Katrina Rosales
Incense-making is a meditative and creative craft that has been practised for centuries. Incienso de Santa Fe, a small family-owned business in New Mexico, handcrafts natural and sustainable wood incense bricks using a traditional process. While the exact method is a closely guarded family secret, the basics of brick incense-making involve forming a mixture of natural resins, woods, and herbs into a desired shape, drying it, and then burning it to release aromatic smoke.
Characteristics and Values of Incense Bricks
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type | Combustible or non-combustible |
| Form | Cones, sticks, loose incense, incense pellets, or bricks |
| Ingredients | Natural resins, woods, dried herbs, soft resins, balsams, raisins, dried fruits, honey, charcoal, and essential oils |
| Tools/Supplies | Bamboo charcoal, makko powder, tweezers/tongs, mica plate, coffee grinder, distilled water/hydrosols, mixing bowls/plastic bags, wax paper, heat-resistant bowl/cauldron, and sand/salt |
| Method | Hand-forming or using molds, drying, lighting, and burning |
| Scents | Pinon, juniper, mesquite, cedar, alder, fir balsam, hickory, cinnamon, palo santo, sage, sweetgrass, frankincense, and more |
| Benefits | Aromatherapy, relaxation, meditation, yoga, prayer, Enhancing creativity, spiritual rituals, and creating a healthy environment |
| Brands | Incienso de Santa Fe, Soul Sticks, Aroma Valley, Natural Choice, Wild Berry |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing your ingredients
When choosing your ingredients, it's important to consider the purpose of your incense bricks and the type of scent you want to create. Incense has been used for various purposes throughout history, including creating aromatic spaces, enhancing meditation and relaxation, and even for healing and spiritual practices.
Natural resins, woods, and herbs are commonly used to make incense. Some popular wood options include cedar, alder, juniper, and mesquite, which can evoke the scent of a campfire. If you're looking for a more exotic fragrance, you can opt for woods like pinon, which is known for its unique Southwestern aroma.
Dried herbs such as sage, cedar, and sweetgrass are also commonly used and can be chosen based on their magical or medicinal qualities. For example, sage is often used for cleansing and purification, while sweetgrass is known for attracting positive energy. If you're making incense for spiritual or ritual purposes, you can select herbs that correspond to the intention of your practice.
Additionally, you can experiment with other natural ingredients like raisins, dried fruits, honey, and natural resins to add depth and complexity to your incense bricks. These ingredients can be ground and mixed to form a loose incense or shaped into pellets or bricks.
Remember, the freshest ingredients are often obtained by grinding them yourself using a coffee grinder. This ensures that your incense bricks will have the most vibrant and authentic scents.
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Tools and supplies
To make incense bricks, you will need the following tools and supplies:
Tools
- A coffee grinder to pulverize ingredients into powders. If you don't have a coffee grinder, you can use pre-powdered substances, but grinding your own ingredients will result in the freshest incense.
- Two mixing bowls or food-grade plastic bags to hold the pulverized ingredients until final mixing.
- A small conical mould to shape the incense mixture into bricks. You can make a mould by detaching the metal tip from a piping bag.
- Tweezers or tongs to hold charcoal while lighting it.
- A heat-resistant bowl or small cauldron to catch the ashes of the burning incense.
Supplies
- Bamboo charcoal or makko powder, a natural combustible material from the Tabu-no-ki tree. Makko is needed if you are making incense bricks or burning loose incense on top of makko.
- Mica, a small plate that is placed on top of the charcoal to heat the incense ingredients.
- Distilled water or fragrant hydrosols, needed if making incense bricks.
- Natural resins, woods, and herbs of your choice to create your incense mixture. Common choices include sage, cedar, pinon, juniper, mesquite, alder, fir balsam, hickory, frankincense, mastic, storax, sandalwood, cassia, lemongrass, and sweetgrass.
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Forming the incense
Forming incense bricks requires a few tools and supplies, including bamboo charcoal or makko powder, tweezers or tongs, mica, a coffee grinder, distilled water or fragrant hydrosols, and two mixing bowls or food-grade plastic bags. Makko powder, a natural combustible material derived from the Tabu-no-ki tree, is essential if you plan on making incense cones or sticks.
To form the incense mixture into bricks, you can use your hands or a small mould. Detaching the metal tips from piping bags in your kitchen can create the perfect mould for your incense bricks. Measure out approximately half a teaspoon of the incense mixture and firmly press it into the mould. To ensure the brick releases from the mould easily, insert a pin or twist tie into the tip of the mould.
Place the freshly moulded incense bricks on wax paper and allow them to dry for an extended period, ideally at least 12 hours. To ensure even drying, it is recommended to turn the bricks over halfway through the drying process, exposing the bottoms.
Once the bricks are dry, you can proceed with lighting them. Hold the brick over an open flame, such as a candle, until the brick catches fire and begins to burn on its own. Gently blow on the lit end a few times to encourage a steady flame. Place the burning brick in a censer or incense burner, positioning it with the unlit end down. Be cautious, as the brick may extinguish if placed on its side or if it falls over.
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Drying the incense
Place your incense bricks on wax paper and leave them to air dry. This is a slow process, so it's important to be patient. The drying time will depend on the size and thickness of your bricks, but it can take up to 12 hours or more. To ensure even drying, it's a good idea to flip the bricks over halfway through the drying process. This will expose the underside and allow moisture to escape from all sides.
The drying environment is crucial to the success of your incense bricks. Choose a warm, dry, and well-ventilated area. Avoid direct sunlight, as this can cause the bricks to dry too quickly and crack. Instead, opt for a shaded area with gentle airflow. If the air is too humid, consider using a dehumidifier or placing a fan near your drying setup to improve air circulation.
You'll know your incense bricks are ready when they feel dry to the touch and have a slightly hardened exterior. Gently tap the bricks to ensure they are firm and no longer soft or pliable. If you're using a mold, carefully remove the bricks and inspect them for any signs of moisture. If you gently press the bricks and they feel sturdy, with no indentations left behind, they are likely ready for the next step.
For larger or thicker bricks, extended drying times may be necessary. Don't be tempted to rush the process by placing them in an oven or using artificial heat sources, as this can impact the quality and fragrance of your incense. Instead, maintain patience and allow the bricks to dry naturally over a longer period. Remember, the drying process is a delicate balance between time and temperature.
Finally, once your incense bricks are completely dry, it's important to store them properly. Place them in an airtight container or jar and keep them in a cool, dry place. This will ensure that your incense bricks retain their fragrance and burn effectively when lit.
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Lighting the incense
Lighting an incense brick is a simple process, but it can be tricky to get the hang of it at first. The key is to have a flame going for long enough that the brick catches, but not so long that it becomes fully engulfed in flames.
To begin, you'll need to gather your tools. You can use a candle, lighter, or match to provide the initial flame. You will also need a heat-resistant bowl or small cauldron filled with sand or salt, as well as your incense brick.
Once you have your supplies ready, place the incense brick on top of the sand or salt in the heat-resistant container. Hold the brick over the flame until it catches and begins to burn on its own. You may need to rotate the brick slightly to ensure the flame spreads evenly across the surface.
After the brick is burning, gently blow on the ember to encourage the flame. Then, place the brick in the centre of your censer or incense burner, with the unlit end down. Be careful not to lay the brick on its side, as this may cause the flame to go out.
With these steps, you can enjoy the unique experience of burning incense bricks and filling your space with their distinctive fragrance.
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Frequently asked questions
Incense bricks are made of natural wood, such as the Piñón tree, and can be scented with cedar, juniper, mesquite, alder, fir balsam, or hickory.
Hold the brick over a flame until it burns by itself. The brick will expand at the burning end. After the brick stops flaming, blow on the burning ember. Place the brick in a censer or incense burner, with the unlit end down.
Unfortunately, the process of making incense bricks is a guarded family secret. However, you can make your own incense cones with dried herbs such as sage, cedar, and sweetgrass. You can form the incense 'dough' into cones by hand or with a small conical mold.
