My path with incense began with an interest in cones and cone making and a love affair for aromatic raw materials as well as the stories of people and land that accompany them. The charcoal or 'indirect' style and inclusion of mica plate (generally associated with the Japanese Kōdō) changed my life.
The process is quite simple but at the same time beautiful, meditative, and spiritual. I have my own spiritual practices that incense plays a role in, but rather than share that, I prefer to give others the tools to learn the process and develop their own rituals and space from which to revel and celebrate this ancient craft.
Working with raw incense has to begin with reverence for the materials. They are all precious, regardless of how common they are. The energy and soul of our planet goes into producing them, so I only ask that you approach this work with a compassionate mind.
Ok here we go.
The Benefits of the Charcoal Incense Burning Method
The charcoal burning / indirect method can include or not include a mica plate. Both will only use very sparse amount of material - a positive aspect of this method. However, the use of charcoal alone will produce more smoke and a faster burn. The mica plate offers a slower heating process, longer burn with less material, and a more nuanced scent profile.
Many incense ingredients, like resins, are base notes in perfumery - meaning they are powerful, grounding, and some (like Patchouli and Vetiver) have extensive longevity. When heated slowly, you can fully appreciate the different aspects of the natural material as they are slow released when heat is applied.
Charcoal bricks will burn up to an hour, outlasting cones or joss sticks. So you are allowed a longer period of enjoyment. Because you are using raw material, you have full control on the amount as well - for as little or as much intensity for your purposes.
Charcoal Incense (Indirect Method) Safety
It's on fire. Literally. Many of these things will seem obvious. However, I just want to make sure that everyone who chooses to go this route is clear on the dangers and considerations before they begin.
- Do not move or touch your censer while your charcoal is lit and for some time after. This charcoal can burn over 1000 degrees F according to some sources I've read.
- Ensure you have proper ventilation - as with any sort of flame or burning material air flow is essential for good health.
- Keep your censer away from flammable materials.
- Never leave your censer unattended. Each charcoal can burn for an hour and they are difficult to put out, so ensure you have the time before beginning.
- Keep away from children and pets.
Setting Up Your Censer & Your First Burn
Begin by filling your censer about 3/4 of the way with White Ash (sand can also be used). When tamped down, it should fill your censer about halfway. Every censer is different but you should be able to easily use your tongs to place your charcoal within without dropping it.
Next, use your ash press to lightly tamp the ash into a flat surface. There is no need to press hard, just enough to flattened and lightly firm the ash surface so it is stable.
Next, light your charcoal. Hold one corner with your tongs while holding the other corner to a candle flame for a few seconds. You will know when the charcoal is lit when a grey/white edge forms (see photo).
Gently place the charcoal on top of your tamped ash inside your censer using the tongs. Once done, I generally wait 5-10 minutes to allow the charcoal to further ignite and before covering with ash. This helps me track where the charcoal is in its burning process as well as reducing the time to ignition when using a mica plate.
At this point you can proceed with adding raw materials to your charcoal if you don't want to use a mica plate. Instructions can be found further down.
To prepare your charcoal for the mica plate, scoop ash from the sides over the top of the charcoal and press down lightly to create a flat surface.
Use your tongs to lay your mica plate on top. You can see here that my plate has resin residue. This can be cleaned using isopropyl alcohol followed by a rinse in water.
Once done, you are ready to begin adding raw materials. As you are learning about amounts, start small and work your way upwards. Experimentation will help you find what amounts work best for your space and intentions.
Best wishes and enjoy your new craft!
Asa
