Tag: Incense

Have A Wild & Crazy Wednesday, My Friends!

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Today’s Affirmation for April 4th

I am committed to finding the most worthwhile routes for my energies – I will work to transform my emotions into the exhilarating energies of the spirit.

 

Today’s Thought for April 4th

If you rest in the stillness like a broken gong, you have already reached heaven for anger has left you.

Dhammapada, Part of he Pali Canon (c.500BCE – 0)

 

Today’s Meditation for April 4th

Relax with Incense

In the brain the processing of smell is closely linked with memory retrieval, so that a smell can act as a powerful trigger for a memory an therefore a mood. This makes it possible to prime calm states of mind using certain scents – helpful when preparing for meditation. Perform this exercise for the first time when you are already feeling calm. Sit comfortably, light some incense and close your eyes. As you breathe focus your awareness on the smell of the incense as it enters your nostrils during each inhalation Visualize the smell as a beautiful light, flooding your body with liquid calm. Continue for at least five minutes. Perform this exercise at the start of your meditation practice if you are feeling agitated. Not only will it be calming in itself, but it will also trigger memories of the calm that you experienced the first time around.

NON-COMBUSTIBLE INCENSE

NON-COMBUSTIBLE INCENSE
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Be sure you have all necessary ingredients. If you lack any, decide on
substitutions.

Each ingredient must be finely ground, preferably to a powder, using either a
mortar and pestle or an electric grinder. Some resins won’t powder easily, but
with practice you’ll find the right touch. When I first worked with herbs I
couldn’t powder frankincense. It kept on gumming to the sides of the mortar and
to the tip of the pestle. After a while I stopped fighting it (and cursing it,
I’ll admit-not a good thing to do with herbs used in incenses) and got into the
flow of the work. The frankincense came out just fine.

When all is ready, fix your mind on the incense’s goal-protection, love, health.
In a large wooden or ceramic bowl, mix the resins and gums together with your
hands. While mingling these fragrant substances, also mix their energies.
Visualize your personal power-vibrating with your magical goal-exiting your
hands and entering the incense. It is this that makes homemade incense more
effective than its commercial counterparts.

Next, mix in all the powdered leaves, barks, flowers and roots. As you mix,
continue to visualize or concentrate on the incense’s goal.

Now add any oils or liquids (wine, honey, etc.) that are included in the recipe.
Just a few drops are usually sufficient. On the subject of oils: If there’s a
sufficient amount of dry ingredients in the recipe, you can substitute an oil
for an herb you lack. Simply ensure that the oil an essential oil, for
synthetics smell like burning plastic when smoldered.

Once all has been thoroughly mixed, add any powdered gem-stones or other power
boosters. A few-not many-of the recipes in this book call for a pinch of
powdered stone.

To produce this, simply take a small stone of the required type and pound it in
a metal mortar and pestle (or simply smash it with a hammer against a hard
surface). Grind the resulting pieces into a powder and add no more than the
scantiest pinch to the incense.

One general power-boosting “stone” is amber. A pinch of this fossilized resin
added to any mixture will increase its effectiveness, but this can be rather
expensive.

The incense is now fully compounded. Empower the incense and it is done. Store
in a tightly capped jar. Label carefully, including the name of the incense and
date of composition. It is ready for use when needed.

RULES OF COMBUSTIBLE INCENSE COMPOSITION

RULES OF COMBUSTIBLE INCENSE COMPOSITION

by
Scott Cunningham
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Here are some guidelines to follow when compounding combustible incense. These
are for use with the Cone Incense Base #2 recipe above. If they aren’t followed,
the incense won’t properly burn. There’s less room for experimentation here than
with non-combustible incenses.

* First off, never use more than ten percent saltpeter. Ever!

* Also, keep woods (such as sandalwood, wood aloe, cedar, juniper and pine) and
gum resins (frankincense, myrrh, benzoin, copal) in the proper proportions: at
least twice as much powdered wood as resins. If there’s more resinous matter,
the mixture won’t burn.

* Naturally, depending on the type of incense you’re adding to the base, you may
have to juggle some proportions accordingly. Simply ensure that frankincense and
its kin never constitute more than one-third of the final mixture, and all
should be well.

* Though this hasn’t covered all aspects of combustible incense making (that
could be a book in itself), it should provide you with enough guidelines to make
your own. Experiment, but keep these rules in mind.

How to Make and Use Your Own Incense

How to Make and Use Your Own Incense

By Patti Wigington, About.com

Smoke in the Sky:

For thousands of years, people have used fragrant flowers, plants, and herbs as incense. Using smoke to send prayers out to the gods is one of the oldest known forms of ceremony. From the censers of the Catholic church to the Pagan bonfire rituals,

incense is a powerful way to let your intent be known. You can make your own quite easily, using a blend of herbs, flowers, wood bark, resins, and berries. Most of these are items you can grow yourself, find in the woods, or purchase inexpensively.

Why Incense?:

Incense — and other fragrant items, such as oils and perfumes — work on a couple of different levels. The first is the effect on your mood — a certain scent will trigger a particular emotion. Aromatherapists have known for years that smells affect different parts of the senses. Secondly, an aroma may have various associations. You may be walking through a store, catch a whiff of Chantilly, and suddenly be reminded of your grandmother who passed away when you were away at college. The smell of a particular food may evoke memories of the summer you spent at camp.

Finally, we experience scents on a vibrational level. Every living being has energy, and emits its own vibration – plants are no different. When you blend them into incense, these vibrations change in accordance with your intent. This is why, in magic, incense is so popular — in addition to making your ritual space smell nice, you are able to change the vibration in the atmosphere, effecting change in the universe.

Why Make Your Own?:

You can buy commercially produced incense sticks and cones just about anywhere, and they’re not that expensive. However, they’re made with synthetic ingredients, and therefore have little to no magical value. While they’re nice to burn, and certainly smell lovely, they serve little purpose in a ritual setting.

Burning Your Incense:

Loose incense, which is what the recipes on these pages are for, is burned on a charcoal disc or tossed into a fire. The charcoal discs are sold in packages by most Wiccan supply shops, as well as church supply stores (if you have a Hispanic Marketa near you, that’s a good place to look too). Apply a match to the disc, and you’ll know it’s lit when it begins to spark and glow red. After it’s glowing, place a pinch of your loose incense on the top — and make sure you’ve got it on a fireproof surface. If you’re holding your ceremony outside with large fire, simply toss handfuls into the flames.

How to Read the Recipes:

Any good cook knows that the first step is to always gather your goodies together. Collect your ingredients, your mixing and measuring spoons, jars and lids, labels (don’t forget a pen to write with), and your mortar and pestle.

Each incense recipe is presented in “parts.” This means that whatever unit of measurement you’re using — a cup, a tablespoon, a handful — is one part. If a recipe calls for two parts, use two cups. One half part is a half cup, if you’re using a cup to measure, or half a tablespoon if you’re using a tablespoon.

When making your own incense, if you’re using resins or essential oils, combine these first. Use your mortar and pestle to mash these until they get a bit gummy, before you add any bark or berries. Dried herbs, flowers, or powdery items should go in last.

Break the Powers of A Spell

Break the Powers of A Spell

 
You Will Need

Large Black Candle

Cauldron (Large black bowl will do)

The Spell

If you believe that a spell has been cast against you, place a Large Black Candle in the Cauldron (or Large Black Bowl), the candle must be tall enough to extend a few inches above the Cauldron / Pot’s rim.

Affix the candle to the bottom of the Cauldron / Pot so that it will not tip over, and fill the Cauldron / Pot to the rim with fresh water without getting the candles wick wet.

Deeply breathe, or meditate, clear your mind and light the candle, visualize the suspected spells power residing within the candles flame, sit in quiet contemplation of the candle and visualize the power flowing and growing within the candles flames. (The power against you)

As the candle burns down, its flame will eventually sputter and go out as soon as it contacts the water, as soon as the flame has been extinguished by the water, the spell will be dispersed.

Break your visualization of the spells power; see it explode into dust, becoming impotent.

Pour the water into a whole in the ground, a lake or stream and bury the candle.

TO BANISH ILLNESS

TO BANISH ILLNESS
Burn a black candle anointed with banishing and burn banishing incense.
Concentrate on removing whatever the health problem may be by saying:
As this candle burns, so the illness turns,
melted like this wax, cut like with an axe,
remove and banished, all disabilities vanished,
as my word you see, radiant health blessed be.
Let the candle burn until done, then bury ashes from incense and leftover wax.

ANGELIC BANISHING

ANGELIC BANISHING


Shout this Mantra
“Angels of Protection,
Angels who clear
Remove all spirits
Who don’t belong here!”
Call upon your highest teacher, angel, or God to clear the spirit.
To increase the potency of this spell, burn sage incense and white candles.
Use a glass of water to collect negativity, then flush the water.
Also, wear any jewelry that is sacred to you. Express power and strength, show no fear.
While you meditate after the chant, know that the atmosphere around you has been cleared
of all evil spirits.

SPELL TO STOP SOMEONE FROM STEALING

SPELL TO STOP SOMEONE FROM STEALING

Do this spell on a Saturday ruled by Saturn and good for Justice spells
You will need: a black candle pin olive oil sea salt candle holder
Carve the person’s name on the candle using the pin – or if you don’t know their name, carve ‘thief’.
Mix a good handful of salt with a cup of olive oil and allow the candle to soak in it for three hours.
Take the candle, wipe it down and carve out the bottom so the wick is exposed.
Stand the candle on it’s head and light the bottom wick – gaze at the flame, concentrate and say:
“Thief your deeds are no longer tolerated
It’s time for you to stop this behavior.
By my will you shall cease
and restore in me a sense of peace.”
Let the candle burn out and if you can bury the stub near where the person lives or
where they most commonly commit their crime – otherwise bury under a tree.

Calendar of the Sun for March 25th

Calendar of the Sun

Feralia: Day of Purification

Color: White
Element: Air
Altar: On a white cloth put a lit candle, incense, a cup of water, and a bowl of salt.
Offering: Although this day is not a day of total silence, it is a solemn day and talking should be done only when necessary and in quiet tones. Bodies should be thoroughly cleaned during the bathing hour, and then the altar area should be cleaned and purified with all four elements. Each person, upon entering the altar space at the beginning of Sponde should remove their clothing and be naked, and each body should be purified with the four elements and marked with water and salt, at which point they may enrobe again. Chores of the day should concentrate on cleaning and repair.
Daily Meal: Vegan and extremely simple and plain.

Feralia Invocation

Breathe the air into your body
And breathe out again,
And as you breathe out,
Let all grime and corruption
Depart on that breath
(All breathe together for twelve breaths.)
Feel the blood coursing through your body
And imagine it clean
Of anything but what should be there.
Feel the energy coursing through your body
And wash it clean
Of anything that does not belong.
Feel the Earth beneath you,
Remember that She can absorb all
Remember that all rot is her provenance
Draw her energy up into you
And give it back again.

(After this grounding, all breathe together again in a yogic breathing pattern for the next half an hour, after which all will go with water and salt and incense and fire to all rooms in the house and cleanse them. Great care should be taken for the rest of the day not to disturb the energy of the freshly cleaned house.)

Pagan Book of Hours

The Breviary of the Asphodel Tradition

BREAKING A BINDING SPELL

BREAKING A BINDING SPELL

Some binding spells can cause physical manifestations.
You feel as if invisible strands of hair or thin strings are wrapped around you.
You can’t see them but you can feel them and nothing you do can make that sensation stop.
Here is a way to dispel a binding. Cut a bit of your own hair and set it in a small bowl.
Light 3 candles, 1red, 1 white and 1 green. In a fire safe bowl or incense brazier, light
a piece of charcoal and add some myrrh, patchouli and sandalwood incense
(powdered kind not cone or stick).
Take a sterile needle or pin and prick your right index finger.
Squeeze three drops of blood into the smoldering incense.
As you drop the hair onto the lit incense repeat these words:
With blood, candle and scent times three
No longer shall this binding be
Free to live and free to soar
Let me leave the house once more.
As I burn this hair, a part of me
Let my heart and soul be free!
And for those who doth cast despair
Binding me with sightless hair
I send to them this well-earned curse
Let their evil spell reverse!
Teach them mercy and love’s sweet gift
Once learned, this simple spell shall lift.
As is my will, so mote it be!
Let the incense burn out and scatter the ashes outside.
Lifting the binding spell should take care of the problem.
Keep an eye on those around you. Someone who wished you ill will start to experience the
torment they put you through. Once they understand that what they did was wrong, then the
sensation will fade and they will be back to normal.

Binding

Binding
From: mystique@flex.net (SpiritWolf)

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The purpose of this spell is to rid yourself of the negative energies of someone who is mentally or emotionally abusing you. If done properly, it will not harm the object of the spell nor will it affect his or her daily life in any way. It will simply make the person powerless to mentally or emotionally harm you.

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Materials:
Small cloth doll, leave the head unstitched until you are ready to begin the ritual
Needle and thread
Some personal item from the person you want to bind (fingernail clippings, hair, handwriting sample)
Black ribbon
Black candle
Cauldron or other fireproof container
Sterilized needle
Piece of paper and pen
One candle at each quarter (optional)

——————————————————————————–

Ritual:
Call the quarters – I like to use candles at each quarter to form a circle of fire for extra protection.
Light the black candle
Concentrating deeply on the person you are binding, place the personal object inside the head of the doll and sew it shut.
Tie the black ribbon around the poppet’s head, signifying the binding of that person.
”With harm to none, my will be done
I hereby bind you (name of person)
Your words cannot harm me
Your thoughts cannot harm me
You cannot harm me”
Continue chanting this or something like it until you feel power surging through you. Visualize the person helpless to slander or verbally and mentally abuse you while you are chanting.
Now, to bind the spell –
If you have a sigil or a Craft name, sign it on the small piece of paper. If not, sign your own full name. If others are working the ritual with you, they too should sign the paper.
With the sterilized needle, prick one of your fingers and put a small drop of blood over your signature. Again, if others are working with you, they should place a drop of blood over their signatures. (using a different needle, of course)
Fold the paper, light it on fire and drop it into the cauldron (which should be on a heat-proof surface!).
Meditate on the flames until the paper completely burns away. If you are working with a group, join hands at this point and feel the power surging around the circle as the spell is bound.
Ground and center
Release the circle. Thank the Goddess and God for their protection and power
Bury the doll as far away from you as possible within the next few days.

DREAM PROTECTION SPELL

DREAM PROTECTION SPELL

You Need: 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (or another fruit juice) 1 tablespoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of vegetable oil 1 light weight cauldron (a glass bowl works too)
1 piece of paper 1 black pen 2 black or red candles (1 of each works best)
Mix the lemon juice, sea salt, and oil into your cauldron.
Place the cauldron in front of you on the floor.
Sit comfortably and place the candles beside the cauldron (red on left, black on right.)
Rip the piece of paper in half then set it aside.
Light both candles, left one first. Now close your eyes and visualize a sphere.
In the middle of the sphere, visualize yourself stuck inside, trying to get out.
See the black and red candles burning around you. Watch as the candles spin around you,
getting faster each time they pass. Then see yourself magickally being released.
On one piece of paper, draw a picture of what you saw. On the other, write down your biggest fear.
Light both pieces of paper on fire, using the black for the written half, red for the drawing.
Then throw them into your cauldron.
Take the cauldron outside and pour it (paper and all) into a hole in the ground.
Cover the hole with dirt. The spell is done.

TO GIVE SOMEONE A DREAM

TO GIVE SOMEONE A DREAM


You need: — A dish of earth a cup or cauldron of water a candle
(check color correspondences for whatever kind of dream you will be sending)
and some incense (any kind, this is just to symbolize air).
If you have an altar it should go in the middle of wherever you are placing these objects.
Put the earth to the North the incense to the East the fire to the South and the water to the West.
Then sit in the middle by your altar or just in the middle.
Visualize the dream you wish to give and after you’re done visualizing say this:
“Lord and Lady I ask of thee
Give me the ability to send forth this dream
Across the Earth or water’s bound
Whether he/she be in the sky or on the ground
By the powers of fire to let it shine bright
By the powers of earth and air to send it tonight
By the powers of water to sweep within dream’s door
And by the powers of 3 shall _____ remember it evermore
Sleep in the knowledge the dream will be projected to the person you have visualized.
Be sure to go through every detail of what you wish to send.

SPELL TO AID SLEEP

SPELL TO AID SLEEP


Light a blue candle (Carve a rune in the candle that stands for sleep).
Light a stick of incense (I use Cedar/Sage–but you use whatever feels right).
Soft/Instrumental/Relaxing Sounds Say:
By this candle I do sleep; Hidden from the day, in the night so deep.
O Lady Moon, guide my dreams, Cover me with your beautiful beams.
As the candle flame dies; Please close my eyes.
Allow me to wake in the warmth of your lover The Sun. Make my insomnia come undone.
(Repeat while the candle is burning) Use A Tea-Light candle (so the house doesn’t burn down)

You Daily Correspondences for Friday, March 23


Days Of The Week Comments
Magickal Intentions: Love, Romance, Marriage, Sexual Matters, Physical Beauty, Friendship and Partnerships, Strangers and Heart
Incense: Strawberry, Sandalwood, Rose, Saffron and Vanilla
Planet: Venus
Sign: Libra and Taurus
Angel: Ariel
Colors: Green, Pink, Aqua
Herbs/Plants: Pink Rose, Ivy, Birch, Heather, Clematis, Sage, Violet and Water Lilly Stones: Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Pink Tourmaline, Peridot, Emerald and Jade
Oil: (Venus) Cardamom, Palmrosa, Rose, Yarrow
Friday belongs to Venus, and its energies are warm, sensuous, and fulfilling. Efforts that involve any type of pleasure, comfort, and luxury, as well as the arts, music, or aroma (incense and perfume) works well on this day. As Venus lends its sensuous influences to the energies of this day, use it for any magical work that deals with matters of the heart.

Magickal Graphics

How To Hold a Rebirthing Ritual for Ostara

How To Hold a Rebirthing Ritual for Ostara

By Patti Wigington, About.com Guide

 

Spring is the time of year when the cycle of life, death, and rebirth is complete. As plants bloom and new life returns, the theme of resurrection is ever present. As Ostara, the spring equinox, arrives, it’s the season for that which has gone dormant to become revitalized, alive, and reborn. This ritual includes a symbolic rebirthing — you can perform this rite either as a solitary, or as a part of a group ceremony.

Difficulty: Average
Time Required: Varied
Here’s How:
  1. In addition to setting up your Ostara altar, you’ll need the following supplies: a black sheet for each participant, a bowl of dirt, water, a white candle, and incense. For this rite, the High Priestess (HPs) or High Priest (HP) should be the only person at the altar. Other participants should wait in another room until called. If you’re doing the rite outside, the group can wait some distance away from the altar. If your tradition calls for you to cast a circle, do this now.
  2. The first person in the group waits outside the circle, covered from head to toe in the black sheet. If your group is comfortable with skyclad rituals, you can be nude under the sheet — otherwise, wear your ritual robe. Once the HPs is ready to begin, she calls the first participant into the altar area, cutting an opening in the circle as the person enters and then closing it behind them.
  3. The participant, still covered in the black sheet, kneels on the floor before the altar.

    The HPs greets the participant, and says:

    Today is the time of the Spring equinox.
    Ostara is a time of equal parts light and dark.
    Spring has arrived, and it is a time of rebirth.
    The planting season will soon begin, and
    life will form once more within the earth.
    As the earth welcomes new life and new beginnings,
    so can we be reborn in the light and love of the gods*.
    Do you, (name), wish to experience the rebirth of spring, and
    step out of the darkness into the light?

  4. The participant replies with an affirmative answer. The HPs takes the salt from the altar, and sprinkles it over the sheet-clad participant, saying:

    With the blessings of the earth, and the life within the soil,
    you are reborn in the eyes of the gods.

    Next, the HPs takes the lit incense and passes it over the participant, saying:

    With the blessings of air, may knowledge and wisdom
    be brought to you upon the winds.

     

    The HPs takes the burning candle and (carefully!) passes it over the participant, saying:

    May the fire of the spring sun bring growth and harmony
    into your life.

     

  5. Finally, the HPs sprinkles water around the participant, and says:

    With the blessings of water, may the chill and darkness of winter,
    be swept away by the warm spring rains.

    Rise! Step forth out of the darkness, and climb into the light.
    Awaken once more in the arms of the gods.     

  6. At this point, the participant slowly emerges from the black sheet. Remember, this is a symbolic rebirth. Take your time if you feel you need to. As you pull the sheet back away from you, remember that you are not only stepping into the light, but putting behind you the darkness of the past six months. Winter is over, and spring has arrived, so take a few moments, as you emerge, to think about the magic of this time of year.

    The High Priestess then welcomes the participant, saying:

    You have stepped once more into the light,
    and the gods welcome you.     

  7. Repeat the ceremony until all members of the group have been “reborn”. If you are performing this rite as a solitary, obviously you would speak the lines of the HPs yourself, and bless the area around yourself with the dirt, incense, candle and water. Once everyone in the group has gone through the rebirthing, take some time to meditate on the balancing energy of Ostara. Light and dark are equal, as are positive and negative. Consider, for a while, the polarity of this season. Think about the balance you wish to find in your life, and consider how you may work harder to find harmony within yourself.
  8. When you are ready, end the ritual, or move on to a Cakes and Ale ceremony or other healing magic**.
Tips:
  1. * Feel free to substitute the name of your tradition’s deity here.
  2. ** If you’ve ever thought about rededicating yourself to the gods of your tradition, Ostara is an excellent time to do this.
What You Need:
  • A bowl of earth
  • Incense
  • A white candle
  • Water
  • A black sheet for each participant

The Making of Powders

The Making of Powders

 
Powders have long been an integral part of folk magic. They consist of ground herbs which are sprinkled to release their powers. A powder is an incense never burned, a sachet never worn.
 
Simply grind herbs as finely as possible. To save time you can buy ground herbs, but doing so cheats you of really getting in touch with them. While mortaring the herbs, during the whole long process,visualize…imagine…see your magical goal. The power lies within herbs and within ourselves. If we don’t empower powders, incense or oils, if we don’t accurately “program” them with our magical goals through visualization and concentration, such mixtures will have only slight effects. If you forget the empowerment, you might as well forget the magic.

Ostara Incense

Ostara Incense

Recipe by Scott Cunningham


2 parts Frankincense
1 part Benzoin
1 part Dragon’s Blood
1/2 part Nutmeg
1/2 part Violet flowers (or a few drops Violet oil)
1/2 part Orange peel
1/2 part Rose petals


Burn during Wiccan rituals on Ostara (the Spring Equinox, which varies from March 20th to the 24th each year), or to welcome the spring and refresh your life.


(The above recipe for “Ostara Incense” is directly quoted from Scott Cunningham’s book: “The Complete Book of Incense, Oils & Brews”, page 83, Llewellyn Publications, 1992.)

Your Daily Correspondences for Friday, March 16th

 

St Patrick's Day Comments

Correspondences for Friday, March 16th

Magickal Intentions: Love, Romance, Marriage, Sexual Matters, Physical Beauty, Friendship and Partnerships, Strangers and Heart
Incense: Strawberry, Sandalwood, Rose, Saffron and Vanilla
Planet: Venus
Sign: Libra and Taurus
Angel: Ariel
Colors: Green, Pink, Aqua
Herbs/Plants: Pink Rose, Ivy, Birch, Heather, Clematis, Sage, Violet and Water Lilly Stones: Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Pink Tourmaline, Peridot, Emerald and Jade
Oil: (Venus) Cardamom, Palmrosa, Rose, Yarrow

Friday belongs to Venus, and its energies are warm, sensuous, and fulfilling. Efforts that involve any type of pleasure, comfort, and luxury, as well as the arts, music, or aroma (incense and perfume) works well on this day. As Venus lends its sensuous influences to the energies of this day, use it for any magical work that deals with matters of the heart.

 

Reference:
Magickal Graphics