With resins the burning process can be more involved than with stick incense. The main reason for this is that resins are raw and come directly from specific trees.
To start with you need a heat-resistant surface. A ceramic plate or metal tray works well. Add a layer of sand to prevent charcoal from ruining your table top.
Burning Tips
Resin incense is often burned on charcoal discs, but it can be burned other ways too. The trick is to use a heat proof burner and to be careful when handling hot charcoal. Use tongs and/or fireproof gloves. Light the charcoal and let it heat up until it begins to glow. Then place your chosen resin on top.
Resins burn at a much lower temperature than sticks, so the flame doesn’t cause too much smoke. It will smolder, and emit a pleasant aroma. This method is particularly good for aromatic resins like frankincense.
Another great way to burn resins is with a brass burner. This type of burner produces less smoke and has a stronger fragrance than the charcoal method. To use a brass burner, simply place your chosen resin on top of a tealight and turn on the light. Then enjoy! This burner also works well with firmer resins such as Dragon’s Blood and Frankincense Sacra.
Mixing Resins
Resin incense on sticks is a great way to experiment with different types of resins without committing to an entire bottle. It takes a little more attention than burning resin in the traditional manner requiring a censer and charcoal tablets, but it’s much easier to handle!
Tree resins like frankincense, myrrh, benzoin and copal reveal their true aromatic profiles when burned, adding to the overall ambience of your space. They have been a mainstay of shamanic traditions across the globe for untold generations and are a natural remedy for purification, alignment and heightened spiritual awareness.
When mixing resins it is very important to maintain a 1:1 ratio by volume. Any deviation from this ideal will throw off the curing process and result in a resin that is not as hard or as pliable as it could have been. It is a good idea to purchase mixing cups with ratio markings on them in order to make this process easier.
Making Your Own Resins
If you love the fragrance of resin incense, you may want to try making your own. This is a fun hobby that can be very rewarding. You’ll need a heat-proof container (brass urns and censers work well), charcoal disks to burn the resins, and some type of incense resin. You can choose from many different brands of resin incense and blend them to create your own custom aroma.
When working with resins, you’ll need to wear gloves and a face mask to protect yourself from the fumes that can be released during the curing process. You’ll also need to be sure that your workspace is clean and covered with a tarp or other protective coverings over surfaces you don’t want to get resin on.
You’ll also need plastic cups to mix the resin and hardener, wooden stirrers or popsicle sticks for stirring, disposable plastic pipettes for precise pouring, toothpicks for small details, tweezers for inserting ornaments and other objects, and some form of lint-free cloth or paper towel for wiping up spilled resin.
Purchasing Resins
Resin incense is a form of natural incense made from the hardened secretions of aromatic trees, most notably coniferous ones. These resins can be used alone or in blends with other herbs and spices to create unique fragrances. They are traditionally burned in churches and temples for their healing and energetic purification properties.
There are many places to buy resins including specialty craft stores, Amazon, and Etsy. If you are buying resin online it is a good idea to shop around and compare prices and product reviews. Some resins may produce a lot of fumes so you should always wear a mask and work in a well-ventilated area.
For burning resin incense, you will need a special incense burner that is designed for use with this type of resin. You will also need charcoal discs that will provide the heat needed to release the resin’s scent. Once you have these materials, simply place the resin incense over a charcoal disc and light it.