How to Make Holy Incense
Holy incense is different from the incense that is sold in "alternative" shops. Holy incense has a long tradition in Christianity and Judaism, as well as in other religions, such as Hinduism. Incense may have been used in pre-Christian times to purify dwelling places and fill them with a sweet fragrance. Among ancient Israelites, the burning of incense was an act of worship; therefore, holy incense was not intended for use outside of worship and places of worship. Today, a person may wish to make incense for a place of worship and may also be fascinated by its origins and religious significance.
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Instructions
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Gather the main four ingredients of holy incense as described in Exodus 30:34-36. These are frankincense, stacte, onycha and gulbanum.
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Take a desired amount of frankincense. This is a resin that comes from a tree when the bark is incised. The usual tree used is the boswellia tree. Somalian boswellia trees give a resin a particularly deep balsamic scent.
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Take the same amount of stacte. This comes from the storax/styrax plant or tree. It is a gum resin and comes in the form of a powder from the bark of the tree. Stacte acts as a fixative in the incense.
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Use an equal amount of onycha, the operculum of a mollusc, found in the Red Sea. Using the same measurement, add gulbanum, a plant fixative.
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Grind all these ingredients together with a pestle. Add sweet spices. Opinions vary on the exact spices used, but they normally include cinnamon and saffron. You may also add tree bark and flowers.
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Burn the incense in a thurible, which is a special container used in church for this purpose. It is often swung by a chain by the priest while praying.
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Tips & Warnings
Jewish priests considered the holy incense as sacred, representing the fire and power of God.
References
- Photo Credit räucherschale image by Ingrid Walter from Fotolia.com
