SOCIAL MEDIA

Monday, September 16, 2019

Magical and Medicinal Uses of Frankincense

Magical and Medicinal Uses of Frankincense

Gender: Masculine
Planet: Sun
Element: Fire
Powers: Exorcism, Protection, Spirituality
Magical Uses and History: Frankincense is probably one of the most famous "herbs" out there, simply because it is mentioned as one of the gifts given to Jesus on the day of his birth by one of the Three Kings. Unlike other herbs, frankincense is a resin, dried tree sap that is harvested from an adult tree and later burned. Frankincense has been widely traded for about 5,000 years and therefore permeated into cultures around the world. The Babylonians, Assyrians, and ancient Greek and Romans were known to burn frankincense during religious and spiritual rituals, while the Ancient Egyptians burned it at sunrise to honor the sun god Ra. It was even ground up and used as an eyeliner, embalming "fluid," and to treat a large variety of different ailments, including halitosis, hemlock poisoning, wounds, and to repel insects. The Ebers Papyrus mentions frankincense among its over 1,500 entries, citing specific medicinal uses of the resin.

Because the resin was difficult to obtain and highly sought after, it was seen as a symbol of wealth and therefore was prominently displayed by royalty. This explains why it was gifted to Jesus, the son of God, and why the entire temple of Queen Hatshepsut is adorned with sacks of frankincense. However, once Christianity took hold, frankincense was ultimately forbidden for its association with pagan worship. Later the resin was picked up by the Catholic church who incorporated its use into specific rites.

Historically, frankincense has been used for a variety of magical rites, including honoring different Sun deities, creating sacred space, space clearing, and general protection. Frankincense is often burned as an offering to the Sun at Yule, as he is reborn at the Winter Solstice and will continue to grow in strength as the year progresses.

Frankincense has strong space clearing and purifying tendencies, making it more potent than sage for clearing space. It's so strong, in fact, that is can be used during an exorcism to remove unwanted spirits from a person, place, or thing. Simply burn the resin and use the smoke the same way you would use sage. Frankincense essential oil can be used in a similar fashion. For protection, dilute frankincense essential oil in a carrier oil and anoint your self or draw protection symbols above or on windows and doors. It can also be placed in protection sachets or used in protection spells.

Frankincense resin can also be burned during hedge riding and other forms of astral travel to help reach an altered state of consciousness, focus the mind, and open spiritual doors by increases psychic awareness. Essential oils can also be used to anoint your Third Eye. Because of its long history as an offering, frankincense is the perfect gift for spirits or for use during spirit work. In some traditions, such as Hoodoo and rootwork, frankincense is used to anoint petitions.

Frankincense can be used in a number of spells including:
    Spirit Removal
    Ritual Cleansings
    Protection Spells
    Psychic Development

Medicinal Uses: There are several varieties of frankincense and the one commonly used for medicinal purposes is commonly known as Boswellia or Indian Frankincense. This highly prized medicinal plant has been used to treat arthritis, asthma, bronchitis, dysentery, and fever because of it's anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, and antiseptic properties. In aromatherapy, frankincense is commonly used as an expectorant and to treat anxiety. The volatile chemicals found in the oil help to clear the nasal passageways and lungs of mucus, while several studies have shown reduced anxiety when the oil is vaporized or the resin is burned.

Preparation and Dosage: Frankincense is most commonly taken in capsule form, which can be purchased at most herbal shops. To make a poultice, combine frankincense resin with oregano and warm water and apply to the cut or bruise up to three times a day. To create a paste, grind resin into a powder and combine with aloe to form a thick paste. Apply to cut, bruise, or insect bite (or joints to treat arthritis) up to three times a day. Small pieces of resin can be chewed on to treat mouth infections and stimulate the digestive system. In essential oil form, it can be heated in an oil warmed and breathed in to help clear the lungs. Frankincense is known to thin the blood and should not be used by people who are pregnant, nursing, or on blood thinners. Furthermore, frankincense oil is known to cause skin irritations in many people, so use caution when handling the oil and always dilute it before applying to the skin. (This is a very limited list of uses.)


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Magical and Medicinal Uses of Frankincense

3 comments :

  1. Hi, thank you for sharing so much wonderful information. Do you have anything about eyebright. I found a truth spell to use it in and was wondering about the herb?
    Blessings,
    Katrina💜

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for reading! I haven't written an Herbarium post about eyebright yet, and per another reader's request, next month I will be covering jasmine, but I will add eyebright to my list for November. But to give you a quick rundown now, eyebright is a masculine herb associated with the element Air and the Sun. It's named after one of the three Charities, specifically Euphrosyne, the Goddess of Joy and Mirth. Because of this, it can be used in spells associated with happiness, joy, and celebration. Furthermore, as the name suggests, eyebright is used to induce prophetic dreams, reveal the unseen, and used in spells to see situations clearly and remove deception, which is why it would be used in a truth spell. Historically a few drops of an infusion were placed on the eyelids of the user. Hope that gives you a little insight before I am able to produce a full Herbarium post.

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  2. Thank you for all the information. I am new to witchcraft and I’m reading, studying frankincense. I can’t wait to start using it to clean my house, and for my son with asthma, cleansing rituals and protection spells. Thank you

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