Incense Magick (21 page)

The game represents a trip across the United States from the West Coast to the East. There is one stop in the Pacific Northwest (cedar), one stop in the desert (piñon), one where the Great Plains meet the desert (sage), and one near the fragrant gardens of the East Coast (rosemary). The master of ceremonies should have packets of the powders prepared before the game begins. There should be two packets each of cedar, sage, and piñon and one packet of rosemary powder. The packets should be subtly marked so that the master of ceremonies can identify them, but not in any way that a player could identify the scent by its markings.

The master of ceremonies should explain the four stops and the scents associated with each. Next a mica plate or tile will be placed over the charcoal in one of the censers. One packet of cedar should be added on top and the name of the aromatic should be announced to everyone at the table. Once it begins to release its scent (usually this only takes a moment or two with a properly prepared center), the master of ceremonies will hand the censer to the person to his or her left. After the cedar has been passed to every participant, it is returned to the master of ceremonies. The second censer should be sent around the circle with sage atop it. As the sage censer is passed, the master of ceremonies or the assistant can clear the first censer and add a clean mica plate or tile. Finally, the first censer is passed again with rosemary on it. The process of cleaning one censer while the other is passed will continue throughout the game until all seven scent packets have been emptied.

After the three announced scents have been identified and passed, the master of ceremonies should shuffle the four remaining packets. There are now three packets that the participants have sampled and one they have not. The idea is that players will not only have to identify the three introduced scents but also one that is unfamiliar. The players know that piñon represents the stop in the desert but haven't had the opportunity to sample that scent.

After the packets are shuffled, each scent will be passed. Only pass one censer at a time, and you should not put the next aromatic into the prepared censer until the first censer has been cleared. As the participants smell each aromatic, they should write down which one of the four stops the scent represents.

After the final scent has been passed, the participants should be given a moment to consider their answers, but players should not consult one another. When the final censer has been cleared, the master of ceremonies should announce the correct order of the scents that were passed. There are no winners or losers in this kind of a game. Everyone has some fun, enjoys some wonderful aromatics, and perhaps learns more about that aromatic. Each player can even create their own retelling of the journey based on their identification of the scents.

If you feel that these scent choices are too easy for your friends, substitute anything you'd like for the suggested aromatics. If, however, your group is made completely of novices, you could consider passing all four scents with names before passing them again and having people guess which scent is which.

Name that Sage

As with the previous game, you can modify this game to suit the participants and materials available to you. For this game you will need two packets each of desert sage (sagebrush), garden sage, and white sage. As in the previous game, the master of ceremonies will announce the three aromatics and pass them one by one so that all of the participants will have the chance to sample them. The master of ceremonies will then shuffle the remaining three packets and pass each scent around the table. Each participant should try to correctly identify which type of sage has been passed. Once the final scent has been passed and the participants are satisfied with their answers, the master of ceremonies can then give the correct order.

Participants who correctly identify all three sages should be declared a “sage mage.” Those who correctly identified two scents are “sage coaches.” Those who identify one scent correctly are “sage bunnies.” Those who miss all three scents are “missing the sage.” If you play the game as written, nobody will ever guess just two correctly; for more excitement, the master of ceremonies can use more than one packet of each scent. Two packets of each scent could be available and the master of ceremonies could draw three packets randomly. That would make it possible for one scent to be used twice. This can make the game a lot more challenging and fun.

Adapting to Western Magick

The approaches in technique that I have offered here have a lot of application in Western magick. I am the first to admit that my overviews of Asian approaches in general, and kodo specifically, have been very broad. I am certainly not an expert in this aspect of incense use. However I hope that you share my excitement when you read about these things and see how you can employ them for your own needs.

Censer Preparation

Certainly one important aspect that can be easily adapted to Western practices is the care and thought that goes into the preparation of the censer. A well-prepared censer can not only ensure a pitfall-free incense experience, but it is also a great way to alter your mindset and work toward your purpose within sympathetic magick. Also, a censer prepared in the kodo style will provide superior performance from the censer itself. Heat is easier to control and you can use the minimum amount of materials to accomplish your task. This means truer scents, longer-lasting incense, and maximum control. Even cleanup is easier.

The ability to utilize your censer as yet another tool for focusing your energy and intent is a tremendous benefit that requires no additional materials. Simply devoting your time to the preparation of your censer makes it a tool that is utilized to its fullest potential without the need for any further expenditure. Drawing or making impressions within your censer helps to focus the energy released from your incense. This will help to focus your thoughts as well. Since magick is, in its simplest definition, creating change purely through the force of will, finding ways to bring even greater focus into your circle is always desirable. Incense is one way to help practitioners to focus their will and their energy, but adding yet another layer of focus and direction is not only beneficial but, in this case, acts as a passive magick tool. Once you have prepared your censer, it will contribute to your work without any additional energy or attention.

Use During Ritual

The techniques that have been discussed in this chapter can be used for meditation, the mundane scenting of a room, or for the highest of rituals. I urge you to explore this wonderful world in any way that you please. Perhaps you can utilize incense games to teach others about aromatics and how to listen to them. You might discover that using ash to control the temperature of your incense will open up new understanding of aromatics that you've used for years. Above all else, I hope these techniques will bring you closer to Nature and allow you to harness her boundless energies to accomplish all of your goals in life. The best way to do this is by using the techniques right on your altar.

Applying these Asian techniques to your own practices might open your eyes as it did mine. It is so easy to sideline incense as just part of a complex tableau on your altar. When we realize how important your censer and your incense are to your success and enjoyment of magick, it can lead us to re-examine all of our practices. It is natural for humans to gravitate toward repetition without considering the impact of each aspect of our actions. In fact, part of the benefit of performing the same ritual multiple times (be it in one week or over the span of decades) is that the familiar symbols and approaches allow us to easily slip into the appropriate mental state. It is, in fact, something that I advocate. The burning of the same incense every time you perform healing work will turn that incense into a trigger for your mind.

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.

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Part Three

Combustible

Incense

10

Overview of
Combustible Incense

C
ombustible 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 fragile. 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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