Looking for a DIY Beltane incense idea? In honor of the upcoming Sabbat next week, I threw together a little seasonal blend especially for Beltane festivities. Check out the recipe below for a quick, easy festival project to welcome the next turn on the Wheel of the Year.
Gathering the Ingredients
Everything in the blend below I keep on hand or find easily in the natural environment around me.
Think of the ingredients below as a rough guide. I suggest some substitutions, but I also encourage you to use your knowledge of herbalism to come up with your own substitutions as well. This isn’t an exact science. Experiment with different ratios until you get something you really like.
Then remember to write it down for next year!!
The ingredients below are listing clockwise from the top of the above image.
Red Bud
I included dried red bud to pay homage to Beltane’s associated with romance. It also happens to be in season right now in many regions of the United States and Canada.
If you search for images of this tree in bloom and you live in one of these regions, you will probably recognize it immediately. I wild harvest the above red bud. It’s also edible!
Suggested Substitute: rose.
Mugwort
In this context, mugwort is used for its reputation for heightening psychic or unconscious awareness. The time between Beltane and Midsummer’s Eve is one of two times of the year when the “veil between worlds” grows to its thinnest (the other being the time between Lammas and Samhain). Mugwort enhances the chance to “reach through the veil” and connect with the Otherside.
Suggested Substitute: damiana or wormwood.
Anise
Ruled by the Element of Air, Anise symbolizes the activity of pollen in the air at this time (sorry allergy sufferers!) and its roll in the coming grow season.
Suggested Substitute: Peppermint.
Orange Peels
Orange symbolizes the growing in power of sunlight from now until Litha or Midsummer, when the sun takes on its full glory. (For more ideas on how to use this herb, check out 10 Ways to Use Oranges in Witchcraft.)
Suggested Substitute: lemon rind.
Wild Violet
Associated with faeries and woodland spirits, wild violet sprinkled in a spring incense lends hope for wishing magic and future growth. Wild violet grows wild in the North East towards mid-spring.
Suggested Substitute: lavender.
Frankincense
Famous for its use in clearing impurities, I included frankincense, which contributes to the lightness of clarity we feel as the spring air comes sweeping back into our lives.
Suggested Substitute: Cinnamon
Blessed be.
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