How to Properly (and Safely) Burn Loose Incense
Place the ignited charcoal tablet "bowl" side up (if your tablet is indented) directly in the middle of your sand and/or ash and wait at least five minutes for it to burn and turn a light grayish hue before placing any incense on top of it. Once your charcoal tablet looks kind of like an eyeball, it's ready for incense!