Quick Specs
- Brand: Pure resin (unbranded Boswellia siftings)
- Type: Pure resin incense (burned on charcoal)
- Size/Quantity: 1.5 oz
- Best for: Purification, meditation, prayer, space consecration, spiritual protection
What Are Frankincense Siftings?
Frankincense is the dried resin harvested from trees of the genus Boswellia, primarily Boswellia sacra from Oman and Yemen, Boswellia carterii from Somalia and Ethiopia, and related species across the Horn of Africa. The resin is collected by making incisions in the bark and allowing the sap to bleed out and harden into chunks called tears. When those tears are sorted and graded by size, the smaller pieces and fragments that fall through the grading sieve are called siftings. They are not lower in quality or purity; they are simply smaller in size. The resin content, aroma, and burn characteristics are identical to whole tears from the same tree and harvest.
Siftings are a practical purchasing choice for anyone who burns frankincense regularly. Because they are smaller and less uniform than whole tears, they are often more economical per ounce while delivering the same pure, clean burn. The 1.5 oz quantity in this listing provides a substantial number of individual burnings: a small pinch or a few pieces per charcoal disc is all that is needed for a full session. This makes frankincense siftings an excellent everyday resin for practitioners who incorporate frankincense into regular meditation, prayer, or space-clearing work. You can find charcoal discs and burners in my charcoal and sand section to burn alongside this resin.
Five Thousand Years of Frankincense: History and Spiritual Uses
Frankincense has been burned in sacred spaces for more than five thousand years. Ancient Egyptians used it as temple incense, in embalming preparations, and as a fumigant in spaces dedicated to the gods. In the Hebrew tradition, it was one of the four sacred ingredients of the Temple incense described in the Pentateuch. The Magi brought it as a gift at the birth of Jesus, and it has been burned continuously in Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Coptic Christian churches ever since. In Islamic tradition, burning frankincense is practiced for purification and to drive away negative influences. In hoodoo and folk Catholic traditions, it is burned alongside myrrh for protection and consecration.
Modern practitioners across traditions use frankincense for the same purposes it has always served: purifying and consecrating a space before ritual work, deepening meditation by creating a sacred atmosphere, and as a general protective incense that clears negative energy. Its scent is warm, slightly citrusy, and resinous, with a quality that many practitioners describe as inherently elevating and spiritually clarifying. Pure resin frankincense, burned directly on charcoal, delivers a fuller and more authentic experience than fragrance-oil-based stick or cone incense approximations of the scent.
How to Use Frankincense Siftings
Burn frankincense siftings on a lit charcoal disc in a heat-safe burner. A few small pieces per session is all that is needed for a full aromatic burn.
- Light the Charcoal Disc
Light a self-igniting charcoal disc in a heat-safe burner filled with sand. Use tongs to hold the edge of the disc and apply a flame until it sparks and begins to glow. Wait for the disc to ash over completely before placing any resin on top of it.
- Place Siftings on the Charcoal
Place two or three siftings on the glowing charcoal. The resin will melt and smolder, releasing a warm, slightly citrusy, resinous smoke. Frankincense burns cleanly. Add another piece when the smoke thins to maintain a continuous fragrant burn.
- Use During Meditation or Space Clearing
Use frankincense siftings for meditation, prayer, or space cleansing. Direct the smoke around an altar or throughout a room. The 1.5 oz quantity provides many individual sessions and is a practical size for practitioners who burn frankincense often.
The Tarot Fellow Standard
I stock frankincense siftings because pure resin frankincense belongs in any serious incense practice, and siftings give you the same authentic material at a sensible quantity for regular use. The 1.5 oz size is calibrated for practitioners who burn frankincense regularly but want to work through a manageable quantity between purchases. This is genuine Boswellia resin, not a fragrance approximation. If you are building out a complete resin incense collection, my full granular and resin incense section includes myrrh, dragon’s blood, and related resins that pair well with frankincense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Siftings are the smaller pieces and fragments left when whole frankincense tears are sorted and graded. They are genuine Boswellia resin in smaller, irregular sizes. Siftings burn identically and produce the same aromatic smoke as whole tears.
Frankincense resin has been burned in sacred spaces for over five thousand years across Egyptian, Hebrew, Christian, and Islamic traditions. Practitioners use it for purification, meditation, protection, prayer, and consecration of sacred spaces.
Place one to three pieces on a fully lit charcoal disc in a heat-safe burner. The resin melts and smolders, producing fragrant smoke. No additional equipment is needed beyond a lit charcoal disc and a suitable fireproof burner with sand in the base.
Siftings are simply smaller in size, not lower in quality. The resin content and aromatic profile are the same as whole tears from the same Boswellia source. They are a practical and economical way to buy pure frankincense resin for regular use.
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