Frankincense
Olibanum
Say to those who come empty handed,
“Come with us to the field, or go with our brothers to the sea and cast your net;
For the land and the sea shall be bountiful to you even as to us.”
And if there come the singers and the dancers and the flute players, buy of their gifts also.
For they too are gatherers of fruit and frankincense, and that which they bring, though fashioned of dreams, is raiment and food for your soul.
And before you leave the market place, see that no one has gone his way with empty hands.
For the master spirit of the earth shall not sleep peacefully upon the wind till the needs of the least of you are satisfied.
This wonderful smelling resin comes from the scraggly looking Boswellia trees. Of mid-size, this tree appears unassuming and can be found predominantly in Africa and Asia. It is able to grow in the most barren of environments, sometimes springing forth from solid rock. His trees don’t begin to produce resin until they are almost 10 years old. At this point, the resin is tapped two or three times per year by slashing the bark, a process called striping, and allowing the resin tears to drip from the wound and then harden. Needless to say, this old man has a hard life and spends many years weeping. He shares his hard-won knowledge, but at a cost to himself.
The Magic of Frankincense
Correspondences
Element: Air, Fire
Gender: Masculine
Sabbat: Lughnassadh
Planet: Sun
Chakra: Brow, Crown
Spellwork
Purify
Protect
Bless
Boost
Calm
Proverb
Yiddish: Like soap for the body, so are tears for the soul.
The Medicine of Frankincense
Ayurvedic
Name: Shallaki
Vata:
Kapha: Balance
Pitta: Balance
Taste: Pungent, bitter, sweet
Herbology
Antimicrobial
Analgesic
Anti-inflammatory
Stimulant
Cardiotonic
Carminative
Diuretic
Antiseptic
Hemostatic
Inhalation: 2 drops oil in bowl of steaming water
Topically: Mix EO with appropriate carrier oil
Incense: 1-2 tears mixed with other herbs
TCM
TCM Name: Rŭ xiāng
Botanical Name: Boswellia spp
Common Name: Fragrant Milk
Energy: Warm
Flavor: Spicy, Bitter
Organs: Heart, Liver, Spleen
Movement: Invigorates blood, Removes stagnation
Safety: Do not use if pregnant or with sensitive stomach
Science of Frankincense
Botany
Botanical Name: Boswellia ssp
Family: Burseraceae (Torchwood Family)
Type of Plant: Tree
Habitat: Arid woodland, rocky slopes
Zone: 10-11
Bloom Time: Winter
Height: 7-25 feet
Spread: 7-18 feet
Propagation: Seed, 16% germination
Harvest: Look for opaque resin
Part Used: Resin
Constituents: Terpenes, Resin, Gum, Boswellic acid
Native Region: India, Southern Arabia, Africa
Sustainability: Endangered
Leaf
Structure: Compound pinnate
Arrangement: Alternate with terminal
Shape: Oblong
Length: Unknown
Margins: Serrated
Surface: Pubescent
Flower
Inflorescence: Simple racemes
Sexuality: Perfect
Stamen: 10
Petals: 5
Color: White, Yellow, Red
Size: Small
Sacred Story
The Roman goddess, Venus was furious with Sol (the Sun god) for shedding light on her love affair with Mars. Out of spite, she made Sol fall madly in love with the princess Leucothoë. Her spell bewitched the Sun god and inspired fierce jealousy in the heart of Leucothoë’s sister, Clytie. The jealous girl told their father of the affair. King Orchamus buried Leucothoë alive as punishment. By the time Sol discovered her fate, she had died, and not even his healing light could revive her. He covered her in the nectar of the Gods, while her body melted into the soil. From this spot grew the frankincense tree, which sheds tears that honor the sun.
