What is incense sticks made out of and how can one make their own?
Stick incense is made with “punk sticks” and fragrance oils. All the components are natural materials. The sticks themselves are imported from China and are made of bamboo. The upper portion of each stick is coated with paste made of sawdust from machilus wood, a kind of hardwood. But I prefer to buy similar products, these incense to meditate are most often available in almost every store and at affordable prices
Incenses are made of herbal materials mixed with charcoal (so they burn evenly), resins (to enable them to hold a shape), and sometimes soaked with essential oils. You can use powdered herbs on a charcoal (NOT a briquet from the grill – they sell charcoals specially made for this in religious stores) as well as cones or sticks. Wal-mart might sell cinnamon incense, but make sure it’s made with natural oils and herbs instead of a cheap punk soaked in synthetic fragrance oil. If you’re interested in making your own incenses, check out this website: http://incensemaking.
