About Incense.htm

ABOUT INCENSE

The following information was collected together by Dr. George S. Arundale in his book, The Lotus Fire (1939) and mostly involves a collection of the research done by the great Theosophical occultist, Bishop C.W. Leadbeater :

FRAGRANCE-ESSENCES

C. W. LEADBEATER : “The use of incense is perfectly scientific ... All occult students are aware that . . . there is no such thing as really dead matter, but that everything in nature possesses and radiates out its own vibration or combination of vibrations. Every chemical element has thus its own set of influences which are useful in certain directions and useless or even hostile in others. It is in this way quite possible, for example, to mingle certain gums which, when burnt as incense, will strongly stimulate the purer and higher emotions; but one could just as easily make another mixture whose vibrations would promote the most undesirable feelings ...

“The incense used in the [Masonic] Lodge tends to purify that part of man's nature which is sometimes called the astral body, as it is made of gums which give off an intensely cleansing vibration ... It has also the effect of attracting denizens of the inner worlds whose presence is helpful to our working, and of driving away those which are unsuitable . .

“If the incense is intelligently magnetized its strength is increased enormously; for example, by putting into olibanum the definite force of the will in the direction of calmness and devotion, its influence may be increased by perhaps a hundredfold. That is why the incense in church is always taken up to the celebrant to be blessed, and why in the Lodge it is brought to the R.W.M. in order that he may magnetize it with whatever special quality he thinks will be helpful for the work of the day. The sprinkling of holy water in a church is another way of producing a similar effect, but incense has the advantage that it rises into the air, and wherever •a single particle goes, the purification and blessing is borne with it ...

“Practically all the religions of the world use incense in one form or another. It appears in the temples of the Hindus, the Zoroastrians, the Jains, and in the Shinto of China and Japan. It was used in Greece, in Rome, in Persia, and in the ceremonies of Mithras. All these people, including the Roman Catholics, avail themselves of it, because they know it to be a useful thing ; why then should not we ? "

The Hidden Life in Freemasonry, pp. 129-33

Censing the Individual. The censing of an Individual in a ceremonial has the effect of "charging him with power " for the work his rank qualifies him to do.

" Then the clerics, choir and people are censed in the order of dignity. There is a threefold object in this: first, to show respect to them, as is evidenced by the variation in the number of swings given ; second, to include them all within the magnetic field; third, to evoke whatever latent power of love and devotion there is in each, that he may take his full share in the great work which is about to be done. The act of censing establishes a condition of rapport, of synchronous vibration, which may be utilized to expedite the flow of force either outward or inward."

The Science of the Sacraments, p. 174

Angels of Incense. “In considering the many benefits which we gain from the use of incense, we must not overlook the aid of the special orders of Angels and nature-spirits which work by its means. The Angels of the Incense are of two quite distinct types - neither of them readily comprehensible except by those who have devoted much study to such subjects. Such investigators know that there are Angels of Music - great beings who express themselves in music just as we express ourselves in words - to whom an arpeggio is a greeting, a fugue a conversation, an oratorio an oration. There are Angels of Colour, who express themselves by kaleidoscopic changes of glowing hues, by coruscations and scintillations of rainbow light. So also are there Angels who live in and express themselves by what to us are perfumes and fragrances - though to use such words seems to degrade, to materialize the exquisite emanations in which they revel so joyously. A sub-division of that type includes the Angels of the Incense, who are drawn by its vibrations and find pleasure in utilizing its possibilities . . . Incense is always efficient in attracting the attention of any Angels who may happen to be in the neighbourhood...

" There is also another kind to whom the title of Angel is less appropriate. They are equally graceful and beautiful in their way, but in reality they belong to the kingdom of the elves or nature-spirits. In appearance they resemble the child-angels of Titian or Michael Angelo, except that they have no wings. They do not express themselves by means of perfumes, but they live by and on such emanations, and so are always to be found where fragrance is being disseminated. There are many varieties, some feeding upon coarse and loathsome odours, and others only upon those which are delicate and refined. Among them are a few types which are especially attracted by the smell of incense, and are always to be found where it is burnt. When we cense the Altar and thus create a magnetic field we enclose within it a number of these delightful little elves, and they absorb a great deal of the energy which is accumulated there, and become valuable agents in its distribution at the proper time."

When the priest later says : “As this incense rises before Thee, O Lord, so let our prayer be set forth in Thy sight. Let Thy holy Angels encompass Thy people and breathe forth upon them the spirit of Thy blessing,” “ it is a most beautiful sight to see them swoop down the church shedding their influence over the congregation, carrying with them the essence of the perfume and sending it surging out in great waves as they pass. The chief purpose of their effort is expressed in the words used by the Priest as he returns the censer ; ‘May the Lord enkindle within us the fire of His love and the flame of everlasting charity.’ As the Angels rush out over the congregation, " they extend the influence of the magnetic field hitherto kept to the Altar to include the whole church, but this is more definitely completed and brought down to the physical level by the censing [before described], first of the clergy and then of the congregation.”

The Science of the Sacraments, pp. 104, 174, et seq.

Fragrances in Individual Life. The sense of smell is very intimately related to the physical body, and scientists have long known what a large area of the cerebral content in the case of the animal kingdom is devoted to this sense. A beautiful fragrance gives a thrilling uplifting sense obtained in its own unique way. Conversely there is nothing so repelling as an evil odour. Occultists tell us that as people advance on the Path of Holiness, their bodies become more and more fragrant and that the "odour of sanctity " clings to an object handled by such a one.

In his investigations into this intriguing field of incense-perfumes, Bishop Leadbeater tells us how we can use their potencies to magnetize large areas (The Hidden Side of Things, II, p.218). In his investigations he also found that some incenses were purifying, some stimulating and inspiring, some sympathetic and soothing, while some were definitely undesirable in effect, as, for example, amber, musk, calamus root, galbanum, dragon's blood, etc., which attract a distinctly low class of elementals.

Synthetic oils seem to have a similar though not so potent an effect as the natural essential oils.

From a comparison of the subtle colours given for the various perfumed incenses by Bishop Leadbeater, it appears that these follow closely in most instances the physical colour of the flower itself, and this released colour has its effect upon all persons in its aura to arouse the corresponding qualities.

This close relationship of sound, colour and fragrance with the principles of man is hinted at in The Secret Doctrine, III, 463 (Adyar ed., V, 442-43) :

" All the mental, emotional, psychic and spiritual faculties are influenced by the Occult properties of the scale of causes which emanate from the Hierarchies of the Spiritual Rulers of the planets, and not by the planets themselves. This scale leads the student to perceive in the following order:

" 1. colour;

" 2. sound ;

" 3. the sound materializes into the spirit of the metals, i.e., the metallic Elementals ;

" 4. these materialize again into the physical metals ;

" 5. then the harmonial and vibratory radiant essence passes into the plants, giving them colour and smell, both of which ' properties ' depend upon the rate of vibration of this energy per unit of time ;

" 6. from plants it passes into the animals ;

" 7. and finally culminates in the ' principles ' of man."

PURIFYING INCENSE

Most good incenses were found to have at least vaguely purificatory effect. Especially potent is Benzoin which " is almost savagely ascetic and purifying ; it deals trenchantly with all the grosser forms of impure thought and is excellent for use in a great cathedral crowded with somewhat undeveloped individuals." It is a steely blue-grey colour. Balsam of Peru has a milder but similar effect to Benzoin. Verbena Leaves is rather brutally purifying, savagely ascetic. Camphor is like "an astral chloride of lime". Lemon has a very special purifying effect on the mental body, and is chrome yellow with a touch of green. Cloves also seem to have a purifying effect on the mental body with their light yellow hue. Aloes Wood Oil with a greyish green colour clears the brain.

STIMULATING AND INSPIRING INCENSE

Rose Attar, petals, etc., give a beautiful rose colour and open up the astral body to love of a high type.

Sandalwood is a chord of deep blue purple and golden yellow ; it gives devotion of a very high type, and also has vibrations which will cut up and clear away impurities. Too strong a concentration of sandal oil. like rose oil, has a tendency to prematurely open the web protection between the physical and astral planes.

Neroli or Orange Blossom Oil mingles a delicate rose and violet, plays upon the higher astral, laying it open to buddhic influence, so to speak, approaching "from the other side to Rose." It quiets the physical body and is rather good if one has a headache.

Jasmine, with its rose, pale green, and possibilities of lower octaves arouses an oriental or Sufi type of devotion. It is distinctly a feminine or Astoreth scent.

Lavender has the effect of " fidelity, remembrance, patience, and sweetness ... a staying quality.' It has a rainbow effect of pale blue violet with touches of rose which comes out in parallel lines with concentric circles.

Bergamot has a very elusive greenish blue or turquoise colour with a lower chord of "more crimson lake than anything else; rather like the spectrum, but it has a line of strong yellow, crimson base, a greenish top, and a kind of bar of light flashing out of the yellow in the middle." This interesting scent from the Citrus Bergamia tree complements the Neroli scent.

Gum Animi, a crimson scent, would stir an emotional composer or poet, or devotee.

Coumarin and Tonquin Bean is fresh and bracing for a person fatigued; its effect is chiefly mental and etheric but pleasant on the astral, its colour is a greenish yellow, astrally and mentally a rather sharp green, etherically a greyish green.

Cinnamon Oil is stimulating and works largely along astral lines arousing affection, sympathy, joyousness and good feeling through its maroon colour with almost dark crimson flashes in it.

Mastic, a warm green, is etherically stimulating; Thus works chiefly on the etheric as a health-giver and cleanser.

Storax, an indigo colour, arouses a rather unintelligent devotion of the militant type.

Olibanum, " the special incense of devotion ; its fragrance tends strongly to awaken that feeling in those who are at all capable of it, and to deepen and intensify it where it already exists." It is dark blue and soothing.

Cinnamon Wood, burnt sienna, has an effect like olibanum.

Juniper Oil, dark blue, also cleansing and soothing.

Indian Jatamansi or Spikenard, violet-blue, with a touch of mauve, sympathetic, soothing.

Powdered Sugar, dull crimson, soothing and relaxing to the astral body.

Oil of Rosewood, a rose-madder, mildly affectionate.

Geranium Oil, "a rather pretty greenish brown" but with a touch of the personal about its sympathy.

Cascarilla, a sympathetic yellow green.

' Compiled from books and talks of C. W. Leadbeater

' To obtain these or natural oils, it is necessary to get in touch with some manufacturer or importer, as all perfumes are diluted some thirteen times with spirits, thus rendering them absolutely unfit for occult purposes. "Absolute" essences are even more fragrant than distilled "attars" as they express more of the fragrant "esters," but assure yourself that the "Absolutes " were obtained through the ether volatile process rather than that of animal fat extraction. Perfumes sold in the bazaars are rarely pure oils.

SOME BALANCING BLENDS RECOMMENDED BY C.W. LEADBEATER

Sandalwood and Rose ; Jasmine and Sandalwood ; Rose and Lemon - the latter a particularly happy blend because the lemon, so severely mental, is softened by the rose.

Number Eleven. This blend of Sandalwood 2, Rosewater 2, Benzoin 5 grs., Sugar-candy 7 grs., oil of cloves ½ gr., was pronounced as very fine for a " T. S. meeting " yielding chiefly violet-rose and golden, " a glory in the scent world, almost overpowering in its splendour on the astral; the rose calling up to the mind and feeling the all-embracing love of God." Many variations were tried of this recipe but none seemed an improvement save the addition of Olibanum gr. x per dram which built up the lower octave of the astral.

" C. W. L.'s own Recipe," furnished by L. W. Burt of Sydney: 1 Ib. Olibanum, ½Ib. Benzoin ; ¼ lb. Gum Thus. Grind and mix together. Any or all of the following Oils may be added: Bergamot, Geranium, Lemon, Cloves, Sandalwood, Rose Attar, one table-spoonful to the quantity of Incense. Mix well. (If we dip a stick of Adyar incense in oil, we need not specially compound any incense.)

These potencies are in our hands to use at will. Just as the great Angels of the Rays flash Their response to Their Altar Censing during the Eucharist, so will our principles flash their response to these fragrant lovelinesses. We do not need quantities of perfume for this purpose. If we rub lightly a common stone or shell with our favourite essential oil, for weeks it will return to us an elusive scent of other-worlds.

INCENSE OILS USED IN THE BROTHERHOOD OF ANGELS & OF HUMANITY

A certain amount of experimentation is permitted here, but in our group I have taken to using a combination of Frankincense, Sandalwood and Jasmine oils. Getting high quality oils is a bit of a problem. The best varieties seem to come from India. By and large the more viscous the oil the better it is since that indicates it has not been diluted so much. There are also other issues - for example the variety of Sandalwood oil that is produced in Australia come from a different species of the Sandalwood tree from that which is grown in South India - the one from India is preferable. You pretty well get what you pay for and if you find 5mls of incense oil for a couple of dollars compared with another bottle that is ten or twenty times as much, you know that the cheaper one is diluted by a lot of solvent or non-essential oil. In this work you have to go for the best you can afford because it makes such a difference to the devas of incense.

The easiest way to get the oil globules into the atmosphere is to put them on a hot charcoal block and they get vapourised immediately. However, this does not give you much of a chance to bless the incense which needs to be done at the moment of placement on the hot charcoal block. Therefore, in order to give you a chance to do this, I recommend that you make little capsules out of Aluminium kitchen foil and carefully enfold the oil in this. Then, when the Aluminium capsules are placed on the hot charcoal you generally have a few seconds to bless the incense before it is vapourised. A blessing formula that I use is as a priest is:

"May this incense be blessed by him in whom honour it is burnt" and I think strongly of the Master the Prince Rakoczy (St.Germain) under whose patronage this work is done, or else The Lord Christ who is involved in the Healing Ritual. But you can bless the incense in the name of any high spiritual Master or Deva who you feel closely connected with. Put your right hand over the incense in the mode of blessing at the time you perform the function.

You can also use the common method of mixing the oil with a small amount of water and vapourising it on the candle heated vapourizers which are now ubiquitous. This is quite good for maintenance purposes - but the way to get a large amount of the right type of incense oil into the atmosphere quickly has already been described.

You will find after using the oils for a short while you will not want to go back to smoky joss sticks or incense cones and the incense granules are more of use in large areas like Cathedrals, churches and temples where the smoke can be better tolerated. The oil globules are the active spiritual ingredient and the smoke is a byproduct of combustion - the more oil globules and the less smoke the better from a devic point of view - although the smoke admittedly has a certain symbolic aspect to it.

Bill Keidan

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