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 Incense

About Incense

Incense has always been used in metaphysics to induce the sense of smell when working magick, meditating, etc. It's also widely used to energize or just to infuse an area with your favorite scent.
Different herbs have separate qualities used in magick. When you put different herbs together with the same correspondence to go towards the same goal, you have a potential incense to bring something new into your life or honor deity. Of course, some herbs are not going to be too pleasant together, so it may take some experimentation to decide which mixture suits you. Herbs also don't have to be mixed to make an incense. You may just wish to use one herb to aid you in a certain working. See the herbal correspondences to see which ones you'd like to use to promote ritual consciousness, purify your area, or attract specific energies. I will also include some recipes for incense in this section as well. If there is any incense you would like to see here that you don't, please let me know!
"When the incense is smoldered in a ritual setting it undergoes a transformation. The vibrations, no longer trapped in their physical form, are released into the environment. Their energies, mixing with those of the magician, speed out to effect the changes necessary to the manifestation of the magical goal." - Scott Cunningham's "Incense, Oils and Brews"

I will stick to making noncombustible incense for it is the easiest to make and the most widely used. Noncombustible incense is sprinkled onto burning charcoal blocks to release its fragrance, whereas combustible incense contains potassium nitrate (saltpeter) and is burned in the form of bricks, sticks, cones, etc.
Make sure you have all the necessary ingredients to start off. If you don't have a certain herb, don't worry. You can go to the herb page and find a list of substitutions. Don't think you have to have a certain herb or the whole project is a failure; that's not true. You don't have to have any specific recipe for something to work for you. That's why it's always a good idea to experiment yourself and not go strictly by a certain recipe because only you know what works best for you.
Now, finely ground each ingredient using a mortar and pestle or an electric grinder. Mortar and pestles are great but you always must check the quality of them and some things can be really hard to grind until you get it down. One of the first mortar and pestles I used to have ended up soaking up half the herb whenever I grinded it so always be careful what kind you get. Large wooden or ceramic bowls are always the best, also for mixing the ingredients later on. Personally, I'm in love with the electric grinder.
Once all the ingredients are ground, fix your mind on your goal. Mix the ingredients together with your hands as you visualize the goal in your mind and let it be directed in the incense as you make it. If you are using any oils or liquids in the incense, always use them last. Just a few drops are all that's needed. Oils can also be used for any herb you lack. As you mix the oil with the herbs, continue visualizing your goal as before. When you are done with the incense, you may empower it, which I will also talk about later. And then store it in a tightly capped jar and be sure to label it, including the name of the incense and possibly even the date of composition, moon phase, or anything else you'd like to add. Always be sure to burn the incense in a censer. When you are ready to use the incense, simply place a charcoal block (which you can get from any occult store, I get mine from a bookstore), light the charcoal block and sprinkle your incense onto it. Always be sure to use small amounts or you may extinguish the charcoal block.

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Recipies

Altar Incense
3 parts Frankincense
2 parts Myrrh
1 part Cinnamon

Astral Projection Incense
3 parts Sandalwood
3 parts Benzoin
1 part Mugwort
1 part Dittany of Crete

Divination Incense
2 parts Sandalwood
1 part Orange peel
1 part Mace
1 part Cinnamon

Full Moon Ritual Incense
3 parts Frankincense
1 part Sandalwood

Healing Incense
1 part Rosemary
1 part Juniper berries

Love Incense
2 parts Dragon's Blood
1 part Orris
1/2 part Cinnamon
1/2 part Rose petals
a few drops Musk oil
a few drops Patchouli oil

Meditation Incense
1 part Gum Acacia (or Gum Arabic)
1 part Sandalwood

Prophetic Dream Incensed
2 parts Sandalwood
1 part Buchu

Protection Incense
2 parts Frankincense
1 part Sandalwood
1/2 part Rosemary

Relaxation Incense
Rosemary
Lavender
Thyme

Study Incense
2 parts Gum Mastic
1 part Rosemary

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