Burning Offerings

Fire is a powerful tool in ritual work and any form of magickal practice. The practice of burning materials dates back to thousands upon thousands of years. This is just a small guide on burning materials such as incense for offerings, or for just clearing out your space. If you're ever on the path to creating a magickal practice, it's always important to know your materials well, and to stock up. I won't take you through a history lesson, but I will definitely do my best to cover the strengths of each material.

• Sage: Burning sage is an incredibly common material. A lot of new-agers tend to love smudging, and saging often. Sage is a powerful tool to rid and clear a space of energies. This includes both positive and negative; giving a blank slate, and workspace for those who need to begin anew. I always recommend a thorough smudging whenever individuals are moving into a new home, buying a used car, or creating a new altar. Take note that if a place is already filled with that of a positive vibe, that the sage will remove it as well. Nothing really stays when you smudge. Burning Sage in my opinion is NOT a good offering to spirits, or any entities.
  
• Palo Santo. Also known as holy wood. It's a great tool used to remove negativity while preserving the positive energies in the room. Palo Santo varies a lot in quality, and doesn't always come in the most consistent of quality. It's always a good idea to inspect your pieces, and make sure they are holding a good amount of resin in the wood. This is a great tool if you're looking to bring in positivity. This is also great to helping people deal with anxiety, or even panic attacks. I always recommend burning Palo Santo at the door of a newly opened storefront or business. Palo Santo is a great offering towards nature spirits, and Planetary entities.
  
• Tobacco Leaves. Take note I don't mean cigarettes, but the real, raw stuff. Tobacco leaves are an incredibly powerful material. Sadly it's views have been heavily perversed by modern smoking culture, but those that see it's true value will understand. Tobacco is a great offering for chthonic entities, as well as darker entities. It's an incredible wealth accumulating material when offered, and burned properly. Burning tobacco for just about most entities is considered highly respectful, and honorable. This is not a material to be overlooked.
  
• Dried Flower Petals. I like to keep this a bit more vague and generic given that burning flower petals is just as good as burning it's incense counterpart. Flower petals are made great for lovework, and working with entities that rule over matters of the heart. Roses are quite a popular choice, as well as Carnations. Personally I'm not a fan of Petals, as it takes a lot to burn in order to make up the equal effect of it's concentrated other; Incense. Only use this sparingly, or offer flower petals plain, and unburnt.
  
• Meat. Meat is a great offering towards those of an Ancient God. Especially darker entities such as demons. Offering flesh is always appreciated, and burning these on coals, or alcohol is a powerful tool to talk to infernal beings. I usually burn chicken hearts, as they are a cheap and plentiful material to buy anywhere. Local butchers usually have a ton of them. Take note that it's easy to get really uncomfortable, and queasy over offering flesh or meat, but be aware that the circle of life is a very prominent element in spiritual growth, and magickal practice. Vegans, and Peta-heads need not apply. Missing out on meat offerings will have you miss out on a lot of spiritual growth.
  
• Incense. This will be the biggest topic I will cover, as there are many types of incenses out there. This is the easily available; go-to type of offering that I personally believe everyone should have a hold of if they're even remotely looking to expand their practice. :
  
• Frankincense and Myrrh are powerful in working with old entities, especially that of royalty, or those that have canaanite origins. Goetic beings usually enjoy this duo of scents, as well entities that work in houses of wealth. Although these come in charcoal stick form, I strongly recommend to get these two in it's pure resin form over all.
  
• Champa/ Nag Champa. Nag Champa is a type of sandalwood based incense that has a very wet smell. It's not something I would use for an offering, but it makes a great incense for meditation, and focus. This should be used more as an offering to yourself, your higher self, and your godself.
  
• Dragon's Blood is a great incense when looking to boost the power of your spellwork, or rootwork. As an offering, it's a powerful tool to please infernal beings, and is great when dealing with a darker energy. Dragons blood comes in many mediums, but I personally prefer burning it in powder form over a coal disk.
  
• Floral scented incense is almost universal, and can be used with just about any entity. I usually stick to rose, and lavender. There's almost no reason to go beyond those two scents given that they already cover most, if not all aspects of an offering. Rose incense is of course a great offering for cases in the matters of the heart.
  
• Cinnamon incenses are usually just good for small money spells. I don't find much significance in this scent, but it does well in a pinch.
  
• Moldavite incense is rare to come by, and is an incredibly powerful vibrational incense. Using it's elements can increase synchronities, and help align any energies that seem out of place. Those who aren't spiritually sensitive will easily pick up on moldavite's intense energies. Not a great offering incense to other entities, but ideal in self-development
  
  
  Hopefully this small list will be of value to those looking to expand their practice.
  
  -James