Beginning aromatherapists are often enthralled with aromatics from rare and perhaps mysterious sources. While we all know where lavender comes from and what to do with it, many of us aren't so sure about frankincense and myrrh. We know they've been treasures of a kind since antiquity, but what are these materials really, and how can we be using them now? Here's a look at the resins and oils of frankincense and myrrh, and their great many uses to be had in our daily lives. First off, these are unusual substances as essential oils as they're distilled from the dried sap of trees and shrubs. It is the dried sap, or resin, from particular trees that bear the name "frankincense" or "myrrh", not the trees themselves. The resins are collected by making incisions with a knife called a "mingaf", and the sap allowed to flow. The final dried resin appears as small chunks, sometimes shaped as tears (naturally from the way the resin flowed and dried from the tree) or otherwise small round pellets known as "pearls". The resins are actually the means of the trees healing themselves, which may clarify their natural healing powers for us as well. There are no frankincense trees or myrrh trees per se. The trees and shrubs, found in desert regions of northern Africa (and as widespread as western India) are rough in appearance -- looking very "at home" in their dry environments. Frankincense is collected from one of several species of Olibanum trees, and myrrh primarily from the Commiphora myrrha tree. Both resins have been used for medicinal and spiritual practices for thousands of years. Myrrh is considered one of the oldest recorded aromatics, with a 4000 year history. The unprocessed resins can be burned as incense -- and in fact this is where the name frankincense comes from: "frank" meaning "pure" and "incense" meaning "to smoke". The smoke of both is thought to be purifying both in a spiritual and in a medicinal sense -- the smoke actually kills microbes in the air. The essential oils of both resins can be used in a very similar manner by dispersing them in the air using a nebulizing aromatherapy diffuser. The essential oils are the steam distillates of the resins. The resin is placed in a chamber and steam passed through -- the steam is collected and the oil and water separated. More recently, these oils are both available as CO2 extracts, where pressurized liquid carbon dioxide is used in place of water. The result is an oil more closely resembling the original resin, both aromatically and medicinally. So when selecting an essential oil of Myrrh or Frankincense, choose any for aromatic purposes -- steam or CO2 distilled -- whichever you prefer. For medicinal properties of a chemical nature, the CO2's are preferred, and for medicinal properties of a vibrational nature, the steam distillates may be the best choice -- let your intuition guide you here! The healing properties of frankincense and myrrh essential oils overlap in some places, and are quite unique in others. Both oils are high in sesquiterpenes, large molecules thought to stimulate the pineal gland -- a part of our brains associated with spiritual insight -- also called the "third eye". Applying a drop of either of the oils to the center of the forehead is a common practice for those using essential oils to support meditation. Both oils are used in anti-aging skin care preparations as well. Frankincense has some scientific backing for wrinkle reduction, and myrrh was used for this purpose as far back as the ancient Egyptians. Either oil can be included in daily skin care formulas at concentrations between .5 and 1 percent of the total mixture. Myrrh's primary role is as an antiseptic. The most common form is a tincture of alcohol and the resin itself, used to treat ulcers inside the mouth. The powdered dried resin is also used to treat tooth and gum infections: combine with slippery elm bark powder, moisten and "pack" in place around the base of the affected tooth. Many people have had nearly miraculous results with this preparation when treating excruciatingly painful toothaches. The primary medicinal uses of frankincense essential oil surround its anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and immune system stimulating effects. The oil and resin have been the subject of scientific inquiry into their potentials as cancer treatments -- with positive results. Frankincense is able to eradicate cancerous cells, while leaving other cells unharmed. The oil is also considered to be an immune system tonic, enhancing its action in overcoming illness. Frankincense is also the source of boswellic acids, which have been shown to have potent anti-inflammatory activity. For this use, frankincense essential oil can be included in arthritis, joint care, and pain relieving blends at concentrations up to 5%. It will synergize well with other anti-inflammatory essential oils such as ginger and German chamomile. This is just a brief look at these mysterious resins of antiquity. With the availability of their liquid extracts, they've become very easy for the aromatherapy and natural health enthusiast to make use of on a regular basis. They're both considered very important healers: myrrh being a potent antiseptic and frankincense supporting immune function in many ways. Both have a more esoteric side as well, which still in fact leaves a little bit of mystery to their use.
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The resins of Frankincense and Myrrh have held an important place in both medicinal and spiritual practices for thousands of years. Here's a look at the source of these healing treasures, and they can promote your own well-being.
The author is a co-founder of Ananda Aromatherapy Essential Oils. More information on the therapeutic use of essential oils can be found at The Ananda Apothecary.
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