Camphor Powder, Indian Ayurvedic Bhimseni (Cinnamomum camphora)

Unit size: 1 ounce

Origin: India

Form: Granuals

Other names: Laurel Camphor, Gum Camphor, Broneo, Baros

Esoteric Uses: Visions, divination, clairvoyance, dreams, calming hysteria, cleansing

Esoteric Associations: Moon, Water

Incense Aroma: A very strong menthol effect, leaving the sinus passages open and cool, and the head in a strange place - a feeling of clarity without a reason why. Much better if left out and unburned - can be very harsh if burned - use sparingly in your incense blends to give a fresh, pleasant effect.

Bhimseni camphor, also called as Borneo or Barus camphor, has been used in ayurvedic medicine and incense blends since ancient times. In India, Camphor is burnt to perform Aarti (circular movement or display of the lamp in reverence before the deity or the idol) before the deity. Just as God rotates the sun and the moon around you, you imitate the same and thus offer and move the camphor lamp before God to bring joy to you. This is also to express the prayer that the light of our life should never go astray from God and should always be centered and revolve around God. It is with this deep feeling that you perform aarti. The breathing of Aarti wakes up the Chakras, some say. According to tradition, the smoke from camphor purifies the entire atmosphere. Puja kapoor has a unique place in the Hindu ritual of traditional Pooja or any other festive or customary occasion. It is pure white in colour, and when it is burnt it takes on the hue of agni (fire), and it burns itself out completely, without residue. Lighting camphor before God symbolizes that if we burn our illusion or ego with the fire of true knowledge, we shall merge with the God, leaving no residue.


Barus / Baros Borneo / Borneol Natural straw colored, semi-translucent crystals are collected from fissures in the trunk of the magnificent evergreen camphor trees which grow to over 130 feet (40-50m). These trees are considered holy by the Chinese and provide us with the gift of its crystalline resin. Some crystals are later refined to the common white color of commercial camphor. The crystals are found inside some old trees, whereas other trees produce only oil. The crystals result from the oxidation and solidification of camphor oil. As the formation of camphor only occurs in some trees, it is quite difficult to find. Camphor seems to have been produced in a sustainable way for over 10 centuries. Accounts from the beginning of the 20th century mention that, in Malaysia, shamans were in charge of finding camphor-containing trees through divination; only a secret language could be used when cutting the tree (Skeat 1900). Only the very old trees were cut and small quantities were traded at a very high price for medicinal use. Marco Polo mentioned the great Camphor trees being exported from Sumatra and Johore to the Middle East since at least the 6th Century AD. It's wood is highly valued for its resistance to termites.

As a side not, there is also a synthetic Borneol Camphor, Borneolum syntheticum, that is widely distributed. It's the result of the synthetic processing of turpentine oil and camphor. This type is less expensive and more common than the true camphor which we offer. Manufactured camphor should not be burned or ingested.

Camphor has been added to water used in divination, and has been said to boost clairvoyance and dreams. Instead of burning this on charcoal, simply set it out, or burn very small amounts at a time or in a blend with other woods and resins. Camphor can ulcerate the mucous membranes if you ise too much, so use it carefully.