"Incense ... When a visitor enters your home, Let sweet fragrance greet them. It carries a meaning, “You are honored here...." Incense is a blessing of the air, An offering.... For the visitor might be a god in disguise.... "- Katlyn
Nature has so much to share with us all. The earth is a mystical teacher, a loving mother and provider of many gifts, including many aromatic ingredients burned alone or in combination as incense. Incense is said to carry your prayers up to the heavens, especially among the saints and has historical reference in every culture including the bible, where it was burned by many. The language of scent is rich, holding many keys, unlocking many doors.The earth is a magickal and profound place, where mystery abounds and life is a miracle in motion. I have been looking forward to experiencing Mermade Magickal Arts incense and perfumes ever since I started listing to Zingaia. There is nothing that compares to the burning of a good incense, as it is mind altering, sacred, divine and heart opening. Scent undoubtedly has great power,. It is capable of healing, enhancing dreams, arousal in all forms including sexual, stirring the emotions, triggering memories, raising energy, cleaning and purifying, increase psychic powers, meditation, ritual, attraction, repulsion, peace, war ... you get the idea.
Mermade Magickal Arts & Katlyn BreeneMermade Magickal Arts, born in 1984, is a natural incense and artisan perfume shop, the residence of the well-loved and extremely talented, creator and owner Katlyn Breene. Most of the incense is created and packaged by hand in Katlyn's workshop, with a few choice, rare exceptions that Mermade finds important to share with us all. An inspiration, Katlyn is a woman of many talents. A musician, artist, poet, mystic, high priestess and artisan of fine incense blends and perfume artist, Katlyn blends all her gifts, spinning a a web of mystery and intrigue into all she does. She has created the cover art for several albums, as well as her own and written and illustrated several books on spiritual arts and folklore. Her unique blends of incense can only be found at Mermade Magickal Arts. Mermade Magical Arts also houses Zingaia, the musical project of Katlyn and her husband Micheal, and Katlyn's artwork collectively known as "Altar Images".
The Art Of IncensePeople have been gathering, combining and burning fragrant woods, resins, oils, herbs, berries, spices and flowers for centuries. Incense has played an important role in the spiritual lives of many, if not all ancient cultures through-out history and continues to do so today. The fragrant gifts from nature are our allies. Great care, as with a friend or loved-one, should be taken in order to help release the full fragrance, the full potential of the incense. To learn more about the Art of Incense, visit Mermaid Magickal Arts. The website is filled with interesting articles about incense and proper technique. There is more to know then you probably think.
My ExperienceI wasn't quite sure what to expect from Mermade. I am a huge Zingaia fan and to me this incense is special, making me feel a little closer to Katlyn. It is quite easy to see that she has been making incense and perfume for thirty years now. The products are exceptional, beautifully packaged, clean smelling and pure. As to be expected, I had a different experience with each and I do indeed have favorites that I will be placing an order for soon. My husband was also involved in this experiment, a review I can safely say has been one of the "funnest" yet.
I find it relevant to this review to mention that some of these products I did not like at first, yet after experiencing them a few times, I grew to absolutely love them. This is especially true with the "In Sense" Balm and the Aphrodisia oil, which I learned is a natural enhancement to one's own scent, a special kind of incense alchemy. I love how Katlyn describes her body oils and balms - as living incense on the skin, created with art and made with love, uniquely beautiful to each one who wears them. They contain absolutely no synthetic fragrance, so if you are sensitive to synthetic perfumes, this is definitely where you want to shop for an all-natural scent to wear.
All the incense burns clean and pure. It only took burning a little bit to make my room smell great, and lasted a few hours before the aroma began to wane. Synthetic materials in commercially-produced incense can often cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. My husband is one of those sensitive individuals and he did not experience any kind of breathing difficulties while burning any of the incense. That is such great news because I certainly could burn incense on a daily basis.
The one down side to Mermade's products are that some of them are limited and it is easy to get addicted. A little pricey for some, although completely worth it and certainly reasonable. I would love to see a few more sample packs available. This would be a great way to get a taste of all the products, something I plan to eventual do. Sample packs also make great gifts.
The following is a list of the Mermade products that I sampled and my thoughts on each.
Oman Frankincense, Boswellia Sacra, $6.95, 2.5 (really more like 3 oz.) ounces. This is a great price for high-quality Frankincense and although it is one of the cheaper varieties that Mermade has to offer, it certainly is up there in the high-end department. It is direct from the harvest and may contain bits and pieces of the tree in came from. That is why it is offered at such a low price. I have purchased several packs of these as gifts for Christmas. Body Incense, "In Sense" Balm, $20.00. If I had to choose a favorite of the bunch it would be this body balm, suitable for man or woman. This sweet, erotic, mysterious, sensuous balm is unlike anything I have ever had before. Inspired by Kyphi, you get a different taste of the sacred Egyptian blend. It melts right into the skin, like glaze on a deliscious, delicate dessert, blending with my own chemistry and creating a unique scent that is mine alone.
Aphrodesia Incense, $16.00, 12 pieces in jar. Sexy, erotic, strong, romantic, sweet, flowery and female, this incense is great, my favorite incense that I tried. It does not require charcoal, you simply light it and let it do its magic. This incense "gets noticed", creating an aromatic environment that is inviting and warm.Body incense, Aphrodesia Oil - 2012, $25.00, 3 ml bottle. This deeply fragrant, sensual, essential oil perfume was inspired by the Greek Goddess of Love. I did not care for this oil at first. It is quite strong when you smell it on its own, but when you apply it something magical happens - it transforms into a spicy, seductive and sweet pleasure. I cannot stop smelling my wrist when I apply it - yum. My husband loves it on me too - yay, that scores this oil a great big, juicy ten!
Kyphi 2012, $18.00, 1/2 ounce. More subtle, sweet and elegant, these small cakes of incense are quite addictive, one of the premium incense creations that Mermade offers. Kyphi is an ancient blend, burned by the Egyptians and is quite magical. It is definitely better burned slowly. If you burn it too fast, you will not truly be able to enjoy it. It takes a long time to make, at least seven months, and is made with botanicals, spices and resins. I strongly recommend this incense. It is treasure and fun to burn when reviewing the history behind it. It is also great for ritual and daily devotion.
Earth Church Incense, $6.00, Six large wands/This is one of the few incense blends that Katlyn does not make directly, although she did help create it, with a blessing and intention of a scented prayer for peace. The ingredients were selected for their energy and traditional use for spiritual work, each from a different part of the World. The combination of these diverse botanicals creates a harmonic blend of fragrant delight. An analogy of world peace, Earth Church is a prayer and example of how diversity can unite in beauty and harmony. Earth Church is a joy to burn, and honestly an honor to contribute my energy toward. What an absolutely great idea, not to mention it smells great and burns well. You do not even need charcoal, just light it up and connect to your heart center, a place of peace and integrity, while connecting to the heart of the earth, a mother and heirophant, whose love we all share. When you purchase Earth Church your money goes to the Aromatic Botanical Conservation.
To learn more about the Art of Incense and take a look at all the other wonderful products available please visit Mermaid Magickal Arts. Free samples are included with every order.
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