When it comes to knowing how to empower an item, Incense can prove to be a tricky one. Some types of incense are not crafted by practitioners but rather hastily concocted by combining a few ingredients from a book without much thought. They might even rely solely on synthetic fragrance oils, lacking the use of real herbs and oils.
In such cases, there is no sense of growing their own herbs, making offerings, or performing blessings upon them. Neither is there a connection with the herb or an acknowledgment of their ties to other spirits.
Fortunately, if you purchase from a practitioner you trust, you can avoid these concerns as they have already done much of the work to empower it.
However, despite the empowerment already infused in the incense I provide, this article aims to offer you ways to further enhance the energy of the incense from this little Australian witchcraft store. Below, I will show you how to do just that.
Ways to Empower Incense
Your Essence
One excellent way involves tying the incense directly to your own being. If you’re utilising a devotional incense and wish to offer something to a deity after entering into a contract with them, include a personal item related to the nature of your agreement.
Likewise, if you’re using a protection incense to safeguard yourself, infuse it with something that belongs to you. This could be any bodily fluids (blood, tears, etc.), your hair, even dirt from your own plot of land. Alternatively, your signature or a photograph of yourself can be used to establish a personal connection with the incense’s intent.
Land Spirits
Another way to empower your incense magically, is to actively connect it with the land spirits that surround you. Integrate your work with the very essence beneath your feet and the environment enveloping your space. You can achieve this by incorporating a small pinch of dirt from your area into the incense. Alternatively, gather water from the local river and add a few drops to your mixture.
Another approach is to collect leaves from an old tree in your garden and blend them in. Extend a sincere invitation to the trusted spirits of the place to participate in and bless your workings.
The Liminal
Another wonderful approach involves connecting the incense directly to the land of the liminal, if you’re like me. Certain Gods/Goddesses, spirits, and Fae are associated with the liminal realm. To achieve this, you simply need to gather something from a liminal space. Excellent options include dirt from a graveyard gate, soil beneath a Blackthorn tree, brick dust from the tunnel under a railway, or dirt from a crossroads. All of these can be used effectively to tie your incense to the liminal.
For a slightly easier option, consider drawing a breaching sigil, a piercing charm, or an oil like Piercing the Veil, and blend it into the incense mixture. This will infuse the incense with the essence of the liminal, enhancing its magical potency.
It's Not About the Aroma
Ultimately, when you add hair, dirt, or brick dust to the incense, there might be the unfortunate side effect of it not smelling pleasant. However, a working incense isn’t always meant to have a pleasant aroma. Its primary purpose is to accomplish the work at hand. It is crafted to fulfil its specific purpose, and while I personally strive to strike a balance between effectiveness and fragrance, many incenses may not fall into the “smells nice” category.
Nevertheless, as I mentioned earlier, I place an emphasis on creating an incense that not only works effectively but also has a pleasant fragrance.
Lastly, during a ritual, you can charge the incense you use by communicating with the spirits associated with it. Share with them the nature of the working you are about to perform. This process binds the tool and the collaborating spirits to your specific intent, reinforcing the potency of the magical work.
May we Speak in Spells again soon.
