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Author Topic: Tool substitutions  (Read 1810 times)

tihana

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Tool substitutions
« on: May 04, 2012, 07:21:57 pm »
This one is rather specific though; I've browsed around but never found this. My grandmother, whom I live with, has quite the keen sense of smell and is very specific about what she likes: If it's not bleach it's no good. I can buy unscented candles, but buying incense is out of the question. Unfortunate for me, most rituals call for them. While it's rather easy to substitute candles (some places do not allow open flame - buy a LED candle), how do you do so for incense?

And timing does not matter: She WILL be able to smell it even hours after the fact. She's like a wizard in that sense, heh. I suppose I can go outside to do ritual, but that's not always an available option.

Maps

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Re: Tool substitutions
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2012, 07:43:54 pm »
Quote from: tihana;53105



 
How is the incense being used?

Rhyshadow

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Re: Tool substitutions
« Reply #2 on: May 04, 2012, 08:02:30 pm »
Quote from: Maps;53108
How is the incense being used?

 
Another thing....do you even HAVE to light it?

I don't see why it still can't be used as intended - just don't burn it at all.

tihana

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Re: Tool substitutions
« Reply #3 on: May 04, 2012, 08:36:24 pm »
Quote from: Maps;53108
How is the incense being used?

 
I.... always assumed it had to be lit. Oh boy, what have I been doing all these years? But I guess I'd use it for offerings and an actual part of a ritual. My emphasis isn't on rituals so much, so mostly offerings and I suppose they don't have to be lit for that. But on the occasional ritual, what then?

Jenett

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Re: Tool substitutions
« Reply #4 on: May 04, 2012, 08:44:24 pm »
Quote from: tihana;53110
I.... always assumed it had to be lit. Oh boy, what have I been doing all these years? But I guess I'd use it for offerings and an actual part of a ritual. My emphasis isn't on rituals so much, so mostly offerings and I suppose they don't have to be lit for that. But on the occasional ritual, what then?

 
For offering - I'd find other offerings. (Or take it outside, light it, and sit while it burns down.)

For ritual, if it's being a representation of air, some people use a feather, or a fan, or a fall of appropriately coloured ribbons (pale yellows, pinks, pastels are common: one of my favorite easy-to-pack altar decoration items is a bundle of 3-4 shades of appropriately colored inexpensive ribbon tied together at one end, and about 3-4 feet long: they can be tied from a pole or a tree, coiled on an altar, whatever.)

If you want the scent, is putting the scent on you an option? (Standard warning: don't apply essential oils without diluting them in a carrier oil, but there's a lot of great natural perfume oils out there, for example.)

You could put a drop on your wrist, smell it for the relevant scent, and then wash your skin afterwards (though depending on what you pick, it might not be any more lingering a scent than, say, your shampoo is.)
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Tana

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Re: Tool substitutions
« Reply #5 on: May 05, 2012, 08:59:59 am »
Quote from: tihana;53105



A small bowl with potpourri?
\'You had to repay, good or bad. There was more than one type of obligation.
That’s what people never really understood.….Things had to balance.
You couldn’t set out to be a good witch or a bad witch. It never worked out for long.
All you could try to be was a witch, as hard as you could.\'
Terry Pratchett \'Lords and Ladies\'

Confuzzled and proud. :p

tihana

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Re: Tool substitutions
« Reply #6 on: May 05, 2012, 03:07:15 pm »
Quote from: Jenett;53111
For ritual, if it's being a representation of air

 
For a representation of air I have been using a small gift fan. It is making me consider, though, the necessity of incense. What aspect of it is needed: the smoke, the scent, or just having the bloody thing around? At this point the smell seems to be the word. Like in the end there might be a preferred smell, but just having there with you is enough. If that's the case then yeah I can have some around, but I always assumed they had to be lit. What I though, anyway. :o

Maps

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Re: Tool substitutions
« Reply #7 on: May 05, 2012, 04:51:29 pm »
Quote from: tihana;53171
For a representation of air I have been using a small gift fan. It is making me consider, though, the necessity of incense. What aspect of it is needed: the smoke, the scent, or just having the bloody thing around? At this point the smell seems to be the word. Like in the end there might be a preferred smell, but just having there with you is enough. If that's the case then yeah I can have some around, but I always assumed they had to be lit. What I though, anyway. :o

I don't use incense as a representation of anything, but it's very handy for setting the mood and creating sacred space (I have a near-dead sense of smell as it is, so being able to smell any amount of incense is enough to flip that switch for me... unfortunately, that usually takes a lot). Personally, I also burn it as a required offering, but in those instances, how much I am able to smell doesn't matter.

It also depends on what you're burning... smoke from herbs that are supposed to have a concrete effect on your conscious state shouldn't really be ineffectually dissipated. ;)
« Last Edit: May 05, 2012, 04:53:50 pm by Maps »

Jenett

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Re: Tool substitutions
« Reply #8 on: May 05, 2012, 07:41:58 pm »
Quote from: tihana;53171
For a representation of air I have been using a small gift fan. It is making me consider, though, the necessity of incense. What aspect of it is needed: the smoke, the scent, or just having the bloody thing around? At this point the smell seems to be the word. Like in the end there might be a preferred smell, but just having there with you is enough. If that's the case then yeah I can have some around, but I always assumed they had to be lit. What I though, anyway. :o

 
Well, that's something you need to determine based on your path and your Gods.

Greek practice seems to indicate, from what we know (not Hellenic in my practice, but reasonably familiar with ancient Greece and Rome, so take that as you will) that the scent is specifc for some uses - either for purification, or perhaps because of the idea the Gods liked specific scents. Also the idea that smoke and burnt offerings rise to the Gods.

In my practice (which is religious witchcraft), the incense is one part "scent is a really powerful thing to anchor ritual cues in", one part "specific herbs and materials can help support the goals of the ritual" and one part "really good representation of air, because you can see the smoke drifting".

So a bowl of potpourri wouldn't have all the same uses, and neither would someone using a perfume oil on their skin, or someone using a fan without scent - but any of the three might be a good substitute choice for a particular ritual if incense wasn't an option. Which one would depend a bit on the circumstances, and a bit on the person.

I find scent a really powerful cue, so I'm more likely to go for perfume oil and a fan, but that's me.
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caelestisraven

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Re: Tool substitutions
« Reply #9 on: May 06, 2012, 12:47:21 am »
Quote from: Jenett;53182


I find scent a really powerful cue, so I'm more likely to go for perfume oil and a fan, but that's me.


I can't burn incense. It bothers my DH & I am in an apartment with pets so it is unsafe for them.

I switched to oils. Either using them on myself or in an oil burner. Other times I do not use anything at all.

I think we always have to be open to adjusting things to suit us and our lifes. Incense to me was about two things- the smoke representing air & as others said the scent working with my subconscious levels. Now I use other things to represent air. & If I need a scent I use the oil. I don't always use anything though.
♥ I walk in the shadow of the moon, I dance to the pulse of the earth. ♥

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Jenett

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Re: Tool substitutions
« Reply #10 on: May 06, 2012, 09:12:48 am »
Quote from: caelestisraven;53199

I think we always have to be open to adjusting things to suit us and our lifes. Incense to me was about two things- the smoke representing air & as others said the scent working with my subconscious levels. Now I use other things to represent air. & If I need a scent I use the oil. I don't always use anything though.

 
That's true, though you reminded me of something else - my tradition's practice requires the use of a stick of incense at a particular point - there, it's not just acting as incense, but as a tool in its own right.

I've kicked around ideas for alternatives in the past (the best alternate would be a small enough wand), but none of them are entirely satisfying or as functional energetically, so my usual practice is a single stick of incense from natural oils (not fragrance oils, which tend to set off more allergies) and used in a well-ventilated room.

(But then again: my tradition, not for everyone, and this might be a deciding reason for some people.)
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tihana

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Re: Tool substitutions
« Reply #11 on: May 07, 2012, 10:14:31 pm »
Quote from: Jenett;53232
.

Thanks for the suggestions. I might go down the oil path (very very slippery...) But I guess this is something I'll just have to try out myself and experiment with; I'll buy stick incense and so what happens from there. Circumstances might change my needs.
« Last Edit: May 07, 2012, 10:19:01 pm by tihana »

Artim Sequoia

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Tool substitutions
« Reply #12 on: May 08, 2012, 11:50:14 pm »
Quote from: tihana;53105
This one is rather specific though; I've browsed around but never found this. My grandmother, whom I live with, has quite the keen sense of smell and is very specific about what she likes: If it's not bleach it's no good. I can buy unscented candles, but buying incense is out of the question. Unfortunate for me, most rituals call for them. While it's rather easy to substitute candles (some places do not allow open flame - buy a LED candle), how do you do so for incense?

And timing does not matter: She WILL be able to smell it even hours after the fact. She's like a wizard in that sense, heh. I suppose I can go outside to do ritual, but that's not always an available option.

I'm not sure exactly what your path is but my fiancée and I are in a similar situation with regards to who we're sharing a house with not liking incense.

 What has worked at least for me is moving part of my ritual into the kitchen. It's kind of kitchen witchy but for me focusing on the steam from cooking and the smell I am able to at least make do for now with that as incense.

tihana

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Re: Tool substitutions
« Reply #13 on: May 09, 2012, 11:56:57 am »
Quote from: Artim Sequoia;53595
I'm not sure exactly what your path is but my fiancée and I are in a similar situation with regards to who we're sharing a house with not liking incense.

 What has worked at least for me is moving part of my ritual into the kitchen. It's kind of kitchen witchy but for me focusing on the steam from cooking and the smell I am able to at least make do for now with that as incense.

 
Huh, steam. I would have never thought of that, but it does make good sense. Steam, while not a fragrant smoke, would help with visualization. That's a pretty neat idea. I just might have to steal that one. :whis:

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