STILL AIR CRAFT VI

CLEAN TATAMI

Order • Care • Grounding

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Restores clarity, grounded focus, and a sense of order through simple attention.

 

 

INGREDIENTS

(Small batch - approx. 20 hand-rolled sticks)

Primary Materials
• Rice straw powder (very finely cut or ground) - 1½ tsp
• Makko powder - 2 tsp

Supporting Materials
• Rice husk powder - ½ tsp
• Dried grass powder (timothy or meadow grass, untreated) - ¼ tsp

All plant material must be fully dry and untreated.
No essential oils.

 

TOOLS REQUIRED

• Stone mortar and pestle
• Fine mesh sieve
• Ceramic or glass mixing bowl
• Measuring spoons
• Distilled water
• Wooden board or tray
• Baking paper or unbleached cloth
• Damp cloth
• Airtight storage container

 

PREPARATION

Refining the Plant Materials
Place rice straw and dried grass into the mortar.
Grind slowly and patiently until fibres are broken down into a fine, soft powder.

Sift through a fine mesh sieve.
Return coarse fibres to the mortar and repeat.

Straw must be extremely fine to burn evenly and quietly.

 

DRY BLENDING

Combine in a bowl:
• Rice straw powder
• Rice husk powder
• Dried grass powder
• Makko powder

Mix thoroughly until texture and colour are completely uniform.

The blend should appear pale golden-beige and feel light and dry.

 

ADDING WATER

Add distilled water slowly, drop by drop, mixing gently.

The dough should become:
• Soft
• Flexible
• Slightly springy
• Not sticky

Plant-fibre blends absorb water gradually - take your time.

 

RESTING THE DOUGH

Cover with a damp cloth.
Rest for approx. 15 minutes.

This allows fibres to soften and bind cleanly.

 

HAND-ROLLING

Pinch a small amount of dough.
Roll gently into thin ropes:

• 2-3 mm thick
• 8-10 cm long

Pressure should be even and unhurried.

Clean Tatami should look simple and honest, not decorative.

If fibres appear on the surface, lightly dampen fingertips and smooth gently.
Avoid compressing the dough too tightly.

 

DRYING

Lay sticks on baking paper or cloth.

Dry in a shaded, airy space:

• No sunlight
• No artificial heat

Drying time: 4-6 days.
Turn once daily.

 

CURING

Once fully dry, store in an airtight container for 3-4 weeks.

This softens grass notes and improves burn quality.

 

HOW TO BURN

• Burn on a mica plate or ash bed
• Break into shorter pieces if desired
• Best burned after cleaning, organising, or resetting a space

This incense prepares a room to be lived in again.

 

WHY THIS BELONGS IN STILL AIR

• Order through care, not control

• Grounding without heaviness

• Practical calm

• A return to readiness

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