Tutorial: Ceremonial Fumigation, Traditions, and Incense Blending

Ritual fumigation and incense have a long history of use in religious, indigenous, and magical practices, whether burnt as offerings to deities or spirits, used to clean, cleanse and/or protect, enhance workings, or to add a required atmosphere to a ceremony. This tutorial shares insights into these traditions as well as suggestions on how to create your own custom fumigation blend.

Incense comes in various differing types depending on where it comes from; some of the most commonly accessible forms are the ever popular incense/joss stick, cones, self lighting and finally loose grain incense (pure incense powder), which will be the focus of this tutorial.

When working with planetary energies, I have found that ritual fumigation works well both as an offertory substance, and as a vehicle through which the spirit can manifest - lengthy or troubled manifestations can be quickly resolved by the combustion of appropriately blended incense offered up for the energy you are invoking.

When it comes to natural cycles and fumigation, it just makes obvious sense to me to work with planetary blends and the days of the week. This is a long standing part of my daily 'practice', and I began this journey in my late teens, early twenties. I hadn’t planned for this to be the case, I wasn’t looking to learn about incense making, nor ceremonial fumigation, it ended up that way. At the time I was researching hermeticism, the myth and lore of the planets, anatomy sketches and writings from the middle ages, the ancient texts on astrology and astronomy, and parallel to this I happened to be studying anatomy and physiology as part of a double diploma I was doing at the time.

During this time I was also doing a lot of research on body energetics, eastern anatomy and philosophy, and so much more, and began to discover the connections both in eastern and western (native) folk healing - how the ‘above’ (planetary bodies) influence the plants that our bodies were receiving medicine from, the planetary relationship carried through, the lore and rituals these ancient practitioners used, and how it was all actually the same model, irrelevant of which continent - it was all so fascinating to me. It was through this research period, and its findings, that I began to develop my own dynamic full sensory approach to holistic wellbeing, and fumigation became not just a part of my daily prayer expression, but fully integrated into my service with those who join my group gatherings or come for one to one sessions. Here locally, I am pretty sure I am known for smoking out the entire neighbourhood when I'm on a mission, I kid you not, and I adore giving myself an outdoor 'full body smoke bath' to cleanse and rejuvinate when I feel the need. Believe me, it's something else entirely!

Based on Agrippa’s writings, I have developed my own planetary fumigation blends for each day of the week, as well as one for the Earth. These are made with ingredients native to Europe. When you understand the principles Agrippa writes of, planetary correspondences with plants (or what to look for in order to identify this), and the poetry of the language of the time, then it is possible to formulate your own recipes for various purposes. Of course, I cross reference and draw on my knowledge of medical herbalism, sensory herbalism, folk herbalism, energetics and subtle anatomy, our own native plant lore, native tradition, and crystal healing too, so that the incense becomes in itself, a fully integrated offering that combines all the directions, elements, and healing aspects in my skill set. It’s just so lovely to work with it on such a deep level, and creates a huge playground.

While many of the ingredients Agrippa gives in his recipes are ruled by multiple planets, there is often a reason for this given, and this enables the modern practitioner to pick specific ingredients that better suit their own unique purpose. It also assists with the creation of incenses, oils etc, that are of a mixed nature, for workings which require more than one planetary influence.

Agrippa gives the recipes for several incenses in the ‘Books of Occult Philosophy’ (Book I, Chapter XLIV), however owing to the inclusion of many animal parts or poisonous ingredients, many practitioners may feel perturbed at creating these recipes in their original form, as it really is a case of ‘eye of newt, brain of eagle’ Harry Potter kind of stuff (note though that 'eye of newt' actually refers to mustard seed and not the actual eye of a newt)! If working with animals in this way is not something that bothers you, you have a keen eye, and this is a direction you are intended to take, you might just find that you view ‘gifts from your cat’, roadkill, etc a bit differently from now on, and honor the gift from those animals through integrating them into ceremony. I'm not one to judge that one way or another, your own practice is your own practice. I personally do not work with those sort of ingredients as I find the smell might not necessarily work well practically in clinic or with groups, but you can be sure that if there is the body of an animal out there that I am meant to find, then I always end up finding it, and if it invites me to work with it instead of ritually return its remains to the earth and honor it in various (non fumigation) ways, I feel it is my duty to honour its wishes, to listen and do. It actually led to another research rabbit hole a few years back during a intense period of working with fossilized bones - my interest in bone structure and anatomy and the energetics of each area led teach myself a new skill set - natural taxidermy - and that progressed into crystalizing animal skulls. Who knows what these adventures will bring you really...

THE BASICS OF INCENSE BLENDING

Before you start to blend your own incense, make sure you have some of, if not all of, the following pieces of kit:

• A selection of bowls or plates - for storing ingredients during the process, and mixing ingredients.

• A pestle and mortar - very important, used for the grinding of ingredients - it's worth having a selection of these; I would recommend one for regular ingredients, one for baneful (poison) ingredients and one for mineral ingredients - this way you avoid damaging any of them and avoid cross contamination.

• A nutmeg grater - a slightly more unusual thing to be included here, however invaluable for getting dust from roots, tubers and various woods.

• A mixer (wooden stirrer, small spatula, etc.) - for blending ingredients together; try not to use metal if possible as it reacts with various oils, etc.

• Jars to store your finished blends. I always upcycle glass jars, and the ones with screwable metal lids are great for storing finished blends or your individual ingredients.

• For health and safety reasons I also have to recommend wearing a mask over your mouth and nose while making incense, especially if powdering things like seashells, minerals, etc etc. Safety goggles too, just to protect the eyes...because Murphy's Law, the one time you're not wearing them you could have something fly into them while grinding!

My Mistletoe and Swiss Stone Pine ritual incense blend being inscribed with one of its sacred symbols as part of my personal ceremonial crafting process. The triple spiral appears through the megalithic sites of Ireland and is perhaps one of our most well known power symbols. I inscribed this blend with this spiral as several of the sites, including Newgrange, are aligned wiht the Winter Solstice, the same Celtic festival this incense blend is crafted for.

PLANETARY FUMIGATION & THE DAYS OF THE WEEK

SOL - The Sun (Sunday)

The Sun is the emperor of the planets - he is the grand high power of the 7 planets and his areas of influence are varied and exalted. The Sun and its associated entities are called on for all manner of things including, but not limited to: dignity, promotion, self-betterment, prophecy, visibility and invisibility, and the suppression of pride and arrogance. Call on the powers of the Sun to be well received and looked upon kindly by others, especially those in a ‘better position’ than yourself. The Sun can help you gain respect from others as well as respect for yourself, and it can help you achieve authority over those around you (in a non egoic way). It can also inspire ambition and forward momentum towards your goals.

Planetary hours (GMT): 11.54 - 12.43h, 17.39 - 18.49h, 01.55 - 03.06h

LUNA - The Moon (Monday)

The feminine planet of ever-shifting nature, the moon is said to have the most direct effect on the earth due to its close proximity. The Moon rules over a great many things and its shifting phases complement the working depending on the moon’s shape. In general the moon is seen as ruling over travel, weather, prophecy through dreams, and ‘natural magic’ such as those branches of the occult that deal with the properties of herbs, crystals, etc.

Planetary hours (GMT): 08.37 - 09.26h, 14.22 - 15.11h, 21.11 - 22.22h, 05.28 - 06.39h

MARS (Tuesday)

The planet of war and masculinity, Mars is called on for workings of strife, aggression and confusion. If you are searching for victory or destruction of ‘enemies’ (patterns, conditioning, release of imprints of traumatic violence etc) you can work with the spirits of Mars to great effect. It is also associated with good health and the healing of wounds, particularly those inflicted by weapons, sharp instruments, energetic poison arrows (psychic attack etc).

Planetary hours (GMT): 11.05 - 11.54h, 16.49 - 17.39h, 00.44 - 01.55h

MERCURY (Wednesday)

The magician’s favourite, Mercury, is the planet of intellect and magic; the spirits and angels of this planet are expert teachers, negotiators and traders, with quick wits and dexterous hands. Call on them for anything to do with study, knowledge, magic, communication, trade and commerce.

Planetary hours (GMT): 07.48 - 08.37h, 13.32 - 14.22h, 20.00 - 21.11h, 04.17 - 05.28h

JUPITER (Thursday)

Priest-King of the planets, Jupiter is the merciful and benevolent ruler who is a master of diplomacy and the epitome of personal wealth. Call on him for personal abundance, piety, charity, authority and respect. If the Sun is the supreme emperor, then Jupiter is the more approachable and more amenable to your worldly concerns.

Planetary hours (GMT): 10.15 - 11.05h, 16.00 - 16.49h, 23.33 - 24.44h

VENUS (Friday)

The beloved Venus is the planet of sensory pleasures, love and fertility. In matters of the heart she is undefeated, and the spirits of Venus are famed for their ability to incite lust. Call on her for assistance in any aspect of these most powerful emotions.

Planetary hours (GMT): 12.43 - 13.32h, 18.49 - 20.00h, 03.06 - 04.17h

SATURN (Saturday)

Saturn, along with Mars, is the planet most frequently involved in magic of a malefic or aggressive nature; Saturn and Saturnine spirits are associated with the more sinister corners of both the natural and magical world. Frequently called upon for destruction, the conjuring of spirits and even to instigate demonic attack, Saturn and its spirits are the forces to avail yourself of, should you wish to cause harm or bring things to an end.

Planetary hours (GMT): 10.15 - 11.05h, 15.11 - 16.00h, 22.22 - 23.33h, 06.39 - 06.50h

COMPOUND OF SEVEN AROMATICS

This is the final incense recipe given in Agrippa’s writings on planetary magic - it is said to be a ‘most powerful fume’, and is made up of seven ingredients, one for each planet.

‘But Hermes describes the most powerful fume to be, viz. That which is compounded of the seven Aromatics, according to the powers of the seven PLanets, for it receives from Saturne, Pepper-wort from Jupiter, Nutmeg, from Mars, Lignum-aloes, from the Sun, Mastick, from Venus Saffron, from Mercury, Cinnamon, and from the Moon, the Myrtle.’ - Agrippa

Saturn - Pepperwort (Lepidium campestre)

Jupiter - Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans)

Mars - Lignum Aloes (agarwood/oud)

Sun - Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus)

Venus - Saffron (Crocus sativus)

Mercury - Cinnamon (Cinnamomum genus)

Moon - Myrtle (Myrtus communis)

Suggested alternatives

This recipe is not actually too hard for the modern magician to concoct; however, several of the ingredients can be pricey, so I would recommend the following alternative for those of you who are unable to make it to the above recipe. Blend the following resins in equal parts:

Sun - Frankincense

Moon - Camphor

Mars - Bdellium/Guggul

Mercury - Mastic

Jupiter - Benzoin

Venus - Labdanum

Saturn - Myrrh

Should these resins prove too expensive or hard to obtain, try the following, which is based more closely on Agrippa’s original:

Sun - Frankincense - 2 parts

Moon - Myrtle leaves - dried and ground - ½ part

Mars - Nettle leaves - dried and ground - ½ part

Mercury - Mastic - 2 parts

Jupiter - Nutmeg - shavings ½ part

Venus - Red rose petals - dried and ground ½ part

Saturn - Poppy seeds - dried and ground ½ part

Blending

There is a simple procedure for blending all the incenses given above:

1. Grind the resins in a pestle and mortar, to the consistency of coarse sea salt.

2. Shred or grind herbs finely using a knife or pestle and mortar.

3. Cut, shred or grind all other components to dust, or small pieces

4. Combine all the above ingredients with a small amount of oil, so that the powders adhere to the coarser resin. You can work with a pure essential oil of your choosing, or in my case, I like to work with the wild rose oil, mugwort, or juniper berry oil I make each year for its energetic values.

5. Store in an airtight container, making sure to label it with the name of the incense blend you have made. You might like to add your own unique symbols, words, marks and/or sigils onto the container too, so just do what you feel intuitively drawn to do.

There are of course more complex ways of composing incense; the most pleasing tends to be to form pellets, pills, pastels or cones, such as Agrippa suggests for the composition of his Solar incense. The blends I have been making each year over the last decade are all loose dry blends, as that is what I personally like to work with. The choice is yours.

The basic principle is to make ‘flour’ from the dry ingredients of the incense, grinding them up to a fine or semi-fine consistency and then proceeding to blend this ‘flour’ with the liquid components, to make a ‘dough’ which can then be molded into cones by hand or in a small form. Some people like to burn their blends on charcoal, others prefer to do so on a plate over a candle, I personally ignite my own blends directly, without any charcoal or candles, and let them burn in a large seashell. That's just my personal taste really.

In Agrippa’s recipes this liquid is often blood, which whilst being an effective binding agent, does not smell particularly pleasant to the human nose when burnt. And on this note, a few words to those who menstruate as you might like to consider the following - menstrual blood is the only form of 'non violent' blood available to us and a very sacred offering to include in any personal blends you might make. I personally collect my own menstrual blood (in a menstrual cup) each month to give back to the earth/spirit/ancestors in personal rituals that range from prayer offerings, rituals to connect/release/cleanse/protect, rituals for planting seeds, re-marking protective boundaries, and much much more. My personal 'tools' such as the rattle, drum and sounders I work with all include this among the intimate medicines they have. I tincture my menstrual blood and bring this with me when traveling so that I can mark out the space in which I need to be able to rest, for me it is a vital aspect of being able to let the guard down and truly rest, knowing that I am in a safe space. If you do feel drawn to work with your own menstrual blood in blends, note that I do not recommend sharing these with others or using them in rituals with other people. Likewise I never leave my tinctured blood 'laying around', and my personal healing colleagues (for instance, rattle/drum colleagues, plant medicines, crystal colleagues) are never viewed by others, not to mind touched by someone other than myself. With intimate personal offerings, it's important that they be kept between you and spirit only, and energetically pristine at all times so that it is your own energetic signature only. This speaks to healthy boundaries, and the deep need to ensure we keep the sacred, sacred.

If you wish to try and make pellet incense of your own, using the recipe given here, I would suggest using a viscous resinoid version of one of the resins listed, and using this to bind the powders together. Essential oils do not tend to be thick enough to hold things together, so consider using balsams, resinoids, or when appropriate, honey (especially relevant in recipes for the Sun or Venus).

A helpful last step in this process is to roll the pellets in very finely ground powder made from one of all of the ingredients. This stops the outsides being sticky, and helps to set them into shape. Store in a cool, dry and dark place (this extends the 'shelf life'), and work with them as you feel drawn.

Finally, whatever way you choose to work with/make your blends, please do so responsibly and safely, use heatproof vessels, and do not leave them burning unsupervised. Common sense prevails.

InJoy!

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