frankincense

January 14, 2018 · by · in Blog

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Our hands are one of our most effective healing tools. When we add a therapeutic oil, the healing is extenuated. Warmth, love, good intentions- all flow from our hearts through our hands. Consider using this particular oil for your next foot massage.

Frankincense is an aromatic resin hardened from exuded gums obtained from trees of the genus Boswellia (Burseraceae family). Boswellia sp. includes Boswellia sacra from Oman and Yemen, Boswellia carteri from Somalia, and Boswellia serrata from India and China. The resin has been used in incense and fumigants, as well as a fixative in perfumes. Aroma from these resins is valued for its superior qualities for religious rituals since the time of ancient Egyptians [1]. Boswellia sp. resins have also been considered throughout the ages to have a wealth of healing properties.

Boswellia trees are small, scrubby, and have the ability to grow well in dry, rocky areas. To harvest, farmers strategically cut the bark in light horizontal lines. A milky sap oozes out in the shape of small “tears,” or droplets. This can only be done two or three times a year without damaging the tree. After a few years the tree must be given a period of rest to regenerate.

Once the sap droplets dry on the tree, they are scraped off and allowed to harden completely over a period of time. This dried sap, or resin, looks like irregularly shaped, glossy, and slightly transparent stones.

The larger and lighter the resin, the better the quality. The purest (and most expensive) frankincense resin is almost white and comes from the second “bleeding” of the tree–and even then only under the right weather conditions. We in the Western world typically see lower quality frankincense, which is golden or amber.

The most expensive of the essential oils- it’s been around 3000 years. It can be used for a therapeutic foot massage, allowing the oils to seep into the skin of the foot for 10 minutes.

Biblical Uses

The Hebrew Bible mentions that frankincense was burned in the temple, and we know that frankincense was important in their burial anointings (one of the reasons it was gifted to the Christ Child.)

Around 500 B.C., this prized resin made its way to China, where Eastern medicine practitioners began to realize the medicinal value of frankincense in increasing circulation. Some cultivation of Boswellia trees took hold in southern China but has never become a primary source.

Value Throughout History

By the first century, frankincense trade had made the Arabian regions very rich. The long, dangerous journey along the Silk Road necessary for trade made it scarce and very costly. At the time of Christ, it truly was more valuable than gold.

While it may be less prized in the West than in its native parts, it is still one of the most costly essential oils in modern times. And do you know the smell of a Catholic Mass? That’s frankincense! The burning of this resin still holds a place in the Catholic liturgy today as an incense for special feast days.

The Benefits of Frankincense

So besides its aroma, what makes frankincense so alluring?

Studies are quite limited in scope, but holistic experts claim quite a few health benefits on the testimony of its long history.

Put simply, frankincense* seems to have powerful properties that:

  • support healthy cellular function
  • increase blood flow and circulation
  • reduce inflammation
  • reduce skin discoloration and imperfections
  • promote feelings of wellness and relaxation
  • promote oral health (the resin can even be chewed)
  • improve memory
  • balance hormones
  • in some studies, have been shown to suppress proliferation of cancer cells (1)

Courtesy of www.wellnessmama.com