Incense Magick

by Carl F. Neal

  On the other hand, the exploration of new techniques (well, new to us in the West—the practices are certainly not new) brings a renewed excitement to what can grow into tired routine. Adding new approaches breathes fresh life into what is a truly beautiful path. Spending a lot of time and giving care to your censer can bring back some of the excitement you felt when you were first touched by those mystic energies. I also hope that the excitement that new incense burning and censer techniques brings can extend into every aspect of your spiritual work. Re-examining something like incense, considered to be a mere footnote to magickal work by some, may help you to revisit everything that you do to find new excitement in well-established practices.

  I will also mention that this type of incense preparation, the right tools, and the right techniques, may give you freedoms in groups that you have never experienced or have forgotten. Using the kodo approach, you can prepare censers that can be safely passed from person to person within your circle. You can each “listen” to the incense in turn and pass the censer without fear of burns from an overheated burner and with a very controlled way to share the magick inherent within all aromatics.

  The adoption and modification of Asian approaches to enjoying and utilizing incense is a mind-enhancing experience. Perhaps this very elementary explanation will inspire you to seek out experts on kodo and explore that path as it has been traditionally practiced. Many of us adapt and modify practices of other cultures into our own practices regularly, but there is also much to be said for following traditions that have been formalized over centuries. Whether you modify these techniques widely or adapt them in their traditional forms, it is time that the West tapped into centuries of research in the East. Japan has taken incense to its greatest stage of evolution so far, and looking into that past is almost certainly where we will find the future of incense and its application to magickal practices.

  1. My position was that recipes had definite value for incense makers; his position was that recipes have no place in the incense world and only sampling, testing, and consistency matter, and those traits are based solely on the skill level of the incense maker and the aromatics purchaser.

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  Part Three

  Combustible

  Incense

  10

  Overview of

  Combustible Incense

  Combustible incense adds a whole new dimension to the incense experience. Nearly everyone has burned a stick or two of incense, but combustible incense comes in a wide variety of forms beyond the masala-style incense stick.

  Advantages

  Combustible incense is much newer in the incense world than loose or other non-combustible incense forms. But thanks to talented incense makers around the world, it is easy to locate high-quality combustible incense. Even all-natural combustible incense can now be located with little effort. If you can’t find any in your town, try the Internet for a huge variety of retailers of natural, combustible incense.

  The most obvious benefit to using combustible incense is that you don’t need any outside heat sources. That makes it easier to transport and easier to use for both mundane and magickal purposes. Combustible incense can be found in virtually any town or city, which is also very convenient. In general, combustible incense is less messy and less susceptible to the effects of wind and weather. Most combustible incense (with the exception of powdered forms) requires minimal equipment to use. Beautiful censers are a real boon to combustible incense, but they are rarely required. A cone burned atop a coin still allows the users to enjoy the richness of the scent.

  If purchased from a consistent maker (be it from a large corporation or a local incense crafter), combustible incense can be depended upon to burn under most conditions. Wind and moisture can easily disrupt the use of charcoal or candles, but most combustible incense will remain lit despite adverse conditions. Combustible incense is still subject to changes due to humidity. There might be some variation in burning time under different moisture conditions, but the incense should still burn completely.

  Disadvantages

  The primary disadvantage to combustible incense won’t impact most incense users: combustible incense is more difficult to make than non-combustible forms. It requires more precise control of portions of ingredients, the correct amount of binder so the incense is strong but not so hard that it can’t burn, and many other factors to create a reliable stick or cone. Luckily, there are many incense makers in the world. From master Japanese incense makers who faithfully reproduce scents first created hundreds of years ago to the local incense maker selling her wares at area Pagan festivals, you can find a wide variety of quality incense that is ready for use.

  I would never discourage anyone from exploring the world of incense making. It’s a very fun craft with many rewards. It’s an activity that I’ve personally taught to thousands of eager learners. It’s true that combustible incense is harder to make than non-combustible, but I think the rewards dramatically offset that drawback.

  Another disadvantage to combustible incense is that a great deal of it is fragile. Joss sticks, coils, and other thin or extruded incense can break very easily. It requires transportation in a rigid container to keep it safe from damage in transit. This is actually the primary reason that cones were developed. If you need to toss a little incense in your pocket for use on a trip, a cone or large cylinder will usually survive, while a joss stick won’t.

  Forms

  Incense comes in a practically endless variety of forms. Even as I write these words, I know there must be at least a dozen forms of incense I’ve yet to see. I don’t want anyone to think that this is an exhaustive list of forms for combustible incense. As recently as the late 1990s, major incense manufacturers were introducing new forms, so I’m confident that there are more we’ll get to explore in the future. The one thing that all these different forms share is that they create their own heat. There is no need for charcoal or flame to use combustible incense, but that’s where the similarities end.

  Masala Stick Incense

  This is the form of incense that most Americans are familiar with. During the 1970s, this type of incense took domination over the incense market. This domination continues to this day. Masala (a Hindi word meaning “spice”) incense is the familiar form of incense material rolled onto a long, thin wooden stick. Most frequently sold alongside “boat” style incense burners, low-quality versions of masala sticks can be found in grocery stores, discount houses, “head shops,” and New Age stores across North America. Unfortunately, the bulk of this style of incense is low-quality, synthetic incense. It’s really unlikely that you’ll find natural incense in the local discount store.

  That doesn’t mean that all masala incense is low quality. A lot of it is, but a number of companies sell natural masala-style incense. One advantage to using this form of incense grows from the fact that it is such a popular product. There is an incredible assortment of burners designed specifically for this form. Masala sticks can also be used in many outdoor situations with ease. If the stick in the center is sturdy, it can be pushed into the ground. Just remind everyone of the location of the burning incense—bumping into a burning incense stick can cause painful burns.

  Joss Stick

  This is the form of incense most familiar to Europeans. Unlike masala incense, joss sticks have no wooden rod. Joss sticks are a solid stick of incense material. Omitting the wooden stick has several advantages. First, that wooden stick can be difficult to burn. It is used to make the incense sturdier, but it can also make it less reliable. Second, the scent is also more pure with joss sticks. With masala incense, the wooden stick contributes significantly to the overall scent produced. With joss sticks, you smell only what the incense maker meant for you to smell.

  Of course, joss sticks have an obvious drawback: without the strength from the wooden rod, joss sticks are much more f
ragile. You can’t drop a joss stick, even a thick Tibetan-style joss stick, into your pocket and hope it will survive. When joss sticks are tightly tied in thick bundles they are more durable, but joss sticks are best kept in a rigid container for safe transportation.

  Cone

  The incense cone is another familiar form of incense. Unlike the long and thin stick, cones are squat and wide (although they are made from the same incense materials that comprise sticks). The shape of cones dramatically affects its burning habits. Cones will usually light easily but, if made improperly, they will go out as they burn closer to the wide base. That’s why I always teach people to make cones that are tall and thin rather than short and squat. If the cone is well made, it will not go out under most conditions.

  The benefit of the cone shape is its durability. Cones were created so that incense could safely be shipped from Asia to the West. Under the roughest shipping conditions, cones might have their thin tips broken off, but the cone is still basically intact. I’ve carried incense cones in my shirt pocket on backpacking trips and can vouch for their hardiness.

  Cylinder

  Cylinders are something of a cross between cones and joss sticks. Cylinders, which look a bit like miniature incense logs, are extremely thick joss sticks. You could alternately view them as cones that do not taper. This shape has several advantages. First, cylinders are easier to make than cones, so incense makers like them. Second, cylinders are much stronger than their thin cousins. Their durability in a bundle is unrivaled.

  Of course, this is balanced by drawbacks as well. Cylinders are more difficult to light than sticks or cones. It can take much longer to properly light a large cylinder than any other form of incense. Having many of the properties of the cone, it shares a drawback as well. If the incense is not properly made, the cylinder will be difficult to light and difficult to keep lit. At least with cones, the thin end tends to burn. With a cylinder, burning might be difficult from start to finish.

  Dhoop

  Dhoop is an Indian form of incense that is similar in shape and size to cylinders, only it is a softer material. This is a result of the binder used in dhoops. Functionally, a dhoop works just like a cylinder, except it is usually easier to light. Like so many other things, the dhoop’s strength can be its weakness as well. Since dhoops are softer, they are more easily damaged in transit. On the other hand, dhoops can sometimes be pressed back together or back into a proper shape. That’s something that you can’t do with the other forms I’ve discussed.

  Coil

  Incense coils are essentially spiral-shaped joss sticks. A very long joss stick, while still wet, is coiled around and around so that it takes up very little space. Coils are great because they will give you a long burning time while occupying very little space. They are, not surprisingly, fragile and therefore not particularly well suited for travel. But they can survive long journeys if carefully packed in a rigid container. Coils of amazing proportions are produced in Asia. Some coils will burn for a week or more—even as long as a month. If you wish to maintain a constant scent for a long period, coils are an excellent choice. Since coils of incense burn in a spiral shape, they can have special meaning to Pagans and Heathens.

  Powder

  Unlike the other forms of combustible incense, combustible powder shares many traits with non-combustible powder incense. The only difference between combustible and non-combustible powders is the need for a heat source, but this is an important difference. As you will see in chapter 11, the ability of combustible powder to burn on its own is the heart of “incense trails” and “incense seals.” Unlike any other form of incense, you can use combustible powder to create incense in any size and shape you wish. From simple circles to elaborate words or magick symbols, the flexibility of powder incense is tempered a bit by the amount of paraphernalia that is required. Powder incense allows those who don’t make their own incense to create the shapes and forms that they desire, empowering their magick in new and exciting ways.

  The most suitable form of combustible incense depends on many things, including when and where it will be used, its magickal purpose (if any), and the materials that you possess. Each form has its own strengths and weaknesses. The form of incense you use on your indoor altar is very likely to differ from the incense you would take to an outdoor ritual. Of course, the form you select will also depend on what’s available in your area. If you can’t locate the form of incense you want locally, you can turn to the Internet and find any form of incense described in this book.

  Self-combusting incense is convenient and nearly as flexible as non-combusting forms. It comes in a huge variety of shapes and composition from large and rigid to small and pliable. While it is not difficult to make your own self-combusting incense, it can be found in a wide enough assortment of scents and forms from commercial producers that even if you never make your own incense you can enjoy new incense on a regular basis for your entire life.

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  11

  Using

  Combustible Incense

  Combustible incense offers flexibility, in most cases, that can’t be found in the world of non-combustibles. The ability to take incense (ready for use) with you just by grabbing a cone or stick is a technological advancement beyond the paraphernalia and materials needed for many types of non-combustible incense. Combustible incense is the choice of the modern Pagan on the go!

  Smudging

  The oldest form of combustible incense is also the simplest. “Smudging” refers to the use of smoldering bundles of dried herbs to scent both spaces and objects. Smudging is a tradition among numerous indigenous people in North America and is becoming more common every year within many Pagan circles. Bundles of sweet grass are often braided together to make large “smudge sticks.” Dried bundles of white sage are also commonly used.

  Smudging is a way to use the pure power of fragrant smoke to cleanse and purify. Smudging bundles are sometimes held in the hand or, more frequently, the smoldering herbs are held in a special bowl or shell. This is an advantageous approach since bundles of herbs can come apart during use and scatter burning material. As with any kind of incense burner or censer, you need to handle the bowl or shell with care. Although smudging bundles tend to burn with less heat than charcoal tablets or large incense cones, the bowl can still get hot enough to burn you. If you choose to hold the bundle in your hand, still keep a bowl or shell handy to catch ashes. It’s also handy if you unexpectedly need to put the smudging bundle aside momentarily.

  Smudging is often carried out with the aid of a feather as well. A large feather is a great tool for moving smoke to a specific place. Since one of the primary goals of smudging is cleansing, the smoke may need some help to reach every place it needs to go. Gently fanning or drawing the smoke with a feather will allow the smoke to reach every nook and cranny (a process called “incense sweeping,” which is discussed in chapter 6). Smoke can be similarly moved with your hands, although feathers are more adept at the process since they were created to direct the flow of air.

  In addition to cleansing people and open spaces, smudging herbs are also used to cleanse doorways and windows by moving the herbs around the entire outline of the opening. For example, to smudge a doorway you might begin with the bowl at the bottom of the doorway and then raise the bowl to trace the entire outline of the door, ending where you began.

  People can be smudged in a very similar way if the need for cleansing is great. Beginning at the feet, moving to the head, and then back to the feet on the other side of the body is very effective. More commonly, the bowl is offered to a person who uses the smoke much like water. As the person doing the smudging (the “smudger” as we sometimes laughingly say) holds the bowl or moves it around the head of the person, she can reach into the smoke and draw it off with a feather or her hands. The smoke can be drawn towards the top of the head and down the length of the bod
y. This process is not only an external one. The person being smudged is also offered the smoke as a way of shifting into a more magickal state of mind as well as releasing accumulated negative energies.

  In many traditions, smudging goes beyond simply touching the smoke to the face and head or even feet. Some call for smoke to be drawn to the mouth, eyes, and ears to purify the entire self. The smoke draws away negative energies—not merely external negative energies that have been accumulated but also the negative energies from our own thoughts and the words that have come through our mouths. Personally, I see this as a symbolic gesture, much like holding an incense burner to your ear in order to “listen” to the incense. Smudging your ears and mouth is a symbolic release of the undesirable things you’ve heard or said. You are magickally washing your mouth out with soap is, I suppose, one way to look at it.

  Entire rooms or even buildings can be smudged as well, although that can be a very time-consuming process. A room that is regularly smudged can be cleansed in just a few moments by carrying the smoldering herbs around the room. A room in serious need of cleansing will require much more work. The smoke needs to reach both the floor and the ceiling, along with every corner and turn in the room. As you might guess, it could take an hour or more to smudge a room with a large amount of negative energy (such as a place where you had repeated arguments or where an act of violence took place). Smudging an entire building might require multiple sessions to thoroughly cleanse each room and entry.