The Art of Smoke: Making Spiritual Incenses

Incense is one of the most taken-for-granted components in ritual. It is not uncommon these days to simply light a stick of incense with a name like "Dark Magick" or "Spirit Guide" and think nothing of it. But truthfully, the art of crafting incense is one of the most personal practices you can get into, because it allows you to tailor the scent of your temple into something that not only invokes the feel of Magick, but also hits the notes that your spirits enjoy as well. So let's look at the basics, and then we'll take a look at some base formulas you can start with.

Generally speaking, all you need for a good incense is finely powdered herbal components. However, you can add a little bit of powdered charcoal to make it burn easier, or you can create comes and other shapes by making a paste of water, alcohol, or another carrier liquid and a binder such as gun tragacanth. Then, blend this with your incense and roll it into shape. Let it dry, and you've got shapes. But for simplicity, we will look only at core powdered incense formulas.

The key to powerful incense is to be mindful of the creation. When you are powdering and mixing, be completely focused on your intent and the task at hand to infuse it with your essence. You can take this a step further by consecrating the incense in appropriate rituals. However, strictly speaking, it only needs to be blended and burnt to be effective. And, when blended, your formulas should be stored in airtight glass jars to preserve them.

So, with all that said, let's look at some core incense bases you can use.

Elemental incenses

Air Incense

5 parts Benzoin

5 parts Lavender

5 parts Sandalwood

3 parts Neroli

Fire Incense

3 parts Ginger

2 parts Rosemary

1 part Clove

1 part Cinnamon

Water Incense

3 parts Palmarosa

2 parts Ylang Ylang

1 part Jasmine

Earth Incense

4 parts Cypress

4 parts Patchouli

Planetary Incense

Sun Incense

10 parts Palma Christi

3 parts Sandalwood

2 parts Orange peel

2 parts Helichrysum

Mercury Incense

1 part Palma Christi

3 parts Honeysuckle

3 parts Sweet Pea

Venus Incense

10 parts Palma Christi

3 parts Rose

2 parts Verbena

2 parts Lime peel

1 part Tulsi powder

Moon Incense

10 parts Camphor

5 parts Palma Christi

5 parts Wisteria

5 parts Myrrh

5 parts Tulsi powder

Mars Incense

1 part Palma Christi

5 parts Carnation

5 parts Frankincense

5 parts Allspice

Jupiter Incense

4 parts Bayberry

4 parts Bergamot

4 parts Violet

4 parts Honeysuckle

Saturn Incense

3 parts Palma Christi

3 parts Patchouli

3 parts Vetivert

3 parts Rue

3 parts Juniper

General Purpose Blends

Consecration Incense

Equal parts:

Bay Leaves

Benzoin

Cypress

Frankincense

Myrrh

Ritual Incense

Equal parts:

Bergamot

Cinnamon

Copal

Frankincense

Marshmallow Root

Divination Incense

5 parts Lavender

5 parts Mugwort

1 part Wormwood

Space Clearing Incense

Equal parts:

Cedar

Rosemary

Sage

Thyme

Sea Salt

Temple Incense

3 parts Frankincense

2 parts Lavender

2 parts Myrrh

1 part Sandalwood

Of course, all of these blends are very generic, basic formulas. Play with them, tweak them, make them personal to your practice and spirits. These base formulas will work just fine, but to really get a good kick out of them, make them your own.