Essence and Ember: Gathering and Preparing Herbal, Resin, and Wood Incense

This is a guide to crafting incense with natural products such as wood, resin, and a myriad of herbs that can be foraged, grown, or bought. It will cover the history of burning incense, diving into both the ritual traditions and the emergence of practical use in home spaces—including how to prepare and preserve herbs and ingredients. It will propose a manner in which to participate in incense burning, encouraging something similar to mindfulness and aiming to foster inner peace and connection with nature—all while advocating for using materials that are sustainable and in an ethical manner. Readers will learn to mix tradition with practical uses, exploring the potential impact of fragrance and it’s ability to create calm and enjoyable moments. This book contains many photographs to illustrate the art as well as the many processes detailed within.