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Aromatherapy
Ayurveda
Incense as Medicine
January 30, 20200Comments

The Ancient Indian Philosophy of Aroma & Incense, Part II

In my last blog, The Ancient Indian Philosophy of Aroma & Incense, Part I, I spoke about the beautiful tradition of healing plant smoke, Dhumapana, and the many used of
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine

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There's a big difference between loving incense an There's a big difference between loving incense and knowing how to make it. Most people have spent years burning incense without ever thinking much about what goes into putting it together. They find a fragrance they love, light a stick, and enjoy the experience. But behind it, someone thought about which plants to use, how finely to grind them, how much binder to add, how to bring everything together so it holds its shape, burns properly, and releases the beautiful fragrance they were hoping for. And the exciting part about all of this... Those are things you can learn to do yourself. You don't need to be a professional incense maker, have a workshop full of expensive equipment, or spend years experimenting before you can make something wonderful. You can do it right in your own kitchen, this week! You just need to understand the materials a bit, learn the techniques, and get your hands into the craft. After nearly two decades of working with incense, I still find it incredibly rewarding to watch a handful of raw botanical ingredients become something that can be enjoyed for weeks, months, or even years. Tomorrow, I'm opening enrollment for the Traditional Incense Crafting Course. And I'm excited to help another group of people discover what's possible when they stop being only incense lovers and become incense makers, too. ~ Evan 🌿 If you've yet to join my FREE Hand-Crafted Incense Workshop Series that shows you the ropes, the link is in our bio. Enjoy! #IncenseMaking #NaturalIncense #HandmadeIncense #IncenseCrafting #TraditionalIncense #BotanicalIncense #IncenseLovers #AromaticPlants #HerbalCrafting #ArtisanIncense #IncenseMaker #AromaticMedicine #PlantBasedCrafts #IncenseWorkshop #NorthwestSchoolOfAromaticMedicine
Have you ever stopped to think about the fact that Have you ever stopped to think about the fact that plants don't make their fragrances for us? 🌿 That beautiful resin flowing from a Frankincense tree? The tree produces it to protect and repair itself. The aromatic compounds in Cedarwood? They help protect the tree. The fragrant oils in flowers? Many play a role in attracting pollinators and communicating with the living world. These aromatic substances serve purposes in the lives of plants that have nothing to do with us. And yet, isn't it extraordinary that we're able to experience them in such profound ways? Think about it... Plants produce an incredible diversity of aromatic molecules, and we're equipped with hundreds of types of olfactory receptors that allow us to detect them. Two entirely different forms of life, connected through the invisible world of fragrance. And when those molecules reach our noses, something remarkable happens. A fragrance can awaken a memory from decades ago. Stir emotions we can't quite explain. Influence our mood, our nervous system, and even aspects of our physiology. One breath can bring us back to childhood, remind us of someone we've lost, or completely change how we feel in a moment. Is all of this just a coincidence? I don't think so. To me, there's something deeply spiritual about the relationship between plants and people. Something that reaches far beyond the chemistry of aromatic molecules and the receptors that receive them. For thousands of years, people have recognized something extraordinary in fragrant plants, bringing them into prayer, ceremony, healing traditions, and daily life. And perhaps they understood something that we've become a little too distracted to notice. That our sense of smell isn't simply a way of identifying what's around us. It's a way of experiencing the world that reaches into our memories, our emotions, our bodies, and perhaps even something much deeper within us. Maybe the real wonder isn't simply that plants are fragrant. It's that we were given the ability to experience their fragrances so deeply. 🌿πŸ”₯ #AromaticMedicine #AromaticPlants #PlantWisdom #BotanicalAromatics #Herbalism #Aromatherapy #SacredPlants
🌿πŸ”₯ Looking for a little inspiration this weekend? 🌿πŸ”₯ Looking for a little inspiration this weekend? All 3 lessons of our free Hand-Crafted Incense Series are now available to watch! If you've ever wanted to learn how to make your own natural incense from fragrant woods, resins, herbs, and other aromatic plants, this is a wonderful place to begin. Here's what we'll explore together: 🌿 Lesson 1: The foundations of traditional incense crafting. 🌿 Lesson 2: The aromatic ingredients and building blocks that make incense work. 🌿 Lesson 3: Come into the workshop with me as I demonstrate how to make natural incense cones from scratch! Whether you're completely new to incense making or have already experimented with a few recipes, I think you'll find plenty of inspiration here. Set aside a little time this weekend, make yourself a cup of tea, and come explore this beautiful aromatic art with me. Watch all 3 workshops at the link in our bio! 🌿
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From a handful of fragrant plants to a beautiful, From a handful of fragrant plants to a beautiful, slow-burning incense cone. 🌿πŸ”₯ That's what I'm showing you how to do in the newest lesson of my FREE Hand-Crafted Incense Series! And we're not just TALKING about incense crafting anymore... Today I'm taking you into the workshop and making a batch of natural incense cones from start to finish, right before your eyes! I'll walk you through the process of transforming raw botanicals into incense you can actually burn and enjoy. Here's what you'll learn: 🌿 How to select and combine your aromatic ingredients πŸ”₯ How to balance fragrant woody base materials, plant gum binders, aromatic herbs and water to create incense that holds together and burns properly 🀲 How to mix, shape, dry, and cure your own incense cones πŸ“˜ Plus, you'll receive The Incense Cone Making Blueprint, complete with a simple starter recipe to try at home! This is Lesson 3 of my FREE 3-part Hand-Crafted Incense Series, and all three lessons are ready to watch! If you're brand new to incense crafting, you can start with Lesson 1, where we'll explore the foundations of this ancient aromatic art, before moving into the ingredients and techniques that bring it all together. Whether you're an herbalist, aromatherapist, or simply someone who's drawn to natural incense, there's something deeply rewarding about creating your own incense with plants you've chosen yourself. πŸŽ₯ Join the FREE series and watch all 3 lessons through the link in our bio! The workshops are only available for a limited time, so don't wait too long to join us. See you at the crafting table! ~ Evan #NaturalIncense #IncenseMaking #IncenseCrafting #HandmadeIncense #BotanicalIncense #IncenseCones #AromaticPlants #Herbalism #Aromatherapy #AromaticMedicine #PlantBasedLiving #TraditionalIncense #DIYIncense #IncenseWorkshop #NaturalAromatics
You can have the most beautiful aromatic ingredien You can have the most beautiful aromatic ingredients in the world... and still make terrible incense. 🌿πŸ”₯ I learned this the hard way! You might have the finest Sandalwood, fragrant Frankincense, beautiful aromatic herbs, and a whole collection of incredible botanical materials. But combine them without understanding a few essential principles, and you could end up with incense that... ❌ Won't stay lit. ❌ Crumbles apart. ❌ Produces way too much smoke. ❌ Smells nothing like you imagined. And here's what might surprise you: The problem often isn't the plants. It's how you're putting them together. There's a fascinating art AND science behind making natural incense. Different ingredients have different jobs, just like in baking. Some create the aromatic foundation, some help everything hold together, and others influence how your incense burns. And once you understand how these elements work together, an entirely new world of possibilities opens up. You can begin moving beyond other people's recipes and start creating incense that's exactly the way YOU want it. That's what we're exploring in Lesson 2 of my FREE Hand-Crafted Incense Series, available to watch TODAY! 🌿 THE 4 ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF INCENSE In this workshop, I'll walk you through the fundamental building blocks of successful incense, including how to choose your materials, what makes a blend hold together, and how to avoid some of the most common beginner mistakes. You'll also receive a downloadable Building Blocks of Incense Guidebook to help you put it all into practice. And if you're just joining us, don't worry! You can start with Lesson 1 and follow along from the beginning. πŸ”₯ READY TO DISCOVER WHAT MAKES GREAT INCENSE WORK? Join the FREE 3-part Hand-Crafted Incense Series through the link in our bio! ~ Evan #IncenseCrafting #NaturalIncense #AromaticMedicine #Herbalism #Aromatherapy #HandcraftedIncense
I wish someone had told me I could make my own inc I wish someone had told me I could make my own incense sooner. 🌿πŸ”₯ I'd been burning incense long before I ever studied aromatherapy. I've always loved incense. Its fragrances, the atmosphere it creates, and that primal feeling of participating in something humans have done for thousands of years. But it wasn't until I began studying aromatherapy that I learned I could make my own. That's when two worlds I loved came together. I was learning about the therapeutic virtues of aromatic plants and essential oils, and suddenly I saw how that knowledge could become part of one of humanity's oldest aromatic arts. Long before essential oils were distilled, people were working with fragrant plants and smoke. Earth, water, fire, and air coming together to create an aromatic experience. As I explored incense traditions from around the world, it felt like finding my own trail back to something ancient and deeply human. I began experimenting with woods, resins, herbs, and spices, eventually creating a line of aromatherapeutic incense for different therapeutic purposes. But what I gained went beyond the incense itself. Making it deepened my relationship with the plants, brought more creativity into my practice, and gave me a new appreciation for the traditions that came before us. And here's what still excites me: this ancient art has so many possibilities yet to explore. With the incredible diversity of aromatic plants available to us today, we can honor the old ways while creating fragrances and experiences that are entirely our own. If you love herbalism, aromatherapy, or simply the world of aromatic plants, perhaps incense crafting has something waiting for you, too. ~ Evan P.S. My FREE 3-part Hand-Crafted Incense Series is underway! Lesson 1 is ready to watch, and Lesson 2 arrives tomorrow. Join us through the link in our bio! #AromaticMedicine #IncenseCrafting #NaturalIncense #Aromatherapy #Herbalism #AromaticPlants #HandcraftedIncense
What if you could make incense exactly the way YOU What if you could make incense exactly the way YOU want it? 🌿πŸ”₯ Imagine creating beautiful natural incense from aromatic woods, resins, herbs, flowers, roots, and spices. Incense with fragrances you genuinely love. Gentle, low-smoke blends for meditation or relaxation. Rich, resinous incense for ritual and ceremony. Or something else entirely your own. The possibilities are almost endless when you know how to make it yourself. And I'd love to show you how! πŸŽ₯ My FREE 3-part Hand-Crafted Incense Series begins TODAY, and Lesson 1 is ready to watch! Over three video lessons, I'll guide you through the foundations of natural incense crafting, sharing what I've learned through nearly 20 years of making, experimenting with, and teaching this beautiful aromatic art. Here's what we'll explore: 🌿 The 4 essential building blocks of successful incense blends. 🌿 How to work with natural aromatic materials to create beautiful fragrances. 🌿 How to make incense that burns properly, without excessive smoke, and begin creating your own unique blends. πŸ“– You'll also receive 3 downloadable workbooks to accompany the lessons and help you put what you're learning into practice. No previous incense-making experience needed! Whether you're an herbalist, aromatherapist, incense lover, or simply curious about this ancient art, I'd love to have you join us. 🌿 JOIN THE FREE HAND-CRAFTED INCENSE SERIES 🌿 πŸ“Sign up through the link in our bio. Lesson 1 is waiting for you! See you inside, ~ Evan #NaturalIncense #IncenseMaking #AromaticPlants #Aromatherapy #Herbalism #AromaticMedicine #HandcraftedIncense
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