Incense - Just Sense The Scents!
by Angela M Lansdale
http://www.angelincense.com
After Grog finally dragged the crocodile back to the cave,
the smells that covered him told the story. He had dangled
the half rotten bones from last week's meal in front of the
croc, and then he had gotten swamp mud, blood, and other
foul-smelling effluents splashed all over himself when he
speared the monster. And lastly, he had struggled uphill a
long way back to the cave, sweating, through the nasty
jungle.
His mate took all these smells in stride as she prepared
supper. But after eating, she had made other plans. She'd
saved piles of sweet smelling woods and sage for this very
moment. Now she tossed them on the dying fire. The smoke
was very pleasant smelling. Soon the cave was filled with
the enticing scent of the incense...
Throughout the ensuing millennia, every culture used every
type of incense you could think of for every imaginable
use, particularly religious and medicinal. Incense was
used for aromatherapy, atmosphere, or for enhancing
relaxation, such as in hot baths.
Speed ahead to Woodstock, New York. Three days of rain,
music, and enough incense to cover up some pretty intense
smells. This wasn't only the dawn of the Age of Aquarius,
but also the Rebirth of Incense.
Woods, aloes, and resins are used to make incense. Often,
it doesn't have any scent until it's lit. Usually, incense
comes in the form of either cones or "joss sticks," those
thin, long sticks you can poke into almost anything.
Incense is quite easy to make. If you want to try making
some of your own, you can buy the ingredients: potassium
nitrate (which allows the incense to burn), an adhesive
(such as gum arabic), wood pulp, water, and something to
make the aroma. There is a binder called Makko that doesn't
contain any synthetic chemicals. You can use it instead of
the potassium nitrate (salt peter.) Makko is a good
burning agent and is water soluble as well.
Try experimenting with patchouli, ginger, clove, or anise
for the scent. For woods, try sandalwood or cedar. And
frankincense and myrrh are wonderful resins. By using a
little ingenuity, you can blend your own fragrances. For
some interesting and historical information about incense,
as well as a recipe, visit
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/article/incense.html
Gift or craft stores often carry the ingredients for making
incense. All you really do is mix approximately four
ingredients and then play with the mixture, wrapping it
onto sticks or forming it into cones. After it dries at
room temperature for one day, it's ready to burn. And its
Eastern origins assure that it carries that air of
mystique.
If you'll recall, Grog's mate dumped her "incense" right
onto the fire. However, you MIGHT want to use an incense
burner. Burners can be fabulous works of art, simple
dishes, or anything in between. Just visualize a robed
monk slowly making his way through an ancient cathedral,
swinging a chain connected to a metal burner, with clouds
of aromatic smoke swirling around him. Or, have you ever
seen those imaginatively painted ceramic dragons that allow
scented smoke to billow out of their open mouths? If
you've ever read about any rituals, they probably involved
incense and incense burners. How about going out tonight,
building a bonfire, and throwing fragrant armloads of your
favorite woods and herbs onto it! Remember your origins!
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