The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum

My favourite is a mix of equal parts benzoin, rose buds or petals, lavender flowers and chamomile flowers. It's a very summery mix thanks to the honey scent of the benzoin. I don't use it in a ritual way, being Heathen, but I do like my home to smell nice and I like my mixes to have some resin at least so as to avoid a bonfire-y smell.

I went through a phase a while back of burning anything I could get my hands on, just to see what it smelt like. Mandrake smells like burning sports socks, so I'd avoid it except in very small quantities. Also the Artemisias (Wormwood, Southernwood, Mugwort etc) might be potentially unsafe indoors or in high doses. I'm pretty sure I tried Southernwood if not the others and again, not the most pleasant smell ever.

P.S Beware. Buying Incense ingredients is mildly addictive.

Does anyone have any incense recipies they would like to share? I really want to try my hand at making my own.

Check out The Complete Book of Incense, Oils, and Brews by Scott Cunningham. I don't think I own it (books still lost amidst old moving boxes), but I've looked through it.

I don't like to burn sage in the house because the smell is quite strong to me, but it's not unsafe to burn. And in my experience, resins burn better than dried herbs... dried herbs always have a bit of a singed smell to me. In my own practice, I just stick with pre-made sticks or cones. My local pagan shop makes their own incense and it's really nice, though I think it tends to dry out a bit more quickly than the more commercial stuff.

Karen