Incense

From: Rowan Fairgrove
About ten years ago I was very interested in botanical incenses and
spent alot of time studying and teaching the use of same. After a
hiatus I am getting back into this and would like some feedback on
what has been happening out there.

I will type herein parts of a booklet I published called "A Handbook
of Botantical Incenses" to give you some idea of where my thinking was
at that time. I had generated the schema as something useful to my
own work, it is not something widely used. I would love to hear other
schema such as astrological, deity correspondences, seasonal, etc. I
may append some of those sorts of categories to this if I have the
time.

My meaning come mostly from "traditional" sources but in my actual
teaching and working I place more emphasis on what an individual scent
does to the worker. 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 INCENSES
Introduction:
...Botanical and other incense 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 magical operation.

The following guide contains some botanical (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:
1) EVOCATIVE - used to get the attention of divinities or
to summon spirits
2) DIVINATORY - used to foretell the future or to see hidden
secrets
3) PURIFICATORY - used to purify the purpose of a rite or the
action of a given object
4) ENHANCING - used to intensify the purpose of a rite or the
action of a given object
5) PROTECTIVE - used to shield the user or area from harm
6) BANISHING - used to drive out unwanted influences or
spirits
7) HEALING - used to promote wholeness in mind, body or
spirit
8) 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 Vervain, Blue
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) Healing
Balm of Gilead Myrrh
Lavendar Rosemary
Life Everlasting Wormwood

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 Vervain, Blue

6) Banishing:
Agrimony Lavendar
Ash Pine
Camphor Rowan
Dragon's Blood Vervain, Blue
Juniper wood 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