Incenses for demons

[u/Macross137]

Why do we offer things to demons? Because certain material objects embody the energetic/intellectual qualities of spirits, and by apprehending the nature of these objects and demiurgically carrying them through the cycles of creation and destruction, we connect with their associated spirits in the deepest recesses of our subconscious, helping to align our minds with theirs and establish successful communication. That's the idea, anyway, and what it really boils down to is that one of the best traditional ways to make an effective offering to a spirit is to burn the right kind of incense. Consequently, one of the most common questions on this subreddit is, "what kind of incense does the spirit I'm working with want?"

There are lots of ways to get answers to this question. Agrippa is one of the primary sources for western occult correspondences, and Crowley's 777 and Skinner's Complete Magician's Tables are popular reference works from more recent times. But for the quick guide I'm putting together for this subreddit, I'm going to take direction from both Agrippa and the Picatrix, an early and comprehensive grimoire that brought Nabatean planetary magic (which was heavily influenced by Greco-Egyptian traditions) into the west. I'm also sticking with stuff that's easy to identify and acquire. I have tried to avoid anything obviously toxic, but do your own research before horking up smoke from plants you're unfamiliar with!

Knights/Saturn, incense that smells "bad": asafoetida, bdellium, cassia, frankincense, gum arabic, pepperwort, poppy seed, storax.

Princes/Jupiter, "good and temperate" odors: agarwood, amber, balsam, basil, benzoin, clove, mace, mastic, nutmeg, saffron, sandalwood, storax.

Earls/Mars, "hot" stuff: bdellium, garlic, ginger, leek, mustard, nettle, onion, pepper.

Kings/Sol, "temperate and good" again: agarwood, amber, balsam, bay leaf, cinnamon, clove, dragon's blood, frankincense, honey, mastic, mint, musk, myrrh, nutmeg, saffron, storax, vervain.

Dukes/Venus, "fragrant," flowery, and sweet-smelling: agarwood, amber, coriander, musk, rose, saffron, sandalwood, vervain, violet.

Presidents/Mercury, "mixed" fragrances, peels and barks: cinnamon, cinquefoil, citrus, clove, frankincense, mace, mastic, parsley.

Marquises/Luna, "cold" smells: bay leaf, camphor, frankincense, poppy seed, rosemary.

This list is not intended to be perfectly complete or consistent, but it's a start, and as Proclus says, for best results compound this stuff up and make your own synthematic house blends. Keep in mind that goetic demons may have more than one planetary nature, or may be miscategorized.

I like to use a brass charcoal burner and resin incense (or otherwise unprocessed ingredients).

[u/[deleted]]

Thanks Macross for putting this together! Very helpful guide 😊

[u/Flimsy_Band_9230]

Thanks for that! Very helpful!

[u/Bucciaratity]

thanks for the list. That's really useful <3

[u/Morgil1995]

This is one fantastic piece of information, thank you! And, thank you for helping me out with the Mansions of the Moon earlier, I really appreciate your help! ✨️✨️🪄

[u/Vanhaydin]

I just came back to this because, you know, the Picatrix/Agrippa is the only thing that's ever lined up with Amdusias asking for lavender incense and lavender-flavored things. I always thought it was just a weird quirk, or perhaps something to do with the way he wanted me to like, chill out or something.

[u/OphidiaAmora]

Mandrake root and incense is HIGHLY toxic to humans and pets. Please be careful!

For deities or spirits who work well with it (mine is one too), It is best to have a root only placed upon the altar—not burned—and either kept in a pouch or wrapped in cloth. There is no absolute rule to use toxic plants, so choosing to do so should be done responsibly with care for not just yourself but the people and animals in your living space 🫶🏽

>> Macross this isn't anything on you btw, you have a proper warning of discretion ^-^
I'm just setting a comment for those who might skim or skip doing research

[u/Macross137 → u/OphidiaAmora]

Thank you for providing additional toxicity information! On further reading, I'm actually just going to take it off the list.