Camphor whole

In Hindu temples, a lump of camphor burned on a plate at the close of worship flares bright and leaves no ash behind, which is the whole point.

Origin & Traditional Use

Camphor is a white, waxy, strongly scented substance obtained from the camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora) of East Asia. In everyday life it was packed into linen chests and wardrobes against moths, burned in religious ritual and used in traditional liniments.

Uses by Tradition

Witchcraft & Folk Magick

• Room clearing: set a small piece in a dish of water in a room that feels heavy and leave it for a week.
• Lunar work: add a shaving to moon water or a lunar altar for cool, clarifying energy.
• Storage ward: keep a piece in the chest where you store tarot decks, robes and ritual cloths.

Hoodoo & Rootwork

• Cleansing baths: a little camphor dissolved in alcohol is added to uncrossing and cleansing baths.
• Spiritual washes: camphor goes into floor and door washes to drive out lingering spirits and bad conditions.
• Glass of water: as in Spiritism, a piece of camphor in a glass of water is set out to absorb and clear.

Ceremonial & Occult Magick

• Lunar suffumigation: Agrippa’s Three Books of Occult Philosophy lists camphor among the fumes of the Moon.
• Altar purity: a small piece is kept on the altar or in the temple space to keep the atmosphere clear between operations.

A Simple Working

• Fill a clear glass with fresh water.
• Drop in a small piece of camphor, about the size of a pea.
• Light a white candle beside the glass.
• State that whatever does not belong in this space will be drawn into the water.
• Leave the glass in the room for seven days, letting the candle burn down on the first.
• Pour the water down an outside drain or onto the ground away from your door and wash the glass.

Pairs Well With

• A white candle, for cleansing and clearing workings.
• Florida water or another cologne, as a base for cleansing sprays.
• Salt, for floor washes and bath mixtures.
• Rue, for added protection in cleansing work.

Lore & History

The aarti flame of Hindu worship is commonly fed with camphor, valued because it burns away completely, a symbol of the self consumed in devotion. In the Middle East and medieval Europe, camphor was a costly import spread along the same trade routes as cinnamon and cloves, and it appears in medieval Arabic perfumery manuals.

What You Receive

Solid camphor, available as a 25 g block or by the pound (1 lb).