| Creating Your Own incense Loose Blends By: Dawn Hill From Crystal Forest For centuries incense has been used for many purposes including aromatherapy, reduction of stress, easing depression, repelling insects, enhancing meditation or prayer, and improving concentration. Most people prefer creating loose incense that is burned on charcoal tablets because it is a very easy process and it can be done spontaneously in most cases. Incense burns hot and produces ash that can fall off as it burns, so you'll need a container or surface that is fireproof and large enough to hold any debris. A heavy oven safe ceramic bowl filled with at least an inch of sand, salt or ash works very well for most purposes. Metal or ceramic censers can be purchased that either hang on a light chain or have feet to hold them above a table surface, but even these may become very hot and need to be used with extreme caution. Other options might be shells or concave shaped stones (either natural or drilled for this purpose). Be sure that whatever you use is on a safe surface because most containers become extremely hot. A trivet of some type is always a good idea. If you have a tendency toward allergies, use incense cautiously at first. The oils and resins are potent and concentrated, and inhaling the smoke can sometimes irritate sensitive respiratory systems. Always be sure the area you are burning your incense in is well ventilated because even those without allergies or sensitivities can be overwhelmed by their potency. One should also be aware that using too much incense can be a problem. Once the charcoal tablet is burning use only small pinches of incense on top of the charcoal. You may add more as necessary, rather than adding too much, and either ending up in a room engulfed with smoke or even extinguishing the charcoal tablet by smothering it. It does not take much to create a cloud of choking smoke that will have you gasping for air while your eyes tear and run! This is especially true for resins and woods. It also goes without saying that one should never leave any incense burning unattended. Doing so can cause many types of damage ranging from mild to severe burns to loss of a home. Caution must also be taken when using baneful herbs in recipes. Some are dangerous to handle and should not be mixed with hands or exposed to bare skin and others can be dangerous to inhale and should never be used indoors, if at all. I truly recommend you stay away from them and use other less toxic substances as substitutes. It is much better to be overly cautious and safe than cavalier and dead! To begin you will need to gather the ingredients for your blend, a recipe or paper and pen to write down what you are creating as you go, grinding instruments, a bowl or cauldron for blending and a container for the finished product. When mixing incenses it is necessary to either start with powders or to grind herbs as finely as you can. A mortar and pestle may be used for this purpose but for more "modern" witches a coffee grinder can be a valuable tool. This is especially useful for those who are unable to use hand tools because of physical limitations. I still enjoy grinding my herbs by hand and find that I can focus my intent for the blend with each pounding of the mortar and pestle, so I use this method as often as possible. It is generally a good idea to grind or powder each ingredient separately and mix them together once all of them have been prepared. Resins can sometimes pose a problem because grinding them can often cause them to become sticky or gummy. A hammer is fantastic for items like Dragon's Blood resin and for some other resins. Simply put your items in a plastic bag and sandwich between two boards. Pound the boards and you will have much smaller pieces of resin in a few moments. Many herb dealers can also acquire powdered resins if you prefer to purchase them this way. I must admit they really do make the job a lot easier and will not lose their freshness the way some powdered herbs can because they have very low amounts of volatile oils. I recommend them highly if you are able to obtain them. Once your resins, herbs and other ingredients are ready take each one and add them to the large bowl or cauldron mixing them and visualizing the intent of the finished blend as you do. Visualize the energy of your intent flowing from your environment or a chosen deity through you and then off your hands into the blend you are creating. While doing so know that your will is also infusing the ingredients with the energy to help manifest your magickal goal. At this point you may add any powdered stones to your blend. Once this is done you may add any liquids. Liquids might be wine or mead or even essential oils. A few drops of any liquid is sufficient and they must be well blended to avoid creating any lumps or wet spots in your finished product. You may substitute a few drops of essential oil for any herb you may be short of in most cases. When adding your liquids you will again visualize your intent and energies in the same way that you did while adding the dry ingredients. At this point you must decide if your incense is dry enough to be stored. If the ingredients are too wet they will mold in a short amount of time and make your creation unusable. While essential oils will not cause this problem, wines and other liquids can. If you wish to dry or cure your incense I recommend you lay it out on a sheet of muslin in a very dry place. The top of a refrigerator is often a good spot since the slight heat that is generated there is good for speeding the process but it is not hot enough to evaporate your oils off quickly. Again, you need to decide if this will work for you because some kitchens are humid and humidity can do a lot of damage. Also be sure to lay your blend out where animals and children will not be inclined to get into it. A day or two at most is all that should be necessary for drying. Now that you have finished creating your blend, you will want to store it in an airtight container of some kind. Glass is preferable since many volatile oils, resins and essential oils can damage plastic or cause it to leach its chemical components into your blend. NOT very magickal! If you must use plastic PET is the plastic that has the best resistance to breakdown by essential oils. When using other plastics it is a wise idea to put your blend into a bag made of muslin or other natural fiber and then into the plastic container or bag. Remember that some oils may be absorbed by the fiber of the bag so be cautious if reusing them for other purposes. Be sure to date and label your finished product, store it in a cool, dark place and put the recipe into a binder, folder or your Book Of Shadows. With some thought and a very small amount of effort you will be putting together your own blends and enjoying the rewards and benefits of your own magickal creations! Imbolc Incense 1 part each of Basil, Bay, Frankincense, Myrrh 1/2 part Sandalwood Powder 2 parts Rosemary 3 parts Cinnamon 1/2 part Dragon's Blood Optional: Dried flower petals or leaves from the first flowers of the season (you may wish to collect them from the previous season in colder weather climates) If using whole herbs grind herbs until all are a fine powder. Break resins into small pieces and grind, as well. Visualize fertility, as well as cleansing your home, environment and life of all negativity. Burn on charcoal tablets. |
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| The place to improve the world is first in one's own heart and head and hands. -Robert M. Pirsig |