Real deer musk can be very expensive, and some people find harvesting of the actual musk producing gland unethical.  Fortunately, during the mating season, many kinds of deer pee all over the place, and rub up against things, leaving their musk around in little hairy balls or pods.  These pods contain a very good grade of musk that can be used in perfume and spellwork.

The whole pods or granules can usually be found on most auction sites that perfumers can be found or in a specific perfumery ingredients store. If your area has a market that is friendly to mystics, there will often be a place with many herbs and supplies. Wherever there is a forest with enough deer, you can often find them in the same places you'd find pelts or other animal parts and leavings.

The problem is that most people don’t really know what to do with musk granules that come from the balls unless it is very strong.  Most of the time, the scent in granules is very subtle to the human nose.  When one is lucky enough to get very strong granules, these can be used as-is.  If however, you got normal or old balls, you will probably want to treat them first.

How to Make a Tincture of Musk

What you’re probably not going to like to hear is that it will take 2-3 years.

It’s really easy.  All you have to do is put about a half teaspoon of granules in 10 ml. of the purest alcohol you can find.  Use clean alcohol, not the scented kind you get at the pharmacy shelf normally.  Ask at the counter for 95% or better.  Then give it a shake, and put this in a cool, dark place for 2-3 years.  Give it a shake every few days if you can remember.

To give it an energetic boost, place it on the part of your altar designated for Shango or your favorite fire and lust deity.

If it starts to dry out because the seal on the vial is giving way, transfer it to a new bottle, and add as much alcohol as may be needed.  It won’t hurt a thing.  Just try to do this as quickly as possible.

At the end of 2 years, you will have a sludge that smells distinctly like musk.  Use it in perfumes and oils.  All of the dirt grains should have given up the musk coating them by then, and settled to the bottom.  Even though this might be grainy, it can still be used since it has been cleaned from years soaking in alcohol.

How to Use Deer Musk Grains in Incense

Deer musk grains can also be used in incense.  If you don’t want it to burn up too quickly, thus defeating the purpose of having it in there at all, melt it into some frankincense or copal before using it as an ingredient.  Just heat up some frankincense or copal in a small pot on top of some charcoal, and carefully stir in the musk grains.  When it is just combined, take it off the heat immediately and let it cool.  Break it into pieces to use as incense on charcoal.

How to Make a Simple Attraction Talisman Using Deer Musk Grains

This is a very good use of old or lower quality deer musk grains you have laying around.  Simply draw the proper symbols on your cover, make your Shango or other lust deity seal or scroll.  Then add the following:

• 3 coffee beans (for Eshu or your gate keeper)
• one quarter cigarette’s worth of tobacco
• 1/2 teaspoon of deer musk grains and one small square of gold leaf melted into about a teaspoon chunk of dragon’s blood resin

Melt your dragon’s blood with intent, and even give it some more energy while it cools.

Wrap the contents in your cover, and sew it shut.

If you can fashion this into a pendant, do so and wear it.  You can also put it in a wearable medicine bag.  It should sit somewhere near your solar plexus.

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