Witchcraft 101: Incense in Magick

Witchcraft 101 Incense in Magick: You’ve bought a pack of incense sticks.

You’ve discovered they have spiritual purposes outside of just smelling amazing and inducing a relaxed state of mind, and now you want to know how to use incense in witchcraft!

This article will discuss the ancient magical practice of lighting incense.

People use burning incense as offerings in temples, places of worship, homes, and even outdoors. Some forms of incense produce more smoke than others, and some are more suitable to be used indoors than outside. There are many forms of incense that you can choose from!

We’ll teach you how to burn incense, what kind to use, and when!

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The Ancient Magical Origins of Incense.

Witchcraft 101 Incense in Magick: Back in ancient times, people used some of the oldest forms of incense. Old balls and scraps of resin, like amber, were found in many prehistoric Egyptian tombs. Like in the famous King Tut’s sarcophagus.

Historians have found the oldest mention of incense magic comes from the Rigveda and the Atharvaveda, two sacred texts belonging to the ancient Indians. Burning incense was medicinal and a way to soothe the mind with pleasant scents.

We then see ancient China using incense for religious worship.

Kyphi

Witchcraft 101 Incense in Magick: Found in ancient Egyptian scrolls and written on temple walls of Edfu and Philae, in-depth rituals to make kyphi are inscribed and preserved.

Scrolls like the Ebers Papyrus, an ancient Egyptian scroll with medicinal herbal knowledge and instructions, contain different recipes for kyphi.

The preparation of kyphi was ritualistic and meditative, taking multiple days.

Pinon

Pinon, or Pinyon, is a tree native to the Western Americas in the Colorado Plateau and the Great Basin regions. Indigenous Native Americans used the pinyon tree, along with Juniper, medicinally and for cleansing energy and bringing back positive energy.

Especially its sap: people would drink the sap to aid in illness. A quote from “Role of Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands in Aboriginal Societies of the Desert West” by Joel C. Janetski shows how the resin was used in other ways than incense. He says,

“Gum [resin] was sometimes put into boiling water and drunk to purge individuals infected with worms or other parasites. Juniper brewed into a tea furnished medicine for coughs and colds.”

Ketoret

In ancient Judaism, people use a sacrificial incense offering called Ketoret. It was essential in the liturgical texts and rites related to the Tabernacle.

Ketoret used galbanum, myrrh, spikenard, mastic, cinnamon, and saffron!

This was such an essential rite that Yehuda Shurpin, writer of “Why Ketoret Incense in the Temple?” says,

“The Talmud relates that since offering the incense would bring blessings of wealth to the one who offered it on the altar, it was decided that as many different priests as possible should have an opportunity to do this service. Thus, no priest was assigned this task more than once in his lifetime.”

There are many more religious incense and cultural incense we’ve failed to go over (like Riha used by the Mandaeans, Eastern Orthodox clay-resin incense from Mount Athos, and Bakhoor, for instance), but this should give you a brief gist of different scents and incense magic.

Remember, when burning incense of any kind, do this in a well-ventilated area. Have a fan on, a window and door open, or do it outside if necessary.

This is to protect your lungs from breathing in too much smoke and from stopping the fire alarms from going off.

Incense Forms: Sticks, Cones, Loose Herbs, Resins

Sticks and Cones

Witchcraft 101 Incense in Magick in stick form is the most recognizable and accessible form of incense. It’s one of the easiest methods of burning incense as well.

Light the stick and wait for the tip to catch flame (it’ll turn red). Blow the flame out and allow the smoke to embody you and the room. Thicker stick incense burns more smoke, while thinner sticks burn less. These can be an accessible type of incense for magic purposes.

Cone shape incenses are another popular form of incense. It can take some time for incense cones to catch fire. Because of this, they are perfect for magic rituals that require long hours of dedication.

Many religions use incense sticks because of their availability and ease of cleaning.

Loose Herbs and Resins

This type of incense is the oldest form of incense. You can customize the smells using various dried and powdered herbs, bark, and plant roots.

Resins are also a very unique and beautiful incense-burning experience.

In a nutshell, Fossilized trees or plant sap dry out and become resins. Frankincense, for instance, comes from the Boswellia tree. Galbanum comes from the sap of a beautiful tall flower native to Iran.

Resins can smell wildly different depending on the tree and plant species and based on the plant’s location. Frankincense from Somalia versus India can vary in grade, quality, and smell.

The Best Way To Burn Incense

A charcoal disk is the best way to burn loose-leaf and resinous incense. You’ll need a sand, salt, or incense ash bowl to put on a hot charcoal disk.

Wait until the charcoal is ash gray to sprinkle your loose-leaf, resin, or powdered incense onto the charcoal.

Use a manual or electric tea light burner for less smoke and a more subtle burn. This won’t burn your loose leaf or resin incense so fast and allows for a gradual aroma release.

Use an incense holder to catch the ash for incense sticks and cones.

Different Uses of Incense (& How To Use it In Your Practice)

Offering

Witchcraft 101 Incense in Magick: Traditionally, people use incense as an offering to deities, ancestors, and spirits of all kinds. People use incense in Buddhist temples, Hindu temples, and other places of worship as offerings.

Set up an incense stick at your altar as a symbolic gesture of gratitude.

Air Element

In Wicca’s practice with altars, practitioners must represent each element. People can use incense smoke in any form to represent the air element.

Meditation

People have long used incense in homes and temples to help with meditation and relieve anxiety.

Lighting an incense stick and spraying essential oils helps focus and concentration.

Enhancing Visions, Dreams, & Intuition

Witchcraft 101 Incense in Magick: Many practitioners use incense to create an enhanced or altered state of mind. The ancient Babylonians used incense during divination sessions.

Herbs and incense-like mugwort, copal, 0r Egyptian blue lotus are perfect for burning to induce visions and dreams during meditative states. It can also aid in connecting you closer to your intuition.

Incense & Their Properties

Witchcraft 101 Incense in Magick: When choosing which incense to use, it’s best to avoid synthetic fragrances, as they can be harmful when inhaled.

Though inhaling smoke in any form can harm the lungs, that’s a caution most take as the benefits and cultural history of naturally made incense are immense.

This is by no means a complete list of incense.

We left out a lot of different types of incense, including the ever-famous Nag Champa Indian incense, the Japanese zen incense, amazing smells like sandalwood, and more. We have another more in-depth article about different types of incense and its uses!

Check that out if you want more incense to explore.

Frankincense & Myrrh

Witchcraft 101 Incense in Magick: Myrrh is credited with having a robust and intense scent. It’s an aphrodisiac and can be significantly used in a love ritual.

Frankincense is also known to be used in love spells and offerings. Frankincense on its own has softer vanilla and lemony smell.

When used together, this holy combination is a nostalgic and culturally important aromatic experience.

When myrrh is burned on a charcoal disk with frankincense and crushed marjoram, it makes a beautiful base for a love spell with incense magic.

Make an amulet or love charm, then wave it through the smoke to enhance and activate its love-attracting abilities.

Patchouli

Witchcraft 101 Incense in Magick: People attribute this scent to Aphrodite, goddess of fertility and love.

A fantastic scent, sprinkle some patchouli powder or oil in a sachet or charm. This will ensure its ability to work with you.

Tibetan Incense

People usually use Tibetan incense for temple worship and consider it medicinal. These incense will come in thickly rolled sticks that use local herbs and oils to heal illnesses.

These are powerful-smelling incense that isn’t always suitable for everyone.

If you use this incense, have a big enough incense holder to keep the sticks upright.

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