How to Work with Incense
WELL,THAT MAKES SCENTS
Incense, in one form or another, has been in use for centuries. It is then no surprise that so many different forms of it are available. Here at Legendary Conjure we like to burn incense for inspiration, meditation, activation, and purification. Try it yourself! Burn a little Kyphi when reciting your prayers and let them be carried to the heavens on the smoke. Spark up some King Solomon Wisdom incense the next time you and your kids go to study, and see if things don’t seem to stay with you a little easier. Smoke your mojo and your wallet with Mean Green Money Drawing incense to help bring in the bucks and make the most of what you already have. Wave around some sage the next time your place feels yucky, and we guarantee you will feel a difference! The point is, there are so many different types and ways to use incense, that you are bound to find something you will like.
| TYPE | USAGE | NEEDS CHARCOAL |
| Ball/Kneaded | The most common example of ball incense is the Egyptian temple incense called “Kyphi.” Ball incense is made from a recipe paste and then rolled into balls and cured until completely dried. | Yes |
| Braid | The most common example of braid incense is sweet grass. It’s called a “braid” because the sweet grass is harvested, braided, and then dried. It is burned by lighting the tip and then blowing on it to put out the fire so that it just smolders. | No |
| Bundle | The most common type of bundle incense is white sage. In this case, the tips of the sage bush are harvested, wrapped with cotton string, and then dried. It is burned by lighting the tip and then blowing on it to put out the fire so that it just smolders. | No |
| Cone | Cone incense, much like ball incense, is formed from a recipe paste, but instead it is formed into cone. It is burned by lighting the tip and then blowing on it to put out the fire so that it just smolders. | No |
| Coil (Flat) | The most common example of flat coil incense is the old-timey mosquito repellent incense. It is made by pressing a recipe paste into a spiral form. It is then suspended at the center and the outer coil is lit and blown out so it smolders. As it burns, it winds its way around until it reaches the center of the coil. | No |
| Log | Logs are technically referred to as “sticks,” but they do not have a bamboo core. Logs are typically made out of dhoop or joss and are extruded into the log shape. It is burned by lighting the tip and then blowing on it to put out the fire so that it just smolders. | No |
| Loose | Loose incense is made by combining various herbs, spices, resins, woods, and essential oils; it may be powdered, but not necessarily. It is burned by placing small spoonfuls of it on a lit charcoal. | Yes |
| Resin/Gum | The most common examples of resin incense are copal, myrrh, and frankincense. Resin incense is the harvested and dried resin from trees and other plants. It requires no additional preparation. While large resin chunks can be lit and will burn on their own, it is best burned by placing small spoonfuls of it on a lit charcoal. | No/Yes |
| Rope/String | Rope incense is made by placing herbs and other plant materials on rice paper and then twisting the rice paper around the materials to form a “rope.” Burn it by placing the rope on a bed of white ash and then lighting the tip. | No |
| Self-Lighting | Self-lighting incense is made by combining various herbs, spices, resins, woods, and essential oils and reducing them to a powder. A small amount of combustible material, potassium nitrate for instance, is added to make it self-lighting. Burn self-lighting incense by placing the powder in a heat-safe container, forming it into a cone-like shape, and then lighting the tip. Resist the urge to blow on it, instead, allow the lit portion to come to a smolder on its own. Alternately, a small cone may be fashioned with a scrap of paper and the powder pressed into it. Invert the cone into the bowl of heat-safe container, and gently allow the powder to fall out. Again, light the tip and allow it to come to a smolder on its own. | No |
| Spiral (Hanging) | Spiral incense is made by pressing a recipe paste into a spiral form. It is then suspended at the center and the outer coil is lit and blown out so it smolders. Unlike flat coil, spiral incense hangs down in the shape of a cone. Because one spiral can burn for days, it is most frequently used in temples where it can be seen hanging from the ceiling. | No |
| Stick/Dipped | Stick incense is the most widely know type of incense. It is made by rolling a recipe paste onto and around a bamboo stick. The incense is then dried, at which point, it may or may not also be dipped in additional fragrances. It is burned by lighting the tip and then blowing on it to put out the fire so that it just smolders. | No |
| Wood Chips | Some woods are so aromatic that they can be burned on their own. Chips or sticks of the wood can be lit and left to smolder, with or without the use of charcoal. The most common example of these types of woods are Sandalwood and Palo Santo. | No |
Copyright © 2016 Love, Peace, and Chicken Feet. All rights reserved. This blog or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the copyright owner. Videos and miscellaneous images are the property of their respective copyright owners. By Denise Chan from Hong Kong, China – Incense Coils, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3016218.