Incense

[Willow]

Just curious, how do you use it? Make it? And what is your favourite type? Scent?

I love Cone incense Frankinscence and Myhrr, it just makes my house feel mysterious, if there is anything I want to get in touch with, that helps me.

[katsu]

I have several different kinds of incense, and I use whatever I need at that time. (Usually for meditation)
However I use Sage (white) for cleansing purposes. I normally use Sage in dried form and burn that, it being more effective, but incense does the trick if I haven't got the herb itself.

[underlilith]

how to make it

http://www.scents-of-earth.com/makyourownna.html

http://www.oller.net/incense-making.htm

http://www.jmw.net/how_to_make_incense.html

Majick usage

http://www.cassandraeason.co.uk/making_tools.htm

hope this helps
... by the way... i just googled it .... ssshhh....

[Kystar]

For just clearing the air, I use various stick or cone incense. Like if my dinner burns and I got the smell of blackened cheese in my house...you know.

For meditation, I tend to use a delicate scent, usually pre-made incense, like Rose or lily of the valley.

On the rare occasion that my sage smudge stick isn't enough for cleansing, I mix up some dried herbs and spices from my cabinet to put on a disc of charcoal...no oils, just dry stuff...based on what I want to accomplish. I have some rose petals and stuff around too, that aren't exactly spices that I usually use for soaps.

I don't have any real rhyme or reason, but I tend to use stuff that can be bought as opposed to trying to make my own...unless it's an oil incense burner, then I just grab whatever essential oils I want.

[Stormy]

Incense - one of my very most favorite things

I use sticks, cones, resins and make up lots of my own mixtures for both scent and magical purposes. Have my own mortar and pestal just for incense.

Also do the aroma dish burners with the essential oils in water.

Don't like the really cheap stick incense that most non-pagans are familiar with.

Favorite scents are white sage, sweet grass, copal, myrrh, frankincense and a special blend I make myself with mugwort and wormwood as prime ingedients - gotta be careful with it though, it's real powerful stuff.

[Crazy Healer Lady]

Don't like the really cheap stick incense that most non-pagans are familiar with.

Same here... Synthetic stuff... The only pre-made incense I use is Nag Shampa - Agarbatti said to be used by Sai Baba, but this isn't the reason I use it. I have the boxes all over my house because the scent is so powerful, I rarely have to light them, although I will in lieu of smudging (open all the windows wide). I love it. I have a thing for Indian incense. I'm starting to strongly think I was East Indian in a recent past life. Everyone who talks with me on the phone at work, and then comes into the office, stares at me wide-eyed when I say who I am (pasty pale lol) and say that they thought I was East Indian! Some say it's because they thought I said "Jas" when I say my name, and others say I have a Hindu accent. LOL

I've experimented with making my own stick and cone incense. It worked rather well! A good book is The Complete Book of Incense, Oils, and Brews by Scott Cunningham, the only Cunningham book I have read or own. Usually, now, I just mix up oils, and that way don't get the smoke. However, sometimes smoke is preferrable, such as when using sage. (O_O I used my smudge sticks from the sage plants in the north of BC recently... Either very powerful, or slightly narcotic, because whoa my goodness...) You can grind up the herbs you wish to a fine powder with a binding agent like resin gum (frankincense, myrrh, etc). Before putting it all together, add a few drops of essential oils. They will for the most part evaporate over time, but if you make cones (sooo much easier than sticks), they stay inside until burned.

Make the cones thin at the base. My big mistake was making them too fat. You want them thick enough to support the thing, but thin enough to burn.

Have fun!

[Willow]

I was just intersted to see what other people think, I have Rediscovered incesnse and candles lately, I forgot how much I liked them.

I am writing a papper right now so it gives me a nice break to get up and light an incense stick! Clears the head a little!

[Kitsune]

Candles... Sigh!

I love them all year round, but especially in the darker parts of the year.

Also, I keep one near me and lit when trying to write... For some reason it makes it easier to type what comes next...

Hmm, Bridget's(spelling, someone help ) Blessing perhaps?! [-o<

[Sìle]

Just curious, how do you use it? Make it? And what is your favourite type? Scent?

I burn it during meditation and when needed for magic. I prefer loose incense and make it myself using herbs, resins and oils. Here are some of my recipes:

Hallowmass Incense # 1

2 parts myrrh
2 parts sandalwood
2 parts lavender
1 part frankincense
1 part bay leaf
1 part juniper
1 part cinnamon

With mortar and pestle, crush each ingredient into powder and then combined in the proportions suggested. Continue to grind and blend them together. As you do this, focus your intent and enchant the incense for your purpose. Burn on a charcoal disk.

Hallowmass Incense # 2

1 part rowan berries
1 parth blackthorn wood
1 part galangal
1 part chervil
1 part vervain
1 part parsley
3 parts myrrh

Method: With mortar and pestle, crush each ingredient into powder and then combined in the proportions suggested. Continue to grind and blend them together. As you do this, focus your intent and enchant the incense for your purpose. Burn on a charcoal disk.

Hallowmass Incense #3

1 tsp powdered allspice
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp clove powder
1 rounded tsp myrrh
2 tbl rose petals

Method: With mortar and pestle, crush ingredients into powder. As you do this, focus your intent and enchant the incense for your purpose. Burn on a charcoal disk.

Roodmass Incense #1

3 parts frankincense
2 parts sandalwood
1 part woodruff
1 part rose petals
a few drops of Jasmine oil
a few drops of Neroli oil

Method: With mortar and pestle, crush ingredients into a paste, or dry powder if preferred. As you do this, focus your intent and enchant the incense for your purpose. Burn on a charcoal disk.

Roodmass Incense #2

1 ounce fennel seeds
1 ounce chamomile flowers
2 ounces sage
2 ounces pennyroyal
2 ounces charcoal
2 tsp salt
1 tsp saltpeter

Method: With mortar and pestle, crush ingredients into powder . As you do this, focus your intent and enchant the incense for your purpose. Burn on a charcoal disk.

Lughnasadh Incense #1

4 parts frankincense
apple bark
marigold
sunflower
oak leaves

Method: With mortar and pestle, grind ingredients together whilst visualizing the power of Lugh. Burn on charcoal to assist in attuning to Lugh.

[Crazy Healer Lady]

Awesome contribution, Sile! Love the recipes. One question though: What is Roodmass? I've never heard this term before.

[Sìle]

Awesome contribution, Sile! Love the recipes. One question though: What is Roodmass? I've never heard this term before.

a.k.a. Bealltainn

[Crazy Healer Lady]

Ah, thank you