I really like and enjoy the incense Marcus makes and so generously gifts me with, and burning methods have come up. Most of the time, I just light a stick up and lay it in an ashtray. There are times when I want to burn frankincense or myrrh, and those call for the monkish method. Charcoal tablets are available in handy little rolls from any monastery supply. Using tongs, light up your tablet – I use the stovetop, just holding one edge to the flame. These burn easily and well, so you don’t need to torch them to death. Care is required here so you don’t burn your house down. Place the tablet in or on a fireproof surface. Think of it as a little stove, you need zero clearance. You don’t need anything special, rocks work great. Care is also needed when placing your incense of choice on the tablet. These produce a great deal of smoke, so be stingy with the amount you place on the tablet at one time. As you can see, smoke starts billowing right away. If the smoke decreases, gently blowing on the tablet will start it going again. The monkish method works great with Marcus’s incense, too!
© C. Ford.
I think I need to send you a Räuchermännchen one of these days…
Oh! Those are so cool. I had no idea. :D
Most tobacconists should carry charcoal tablets as well, and I’d imagine those would be easier to find than monastery supplies.
Monastery supplies are extremely easy to find. Here’s one example.
A proper tobacconist? Not so much, at least not in the States.
“Monastery supplies” is something I have never heard of.
How did I miss this?
I don’t know. I used to get a few catalogs from Monasteries. There are companies who sell monastery supplies, and a fucktonne of various monasteries who sell their handcrafted goodies, foods, booze, soaps, candles, remedies, incense, all manner of stuff. You can get some great stuff from monasteries.
I have seen quite a few churchy supply web-sites, though.
Did you know you can get organic spelt communion bread?
Yes, gluten free and everything!
They sell charcoal tablets for shisha/hookah smoking -- any smoke shop ought to have them. And by “smoke shop” I mean “head shop”..
I usually light my incense a stick at a time using a butane soldering torch. It totally fills the house and the smell lasts for days! But at first it’s a LOT of smoke.