Incense in grains and resins

Scientific Name: Liquidambar Orientalis

Family: Altingiaceae

Origin: Turkey, Asia Minor

Color: Black

Aroma: Resinous, sweet and floral

Properties: Antiseptic, meditative, promotes sleep, helps relieve coughs and colds

Quantity: 25 grams

The soft balsamic powder is obtained from liquidambar orientalis, a tall tree (though it generally does not exceed seven meters) native to Anatolia.

The tree trunks are struck to make them produce a kind of “stress serum” which, once collected, is mixed with crushed bark.

The mixture is left to macerate for several months and produces the balsam, which requires no further treatment.

Fun Fact

Storax resin is obtained from the bark of the Liquidambar orientalis, a plant that is still widespread today, as it was in ancient Egypt, in Asia Minor.

Also known as “oriental amber,” it now grows wild in Asia Minor, Iran, Lebanon, Cyprus, Rhodes, and Turkey.

Storax was exported from Mesopotamia to the Egyptian kingdom by the Phoenicians, and it seems that in both countries it was used to create a special fragrance suitable for festivals and celebrations. In fact, storax was also called “miniaki,” which means “festival fragrance”; it was known for certain that adding it to a mixture would intensify the floral aromas.

In the “Magical Papyrus of Abraxas” (4th century AD), storax is mentioned among the finest fragrant substances and recommended to promote deep sleep. Once burned, black storax gives off an intense, warm, balsamic, resinous, floral, feminine fragrance, sweet like cinnamon and slightly herbal.

Fumigation with this wonderful resin has calming and relaxing properties, useful for promoting sleep and relaxation.

Main benefits of storax oil:

• promotes sleep
• calming
• relaxing
• meditative
• antibacterial
• drives away negative thoughts

How to use the resin: to burn it, charcoal discs must be used. These should be lit with a lighter or stove flame; therefore, it is recommended to use tongs or similar to avoid unpleasant burns. When the charcoal begins to ignite over its entire surface, it is time to place it in the incense burner to burn the resin and add the resin itself.

Experts recommend placing a little sand around the base of the incense burner to help dissipate the heat more effectively.

Scientific Name: Salvia apiana

Family:  Lamiaceae

Origin: North America

Color: Gray

Aroma: Fresh, herbal

Properties: Purifying, revitalizing

Quantity: 30 ml

Element: water

Main effect on: body

This variety of sage grows in Southern California, along the coast. In the tradition of the local Native peoples, sage is used for a very specific purpose: to obtain a powerful healing energy during ritual ceremonies.

American sage incense is the ideal support for prayer and meditation.

It strengthens faith, promotes vision and spirituality, is purifying and revitalizing, and increases intelligence and clarity of mind. It is often used to cleanse the Aura and purify the vibration in the space where you live.

Use

Suitable for burning on a heat-resistant saucer with charcoal or in an incense burner with a sieve. The combustion process in an incense burner with a sieve is slower than with charcoal. The incense can easily be mixed with other varieties of incense.

Scientific Name: Icica icicariba

Family: Buresa

Origin: Brazil

Color: Yellow, Reddish-Brown

Aroma: Delicate, suitable for introspection.

Properties: Antiseptic, Healing, Stimulating

Quantity: 50 grams

The characteristic of Copal incense is precisely its consistency. It is neither a hardened resin nor a sap.

Copal incense resin is extracted from trees of the Buresa family, which since ancient times were considered sacred by the indigenous populations of central and South America.

Curiosity:

Copal is extracted in different parts of the world from different plants, giving rise to white, black, and gold copal.

It is a fossil resin, a "daughter" of amber as it is "younger". This copal is whitish-yellow, with fruity, fresh, light notes.

It gives lightness and liveliness to every blend; it has a purifying effect, stimulates mental and spiritual faculties.

For pre-Columbian civilizations, their copal resin was sacred and represented the "vital fluid" that embodied the gods in nature.

At every fumigation linked to sacred rites and initiations, copal was present.

All copals have a great action on the soul, supporting and strengthening it.

It opens the heart and brings clarity in the spiritual dimension. This gold copal is suitable for purification, protection, and as a gift for the Entities that guide us.

Main benefits of Copal oil:

• Fortifies the solar plexus
• Gives mental clarity, balance, and confidence in one's abilities
• Helps with metabolic deficiencies
• Hearing problems
• Stomach disorders.

Use of the resin: to burn it, it is necessary to use charcoal discs. They must be lit with a flame from a lighter or stove, so it is recommended to use tongs or similar to avoid unpleasant burns. When the charcoal begins to ignite over the entire surface, it is time to place it in the burner to burn the resin and add the resin itself.

Experts recommend putting a little sand around the essence burner to help it dissipate heat better.

All resins are sold in 50-gram bags.

10 Golden Temple charcoal discs for the safe burning of resin incense, powder, etc.

These are self-lighting charcoal discs that, once lit, burn on their own.

quantity: 10 discs

diameter: 4 cm

Directions for use: Place the incense granules on the burning charcoal so that they can release their aroma

1 glass bottle of Mistletoe herb-based incense (Viscum album) powder, 30 ml

Natural incense can be used for various purification rituals. It is suitable for burning on charcoal or in special incense burners.

In Celtic and Germanic mythology, and since time immemorial, mistletoe has always been considered a magical plant, capable of opening the doors to the subtle dimensions and warding off demons.

It is a good regulator of metabolic disorders and promotes rebalancing processes.

Its sweet and spicy aroma should be used with moderation and respect.

Quantity: 30 ml

Use

Suitable for burning on a heat-resistant plate with charcoal or in an incense burner with a sieve. The combustion process in an incense burner with a sieve is slower than on charcoal. The incense can easily be mixed with other varieties of incense.

Scientific Name: Vetiveria zizanioides

Family: Poaceae

Origin: Asia

Color: Green

Aroma: Earthy

Properties: Tonic, stimulating, anti-rheumatic, antiseptic

Quantity: 30 ml

Element: earth

Main effect on: body

Since time immemorial, Vetiver has been appreciated for its fine aroma. "The fragrance of the renewed Earth".

It acts as "spiritual incense" and in Ayurvedic tradition it is considered detoxifying.

It brings you back to the “here and now” and increases the sense of reality; it is grounding and, when used as an aphrodisiac, provides a deeper “body awareness”.

It blends well with Sandalwood, Benzoin and Opoponax. It also helps maintain body awareness during meditation sessions.

Properties and benefits of Vetiver

Tonic in cases of mental exhaustion, weakness, and asthenia associated with forms of anemia. Vetiver calms and instills strength and confidence. It restores in cases of stress and hyperactivity and supports concentration.

Glandular and circulatory stimulant, indicated for premenstrual syndrome with abdominal tension and irregular menstruation; it has an emmenagogue action.

Anti-rheumatic and antispasmodic, it relieves muscle and arthritic pain and stimulates arterial and venous circulation.

Antiseptic, it has a skin-purifying action. In particular, it combats excess sebum, rebalances oily skin, and cleanses it of impurities in cases of acne-prone skin.

Immunostimulant, it stimulates the production of white blood cells, strengthens the immune system, and supports weak bodies prone to falling ill easily.

Plant description

A perennial herbaceous plant that grows in tall clumps that can reach 2 meters in height. The leaves are narrow and long, and it is characterized by a dense intertwining of white or reddish roots. It is native to southern India, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia. It is cultivated in Haiti, the Philippines, and Brazil.

Historical notes

Vetiver roots are an ancient remedy used in Ayurvedic tradition to relieve headaches and reduce fever. In the East, the roots were used to make baskets and mats, which were then sprinkled with water so that on days of intense heat they would release the aroma of Vetiver, which has insect-repellent properties.

Use

Suitable for burning on a heat-resistant saucer with charcoal or in an incense burner with a sieve. The burning process in an incense burner with a sieve is slower than with charcoal. The incense can easily be mixed with other varieties of incense.

Scientific Name: Verbena officinalis

Family:  Verbenaceae

Origin: Europe

Color: Green

Aroma: Sweet - Citrusy

Properties: expectorant, mucolytic, emmenagogue, galactagogue, digestive, antipyretic, antineuralgic, calming to the nervous system

Quantity: 30 ml

Verbena is one of the 12 “magical herbs” of the Rosicrucian Tradition, and was considered a sacred plant by the Celtic peoples; the Druids used it during prophetic rites.

It stimulates mental clarity and inspiration. It has a special connection with the planet Venus.

It dispels fear and insecurity, improves concentration and promotes problem-solving.

It supports transcendence and inner power. 

Element: air

Main effect on: Mind

Properties and Indications

Verbena is a plant with multiple properties: expectorant, mucolytic, emmenagogue, galactagogue, digestive, antipyretic, antineuralgic, calming to the nervous system.

In folk medicine, verbena is used internally for the treatment of multiple disorders, such as respiratory tract conditions (like cough and asthma), pain and cramps, as well as a remedy against fatigue, agitation and digestive disorders.

In traditional medicine, verbena is also used externally to treat conditions of the oropharyngeal cavity mucosa, arthritis, bruises and rheumatism, and as a remedy to counteract skin itching.

In Chinese medicine, however, verbena is used to treat dysmenorrhea, edema and even malaria and anthrax. Verbena is also used in homeopathic medicine. It can easily be found in the form of granules, oral drops or mother tincture with indications for the treatment of bruising, convulsions and stress.

Plant description

Verbena, Latin name Verbena officinalis, is a perennial plant ranging from completely hardy to delicate, native to the humid temperate areas of Europe, Western Asia and Northern Africa.

It can reach a height of about 70-80 cm and a diameter of about half a meter. The leaves are oval-shaped, dark green in color. The flowers are lilac, small, arranged in spikes.

Blooming occurs during the summer and can last several months for properly cultivated species, in exposed places. Verbena plants are divided into hardy and ornamental ones, as there are wide differences between the two types. 

While hardy plants tend to be perennial and less delicate, ornamental verbenas are grown almost exclusively as annuals. Furthermore, a wide variety of verbena colors can be found in commerce, which are harder to find among wild species.

Use

Suitable for burning on a heat-resistant saucer with charcoal or on an incense burner with a sieve. The combustion process on an incense burner with a sieve is slower compared to charcoal. The incense can easily be mixed with other varieties of incense.

Scientific Name: Valeriana officinalis

Family: Valerianaceae

Origin: America

Color: Green

Aroma: Spicy, pungent

Properties: Sedative, relaxing and sleep-inducing

Quantity: 30 ml

Natural incense can be used in various purification rituals. It is suitable for burning on charcoal or in special incense burners.

Valerian has sedative, relaxing and sleep-inducing properties and can help reduce symptoms related to anxiety and restlessness over time, and improve the onset and duration of sleep.

Element: Water

Main effect on: Body

Use

Suitable for burning on a heat-resistant plate with charcoal or in an incense burner with a sieve. The burning process in an incense burner with a sieve is slower than on charcoal. The incense can easily be mixed with other varieties of incense.