An Evocative Oil Worth its Weight in Gold
by Allison Stillman • Ojai, CA

Frankincense provides one of the most evocative scents in the long history of aromatics. Its fresh, fruity, pine-lemon bouquet with delicately sweet, resinous and woody undertones, slows and deepens breathing and has been used since ancient times to awaken higher consciousness, and enhance spirituality, meditation and prayer. The name “Frankincense” is widely known as an historic biblical ingredient, and to many, as one of three gifts from the visiting Magi to the newborn Jesus and as an ingredient in the Old Testament’s Exodus incense mixture. Few have experienced its aroma though or know of its rich history and how the world has treasured and used it since long before recorded time.

Frankincense has been one of the world’s most treasured commodities since the beginning of written history. At its peak, the value rivaled that of gold, the rarest silks, and the most precious of gems. Ironically, it starts out as a milky-white resin produced by a scrubby, unlikely looking tree, the Boswellia sacra. There are twenty-five known species of Boswellia, each creating a water-soluble gum resin with its own distinctive fragrance and medicinal properties, but it is the sacra (often called carteri) with which most of us are familiar.

Frankincense has been traded for thousands of years, and has been the most valued of all essential oils for its spiritually evocative properties – hence the reason for many churches continuing the practice of burning the incense before services. The psychoactive properties of frankincense are known for the mind-altering effects. Frankincense trees require an arid climate where moisture is provided by morning mist. The few ideal environments in the world for this small prized tree are found in Southern Arabia (Oman and Yemen), India, and Northern Africa (Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Kenya). Further, frankincense trees require a limestone-rich soil and are mostly found growing on rocky hillsides and cliffs, or in the dried riverbeds below.

Frankincense trees grow to about 20ft. in height (8m) with branches often beginning near its base. The common Oman, Aden (Yemen), and Somalia species, B. sacra / B. carteri, produce small yellow-white colored flowers with five petals, while the African B. papyrifera and B. thurifera produce small pale-red flowers. Each is a favorite among bees and produce small fruits, which are fed to livestock. But it’s the trees’ resin that’s been treasured for thousands of years for its aromatic and medicinal uses.

Frankincense resin begins as a milky-white sticky liquid that flows from the trunk of the tree when it’s injured, healing the wound. The Arabic name is luban, which means white or cream. It’s also known as olibanum, and its essential oil is often called “Oil of Lebanon.” It’s commonly recognized western name, frankincense, is said to have originated from the Frankish (French) Knights of the Crusades who treasured it in large quantities.

Frankincense resin flows when a tool called a mengaff is used to scrape about a five-inch section down the trunk of tree. The tree is marked and the harvester returns in two weeks to scrape what has become hardened frankincense resin from the tree. Collected resins are aged for about twelve weeks and are then brought to the world’s markets.

Recent studies by an international team of scientists, including researchers from Johns Hopkins University and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, have indicated that burning frankincense resin (Boswellia) helps to alleviate anxiety and depression. The University of Munich found the antiinflammatory properties of frankincense very effective as a treatment for joint pain and arthritis. The famous eleventhcentury Arabian physician, Avicenna, recommended its cooling effects as a remedy for infections and illnesses that increase the body’s temperature. Greek and Roman physicians used Frankincense in the treatment of a great variety of diseases. Frankincense remedies appear in the Syriac Book of Medicine, ancient Muslim texts, and in Ayurvedic and Chinese medical writings.

Frankincense is also a natural insecticide and was used in ancient Egypt to fumigate wheat silos and repel wheat moths. In Arabia, the smoke of burning frankincense resin is used to repel mosquitoes and sand flies. Frankincense is truly worth its weight in gold and is an oil used to enhance abundance in every aspect of our lives.

Allison Stillman is a renowned aromatic alchemist and an expert on the historical use of essential oils in religious and spiritual ceremonies. Her book, The Sacred Art of Anointing is a result of her 30 years of research and practical experience with essential oils. She has traveled the world anointing and sharing her love and knowledge through workshops and private sessions, and has been featured in the books, More Hot Chocolate for the Mystical Soul by Arielle Ford, and Insights from the Coffeehouse by Jonathon Collins. www.romancingthedivine.com.