Book Review

The Big Book of Magical Incense

by Sara L. Mastros

Published by Weiser Books

281 pages

Publication date: December 1, 2021

 

 

 

If you haven’t made your own incense before, you might not be aware that the art of making and using incense can be as complex and expressive as any other magical art. Part herbalism, part ritual, and part intuition, incense-making is an art that I didn’t know I needed to engage with until I read this book. “The Big Book of Magical Incense” is a well-researched and thorough book that takes a deep dive into incense mixing and making.

The first part of the book, “Fundamentals,” briefly explores the science of scent and the history of incense, along with a guide to making and using the most common forms of incense, such as loose incense, cones, sticks, and cigars. Here, Mastros presents a few basic methods which will be used throughout the book and referenced in later recipes. 

The second part, “Ingredients,” explores common incense ingredients, dedicating about a page to each one, and discussing them in a conversational manner. This part is organized into sections for resins, aromatic woods, herbs, flowers, spices, seeds, and berries, drugs, and non-plant materials. There is a lot of information in this section, and there are many alternatives provided for those who have concerns about ecological impact, who wish to forage locally, or who wish to avoid cultural appropriation. 

The third part, “Recipes,” is a beautiful offering of various incense recipes, and a number of incense-based spells and rituals. This includes incense intended for spiritual offerings (this includes incense associations with the elements and the planets), a section on spellwork organized by intention, and the author’s interpretation of certain ancient incense recipes, such as the ancient Egyptian incense kyphi. The whole book is enjoyable, but this part is probably the most fun, since this is where you get to see all the pieces in parts one and two come together.

The book draws inspiration and influence especially from Hellenic and Kemetic sources, but presents a lot of cross-cultural information from various traditions around the globe. Eastern Mediterranean incense traditions, as well as plants and resins native to that area, are well-represented in the book, but other traditions are discussed as well. Sensitivity is given in the discussion to indigenous traditions, and issues of overharvesting and cultural appropriation are discussed as relevant to certain plants (such as palo santo and white sage) and practices (such as smudging).

“The Big Book of Magical Incense” lives up to its name with a wealth of information, recipes, correspondences, and rituals. With a gentle sense of humor which sometimes surprises, Mastros blends modern and traditional knowledge, and approaches cross-cultural issues with sensitivity and care. I was unfamiliar with Mastros before this book, so I didn’t know what to expect, but I was very impressed by this one. I am always delighted to come across a book as well-researched and annotated as this one ? there are footnotes, a bibliography, and an extensive index, for anyone who wishes to dig even deeper into what’s discussed in the book ? and I expect that I will be returning to it many times as I develop my own incense craft, both for reference, and for inspiration. Far more than just an introduction to the world of incense, “The Big Book of Magical Incense” should be required reading for anyone who wants to learn about incense or make their own: it will get you started, and take you far.

Sara L. Mastros holds a masters degree in theoretical mathematics and has been a high school and college teacher for nearly a decade. She is the co-owner of Mastros & Zealot, where she offers courses on practical magic and divination, and has been making and selling magical incense online and at pagan and occult festivals all over the East Coast for several years. She has been a contributor to Witches & Pagans, Cartomancer, and other magazines.

 

The Big Book of Magical Incense on Amazon

 

About the author:

Sarah McMenomy is a visionary artist, author, and witch. Pulling inspiration from trance states, dreams, auras, psychedelia, and the natural world, she weaves together themes of nature and the occult in her artwork and writing. She has created art and written for books, magazines, games, and more, as well as producing digital fine art prints and acrylic paintings. 
She is the creator of The Entanglement Tarot, a hex-shaped occult Tarot deck designed for spell-craft. 
She is co-runner of Pagan Pages, for which she also writes articles and book reviews, and she also publishes art on her Portfolio site and other work on her Tumblr.