Resin – HEM Copal

A purifying incense from the sap of Copal trees. HEM golden Copal resin is fresh and complex, and comes packaged in a cardboard window box.

Contains 30 g of pure Copal resin granules (or approximately 1 oz).

Intended for true incense lovers, resin incenses offer you the purest traditional fragrances without fillers or binders. To use, burn over charcoal in a censer, stone dish, or brazier.

Interested in burning resin incenses like Frankincense and Myrrh?  The first thing you’ll need is a roll of charcoal tablets.

Most stick and cone incense is charcoal-based, meaning the fragrance ingredients are pre-mixed with charcoal to allow them to burn evenly.  Using charcoal separately allows you to burn incense that wouldn’t ignite well on their own, like pure tree resins and herbs.  With charcoal, you can avoid unwanted additives and make custom blends to suit your ritual needs and preferences.

Charcoal comes in rolls or boxes of tablets, and is available at Petal Dew.

Next, you’ll need a safe heatproof container for your charcoal.  (Lit charcoal can reach 1200 degrees Fahrenheit!)  You want something that is both thick enough to prevent heat transfer to surface, and wide enough to catch any stray sparks. A stone bowl filled with sand is your best bet.  If you’re using a metal incense burner, place a wood coaster or cloth underneath it to avoid scorching your table.

To light the charcoal, hold it by one edge while applying flame to the other. (The safest way to do this is to use incense tongs.)  Self-lighting charcoal will begin to crackle and pop as the surface ignites.  (You can blow on it gently as if you were lighting a campfire.)  When the whole surface is glowing, it’s ready for you to add your incense.  Add incense a pinch at a time, and enjoy!

Different brands have different burning times, but most tablets will burn for around 15-20 minutes.  Allow to cool completely before cleaning up the ashes.

One final note: Charcoal tablets are susceptible to moisture, especially in humid climates.  Seal the package after opening.  A zipper-seal bag or other airtight container help make sure the charcoal is easy to light next time.

• Copal Benefits Insomnia/Anxiety Known for its ability to elicit mentally uplifting and calming effects, Copal is rich in triterpenes that have been shown to significantly reduce anxiety. Burning this resin is thought to activate “ion” channels in the brain, helping to alleviate stress and anxiety.

Copal is associated with the crown chakra and is used to cleanse and uplift the auric body and clear energy blockages. It also provides protection and is used for blessings. Allow this sacred smoke to raise your spirit and ease feelings of depression, anxiety, or stagnation. Use it during meditation. You could also use this smoke to cleanse crystals and areas at home or work or during sweat lodge ceremonies, as indigenous people still do. Some healers burn it to diagnose one’s energy field and be able to better see and cleanse blockages.

Traditionally, Copal was used by the Mayans and Aztecs. The Aztec language of Nahuatl uses the word copalli, which translates to incense. Mayans now refer to copal as pom. It has been used as an offering to the god Tlaloc and the goddess Chalchiuhtlicue, both associated with creation and fertility. Copal is used for new beginnings, clearing the old and bringing in the new order. It is associated with the Sun, which is masculine, and the element of fire. Use it to raise your vibration and bring in love. Copal is used all-year in churches in Mexico and for the Day of the Dead celebration.

Traditionally, copal has be used medicinally. It is said it has successfully been used on the skin to combat infections and issues such as dermatitis, burns, and rashes. Some us it as an expectorant, thinning out mucus and aiding congestion and cough, and to ease muscular aches and pains and arthritis.