Rainbow Abalone – Incense shell
Haliotis iris – Incense bowl
The rainbow abalone is a particularly beautiful of 66 Haliotis species that occur in almost all warm seas worldwide. Due to the rich mother-of-pearl inlay, its inside shimmers in all the colours of the rainbow.
Shells have always been held in the highest esteem by humans as gifts of water - the element in which life once originated. They are particularly well suited as incense burners because shells add the otherwise rather weak element of water to the incense, making the incense energetically softer and more graceful.
Some herbs such as sage and cedar can be smouldered directly in your conch, without charcoal. If you want to perform a charcoal incense, fill the conch with a sufficient amount of sand beforehand, place the charcoal tablet on top, and the sound of the sea will join the song of the wind, the blazing glow of the fire and the aromatic scents of your incense.
You can also use the shell to charge or cleanse your gemstones or as a pretty soap dish. Each shell is unique, so they vary in size, shape and colouring.