To smolder Herb Majicks' incenses (or any loose, resin or
powder style incense), you will need first of all, a suitable censer. There are many options: small iron cauldrons and abalone shells for example. Your censor should be non-combustible
and stable as well as aesthetically pleasing to you and placed on a fire-safe surface.
Take one disk of charcoal from the package. One whole 33mm disk will last
just shy of one hour. If you expect to keep a shorter vigil with
your censor, ¼ or ½ charcoal will do—simply break it.
Now, holding the charcoal on edge, apply some fire until it starts to spark. Carefully
lay it down into your censer. The sparkling should dance across the surface of the charcoal in a line.
If it doesn’t, apply more fire. If it is a good charcoal (not all of them are), you’ll
get it going on your first try. If it doesn’t go no matter how long you keep the fire under it, you’ve
probably got a dud. Try another one. Once that lovely little sparkly line-dance concludes,
wait just a little longer for a whitish ash to form and Voila! You are now ready to sprinkle on a small
amount of your incense.
As each application of incense completely smolders, you may add more as suits you until the charcoal is exhausted.
If you wish to continue smoldering beyond the life of the charcoal, you need only lay an additional piece on top of
it before it dies out, giving the new one a little time to ignite. It is helpful to first scrape off any
covering of burned incense and ash.
To finish,
be sure to dispose of the remains in an honoring—and safe—manner.
As you might guess it
is very important to protect your charcoals from moisture. I keep mine double wrapped in plastic inside
a tightly closing tin just to be sure.
Remember the "dud" disc? If ever you find one, seal it up in it's own zippy bag.
These work fine as the add-on for extended smoulderings.
Waste not, want not!
