Incense is perhaps the most ancient tool of the magician and sorcerer. Recipes for incense blends and fumigations have been recovered from the first human societies, tracing a lineage of practice thousands of years into the past. By evoking the sense of smell, the "most spiritual of the senses," magicians have used incense to call forth spirits, seek prophecy, consecrate talismans, and perfume their ritual circles. 

This workshop will guide students through a history of occult incense and fumigation, seeking inspiration from centuries of recipes and formulae. Students will explore, touch, and smell various incense ingredients from the familiar to the exotic, before watching a live demonstration of one of the oldest incense crafting techniques. Each guest will take home a small jar of freshly blended incense to experiment with at home. 

MEET MELISSA

Melissa Madara is an occultist, author, and educator, teaching magic and witchcraft from a historical perspective. Their work explores history, animism, plant folklore, and traditional crafts through the lens of witchcraft and esoterica. Melissa is the curator of Moon Cult, an online community of curious witches who learn and practice together. Find Melissa’s interviews in the New York Times, Vice, Teen Vogue, and Refinery 29, or see their published works in Fiddler's Green, Venefica Magazine, or their two books, The Witch’s Feast & The Witch’s Workshop. Follow Melissa at mooncvlt.com or on IG @moon.cultus