Text: This practice comes from the person’s grandmother’s side of the family. The ritual blends cultural traditions with personal spirituality and takes a modern tweak of a ritual that was rooted from an official Baha’i ritual.

Context: “Ever since I was a child, whenever we visited my grandmother, she would burn incense. It wasn’t for any special celebration or event; she just did it whenever we came over. She’s Persian and has practiced the Baha’i faith most of her life, but this incense thing wasn’t strictly Baha’i. I see it more of a cultural and familial tradition. She always said it was to protect us from demons, especially the kids. When I first saw this happen, I just never really understood this practice; mostly because when I was a kid, it was just literally smoke. But after growing up, I really started to appreciate the gesture and protection of my grandmother.”

Interpretation: Burning incense as a protective act is a tradition present in many other cultures. In Persian households, this practice often blends Zoroastrian or folk beliefs with newer religions like the Baha’i faith. In this case, it functions as a quiet, domestic ritual of care, centered on shielding children from unseen harms. Though not explicitly religious, it holds a strong spiritual meaning and demonstrates how rituals can coexist alongside formal religion as intergenerational protection.