How to use Pneuma incense

The tools

You may be interested in purchasing a dedicated incense burner or a starter kit, but you don’t have to. You can improvise with what you already have at home.
 Find a small heat-proof bowl or plate. Make sure you place it on a fire-proof surface, like a flat stone or marble board. Please always be careful when touching the incense burner – it can get very hot.
 Fill the small bowl with sand/ash/salt. This dissipates the heat from the charcoal.
 Light up the charcoal block by holding it with the tongs into a flame for about 3 minutes. For the flame, you can use a lighter, matches, or a gas stove. Please always use the tongs when manipulating the charcoal disc.
 Place the lit charcoal in the bowl.
 Using a teaspoon, place a pinch of the incense on the charcoal.
 After a while, using the tongs or the teaspoon, you can stir the incense a bit to make sure that all of it burns.
 You can flip the charcoal to stop the smoke or burn more or a different incense.
 Do not leave the hot charcoal unattended. It usually burns for 15 minutes. To speed up the process of the charcoal disc burning down into ash, you can crush it with the tongs and mix it into the sand/ash/salt.

A good alternative (especially for smaller living spaces) is an incense burner with a tealight. You don’t need charcoal and the incense is placed instead on a metallic sift; I would recommend getting one where you can adjust the height of this sift, as you have some control over the intensity of the burn and the amount of smoke. To keep the sift clean, you can cover it with aluminium foil, which you can easily dispose of after burning the incense.

You could also repurpose a candle holder, by securing a piece of aluminium foil at the top where you place the incense. Make sure the flame of the candle is not touching the foil directly and there are some holes in the candle holder to facilitate airflow. 

If smoke is an issue, you could consider purchasing an electric burner. You can control the temperature, so the incense burns more slowly, the fragrance lasts longer, and you don’t have the smoke.

The ritual

Modern-day incense, particularly in industrialized societies, is mainly used for its pleasant smells. And who doesn't like the amazing fragrances of aromatic resins, herbs and woods? But ancient cultures associated a deeper meaning to the burning of incense — think of the funerary rites in Egypt, or the Christian or Buddhist religious ceremonies. (More on this on the About Pneuma page.)

Incense burning can be a powerful mindfulness tool and spiritual practice. This is an aspect that Pneuma tries to encourage, and here are four things you can do:

 Recognizing that you are working with the plants. Plants used as incense have been around for thousands of years, and their properties have been cultivated through various rituals and traditions. These ancient practices have been built over time, on a foundation of respect and humbleness towards the plants that, through burning, release their energy or essence for us to experience, learn from, and enjoy.
 Expressing gratitude. A simple "thank you" to the plants, to yourself, and to everything that has brought you to the present moment can have a great impact on wellbeing.
 Stating your intention. Setting an intention before burning the incense (taking a moment to check in with yourself and to remember why you are burning the incense) develops self-awareness and makes the whole ritual more authentic. You may find inspiration in the description of the incense, but it is even more powerful to set your own intention.
 Being present with the incense. Take a moment to notice and just be with any feelings, emotions, thoughts or whatever it is that the incense brings up for you. 

Cautionary advice

 Make sure to temporarily disable your home's smoke alarm, but please do take the necessary fire safety precautions! You'll most likely be working with lit charcoal and the incense vessel could get very hot.
 Please inform yourself about the ingredients of the incense mix you are about to use, especially if you are prone to allergies.
 Please consider your pets when looking up the possible side-effects of these ingredients; in general, they are sensitive to smoke so please be mindful of that when burning incense.