Incense; was -- What are the scriptural or traditional ingredients ?

[Guest guest]

:-)

 

This is a topic I *really* have a hard time shutting up about, but I

am loathe to go this far off-topic in the e-group.

 

If you'd like, you can join the incense-making fanatics :-) over at

 

incense_exchange/

 

This is Carl Neal's e-group; he's written a book on making incense

(from a Neopagan perspective.) It's not a Neopagan group, though;

the focus is making incense, primarily from natural ingredients.

The group's going through a quiet phase now, but the archives and

links sections make for interesting reading, and questions usually

get answered.

 

In an attempt to stay on topic, I have added a few links below that

are more or less related to Indian incense.

(see the bottom of this post)

 

, [Len] kalipadma@j... wrote:

>

> Tell me more about making incense, Ms. Bauju!

>> On Mon, 01 Nov 2004 17:24:33 -0000 "msbauju" <msbauju> writes:

> >

> > [....]

> > It's certainly possible to make your own incense;

> > I have made my own cone incense, and it's even

> > easier to make powder incense to burn on

> > charcoal. I'm told it's relatively easy to

> > make joss sticks [....]

> > If you are interested in making incense,

> >let me know via email and

> > I'll point you towards some online resources.

 

Links:

 

Incense making

incense_exchange/

 

Description of ingredients used in Ayurvedic incense

with pictures and botanical names

(scroll down a bit)

http://www.merevilletrust.com/ingredients.php?nav=else

I have not bought incense from this website; the incense

looks to be rather ordinary commercial blends. The above

information page is very nice, though.

 

Choosing an Indian incense (types of incense);

explanations geared towards a Western market

(scroll down a bit)

http://www.sensia.com/aromat.htm

 

Jigat

Information on Machilus macrantha and Litsea chinensis

http://www.nrdcindia.com/pages/jigat.htm

Jigat is (as far as I can tell) no longer available in

the U.S., but the Japanese equivalent, tabu (known in the

U.S. as "makko") (Machillus thunbergii) is available.

As makko is rather expensive, I use ordinary vegetable gums

(guar gum, usually.) It's not traditional, but it works.

 

Scents of Earth

http://www.scents-of-earth.com

Vendor of incense ingredients (U.S.); Japanese focus,

but Indian resins are available.

 

On the use of synthetic fragrance oils and solvents

(primarily in U.S.-made incense)

http://www.oller.net/incense/yeswe.htm