yet another incense thread

[kamikat]

Last night, at dinner, my husband told me that he hates my incense. Evidently, it's been building up.He said that he didn't want to sound like he was critizing my spiritual journey, but that when he comes home from work, the house smells "like an old lady jumped into a fire", meaning burning old lady perfume. He doesn't like anything I've gotten recently and asked why I stopped burning the cedar I used to use. After discussing incense at length, he thinks it must be something used to bind the resin stuff because he loves stick and cone incense(he mentioned specifically incense I used to get from the Hare Krishna temple). I'm curious to know if different sources use different ingredients to bind the resin. Maybe if I got it somewhere else, it wouldn't smell that way. Would it be all right to use the cone stuff for prayer?

kamikat

[Michael the Iconographer]

There is nothing wrong with using cone incense for prayer.

[RobNJ]

Ever try frankincense?

[kamikat]

Ever try frankincense?

That's why he thinks its something about the resin incense. The stick incense I used to get from the Hare Krishna temple was frankincense and he liked that.

kamikat

[Michael the Iconographer]

If the resin bothers him then use cone incense. God will not judge you badly for having the good intention of wanting to use incense and needing to use cone incense due to a matter of economy. Those who say he will judge you over the form the incense takes are no better than the pharisees who judged Christ because he did good deeds on the sabbath.

[choirfiend]

You're cool. That's great that he was trying so hard to support you! He'l really appreciate your concession to burning whatever he thinks smells good:)

[Jacob4707]

Does he like Nag Champa?

[eoe]

If he likes frankincense then use pure, uncut frankincense.

The truth is - it is frankincense that is the main ingredient in liturgical incense.

I have about 10-15 different kinds of incense and I can tell you that there are those that smell girly and there are those that smell more masculine. My suggestion is to first find out if it is indeed frankincense that he does not like. It si possible that your "frankincense" sticks smelled nothing at all like frankincense so I don't think it is safe to say that he does like it. Click HERE (http://www.monasteryproducts.org/index.php?cPath=29&page=1&sort=3a) or HERE. (http://www.msocp.com/incense.htm)
The first source is good quality - the second (sroll down) is a source for pure omani frankincense that *should* be higher quality.
The good news is that frankincense is cheap. You can get a full pound of the higher end stuff for 16 bucks compared to $60+ for a pound of high end litugical incense. This also means that you can smoke the neighbors out and not worry so much about cost.

Here are some other incenses that are more manly and *FAR* less "old woman" than other things....

Monasteryproducts.org (http://www.monasteryproducts.org/index.php?cPath=29)- byzantium
light-n-life.com - gethsemane (amazing stuff imho)
light-n-life.com - bethlehim (frankincense heavy)
light-n-life's supplier is schismatic...but.... the schismatics make the best incense. I know more than one priest that use it anyway.
Holy Cross hermitage (http://www.tcgalaska.com/holycrosshermitage/HTML/Incense_fine.asp) - myrrh (think of a manly fabric softener?)

I certainly would not run out and buy a large quantity of any of them but it might be worth getting an ounce or quarter lb to see if your hubby can stand them. I would certainly consider just geting a small amount of pure frankincense as a starting place as that is the main componenet in all the others.

[Khaleas]

The only thing I pretty much burn is the myrrh from Holy Cross Hermitage. I've really liked all their incense.

[kamikat]

e, that's what I've been using. I use mostly frankencense from monastary products. They did send me samples of other scents, some of which even I think is too sweet. It's possible that maybe the stick stuff just isn't as strong.

kamikat

[Aristokles]

What incense do you use now?

My wife likes ACROD's Gloria incense...and hence I do too. ;)

[eoe]

e, that's what I've been using. I use mostly frankencense from monastary products. They did send me samples of other scents, some of which even I think is too sweet. It's possible that maybe the stick stuff just isn't as strong.

So it is the frankincense then. That effectively puts out almost all liturgical incenses. It might be worth getting a small amount of gethsemene from light-n-life as a last-ditch-effort. Otherwise you are going to be limited. I will say that while I love the monks at the monastery of the Glorious Ascention - I am not a huge fan of their incenses. I like the byzantium and the sarov forest but many of their fragrances are very sweet and they are also expensive.

You mention that he likes cedar? Have you tried white copal? How about a pine smell? Try pinion? I am not huge fan of plain myrrh as I find it smells a bit like celery but you might try that. IT certainly is not a sweet smell. On fast days I mix benzoin, copal, frankincense and myrrh for a very haunting sad smell but it can be harsh. You mentioned cedar - have you tried other plants? Rosemary and lavendar are nice and certainly put enough smoke out to be satisfying. White sage is a classic as is sweetgrass. Dried chamomille flowers, cinnamon, and star anise work as will other things that you probably have gathering dust in your spice cabinet.

Liturgical incense is certainly stronger than a normal stick or cone and some of the can hang around for days. I burned HCH Orange blossom at my icon corner and the fragrance literally lingered for well over 24 hours.

If you are going to be stuck with stick incense then you might as well be stuck with really really good stick incense right?

Click here (http://shoyeido.com/) for my favorite non-liturgical incense source. In particular I have to say that kyozakura (http://shoyeido.com/4DLink/4DCGI/1777920010%5EPRODUCTDETAIL%5E12658), gozan (http://shoyeido.com/4DLink/4DCGI/1777920014%5EPRODUCTDETAIL%5E12758)and oboro (http://shoyeido.com/4DLink/4DCGI/1777920017%5EPRODUCTDETAIL%5E22302)are all really good. In my collection I have 10-12 incense by them right now and I love them all. Shoyeido and Baieido (http://www.oller.net/baieido.htm)are both, by a HUGE margin, the best stick incense makers imnsho.

[kamikat]

He really doesn't like the orange blossom. I just got some of that and LOVE it. I'll try some from light-n-life. His favorite scent is sandlewood, but I used to use that when I was mediating. So many incenses have negative connotations for me, since I used to use them during Wiccan rituals. That's why I usually use frankencense. I never used it back then, since it reminded me of church.
kamikat

[Michael the Iconographer]

What incense do you use now?

My wife likes ACROD's Gloria incense...and hence I do too. ;)

I like it as well, but I find that if I try to burn alot it tends to clog up the charcoal very quickly.

[eoe]

He really doesn't like the orange blossom. I just got some of that and LOVE it. I'll try some from light-n-life.

I love it too^_^. That is about my limit of sweetness tho. I also just picked up Iveron. It is pretty girly/perfumey but I still like it. If you enjoy that one then also get "Bethlehem" from light-n-life. I think you will like it as well.

Also - if you want another source. Burning Bush Monastery (http://www.burningbushmonastery.org/incense.html)
is next on my list of sources to try. Fr. Jacob uses their wisteria on occaision. I saw some - it looks like clear rock candy almost and it smells... well .. like wisteria. They have other kinds as well. The only problem is that they are very expensive. Once again - they make awesome incense and they are schismatic.... I am not sure but there might be a pattern....


I will share a trick that I have found. You know how some incense goes "off" if it gets too hot? This is a way to prevent that from happening that also stretches your supply of higher end incense.
When you light your charcoal, place several peices of frankincense around the charcoal then place just a few pcs of the good stuff beside the frankincense. It keeps the good stuff the right distance from the coal while swinging and the liturgical incense is really the only thing you smell as it is far stronger.

His favorite scent is sandlewood, but I used to use that when I was mediating. So many incenses have negative connotations for me, since I used to use them during Wiccan rituals. That's why I usually use frankencense. I never used it back then, since it reminded me of church.
kamikat
Scent is certainly a VERY strong memory agent - maybe the strongest.