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Which Store?

We’re planning a prayer vigil at school. Brady is doing the lion’s share of the work, but I’ve been working on some “prayer stations”, where people can experience prayer in a variety of ways: things like kneeling, praying while touching the cross, etc. One of the stations is going to be about prayer and incense. I thought people might light some incense while they pray. But twelve hours of constantly burning incense could get pretty intense, so I wondered if there was such a thing as low-scent incense.

I knew exactly where I would go: the witch store. I was sure they would have a wide variety of incense and that they would know how to advise me. It was quite an interesting place. There were lots of crystals and such. There were a fair amount of witchy home decorations too.

The woman at the front counter didn’t really know what to tell me when I asked her for a less fragrant incense, but a woman came from a back room that seemed more knowledgeable. At first she asked if I wanted the incense for fragrance or if I was performing a ritual. Then she just suggested I get something that smelled nice. She said a scent called “Angelic Visions” would be a good one. I knew it would still be too strong, but I felt like I should buy something after all the trouble.

After thinking about it for a while, I’ve decided that I’ll get the loose granule kind of incense from the Catholic store, put it in a bowl, and have people smell it. That way the library won’t be filled with overpowering smoke and I won’t be using something that’s labelled for “Intuition, Ecstasy, Purity, Celestial Music, Mystic Knowledge” for our prayer vigil.

Curiosity satisfied.

8 Comments

  1. Carol

    Good decision on the crystals-in-the-bowl, Mr. Royuk – really. Your having majored in physics aside, our 6th graders should be able to tell you about how odors spread due to moving gas molecules, etc. – long and short of it, there probably is nothing really “low-scent” in the bunch. I’m sure the library lady will thank you for this decision. I think I already thank you, in fact. (I love fragrant burning candles; have no tolerance for incense…particularly patchoulli…go figure…’specially as I am a child of the ’70’s…”peace, man!”…)

  2. Beth

    The woman walking looks witchy, what with her long braided hair, black shirt and witchy pants.

    If I may be so stereotypical.

  3. Peggy

    1st – Ha…nice title!

    2nd – Do you think the knowledgeable woman could cense the activities that go on at your house with certain little critters when she asked if you were performing a ritual? (did you laugh at that ?)

    3rd – I’m glad you finally had a legitamate reason to go in that store…maybe you should have worn your awesome red cape that you’ve always wanted a reason to wear…those ladies would have cowarded for not having incense that don’t smell to sell you.

    4th – Wait, Are you a warlock?

  4. Lauren

    ‘Loose, granular incense’? Sounds like potpourri.

    What a cool store! Did you pray for everybody in there?

  5. Annette

    Did you walk out older or younger?

  6. Deborah

    They had incense burning at our last Lenten service in the church. When we walked in, Bethany yelled, “What stinks?!” So, good call on not using that.

  7. Kim

    I am really looking forward to our prayer vigil!

  8. Carol

    …oh, and as an aside, the location where dear hubby and I ran our needlework and framing store for 8 years has been rented to a new age and jewelry art personage. Have to drive past it most days to and from school, too. Blinds are always closed, even when the lights are on, which isn’t really all that often. I think it’s a “front” for something…why don’t you go check it out for us, Brad?

    …AND you know I’ve been hanging with poor-spelling middle schoolers to too long, because when Peggy made her comment about the title it took me a while to sea see to what she was referring.

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