Incense

[Bandit]

Hello All

I have grown big into incense over the years and enjoy the different effects that the sense of smell send to the brain. For example Cedar & Sandal have a very calming effect with me while lavender or sweet smelling myrrh has a more exciting effect.

I have learned to use only the real stuff in resins or pastes, the best that I can find & buy it at wholesale prices.

I use morning star, frank & mryh resin, dragons blood resin, copal resin, with charcoal. Then there is a good one by wild berry that does a good job with eucalyptus, amber and the woody flavors and is soaked well to bypass the bamboo when using a stick.
I prefer the woody fragrances over the perfumes.
I am recently using nag champa and song of india temple inscense during the day. Morning star for the evenings and some nice candals and lanterns I have purchased with a celtic and indian feel as I also have native american heritage.

There is no worship or things of that nature involved other than enjoyment & relaxation.

I have learned that you need a big temple or large house for the best results. I have 6,000 square feet so I have plenty of air to fill.

Any good suggestions of how you use it, why you like it, and some new product lines would be of interest to me. India and Japan make the best incense I have found on the market and that is why I consult the best today.

 

[greymare]

i love the scent of sandalwood...
(just my two bobs worth. lol)

 

[TheKhan]

I heard somewhere that there are herbs that can be mixed with water to spray onto gardens to naturally keep the bugs away. If there was an nice smelling incense like that, I`d open windows and be burning incense all the time. That`ll be my favorite usage.

 

[seattlegal]

My favorite incense is wistheria, for what that's worth. Individual tastes will vary.

 

[Netti-Netti]

Indoor air quality is an issue, especially in the winter when you have the house closed up. Incense burning releases carsenogenic chemicals like formaldehyde (amongst others), which has been banned by European Union.

It seems some of the "essential oils" used for aromatherapy potions have dangerous qualities, too.

 

[Bandit]

i love the scent of sandalwood...
(just my two bobs worth. lol)

sandalwood is awesome. I use it all the time. nag champa has some good ones they just came out with in a unique champa flower and sandal. There is a nice sandalwood that you can get from india sold at kmart & it is very gentle and pleasing.

I heard somewhere that there are herbs that can be mixed with water to spray onto gardens to naturally keep the bugs away. If there was an nice smelling incense like that, I`d open windows and be burning incense all the time. That`ll be my favorite usage.

I suppose you can use any herbs. The smudge I see used the most are sages. You might like that.

 

[Bandit]

My favorite incense is wistheria, for what that's worth. Individual tastes will vary.

Do you mean the vine? The only one like that i have is lilac. Very spring like. I dont mind the flower bud fragrance in things like soy candles which have the best burn. I have one incense in cinamon and one in lavender by morning star. Very clean and pure burn but does not linger very long like some of the exotic temple incense.

 

[seattlegal]

Do you mean the vine? The only one like that i have is lilac. Very spring like. I dont mind the flower bud fragrance in things like soy candles which have the best burn. I have one incense in cinamon and one in lavender by morning star. Very clean and pure burn but does not linger very long like some of the exotic temple incense.

Wisteria incense cones. (I get them at the Japanese market.) I don't burn incense very often, maybe once every few years. (I much prefer the fragrance of flowers in bloom, especially the hyacinths in the springtime.) However, when I do burn incense, it's usually wisteria. It's has a light, almost ethereal quality to it, that reminds me somewhat of a spring breeze carrying the scent of hyacinths from afar.

 

[Bandit]

Wisteria incense cones. (I get them at the Japanese market.) I don't burn incense very often, maybe once every few years. (I much prefer the fragrance of flowers in bloom, especially the hyacinths in the springtime.) However, when I do burn incense, it's usually wisteria. It's has a light, almost ethereal quality to it, that reminds me somewhat of a spring breeze carrying the scent of hyacinths from afar.

You just described myself except for I use it all the time and reminds me of nature. I know exactly what you mean about the spring breeze bringing those blossoms into the house. If you are getting it from a japanese market then it is probably very pure.

On the other hand I am a pyro, so I burn huge bonfires at get togethers here, small camp fires and I enjoy the flavors & smell of hickory and mesquite. Wood burning stove, I love it when the apple, cherry & cedar goes in. I blow off mortars, use lanterns with liquid candle wax. If i had to pick one that I cannot take, it is the patchouli plant. Way too pungeant but some people love that.

I will have to look for that one and try it someday. There are so many good ones. Another one that is nice is teakwood.

 

[Bandit]

I watched the Darjeeling Limited the other night and that is another reason why I asked this here. They were traveling through India visiting the temples.

 

[Bandit]

On the other hand I am a pyro, so I burn huge bonfires at get togethers here, small camp fires and I enjoy the flavors & smell of hickory and mesquite. Wood burning stove, I love it when the apple, cherry & cedar goes in. I blow off mortars, use lanterns with liquid candle wax. If i had to pick one that I cannot take, it is the patchouli plant. Way too pungeant but some people love that.

.

and the smell of grandpas indian pipe tobacco and some cigarrettes are nice too! Don't want to leave those out.

 

[Vajradhara]

Namaste bandit,

i'm fond of the Tibetan incense... you may want to check out one called Red Crystal. there are several different monestaries that make it so the formula is slightly different betwixt them.

Red Crystal Incense - 14''

and, of course, the finest incense in the world; Aloeswood.

you can find a good deal on a box of small sticks (this stuff is exceedingly expensive) Tokusen Mainichi-Koh - Aloeswood (Kyara)

this is an everyday use incense and not one for special occasions as they tend to be quite a bit more expensive.

metta,

~v

 

[juantoo3]

I suppose you can use any herbs. The smudge I see used the most are sages. You might like that.

Yeah, white sage. Sweetgrass is another that may evoke some ancestral tribal memories. Haven't smelled it in a long time, but every time I do it evokes pleasant memories.

 

[TheKhan]

So far this thread is fruits, berries and flowers.. not that I object.

.. evoke some ancestral tribal memories..

Are there others like you ?


TK


p.s. Vajradhara, if I smelled your incense anywhere outside of Asia, I`d be freaking out as I`d think my mind was playing tricks on me, LOL.

 

[juantoo3]

So far this thread is fruits, berries and flowers.. not that I object.

Could be worse...flakes and nuts.

Are there others like you ?

"Like me?" In what way? No two people are identical...but yes, there are others of the same tribe if that is what you are asking. My heritage has taken me away from my roots, but there *are* ancestral memories that linger. I've been aware of them since I was a small child.

 

[TheKhan]

"Like me?" In what way?..

I just thought it might be pretty unusual to find people who think about ancestors through incense, in the west.

Keeping in line with the fruit, berry and flower theme of this thread.

It`s all good, I looked it up.

TK

 

[Bandit]

I just thought it might be pretty unusual to find people who think about ancestors through incense, in the west.

Keeping in line with the fruit, berry and flower theme of this thread.

It`s all good, I looked it up.

TK

and do not forget the woody over tones, like the smell of freshly cut cedar, is awesome to behold. Fresh cut grass is another one I find pleasant. Very hard to capture them unles you build a cedar closet or something like that.

It is true that I do find myself thinking of my grandpa who was indian and wonder about my heritage when meditating with certain incense.

It is all good

 

[Bandit]

Namaste bandit,

i'm fond of the Tibetan incense... you may want to check out one called Red Crystal. there are several different monestaries that make it so the formula is slightly different betwixt them.

Red Crystal Incense - 14''

and, of course, the finest incense in the world; Aloeswood.

you can find a good deal on a box of small sticks (this stuff is exceedingly expensive) Tokusen Mainichi-Koh - Aloeswood (Kyara)

this is an everyday use incense and not one for special occasions as they tend to be quite a bit more expensive.

metta,

~v

Oh yes. I should have mentioned Tibetan incense but have not gotten that far yet to know. I can tell from the picture that the aloeswood is made correctly allowing for the purest ingredients. I have not used aloeswood as of yet but I am so looking forward to it.

I will also need to try the red crystal. Check your PM. I am sending you a sight that you might find useful.

 

[Bandit]

Yeah, white sage. Sweetgrass is another that may evoke some ancestral tribal memories. Haven't smelled it in a long time, but every time I do it evokes pleasant memories.

I tired making my own sage from the garden here to burn but do not know the proper method and all I got was a lot of smoke. I am going to have to buy one bundle and then maybe from that I will be able to be more patient in making my own. It does evoke some tribal memories.
When you mention sweetgrass, I just cant help but become anxious and happy waiting for the coming spring with the first fragrance of fresh cut grass. Kind of like the first wave of dandelion. and then the whif of burning leaves from a distance in the fall.

Kind of mysterious in a good way, would you say? Maybe some of the medicine properties that are also found in these things which I do not know nearly enough about.

 

[juantoo3]

Certain smells have huge impacts on one's brain, and can evoke quite a list of possible responses...everything from rose petals to dirty socks to mildew.