This booklet was a handout in classes I was teaching in the 1970's and so it doesn't have any advice on the actual making of incense! For example, to burn well each incense should have a gum or resin in it. I like to use one or more botanicals, a gum and an oil, the oil providing a binding action. Not all of these recipes call for exactly that however. Saltpeter may be added to make the incense self-lighting. I generally burn mine on a charcoal block though, so I omit that.

Also missing are the extensive warnings about having enough ventilation and being aware of not only allergies and asthma issues but of which substances might have physical effects when you breath the smoke. Camphor and Cinnamon, for instance, can make the heart race. It is very important to have good ventilation and to be aware of your body's reactions.

My meanings come mostly from "traditional" sources but in my actual teaching and working I place more emphasis on what an individual scent does for the person using it. In my beginning classes I simply passed around a collection of incenses and had each member tell what it meant to them and then we talked about the "traditional" meaning. If, for example, the traditional meaning for cinnamon is concentration and you smell it and think of grandma's pumpkin pie and all you can think about is food, it is not going to be appropriate to burn to help you study!

A Handbook of Botanical Incense

by Rowan Fairgrove

Introduction:

Incense has been used in many cultures all over the world for many purposes. Probably the most common purpose is evocative or divinatory, that is, the smoke is used to carry messages to deities or reveal hidden secrets or to foretell the future. This latter is known as Capnomancy or divination by smoke (unless Frankincense is used, divination with Frankincense is call Livanomancy).

Today incenses are still used for many purposes. These purposes are not confined to the magical operations one might expect, such as a medium burning vision incense before a reading or a priestess burning propitiatory incense to her Goddess. Other, more mundane purposes which come to mind include: a student burning concentration incense while studying for an exam, a lover burning a love-inducing incense when at dalliance with a beloved, or a tenant burning an ill will dispellant when expecting a visit from an angry landlord.

Botanical and other incenses are a tool which can be tailored to the user's desire. At their simplest they may be used to stimulate the sense of smell and bring enjoyment to those nearby, alternatively, they can be a subtle compilation designed to create a specific ambiance for a ritual or magic operation.

The following guide contains some botanicals (and a few other substances) and their uses when burned. The attributes have been derived from a great many sources, both published and personal communication, and like most magical properties they are most effective when tailored to the individual or group using them. So sit down and burn some and see if they work for you. Try combinations. I have included some recipes which have worked for myself and others in the hopes that you will find them useful. Happy censing!

A Scheme of Things: The botanicals which I will discuss fall into several broad categories:

EVOCATIVE - used to get the attention of divinities or to summon spirits
DIVINATORY - used to foretell the future or to see hidden secrets
PURIFICATORY - used to purify the purpose of a rite or the action of a given object
ENHANCING - used to intensify the purpose of a rite or the action of a given object
PROTECTIVE - used to shield the user or area from harm
BANISHING - used to drive out unwanted influences or spirits
HEALING - used to promote wholeness in mind, body or spirit
SPELL CASTING - used to promote a purpose, e.g., love, fertility, money, luck, fortune, concentration, etc.

Many botanicals fall into several categories, for example: Wormword (Artemesia) can be used

1) to evoke Artemis and call the dead
2) to promote divination
6) when consecrated to Mars in banishing
6) & 7) it was used to banish the Black Plague fleas
8) when consecrated to Mars, in works of anger.

Some Examples:

1) Evocative

Almond, Lotus, Ash, Mandrake, Basil, Myrrh, Bay, Olive, Blessed Thistle, Patchouli, Damiana, Rowan, Dittany of Crete, Rue, Elm, Thyme, Frankincense, Verbena, Henbane, Blue Vervain, Life Everlasting Flowers, Wormwood, Yarrow

2) Divinatory:

Ash, Linseed, Bay, Mugwort, Cinquefoil, Rowan, Clove, Thyme, Elm, Wormwood, Frankincense, Yarrow

3) Purificatory:

Angelica, Mastic gum, Bayberry, Myrrh, Burnet, Olive, Cinnamon

4) Enhancing: Anise seed, Lotus, Angelica, Mandrake, Celery seed, Mastic gum, Cinnamon, Mugwort, Cinquefoil, Orris root, Cloves, Peppermint, Damiana, Sandalwood, Dragon's Blood, Styrax, Frankincense, Uva Ursi, Henbane

5) Protective:

Alfalfa, Juniper wood, Basil, Life Everlasting flowers, Blessed Thistle, Mastic gum, Bay, Mistletoe, Camphor, Mugwort, Cinquefoil, Orris root, Elder, Rosemary, Five Finger Grass, Rowan, Frankincense, St. John's Wort, Garlic, Blue Vervain

6) Banishing:

Agrimony, Lavendar, Ash, Pine, Camphor, Rowan, Dragon's Blood, Blue Vervain, Juniper wood, Wormwood

7) Healing:

Balm of Gilead, Myrrh, Lavendar, Rosemary, Life Everlasting, Peppermint, Wormwood

8) Spell Casting:

Basil, Patchouli, Bayberry, Peppermint, Bezoin gum, Rosemary, Camphor, Rowan, Cinnamon, Rue, Damiana, Sandalwood, Dragon's Blood, Tormantil, Frankincense, Uva Ursi, Lavendar, Vervain, Blue, Lemon peel, St. John's Wort, Life Everlasting flowers, Wormwood, Mandrake, Yarrow, Mistletoe, Ylang Ylang, Orris Root

The Basic Ingredients

The following are described in very non-uniform terms as each source has had different herbs and different perspectives on how much is important. For example one source consistently gave astrological correspondences which I have included, although I have been unable to locate this information on most of the substances described. I have excluded most of the folkloric anecdotes, but I have tried to include the most pertinent data possible in limited space.After each entry is one or more numbers cross-referencing to the eight categories outlined previously: (1) evocative, (2) divinatory (3) purificatory, (4) enhancing, (5) protective (6) banishing, (7) healing, (8) spell casting.

AGRIMONY: used to reverse spells and send them back to the sender. (6)

ALFALFA: wards against poverty - keep ashes to retain effect around you. (5)

ALMOND: sacred to Artemis, Hecate and Zeus; burn in their rites (oil: hope)

ANISE SEED: ruled by Earth element; "transforms work into victory" (4)

ANGLICA: wards against evil; brings inspiration and insight (3,4)

ASH: used to uncross hexes; an even-ash (a leaf with an even number of leaflets) is particularly good in drawing luck and for divination. (1,2,6)

BALM OF GILEAD: (oil: healing and health) (7)

BASIL: brings protection and fertility; sacred to mother goddesses (1,5,8)

BAY: ruled by the Sun; brings protection and enlightenment; sacred to Apollo Luteplayer thus promotes music (1,2,5)

BAYBERRY: root: attracts fortune and money, (oil: cleansing) (3,8)

BENSOIN GUM: aids concentration and astral projection, brings peace (8)

BLESSED THISTLE,: sacred to Pan Priapus, burn in rites of desire; uncrosses hexes (1,5)

BURNET: use in charging tools for concentration of energies and purification (3,8)

*CAMPHOR: ruled by the Moon; used to purify, fumigate against contagion and ward off bad psychic influences; combine with Vision or Dream incense for prophetic dreams (3,4,5,7,8)

CELERY SEED: enhances psychic powers and aids in divination (2,4)

*CINNAMON: aids communication, mental stimulation; good for calling good luck, lovers and health; ruled by mars; makes room holy where it is burned (3,4,8)

CINQUEFOIL: enhances psychic power; protects against evil; aids in love divination (2,4,5,8)

CLOVES: enhances visionary and psychic powers (2,4)

DAMIANA: ruled by Earth element; enhances psychic powers; use in love spells (1,4,8)

DITTANY OF CRETE: used to call the departed (1)

DRAGON'S BL0OD: ruled by Mars; strengthens/enhances any work, use to banish negative forces and dispel lingering influences (4,6,8)

ELDER: burned to banish evil and eliminate trouble; use especially twigs gathered on May Eve and berries (it is said that if you cut down an Elder the Elder Tree Mother will send bad luck your way) (5,6)

ELM: aid communication with elves/devas; aids in divining the future (1,2)

FIVE FINGER GRASS: protects from harm (5)

FRANKINCENSE: promotes protection and aids concentration; "the Moon goddess listens where is burned" (1,2,4,5)

GARLIC: protects from evil (5)

HENBANE: used to conjure spirits; and aid clairvoyance (1,4)

JUNIPER: wood: banishes demons and protects against illness (6,7)

LAVENDAR: used to banish headache; strengthen relationships; brings peace, love & money to the home where it is burned (7,8)

LEMON: sacred to Venus, use in rites of love (1,8)

LIFE EVERLASTING: flowers: bring health and longevity; use in summoning - particularly Earth and water elementals (1,5,7,8)

LINSEED: enhances divinatory powers (2,4)

LOTUS: sacred to Hermes; pod: use as an incense burner to increase the strength of that burned within (1,4)

MANDRAKE: sacred to Diana; burn as a sacrifice to Saturn; dedicated to Circe and the powers of enchantment; use in love charms; enhances the power of spells performed while it burns (1,4,8)

MASTIC GUM: burn for purification and protection; and to enhance other incenses (3,4,5)

MISTLETOE: burn for all-purpose protection (5,8)

MUGWORT: enhances psychic ability; protects against evil and thunderstorms (4,5)

MYRRH: ruled by Saturn, under Aries, sacred to Juno, Demeter, Hecate; heals emotional pain and sorrow (1,3,7)

OLIVE: sacred to Athena, Poseidon, and Zeus; (oil: cleansing, peace) (1,3)

ORRIS ROOT: promotes protection; brings love, companionship, compatibility; can be added to all incenses with positive magical properties (4,5,8)

PATCHOULI: (oil: drawing the love of others)(1,8)

PEPPERMINT: burn in early evening with Dream or Vision incenses to increase prophetic dreams (4,8)

PINE: use in uncrossings and to send spells back to sender (6)

ROSEMARY: ruled by Earth, use in sexual incenses; to promote good memory, success in enterprise; and for protection in confrontations (oil: revival of dreams and desires; healing and protection) (5,7,8)

ROWAN: used for calling the Lady; in matters of divination; love; poetry, protection ; banishing; and summoning (1,2,5,6,8)

RUE: sacred to Mars - burned in his honor it brings second sight (oil: disdain) (1,8)

ST. JOHN'S WORT: burned to banish evil, fire, & lightning; its power is greatest at midsummer (5,8)

SANDALWOOD: sacred to Venus; use in meditation & creative incenses; brings success to any working (1,4,8)

STORAX: enhances the properties of any incense (4)

THYME: use to call the departed; to call bees, and faeries (1)

TORMANTIL: use to promote lust (one "skull" is about the size of a thumbnail) (8)

UVA URSI: burn with psychic incenses for meditation and psychic enhancement (4,8)

VERBENA: sacred to Mercury (1)

VERVAIN, BLUE: use for protection and to banish evil; use in uncrossings (especially in banishing evil visions and bad dreams);used in love spells; sacred to Hermes (1,5,6,8)

WORMWOOD : sacred to Artemis (from whom it takes the name Artemisia); ruled by Mars - use in banishing and works of anger; us to call forth spirits of the dead (friendly to the practitioner); burn in aid of divination; in 13th c. used to fumigate against black plague (1,2,6,7,8)

YARROW: sacred to Venus, used in divination (1, 2,8)

YLANG YLANG: (oil: draw love, excite others)(1, 2,8)

Some Sample Recipes

The following recipes are broadly grouped by category. I have tried to put them in the most appropriate place but there are many possible interpretations, so I have tried to cross-reference as much as possible. The name of the recipe is placed in each location followed by a cross-reference to the numbers of the other categories in which the recipe appears. For example: Against Contagious Disease is both Healing and Purificatory, the recipe will appear under Healing but the name will also appear under Purificatory followed by (7).

EVOCATIVE

Artemis Evoking
Almond
Frankincense
Mandrake
Orris root
Wormwood

Samhain
Anise seed
Dittany of Crete
Myrrh
Sandalwood
Oil of Bayberry
Oil of Patchouli

Call Spirits
Dittany of Crete
Dragon's Blood
Mandrake
Mistletoe

To See Fairies
Hazel buds
Hollyhocks
Marigold
Rose
Thyme

Earth & Water
(to summon Elementals)
Basil
Damiana
Life Everlasting
Rosemary

To Summon the Departed
Dittany of Crete
Wormwood

To Summon Spirits
3 pts Wormseed
2 pts Frankincense
2 pts mastic or resin (benzoin or myrrh)
3 pts Dittany of Crete
1/2 pt olive oil
1/2 pt wine
1/2pt honey
a few drops of the user's blood

Spirit Manifestations
Basil
Damiana
Dittany of Crete
Life Everlasting
Rosemary

DIVINITORY

Astral Travel
Frankincense
Lavender
Orris root
Sandalwood
oil of Rose
oil of Bayberry
oil of patchouli

Communication (Hermes rites)
Cinnamon
Sandalwood
(use in conjunction with yellow candles)

Communication
Lotus
Peppermint
Verbena

To See Things Honestly
1 pt hyssop
2 pts Lily
2 pts Myrrh

Vision or Psychic Enhancement
Celery seed
Orris root

Vision & Dream
Aloe
Dragon's Blood
Myrrh

To See Fairies (1)

PURIFICATORY

Charge Tools
Burnet
Life Everlasting
Mistletoe
Orris root
Rosemary

Purification
Camphor
Myrtle
Nutmeg

Against Contagious Disease (7)

PROTECTIVE

Lady's protection
1 pt Rowan
pt Orris root
1 pt Rosemary
1 pt Basil
1 pt St John's Wort
pinch of Dragon's Blood

Protection
Dragon's Blood
Mandrake
Mistletoe

Safety for Travellers
Cinnamon
Mastic gum
Saffron

BANISHING

Banishing
Dragon's Blood
Garlic
Pine
St. John's Wort
Vervain, blue

Uncrossing
Anise seed
Ash
Dragon's Blood
Vervain, blue

Banishing Bad Vibes
Camphor
Rosemary

HEALING

Against Contagious Disease
Lavender
Pine needles
Rosemary
+/- Camphor
(carry around the location to be purified)

Healing
Life Everlasting flowers
Myrrh
oil of Rosemary

SPELL CASTING

Attract Psychic Phenomenon
Anise seed
Myrrh
Sandalwood
Oil of Bayberry
oil of Patchouli

Beltaine
Basil
Damiana
Life Everlasting
Rosemary
flower oils of choice (Gardenia=ecstasy. Heliotrope=devotion, etc.)

Concentration
Cinnamon
Mastic gum
Olibanum

Concentration
Cinnamon
Frankincense

Full Moon
Anise seed
Basil
Damiana
Life Everlasting
Rosemary

High Altar
Benzoin
Frankincense
Myrrh
Rowan

Money Drawing
Frankincense
Myrrh
Nutmeg
Saffron
Sandalwood

New Moon
Anise seed
Camphor
Wormwood
+/- Lavender

Full Moon
Anise seed
Lavender
Rosemary

To Promote Friendship & Love
Patchouli
Rose
Saffron
Vervain

To Promote Business Endeavors
Aloe
Nutmeg
Red Storax

Samhain (1)

To See Things Honestly (2)

To See Fairies (1)

Vision or Psychic Enhancement (2)

Astral Travel (2)

Vision & Dreams (2)

Communication (Hermes rites) (2)

Charge Tools (3)

Communication (2)

Safety for Travellers (5)

I hope that this booklet has been of use to you, the herbs and recipes involved have brought to my life much odorous pleasure. I intend to keep trying new recipes and expanding my work on the subject. To this end I would be very interested in feedback or ideas that you may have.

That last bit is in the original... I haven't been making my own incense for quite some time. There are many wonderful sources available today. My favorite, The Complete Incense Book by Susanne Fischer-Rizzi, is unfortunately out-of-print.