Quick Specs
- Type: Frankincense Tears Granular Resin Incense
- Form: Whole dried resin tears
- Size/Quantity: 1.5 oz
- Best for: Meditation, purification, prayer, space clearing
What Frankincense Tears Are and Where They Come From
Frankincense tears are the whole, dried resin droplets harvested from Boswellia sacra, Boswellia carterii, and related species native to the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa, particularly Oman, Yemen, and Ethiopia. Harvesters score the bark of mature trees, and the milky sap that bleeds out hardens into teardrop-shaped pieces on contact with air, which is where the name comes from. The tears are then graded by size, color, and clarity before sale, with larger, paler, more translucent pieces commanding the highest grade.
The 1.5-ounce quantity here gives you a meaningful supply of whole tears rather than powder or fragments. Each tear burns slowly and consistently on hot charcoal, producing a sustained column of smoke that fills a room methodically. This makes the tears format especially useful for longer ceremonies, extended meditation sessions, or any ritual where you want the smoke to carry presence throughout the working without constant tending.
How Practitioners Use Frankincense Tears Across Traditions
Frankincense has been burned in sacred contexts for at least three thousand years. In ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt it was an offering to the sun gods and a component of kyphi, a complex temple incense. In Abrahamic traditions it carries associations with divine presence and prayer, a significance that persists in Catholic and Eastern Orthodox liturgy today. Ceremonial magicians use it for purification, raising spiritual vibration before ritual, and invoking solar deities.
Frankincense is a traditional church and folk-magic incense resin, and church-style resin incense is also used in hoodoo. Many practitioners combine it with myrrh from my granular resin collection for the classic frankincense-and-myrrh pairing: frankincense opens and elevates, myrrh grounds and seals the working. The combination appears in grimoires, folk magic texts, and practical guides dating back centuries and continues to be one of the most reliable dual-resin blends in use.
How to Use Frankincense Tears Resin Incense
Frankincense tears burn on charcoal discs in a heat-safe incense burner. This three-step method covers preparation, burning, and directing the smoke for ritual use.
- Prepare Your Burner
Light a self-igniting charcoal disc in a heat-safe ceramic or metal burner and let it ash over for two to three minutes. Once it glows and turns grey at the edges, you have a stable, even heat source ready.
- Add the Tears
Place two or three frankincense tears directly onto the hot charcoal using a small metal spoon or tongs. The resin softens and melts quickly, releasing fragrant, billowing smoke within seconds. Add more as needed.
- Work with the Smoke
Direct the smoke through your ritual space, over altar tools, or around yourself while holding a clear intention. Crack a window slightly for ventilation, and let the charcoal cool completely before disposing of ash.
The Tarot Fellow Standard
I stock frankincense tears specifically in whole-tear form because the grading matters in practice. Tears burn longer and more evenly than ground resin or siftings, giving you a sustained smoke for extended sessions without constant restoking. The 1.5-ounce size is a practical middle ground: large enough for regular use, compact enough for anyone building a practice who does not yet need bulk quantities. If you use resin incense consistently, this size disappears at a reasonable pace. You can browse my altar supplies to find charcoal discs, heat-safe burners, and other tools that pair with granular resin work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frankincense tears are the whole, hardened resin droplets that bleed from Boswellia tree bark. They burn slowly and fully on charcoal, releasing richer, more complex smoke than powdered or granular forms.
Burn frankincense tears on a lit charcoal disc in a heat-safe burner. Place one to three tears on the glowing coal, let them melt and smoke, and direct the fragrant plume through your space or over your altar tools.
Frankincense tears are the highest-grade whole resin pieces. Siftings are smaller fragments and dust from processing. Tears burn more slowly and evenly, giving a longer, more sustained smoke for extended ritual work.
Frankincense is traditionally burned before meditation, prayer, and divination. Many practitioners use it to open sacred space, calm the mind, and pair it with myrrh for a balanced, grounding purification smoke blend.
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