Homemade Magical Cone Incense

I'm about out of my special cone incense, so it's time to get out the supplies and make enough to get me through at least the first few months of the new year. I think I'll make this part of my Summer and Winter Solstice preparations - that way I'll always have some nice fresh incense to use for my Grove ritual, which I perform any time I'm doing a holiday celebration or a magical working.

Here is the recipe I use.

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Ritual Incense of Peace, Protection and Purification

Gives many of the characteristics of resin incense with the convenience, cleanliness and portability of cones. Smells like a walk in the summer woods crossed with a campfire - spicey, piney, smokey, but with a clean hint of floral

Incense Base

9 good-quality unscented wood-based small incense cones
1 tablet of incense charcoal, 33mm size

Grind wood based incense cones to powder in a coffee grinder. Sift out any large pieces and regrind these until powdered. Place resulting wood powder into a small jar that's been fitted with an airtight lid. Grind one charcoal tablet in a mortar and pestle until powder, then add it to the wood dust in the jar. Mix thoroughly by shaking the lidded jar until the powder is a uniform color and texture. Allow dust to settle before opening jar to add more ingredients, and be careful not to inhale the powder. To this base mixture, also powder and add:

1 tsp. each of

Three Kings resin incense, or use 1/2 tsp each of frankincense and myrrh resins
Copal resin
Aromatic rose petals, dried

1/2 tsp each of

Pine, cedar or Spruce resin
Benzoin powder
lavender flowers, dried

Grind all of the above with mortar and pestle until these ingredients are also well powdered, then add them to the incense base and mix thoroughly. Add three drops of lavender essential oil, and nine drops of rose absolute or another rose essential oil to the dry ingredients. Mix oils into the dry ingredients until you can no longer see clumps.

To the dry ingredients add purified or magical water, a dropperful at a time, until the powdered ingredients begin to clump up and form a rather dry, somewhat spongy "clay." Use only enough water to enable the mixture to hold its shape when firmly pressed. Using your fingers, firmly knead and press teaspoonfuls of the clay into skinny pyramid-shaped, flat based "cones" of incense, approximately three-quarters to one inch tall by half an inch thick and tapering to a point at the top. (Circular cone shapes are difficult to do by hand, but a tall pyramidal shape is much easier to form and works just as well.) Dry on a flat surface in a warm room for at least three days before use. When completely dry, use non-toxic paint to paint an Awen, Air or other sacred symbols on the cone sides if desired, allowing the paint a little time to dry before using the incense. Store unused incense cones in a small airtight container to help keep them dry and to preserve their volatile oils and scents.

Makes 10-12 medium-small "cones" of incense.