DIY Mabon Incense Loose Blend (Fall Equinox)

This Mabon incense recipe incorporates seasonal herbs, spices and flowers for a sweet-smelling blend to warm the autumn hearth fire. 

Loose incense blends are natural, easy to make and a totally holistic way to celebrate Sabbats.

Born out of playful herbalism sessions in my kitchen, I tinkered with this blend for a while before I came up with something I like.

After a few seasons of trial-and-error, this is what I came up with!

Follow this recipe, or use substitutions best suited to your local foliage and what you already keep on hand.  

Kick Your Stick Habit

The typical incense sticks you’re probably more familiar with work just fine for every day burning.

But for ritual incense, nothing beats handmade loose incense.

You can customize it with ingredients specific to your purpose or substitute obscure ingredients for ones you actually have.  And best of all, anything you make with your own hands carries your energy signature.

So if you never tried making your own incense blends before, this blend is an one to learn on, adjust and make your own.

Wait, how do you burn it?

It’s pretty easy.  You can use a number of different methods.

The most popular way to use loose incense is to burn in a fire safe bowl or cauldron on a (affiliate link —–>) charcoal disk.

But you can also toss it in your fire space.

Or, boil it uncovered in a pot on the stove for a smoke-free way to distribute the energy.

Substitutions and Sourcing

You can substitute or omit any ingredient on this list.  Really.

Start with your kitchen scraps.  If you don’t have orange peel, try another citrus peel, like lemon or grapefruit.  They’re easy to dry, just put them on a paper towel in the open air for 5-7 days or until they get brittle and hard.

Dry whatever wildflowers are in season in your area and substitute them for the calendula flowers in this recipe (just make sure they aren’t toxic when burned!!)

Warm spices like dried allspice berries or ginger root work in place of cinnamon and star anise.

Cedar trees don’t grow where you live?  Substitute pine needles, rosemary or any evergreen that grows locally.  Use what you have.

Make it your own.

Things You Will Need

For your convenience, this section contains affiliate links.  But in the spirit of working with what you have, I encourage you to be creative and experiment with substitutions.

-dried orange peels

–star anise

–cinnamon bark

-dried cedar leaf

-fall florals (I used calendula flowers)

-8 drops orange essential oil

-5 drops cinnamon essential oil

-3 drops nutmeg essential oil

Step 1

Break up chunkier ingredients, like cinnamon and dried orange peel, into smaller pieces.  This will both release the scent and make them easier to burn.

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a clean glass jar using a chopstick or the handle of a wooden spoon.

Step 2

Add essential oils, one drop at a time, mixing the incense between drops to disperse oil evenly.

Store in a clean glass jar for up to 4 months.

How to Use Mabon Incense

Use your Mabon incense anyway you want to.  Here’s a few ideas:

-Toss a handful in to empower your ritual bonfire.

-Burn it in a cauldron or fire safe bowl on a charcoal disk.

-Steep it in water and boil it on the stove for smoke-free way to release the scent of autumn in your home.

-Add a small pinch into a handmade ritual candle during the melting process..

-Gently and slowly warm some food safe carrier oil (like olive oil) on the stove and steep your incense in it.  Add the essential oils at the end.  Then, strain it and use it as an anointing oil for ritual candles, tools and your altar.

-Leave a pinch on your altar as a seasonal offering.