INCENSE INFORMATION

The smudging ritual utilizes the smoke of burning incense for cleansing, purification, and healing of a person, space, or object. Praying and visualizing while smudging is a very important part of the ritual in order to get the most benefit from it and take full advantage of the magical and spiritual energy and properties of the burning herbs and botanicals. The plants and herbs used during smudging each have their own electromagnetic frequency and energy that interacts with the energy of the person smudging. These energies can either merge to bring balance or imbalance, which is why it is important to perform the Smudge ceremony with a positive and respectful attitude.

Each plant can be thought of as having its own aura and soul and should be treated with respect and gratitude, for the plant is giving up its life for your benefit. This should not inspire guilt, but rather gratitude for its sacrifice, for one day you will give your body for other beings of the Earth. As you light the Smudge incense stick on fire, you should thank the plant for its sacrifice. You should also thank Father Sun, from where all fires arise, and thank the spirit of Fire for coming to help you with the Smudge ceremony. If you are using an Abalone shell, you should thank the life that created it.

Once the smudge is lit and smoking, you should visualize the smoke absorbing all the sickness and negativity out of the room or person being smudged and then carrying it away. If you can see auras, look for discolored places in the aura and direct the healing smoke towards those places. Feathers and wing fans aid in the cleansing process and have the effect of combing the human aura, therefore adding to the cleansing. Particular feathers bring in the qualities and medicine of the bird of origin. Some would insist that the movement of the fan should be in keeping with the movement of the particular bird’s wing in flight.

In addition to visualizing, you should also pray while performing the smudge. Different tribes have different smudging prayers that program the smoke to do a specific action, such as cleansing or aiding in divination. You can say the prayers silently but it is recommended to say them out loud to make them more powerful. You may also chant them. Saying or chanting your prayers will release their energy into the universe so that the universe can hear them and respond to them. An example of a chant you can use is “Light Invocation” by Dael Walker, which he recommends repeating three times. The chant is below:

   

What is the Smudge Ceremony

The Smudge ceremony is an age-old tribal tradition which has been used for centuries to bring harmony and peace. During the Smudge ceremony, smoke from burning herbs or incense is rubbed over a person, space, or object for cleaning and purification, protection of physical and spiritual bodies, and banishment of negative energies. This article will describe how to perform the Smudge ceremony on a space.

Why to Smudge Your Home, Office, or Other Space

Homes and Offices can often be places of arguments, stress, and other negative influences. Smudging these spaces will carry away negative energy and bring in positive energy. Smudging your home can also help protect you and your loved ones as burning certain Smudge herbs is believed to bring protection. Some types of incense are believed to bring prosperity and using those to smudge an office may help a business prosper. Smudging a space can also be done to make it into a sacred space for saying prayers and performing other rituals. Finally, smudging any space will leave it feeling and smelling cleaner and fresher.

What is Needed to Smudge Your Home, Office, or Other Space

For the Smudge ceremony, you will need smudge sticks (herbs that are tied into a bundle for easier handling), braided herbs and botanicals such as sweetgrass, or loose incense and charcoal. You will need a proper container for the burning smudge such as an Abalone shell or a fire proof bowl or pot. You will also need a lighter or candle to light the charcoal and/or Smudge incense. Optional items are a feather for fanning the smoke, a paper plate or other means of catching stray ash as you carry the Smudge pot or shell around, and any other sacred or magickal items you may wish to include in the ceremony such as crystals or pendants. Last but not least, you should have a pot of sand or ash nearby to extinguish the burning herbs as well as easy access to water or a fire extinguisher just in case.

When to Smudge Your Home, Office, or Other Space

Smudging your home, office, or other space can be done at any time and as frequently as you wish but there are certain times that definitely call for smudging. It is very traditional to perform the Smudge ceremony whenever moving into a new home or office. Smudging is a great way to bless the new living or work space, bringing protection to it, banishing negative energies, and attracting prosperity. You may also want to smudge your home or office before moving out as it will leave it feeling clean, fresh, and vibrant, thereby attracting more potential buyers or renters. It is also traditional to smudge whenever there is a new moon or a change of seasons. Other times you should definitely smudge your home or office are whenever there is an argument, an illness, a death, a robbery, job loss, money problems, stress, or any other event or situation that fills the space with negative energy.

Preparation for Smudging Your Home, Office, or Other Space

In order to prepare for the Smudge Ceremony, you should first open all windows, doors, closets, cabinets, and drawers within the room or building you will be smudging. Opening the closets, cabinets, and drawers is so that you can direct the smudge smoke into these spaces as you walk around with the Smudge bowl. Opening the windows and doors is so that the smoke can be purged from the interior and fresh air and chi can flow back into your living or work space. The idea is that the smoke traps all the negative entities and energies and then carries them out the windows and open doors away from your home or office.

How to Smudge Your Home, Office, or Other Space

For smudging your home or office, first offer cedar smoke to the four directions outside the building. Do this by first facing East with the Smudge bowl in one hand and use a feather or your other hand to waft the smoke towards the East. Then turn to the South and waft the smoke towards the South and so on until you are facing the North. Then go around the outside of the building in a clockwise direction starting on the East wall and wafting the smoke towards the building walls as you walk around it. You always start in the East because in Native American culture the East represents the beginning cycle of life since the Sun rises in the East.

After smudging the outside of the building, you should begin smudging the inside starting from the uppermost level of the house. For the inside of the house it is recommended to use Sage Smudge. For each room, start at the doorway and direct the smoke completely around the door frame. Then enter the room and go around the edges of the room wafting the smoke against the wall up to the ceiling and down to the floor. Pay special attention to the four corners and also be sure to waft the smoke into closets and into any drawers and cabinets in the room. After going around the walls you can work your way towards the center of the room wafting the smoke towards the open windows and doors.

As you go around the house smudging each room, you want to make sure to get the smoke into every nook and cranny and then direct it out the open windows and doors. The mental image you should have as you smudge is as if you were fumigating the property for bugs, except instead of getting rid of bugs, you are getting rid of negative entities and energies. You should also say prayers either silently or out loud as you smudge each room, thanking God and your spirit guides for help and blessings and asking to bring positive energy, protection, and prosperity. If you want to really bring in the Native American traditions, you can also dance like a powerful animal and sing power songs as you smudge, but be very careful with the burning herbs.

When you are finished smudging, extinguish the burning Smudge sticks by tamping them in a pot of sand or ash. This is preferable to using water because it is less messy and also some tribes believe that the use of water during the Smudge ceremony is disrespectful. For any leftover ash, you should give it back to the Earth, so that it can be soil from which new life arises. You can show respect for Mother Earth as you sprinkle the ashes on the ground by thanking the herbs and the fire. As a last step to the Smudge ceremony, you should walk through the building with a white candle to “light up” the space.

Note that this description of the Smudge ceremony is merely a guideline and you are free to modify it as you see fit. You may leave certain parts out or change certain elements. The most important parts of smudging are that you do it when the time calls for it, show respect to all the elements of Mother Nature, pray to your Gods and spirit guides, and visualize the smoke cleaning and purifying the space and carrying away all the negative energy within the space.

   

What is the Smudge Ceremony

The Smudge ceremony is an age-old tribal tradition which has been used for centuries to bring harmony and peace. During the Smudge ceremony, smoke from burning herbs or incense is rubbed over a person, space, or object for cleaning and purification, protection of physical and spiritual bodies, and banishment of negative energies. This article will describe how to perform the Smudge ceremony on a person.

Why to Smudge Yourself (or Someone Else)

Smudging yourself can be used to restore physical, mental and emotional balance and to shield against negative energies. Smudging yourself on a daily basis can be very helpful in keeping yourself balanced and maintaining a peaceful state of being. After smudging yourself you will feel cleaner, lighter, calmer, and happier.

What is Needed to Smudge Yourself (or Someone Else)

For the Smudge ceremony, you will need smudge sticks (herbs that are tied into a bundle for easier handling), braided herbs and botanicals (like sweetgrass), or loose incense (burned on charcoal or in a fire pit). You will also need a proper container for the burning smudge (such as an Abalone shell or a heatproof bowl), a lighter or candle (to light the charcoal and/or smudge incense), and a willing participant (yourself or someone else). Optional items are a feather (for fanning the smoke) and any other sacred or magickal items you may wish to include in the ceremony (such as crystals or pendants). Some people like to listen to an appropriate mood setting music while smudging so you may also want to have a music player nearby. Last but not least, you should have a pot of sand or ash nearby to extinguish the burning herbs as well as easy access to water or a fire extinguisher just in case.

When to Smudge Yourself (or Someone Else)

The Smudge ceremony can be performed on a daily basis and is a great way to start the day feeling relaxed and full of positive energy. Smudging on a daily basis would be a very healthy habit to get into but you can still achieve benefits from it by doing it less frequently or only doing it when you feel you really need it. You should definitely smudge yourself after being around people who are ill, depressed, fearful, angry or generally emotionally unbalanced; when you’re feeling blue or depressed; or when you’ve been under a lot of stress. It’s also a good idea to perform the Smudge ceremony before meditation. Many people perform the Smudge ceremony as the first step before performing other rituals or ceremonies as it is the psychic equivalent of washing your hands before eating.

Where to Smudge Yourself (or Someone Else)

As a sacred and spiritual ritual, the Smudge ceremony should ideally be performed in a quiet, private place. Many people will have a separate room, or at least part of a room set aside for the Smudge ceremony. This space will often have an altar or table set up to hold all the items used in the ceremony, as well as to say prayers at before or after smudging.

How to Smudge Yourself (or Someone Else)

The first step in smudging is to choose which types and forms of incense you want to use for the smudging. Traditionally, smudging is performed with herb bundles known as Smudge wands or Smudge sticks, which can be made from several different types of plants such as Sage, Juniper, or Cedar. However, you may choose any type or form of incense, including loose incense burned over a charcoal.

After you have chosen which types and forms of incense you will use to smudge yourself, the next step is to get the smudge incense lit. Smudge sticks are most easily lit with a candle as it may take some time to get them burning. If you choose to use multiple plants so as to combine their properties or energies, you should make sure they are all burning before performing the smudge so that the smoke contains all their energies.

Once the Smudge incense is burning, you can begin wafting the smoke over your body with cupped hands, a feather, or a wing fan. You should try to rub the smoke over every part of your body, paying special attention to the Chakra points and areas that feel sore, wounded, or generally unhealthy. When you’re done, you may want to inhale a little of the smoke to purify your insides.

Techniques for Smudging Yourself (or Someone Else)

As a tribal tradition, the Smudge ceremony is performed in many different ways depending on each tribe’s beliefs and rituals. For example, one tribe may believe in rubbing the smoke over the body in a specific order or fashion, while another tribe may use an entirely different order or fashion. One way would be to start at the left foot (left being the receiving side of the body) moving the smoke up the left leg with the use of Peyote (feather), then proceeding up the central chakra line and around the top of the head, back down the center of the body, moving the smoke outwards to the sides and around the back, and finally finishing off by wafting the smoke down the right leg (right being the giving side of the body) and out and away from the right foot. Some traditions would do this four times, as four is the number of balance and harmony.

For someone not attached to a particular tribe or tradition, the techniques and rituals used while smudging is a matter of personal preference and many individuals add their own elements to the Smudge ceremony. Some people may chant specific prayers out loud during the smudge while others will simply say a silent personal prayer before or after smudging. Some may use a feather or wing fan to waft the smoke over their bodies while others use their cupped hands. Some people listen to music as they smudge while others prefer total silence. Some put the Smudge bowl on the ground and stand over it while others hold the bowl and move it around their body. Some people even smudge in the nude!

The specific techniques used for performing the Smudge ceremony are not important and are up to you. What is important is the act of actually doing it. Praying and visualizing while smudging is very important as well as the Smudge ceremony should be a spiritual experience. Smudging yourself should leave you feeling healthier both physically and spiritually!

   

• The best way to light a smudge stick (also known as a smudge wand or smudge bundle) is to hold it over the open flame of a candle as it takes a while for the herbs to begin burning. A lighter will also suffice but a match will probably keep going out before the smudge bundle is burning sufficiently.
• Once the smudge bundle is burning, fan the fire gently with a feather or your hands until it is burning enough to create sufficient smoke. Blowing on the smudge is not encouraged as it is seen as blowing one’s own negativity into the smoke.
• Smudge incense should be burned to release its energy and fragrance, not to fill the room or your lungs with smoke. Burning excessive amounts can lead to respiratory distress or problems.
• Avoid smudging in the room when infants, pregnant persons, asthmatic or allergy-prone people are present.
• A smudging ceremony should be done in two stages. The initial smudging is for the purpose of purifying the space and participants and for banishing any unwanted energies. The final smudge is to cleanse any negative vibrations and energies attracted or created during the proceedings.
• Rooms and psychic tools, such as crystals and other objects that hold energy, should be smudged/cleansed on a regular basis. It is also good to smudge oneself and one’s living space on a regular basis to maintain individual and domestic harmony.
• It is recommended to have an altar or ritual space around which to center the smudging ceremony. The altar can be any makeshift table with candles to help light the smudge incense and create a spiritual ambience and crystals to attract positive energy.
• The altar or ritual space should be cleansed via smudging both before and after it is used to smudge a person or object. Cleansing the ritual space is an essential part of spiritual hygiene.
• It is advisable to pick a time for smudging when you’re not likely to be interrupted. You may also want to pick some appropriate music to play during the smudging ceremony.
• If you’re going to be smudging with Sage, you may want to burn some good smelling incense at the beginning of the smudge ceremony to help cover the pot-like smell of the Sage.
• Smudging should be done with care, with reverence, and in an attitude of love. Show your respect and honor to the plants that Mother Nature has gifted us for our healing, and they will return the favor by keeping you well and free from disease and negative energy.
• When performing the smudge ceremony, you should envision the smoke carrying away any negative energy or physical injuries. You should also say a prayer and ask God or your spirit guides to assist in the cleansing and expel all negative energies and sickness. It may also be helpful to chant these prayers out loud and repeat them.
• If the smudge looks like it is going out, fan it vigorously until it is smoking again. If it does go out, it is fine to just relight it again.
• Sometimes smoldering pieces of ash from the smudge bundle or string that binds the smudge bundle will drop to the floor so to prevent burn spots on your floor, you should use a paper plate or something to catch the ash during the smudging.
• When burning a smudge stick or braid, they will eventually go out on their own, but should you need to put them out quickly, you can tamp the end out in sand or soil, shaking off the excess. Using water is messy and not generally recommended.
• Make sure the bowl/vessel you use can support the heat that will be produced so it will not crack.
  Remember that the container in which you burn your smudge may become warm enough to scorch a surface or burn your hand.
• Never leave your smudge sticks, candles or charcoal unattended to avoid fire hazards!

   

The Smudge ceremony is the purifying of a person, space, or object by bathing them in the cleansing smoke of burning incense. The smoke is rubbed over the person, space, or object by gathering it with cupped hands or by wafting it with a feather. The 4 elements and 4 directions are an important part of the Smudge ceremony.

The 4 elements are Earth, Air, Water, and Fire. In Native American and other cultures, every incense herb and resin represents at least one of the 4 elements. Some tribes believe that all 4 elements should be represented when smudging, while others believe that Water should not be called into the Smudge ceremony because it cancels out the Fire element, hence why some tribes are against using an Abalone shell for smudging since the Abalone shell represents Water. Some incense herbs and resins can be considered general purpose and can represent all 4 elements, while other incense herbs and resins should be combined to complete the elements.

The medicine wheel (a circle cut into four quadrants) is a very important symbol in Native American culture. The medicine wheel represents the 4 elements, 4 directions, 4 seasons, and many other things.

Another way to look at it is that the incense herbs or resins that are burned represent Earth, the feather used for wafting the smoke represents Air (because it comes from a bird), the Abalone shell represents Water (because it comes from a sea creature), and the flame used for burning obviously represents Fire. You will need to decide for yourself what elements you would like to call into the Smudge ceremony when choosing which incense herbs or resins to burn and whether to burn them in an Abalone shell or an earthen container.

The 4 directions are another important aspect of Native American and other cultures. The 4 directions represent the stages of life. Since the Sun rises in the East, the East represents our birth and the beginning stage of life. The South represents the teenage years. Mid-life is represented by the West. Finally, we reach the North when we are old and ready to go to the Spirit World. The following is a Native American poem that pays tribute to the 4 directions:

To offer reverence to the 4 directions while smudging, one should move the Smudge wand (burning bundle of herbs) or the burner holding the loosely burning incense in a clockwise motion to allow the smoke to circle around the 4 directions. For smudging a person or object, you should rub the smoke over the person or object in a clockwise direction. This could mean either going from head to right side to feet to left side while facing them or by circling around them in a clockwise direction while going up or down their body. For smudging a room, you should go around the perimeter of the room in a clockwise motion and work your way towards the center, wafting the smoke of the burning incense into all spaces of the room as you go.

   

Smudging is the practice of purifying a person, space, or object with the use of a cleansing smoke bath that is produced by burning incense. In the Smudging ceremony, the smoke of the burning incense is rubbed over a person, space, or object by gathering it in the hands or wafting it with a feather. Using a feather is the preferred way for Native Americans as it acknowledges the winged ones who dwell in the sky and calls in the element of Air. Smudging can be performed alone or with other people and can be used as part of a healing and spiritual ritual, to cleanse and purify a home, or to rid negative energy and attract positive energy.

Widely varying cultures and religions throughout the world discovered the healing powers of incense smoke long ago and have been using the smoke from burning incense to purify, cleanse, and heal for thousands of years. Many cultures have an old tradition of driving animals through smoke to kill off pests and diseases. Modern science has proven that certain herbs and resins do indeed have cleansing powers, acting as strong pesticides.

The practice of burning incense is held sacred by many indigenous cultures. The term Smudging originated in the Native American culture and Smudging is therefore typically associated with Native Americans. The Native American smudging ceremony adds a dimension of ritual and respect for the plants that are burned. Native Americans respect all other living things and believe that humans have a sacred agreement with the plants: the plants give up their lives so that we can use their purifying smoke to cleanse with and pray with and in exchange we must respect them by picking the plants with honor, asking permission and giving thanks, taking only what we need, and not damaging the plant.

Bundles of herbs are tied together with string to form a Smudge bundle, also known as a Smudge stick or Smudge wand. A variety of Smudge incense sticks are shown above.

The principle herbs used for smudging are sage, cedar or juniper, lavender and sweet grass. Pure tobacco is also used by some Plains tribes, and copal in South and Central America. The herbs can be burnt on their own or in mixtures, depending on tradition and required effect. The herbs most often used in smudge sticks are sage and sweet grass. Sage drives out negative thoughts, energies, spirits, and influences. Sweet grass is used to attract positive energy after all the negative energies have been banished by sage.

The herbs used for smudging can either be tied in a bundle called a ’smudge stick’, formed into a braid, or used simply in their loose form. In olden times, the end of the smudge stick or braid was lit from the heating or cooking fire. Today, it is recommended that a candle is used instead of a match or lighter as it takes some time to get the stick smoking. Loose dried smudging herbs are burned just like other types of loose incense by crumbling a small amount over a piece of burning charcoal. The container used for the charcoal and herbs needs to be fireproof. Ceramic or glass bowls with a layer of sand, salt, or ash work well.

A Smudge stick burning in an Abalone shell.

Many people like to use an Abalone shell for burning their smudge herbs as they can be very decorative and beautiful. Also, an Abalone shell brings in the element of water, from where life began, to balance the other elements of fire, air, and earth in the smudging ceremony. An abalone grows its shells in a spiral, and thus connects us to the first spiral that started all life. Some cultures, however, view the use of an Abalone shell as disrespectful. Also, an Abalone shell should not be used with charcoal because it may crack. Remember that whatever container is used for burning may become warm enough to scorch a surface or burn your hand so be careful and never leave burning smudge unattended!

   

Incense coils can burn for many hours and, therefore, the likelihood of forgetting about the burning coil and leaving it unattended is greatly increased. Also, if you burn an incense stick or cone and leave it unattended it will only burn for at most a half hour, whereas if you forget about a burning coil, it may burn unattended for several hours, greatly increasing the danger of a fire. For these reasons, it is especially important to follow proper safety precautions and use a proper burner when burning incense coils.

The first option when burning incense coils is to use a fireproof bowl filled with sand, salt, or ash. A bowl filled with sand, salt, or ash is a multi-purpose burner that can be used to burn any form of incense. Using ash is preferable as it allows the burning incense to breathe and burn more evenly and thoroughly. This is a very safe option as the coil will lie in the inflammable ash and cannot be easily knocked over.

The incense coil is hung by a hook on this hanging incense coil burner.

The second and more decorative option is to use a hanging incense coil burner. These burners are made specifically for incense coils. They have a vertical rod that holds the coil and a base that catches the ashes. The coil may either be supported by a hook or by the vertical rod itself. The innermost part of the coil rests on the rod or on the hook so that the rest of the coil hangs down and spirals outward resembling an evergreen tree or a lamp shade. The supporting rod can either come up the center of the spiral or arch over the outside of the spiral. The hook can also hold the coil vertically through the center so that it looks like a burning pinwheel. Some hanging incense coil burners don’t use a hook at all, but instead have a heatproof surface or frame that the coil droops over.

A vertical incense coil holder creates a pinwheel effect.

If you like the pinwheel effect, there are incense coil burners made specifically to burn the coil vertically. These burners will use a rod that goes horizontally through the center of the incense coil and rests on the edges of a glass or other fireproof container that catches the ashes.

Another option for burning an incense coil is to burn it lying flat on a dish made of a fireproof material such as ceramic or soapstone. Some incense dishes have a spiral groove cut into them, though they are not for burning incense spirals. Rather they are for burning incense powder that is poured into the groove. The grooves can also be in other shapes besides a spiral.

A mosquito incense coil holder.

One last type of incense coil burner that should be mentioned is the mosquito incense coil burner. Incense coils can be made with certain ingredients to repel mosquitoes and other annoying insects. The burner for this type of incense coil looks like a metal case that surrounds the coil. The case will have large perforations on one side to allow the coil to breathe during burning and allow the smoke to exit. It will also have some sort of hanging mechanism so that it can be hung outside.

Once you have the incense coil placed on a proper burner, you will need to get it burning. You should hold a match or lighter to the tip of the coil until it holds a flame for several seconds and then fan out the flame. The tip should smolder and glow red and not actually be on fire. If you are using a hanging incense coil burner, you should light the bottom of the coil so that it burns slowly upward. If you are using a bed of ash or a heatproof dish, you can either light the inner tip of the coil so that it burns outward or light the outer tip so that it burns inward. If you are using a mosquito incense coil burner, you should light the coil before closing it up inside the case and be careful holding the case as it may get hot.

Because of its extremely long burn time, you will usually not burn an entire incense coil at once. To extinguish the coil, you can use a wet cotton swab on the burning tip. If you want to begin burning the coil again before the tip is dry, simply break off the wet portion and light the tip again.

Warning: Some incense coil burners (such as incense cone burners that are marketed as both a cone and a coil burner) do not have a base that extends underneath the entire incense spiral. These may still be ok to use as long as you also use a heatproof tile or dish underneath the burner to catch the falling ash but it is recommended that you buy a proper incense coil burner.

   

Incense coils, also known as incense spirals, are a modified version of the solid incense stick. Like a solid incense stick, the incense coil is made entirely of incense material with no inner supporting bamboo core, but rather than forming the incense material into a straight stick, it is formed into a spiral. By bending the stick into a spiral, it can be made much larger, thereby increasing the burning time while keeping the footprint to a minimum. An incense stick can be made quite long, but the longer they are the more prone they are to break. The practical limit for an incense stick is about three feet long. Such a long stick would be extremely cumbersome to use and store and would require a three foot long storage box, whereas a coil made from a three foot long stick would only require about nine square inches to store.

Because of their very long burn time, compact space, and ability to be hung from the ceiling leaving more floor space for the worshippers, incense coils have long been used in religious sites and religious ceremonies in the East. All these factors made the incense coil the ideal form of incense for Eastern temples and monasteries because these sites typically burn a very large amount of incense and have a very large number of worshippers and pilgrims. Many of these temples and monasteries have their entire ceiling covered with very large hanging incense spirals that can each burn for days at a time. These extremely large incense coils are not practical for home use, however.

Large hanging incense coils in the Man Mo Temple in Hong Kong. Notice how the spirals are tied together with string because they are so large they cannot support their own weight. These coils can be over a foot in diameter and burn for days!

The incense coils manufactured for home use are rather small at only about 3 to 4 inches in diameter but can still burn anywhere from 3 to 24 hours each. The space efficiency of the incense coil is evident by the fact that a 3 inch coil will burn for about 3 hours while a 4 inch coil will burn for about 24 hours! Because the circumference gets bigger as it spirals out, adding only an inch to the diameter increases the burn time by a factor of eight!

Common burn times for incense coils are 3 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, and 12 hours. Because of the long burn time, incense coils are great for large indoor or outdoor spaces and special events. For outdoor use, they often contain ingredients that act as bug repellents and may be marketed specifically as an insect or mosquito repellent. Incense coils also make great gifts as they will often come packaged in a kit or gift set with multiple coils and a proper incense coil burner included.

   

Incense sticks are a very convenient form of incense due to their easy portability and ease of use. All incense sticks are self burning and do not require a separate heat source such as coal to burn. Incense sticks also produce a steady and clean stream of smoke and burn for a decent amount of time. As a result of all these factors, the stick is a very popular form of incense and many cultures (e.g. Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Tibetan, etc) have developed their own type of incense sticks over time.

The diverse social, medicinal and religious practices of each culture have resulted in unique recipes, forms, and names of incense sticks. All of these types of incense sticks can be classified into two categories, however. The two main categories of incense sticks are cored incense sticks and solid incense sticks.

Cored incense sticks have an inner supporting core, usually made of a thin bamboo reed. The core is either dipped into an incense paste, or incense dough is rolled around the core. The thicker the core, the longer the incense will burn. The fragrant smoke will include the smell of the burning core. Most Indian and Chinese incense sticks have an inner core.

Cored incense sticks have an inner bamboo stick, only part of which is covered by incense material. Here you can see the uncovered portion of the bamboo sticks coming out the bottom.

Agarbatti Stick Incense

Agarbatti is a compound word literally meaning “incense stick”. It stems from “agar” (a reference to aloeswood and a synonym for incense in general) and “batti” (meaning stick). Agarbatti sticks are an Indian incense and can also be known as agarbathi, agarbathys, batti, batties, bathis, or bathies.

Masala Stick Incense

Masala sticks are a hybrid of dipped incense (where a “blank” incense stick is scented via dipping it into fragrant oils) and regular stick incense which uses only dry incense ingredients. Masala sticks are a South Indian tradition of blending a complex combination of dry incense ingredients (e.g. scented flowers, herbs, wood powders, resins, gums, etc.) and fragrant oils into an incense paste which is then hand-rolled onto bamboo cores.

Solid incense sticks are solid throughout and do not have an inner supporting core. They’re either smooth thin extruded spaghetti-like sticks (senko) or thicker hand-formed cylinders (simpoi and dhoop) depending on the culture they are from.

Senko Stick Incense

Senko in Japanese literally means “incense”, “incense sticks”, or “blended incense”. They are usually thin smooth spaghetti type sticks and are known as “chinese matches” in Japan. Senko may also be spelled sen-koh, senkoo, or senkou.

Senko sticks are about the thickness of a cored incense stick but do not have any core. Notice the stick is made entirely of incense material.

Simpoi Stick Incense

Simpoi sticks are a Tibetan style incense stick primarily based on Deodar Cedar. Tibetan stick incense is typically hand-formed and thicker than Japanese Senko.

Tibetan simpoi sticks are thicker than Japanese senko sticks.

Dhoop Sticks & Logs

Dhoops are the thickest of the solid type of incense sticks and may resemble a log more than a stick. There are two types of dhoop incense: dry inflexible sticks and soft gummy cylinders or logs. This type of incense stick comes from the Indian and Tibetan traditions.

Dhoop Sticks are the thickest of all the types of incense sticks. The dry type of dhoop stick is about the same thickness as a Senko stick, while the wet soft type (shown here) resembles more of a log than a stick.

Note about Joss Sticks: When buying incense sticks, you may come across sticks that are labeled as “joss sticks”. The term “joss stick” is commonly used as a synonym for incense stick and does not really describe a specific type of incense stick. Traditionally, the term “joss” has been used by the Chinese to describe their religious idols. A joss house is a Chinese temple. Because incense is burned in the joss houses as offerings to the Gods, the word “joss” has become synonymous with the word “incense” such that incense sticks, incense cones, and incense coils can be referred to as joss sticks, joss cones, and joss coils.

   

Rope incense is one of the many forms of incense available. It is called rope incense because it looks like a rope, though it is not actually made from twine. It is made by placing herbs and other plant materials on rice paper and then twisting the rice paper to form what looks like a rope. The raw incense materials are gently shaken into an even depth along the length of the rice paper. Then, using the right amount of tension to ensure no rip in the paper, the rice paper is twirled between the fingers. Once the twirling has reached its depth, the rope is then doubled back-over onto itself into a classic rope incense form.

Rope incense is a Tibetan/Himalayan style incense. Tibetan style and Ayurvedic healing incenses have very natural, woody/ herbal aromas produced by combining sandalwood, saffron, cloves and other rare and common herbs following often ancient recipes which are prepared under close supervision by Yogi, Ayurvedic medicine, or Tibetan healing practitioners.

Virtually all Tibetan/Himalayan style incense is handmade in Nepal. Rope incense belongs to a long tradition of family cottage industries in the Himalayas. Almost all young children learn to twist ropes from their grandparents and eventually teach their own children or grandchildren. The ropes are produced in large quantities by farmers and other villagers during their off season. Buying this type of incense helps support communities in Nepal and India and provides education for their people.

Because it is a family cottage industry, there is a large variety of rope incense with many different formulas. Despite the many formulas, rope incense will typically contain saffron, nagi, and red & white sandalwood. Regardless of the brand or label, their quality is generally comparable.

Rope incense is typically about 3.5 inches in length and the strands of the ropes are usually about 2mm-3mm in diameter. It is sold in bundles of 30-40 ropes and some packages may contain multiple bundles. The average burning time for each rope is about 30 minutes.

There are two different methods for burning rope incense. One is to burn the rope incense lying flat on a bed of ash, which allows the entire rope to burn safely and completely. The other is to use a rope incense burner. A rope incense burner is just like a coil incense burner in that it has a hook on which to hang the rope incense and a base to catch the ashes. A rope incense burner and a coil incense burner are often interchangeable. Rope incense can be very smoky, especially the bigger the rope. If you’re new to rope incense, you might want to try a smaller and mellower one first.

Step 1: With the rice paper already cut into thin strips, a small amount of the raw incense ingredients are placed onto the long side of the paper.

Step 2: The raw incense materials are gently shaken into an even depth along the length of the rice paper.

Step 3: The rice paper is gently twirled between the fingers.

Step 4: Skillfully using the right amount of tension, the twirling continues, being careful not to tear or rip the fragile rice paper.

Step 5: As the twirling finishes, the rope is doubled back over onto itself, into the classic rope incense form.

Final product: A bundle of rope incense.