, wear a fragrance sweeter than any scent on Earth.
This holy scent is referred to often in the lives of the saints.
Again, when recounting divine revelations, it is said that a good smell, along with fragrance, was everywhere in the room and place, which showed Divinity.
On the other hand, the smell of a devil is another type, not like any odor on Earth.
Being one who had entirely separated from Divinity, the devil actually acquired an eternal smell of hell that could never be washed off him, a stench so vile it is indescribable by human words.
But when the devils reveal themselves to humankind they release from them a stench that is unbearable, far more repulsive than all foul odor found in this world of ours.
It’s a sensory reflection of the evil and decay that is at their core.
This reminds me of the words as poetically written by William Shakespeare. In “Macbeth,” he wrote:
Wherever in your sightless substances
You wait on nature’s mischief! Come, thick night,
And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell,
That my keen knife see not the wound it makes,
Nor Heaven peep through the blanket of the dark,
To cry “Hold, hold!”
It is about purification – smelling something burning is a sign of what spiritually
“When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace.” – Revelation 9:2
Smoke in the bible depicts prayers ascending to heaven. Psalm 141:2 reads:
“May my prayer be set before you like incense;may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.”
This imagery gives us the idea that our prayer and worship, or incense, is taken to God via smoke connecting heaven with Earth.
From a different biblical perspective, the sudden smell of smoke could be to represent sin or that someone is unclean.
The smoke produced by burnt offerings in the Old Testament was a sign of sorrow for sin and an invitation to find forgiveness from God. Leviticus 1:9 says:
“but he shall wash its entrails and its legs with water. And the priest shall burn all on the altar as a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD.”
If the smell of smoke is just unpleasant or undesirable, it could guide you to where in your life you really should ask for forgiveness and seek improvement.
Maybe it’s a message from the divine calling you to cleanse your life of bad habits or mindsets that fog your spiritual vision.
As daunting as the purification process may seem, it is necessary for spiritual growth and to be used by God.
The smell of smoke may also be another test for those with discernment. In 1 John 4:1:
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
This shows that not every experience is spiritual, and we should weigh them.
The smell of smoke may be an out-of-place or strange sensation: a calling to put on the full armor, hold fast, and not fall into deceptive ensnaring.
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What Is The Spiritual Meaning Of Smelling Something Sweet?
I’m Bulgarea Candin Stefan and I have started Spiritual Whirlwinds to pass my learnings from my spiritual journey. Spiritualwhirlwinds.com provides a space of spiritual awakening with guided meditations, e-books, mantras, and pendulum readings.