Myrrh is resin-like material which is usually made of sap from several different trees. The plant that is most often used for making myrrh is a spiny tree Commiphora myrrha, which grows native in Africa and Arabian peninsula.

Myrhh incense

When myrrh is burned as incense it has various meanings including purifying the area, creating peace and lifting vibrations. Myrhh is also used to help meditation. It is usually burned together with some other resinous incense.

Traditionally myrhh was used to treat various illnesses and to improve circulation. Nowadays myrhh is for example added to mouthwashes and toothpastes to prevent gum diseases. It is also used in some liniments and healing salves.

Copal resin is got from Copaifera trees. The resin is traditionally used as an incense by ancient cultures. It has often been a part of love and purification related incenses.

Sometimes Copal is also used to make jewelry. Even nowadays Copal incense is used by in Mexico and Central America as a quite popular incense.

If you are going to buy copal resin it is usually available in yellow and white versions. Yellow being the more expensive choice.

Sophora secundiflora beans are also called Mescal Beans, Colorines, Frijoles, Red Beans or Texas Mountain Laurel. Sophora secundiflora is a shrub that has violet flowers and these bright red highly toxic seeds or beans.

Despite of the name Mescal Beans the seeds of Sophora secundiflora do not contain mescaline, they instead contain the alkaloid cytosine, which makes them poisonous.

These shiny red beans have been used in jewelry and crafts for centuries. In addition to this they have also been used for hallucinogenic purposes by tribe shamans. It is said that one bean can cause a death of an adult individual.

Anadenanthera peregrina is a tree that is also known by the names Yopo, Cohoba, Mopo, Nopo, Calcium Tree and Parica. Snuff made from Anadenanthera peregrina is called Yopo and it is used in healing ceremonies and rituals throughout the South America.

The flowers of Anadenanthera peregrina are spherical and white yellowish. The seeds and seed pods contain poisonous tryptamine derivatives which are the active ingredient causing spiritual hallucinations.

With high doses such as over three seeds it is common for Yopo to cause dizziness, vomiting and headache. The effect is usually a dream-like psychodelic high which lasts about half an hour.

Artemisia Absinthium is a herb that grows native in northern Africa. It also known by the names Wormwood and Absinthe. The history of medical use of Wormwood reaches back to Egyptians who used it to cure the body from worms.

Wormwood was used by American Indian tribes in their religious ceremonies because of its psychoactive properties. Due to these properties it is also used as the main ingredient in absinthe beverage.

Absinthe is a highly alcoholic drink that in addition to Artemisia Absinthium has also many other herbs on it. Absinthe is surrounded by much mystique and ceremony. Due to those reasons it was banned from many countries since 20th century.

Mucuna pruriens, also known as Cowage, Cowitch, Velvet Bean, and Pica, is a climbing shrub that can grow up to thirty feet in height. It has been used in traditional medicine for treatment of many diseases, and even for snake bites.

The seeds of Velvet Bean contain high amounts of levo-dopa, which is a closely related to neurotransmitter dopamine. Mucuna pruriens also contains serotonin, 5-HTP, nicotine, and DMT among other substances.

Due to large amount of substances in Mucuna pruriens, it may have psychedelic effects. It has also been used when making ayahuasca.

The plant creates leaves that are about four to ten inches long and composed of three leaflets. The pods of Velvet Bean contain three to six black seeds. The pods have hairs that can cause irritation on skin.

Bulnesia sarmientoi, also known as Palo Santo or Holy wood, is a natural wood aromatic incense used for centuries by the Incas as a spiritual remedy.

It was used for purifying and cleansing and to get rid of evil spirits, misfortune and calamity. It also has some skin-healing properties. The Palo Santo has often been used in Ayahuasca ceremonies.

One interesting property of Bulnesia sarmientoi is that unlike conventional incense, it doesn’t burn completely after lighting. Instead, it can be lit many times producing a fragrant smoke.

Voacanga africana is a 30 foot tall tree from the tropics of West Africa. The bark and seeds of the tree are used in Ghana as a poison, stimulant, aphrodisiac, and ceremonial psychedelic.

Voacanga Africana Root Bark is held in highest respect by certain African Shamans who use Voacanga Bark for visionary purposes and as a stimulant for long hunting trips. Voacanga africana contains voacangine, which is a common precursor in the semi-synthesis of the anti-addiction chemical Ibogaine.

On a side note, Ibogaine and Iboga, the plant that contains it naturally, are illegal in the U.S. for no apparent reason other than for competition control for the pharmaceutical companies. Or even, perhaps, to keep patients addicted to pharmaceuticals.