Incense and Divination

Most of us that are involved in a magickal and spiritual path make a serious effort in our practice to learn and become proficient in at least one form of divination.  While using tools like tarot, runes and pendulums are some of the most common, there are some interesting forms that are lesser known that, once discovered by someone, can become quickly part of someone's magickal practice.One of these forms is one that many of us could utilize in every ritual or even on a daily basis through a simple act that many of use do regularly.  It's called Libanomancy, also sometimes called livanomancy, livanomancy, or knissomancy,  the act of divination through the observation and interpretation of incense smoke.  The signs of messages and information are drawn off of the pops, flares, crackling sounds and the various patterns found within the rising smoke.  Manuals detailing the signs and their meanings and well and the methods employed to do this form of divination date back to about 2,000 -1,600 BC and originated from Mesopotamia eventually traveling to Egypt and Europe.In one of these original transcripts giving such information, "Three Collated Libanomancy Texts" (which was translated by Irving L. Finkel in 1983-1984) lists some of these recommended ways to read the incense.

1. If when you sprinkle the incense, its flame burns smokily, your army will defeat an enemy.
2. If when you sprinkle the incense, it stops short, and afterwards its flame burns smokily, an enemy will defeat your army.
3. If when you sprinkle the incense, the smoke goes to the right and does not go to its left, you will prevail over your adversary.
4. If when you sprinkle the incense, the smoke goes to its left and does not go to its right, your adversary will prevail over you.
5. If when you sprinkle the incense, the smoke goes to the east and does not go towards the crotch of the diviner, downfall for your adversary.
6. If when you sprinkle the incense, the smoke goes towards the crotch of the diviner and does not go to the east, your adversary will prevail over you.
7. If when you sprinkle the incense, the smoke goes equally in all directions: equal weapons.
8. If when you sprinkle the incense, the smoke clusters: success: the man will enjoy profit wherever he goes.
9. If the top of the incense smoke is fragmented: there will be financial loss and loss of cattle in the man's estate. (Next line 9a too damaged for translation)
10. If the top of the incense smoke is cleft (in two): madness.
11. If the top of the incense smoke is cut off: the man will experience hard times...
12. If the top the incense smoke (looks) like the brickbasket of Šamaš: there will be di'u disease in the man's household.
13. If the top of the incense smoke gathers like a date-palm and is thin (down) at its base: hardship will seize the man.
14. If the incense smoke after a while is constricted: hard times will befall the man.
15. If the incense smoke after a while pushes through and gets out: the man will pull through hard times.
16. If the incense smoke pushes through to the east and gets out: the man will pull through hard times.

While many of these specific translations might not pertain to us today (I'm sure many of us aren't too worried about whether our armies are going to defeat an enemy, we can certainly modify these meanings, taking their essence, and rewording and reworking them to make them more relevant.The best kinds of incense to use for this sort of divination is loose incense that is cast on burning coals.  Using incense that includes seeds, especially hemp, fennel and coriander seeds, and salt peter, also known as Vesta Powder, allows for more than just divination based on the smoke itself but allows for the pops and flames of flame to be interpreted as well.  When you use cone or stick incense you can always work with any changes in burn patterns, if the incense goes out suddenly etc.  When using loose incense that uses just herbs you may occasionally get some pops or flares but you can instead utilize the patters in the smoke as well as any images that you may see in the pile of herbs as they burn on the coals utilizing the same techniques often used in water, fire or mirror scrying.If you enjoy creating your own incense you can pick herbs and seeds that might either pertain to the specific type of question that you have or one designed specifically for divination.  Take a few moments to focus on your question or questions while the coals warm, asking for the Spirits, Guides and Gods you work with to guide your divination.  Then when you're ready toss a good amount of incense on the coals.  You want to be sure to use enough to allow it to burn for a few minutes to give you time to divine from it; a small pinch will not be enough for this, and because of that it is advisable to work in a well ventilated area but being careful not to be working right by a window or outdoors since the wind can play a factor. Some interpretations used today include:

1. One pop for "yes".
2. Two quick pops together for "no".
3. Silence (no pops if you have incense with seeds that should pop) for "answer unclear".
4. If the smoke quickly moves away from you it can indicate either a negative outcome or things moving away from you.
5. If the smoke quickly moves toward you it can indicate either a positive outcome or things moving toward you.
6. If the incense goes out before it should it can indicate that now is not the time to  ask this question.
7. Look for shapes in the smoke and interpret them much like in tea leaf reading.

Try using this method of divination at your next Esbat or Sabbat rituals.  It's a simple method that you can customize and personalize to your own needs, working with your chosen Gods and Spirits, and making part of your personal tradition no matter what your spiritual practice is.