Rosemary: Incense for Letting Go and New Beginnings
The Dew of the Sea: Rosemary in Farewell
Smoking with Rosemary stands entirely under the sign of farewell and mourning. Rosemary is a primordial rock in the history of incense; it is one of the very old ritual plants and was often used in Europe as a native substitute for expensive, imported Frankincense. Its properties in fumigation are healing, exorcising, and purifying. Its Plant Spirit guides us through the labyrinth of grief and separation.
Rosemary in Times of Grief: The Art of Letting Go
In cases of death—whether human or animal—one can smoke with Rosemary. This facilitates the transition of the soul. It allows us, the living, to say goodbye and let go, which is of utmost importance. According to the Old Faith, if we hold on too tightly with our grief, the soul of the deceased cannot detach and remains trapped in the Now. Our ancestors believed these trapped souls could become “Wiedergänger” (Revenants or restless spirits). Rosemary helps to cut these ties gently but firmly.
Help with Problems & Fears
A Rosemary fumigation is excellently suited for stuck problems where we simply cannot find the way out. The plant spirit will show us the exit; we only need to walk towards it and thereby clear our problems out of the way.
Strength and Courage: This incense imparts power to us, making us aware of our own inner strength. We gain the courage to embark on new paths. It is also very well suited for anxious people. It reveals our deep-seated self-confidence, which often remains hidden from us by self-doubt and fear.
A Clear Mind: Our disposition also benefits from Rosemary incense:
Our mind becomes livelier and fresher.
Our concentration improves.
Cleansing & Blends
Its smoke contains strong purifying energies. Therefore, Rosemary is also excellent for smoking out houses. In earlier times, sickrooms were fumigated with Rosemary and Juniper to help the sick recover faster or to cleanse the air of contagion.
Blends: Rosemary mixes wonderfully with Sage and Larch Resin (Lärche) to create a strengthening incense blend.
(You can learn how to smoke properly in my article: The Art of Sacred Smoke: How to Burn Resin & Herbs Correctly
