Winter Solstice Incense

Description

This incense blend is dedicated to the rituals surrounding the winter solstice and the longest night of the year, when the sun reaches its annual nadir. At the same time the winter solstice marks the turning point and signals the sun’s rebirth in the months to follow. But before the light of the sun regains in power, there are the long and cold nights following the winter solstice. It is a time spent at home, by the hearth, and rituals are performed to protect the home from death and sickness.

The incense shall hence serve the purposes of protection and cleansing. In particular it also protects against the evil spirits of the “Wild Hunt”, which are thought to rise from the underworld during this time of the year and bring havoc and death over the world of the living.

On the other hand it contains powerful herbal ingredients, which act as potent astral door-openers and guide in communication with the spirits of the forests and nature, e.g. in dream or meditation. It can be burnt when calling forth the “reindeer mother” of Northern shamanic traditions or evoking other, winter related entities.

As usual, a part of the ingredients in this blend has been gathered by myself. During the autumn and winter storms, I collect fresh wind-swept branches, which to me have especially powerful magical qualities. The winds guided in the composition of this blend, which is a fragrant ode to the winter forest (similar to Samhain incense).

The blend contains leaves and needles from evergreen trees such as holly, pine, juniper and yew, as well as bark and wood from deciduous trees that are traditionally part of yule rituals, such as ash and birch. It also contains metasequoia needles – an unusual conifer, which sheds its foliage in autumn. Once thought extinct, then rediscovered, this tall tree is a strong symbol of rebirth and longevity. Further, I included ingredients connected to Northern regions and shamanic traditions, such as aromatic Siberian fir needles, healsome chaga mushroom and
inebriant wild rosemary (Ledum palustre). Lastly, amber, myrrh, first grade “green hojari” frankincense and sandarac resin complete this wintry blend, which is indeed all about the trees and forests, nature cycles, winter legends and the throne of North.

The incense and cervid design adorning the incense vessels reference both Old and New world winter folklore, from sacred deer mother to “Wendigo” to horned master of the sylvan realm and so forth.

Use: Burn this blend during a long meditation,dream and trance work accompanying the longest night of the year, yule celebrations, winter sacrifices, for protection, communicating with the ancient spirits of the forests and wilderness, purification, renewal and healing.

Contains: ash leaf, baltic amber, birch bark, chaga mushroom, fir needles and cone scales, ‘hojari’ frankincense, holly leaf, juniper tips and bark, labrador tea (wild rosemary), metasequoia leaf, mistletoe, myrrh, oakmoss, pine needles, sandarac resin, spruce resin, yew needles, wormwood

Scent: coniferous, aerial, herbaceous, like a walk through the winterly forest