Myrrh Gum Resin (Balsamodendron myrrh)

Myrrh has been approved by the FDA as a food additive. However, concentrated forms such as essential oil should not be consumed internally.

The oil may safely (and beneficially) be applied to the skin when properly diluted. Myrrh can act as a uterine stimulant and should not be used by pregnant women.

Myrrh is the sticky, dry resin of a certain forlorn desert tree, Commiphora myrrha. Myrrh is extracted by piercing the bark of the tree and returning later to collect the nuggets of dried sap. True to Myrrh’s reputation as a funerary herb, these pieces are sometimes called “tears.”

Ancient Egyptians used Myrrh, along with linen and natron, to embalm the dead. The resin both perfumes and preserves the body of the deceased. The Ebers papyrus (a document written around 1500 BCE contains over 800 medicinal formulas, many of which are based on a mixture of honey and myrrh. The antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of both substances are now known to science. Myrrh gum was also used by the ancients to treat infection, bruises, skin conditions, and toothache.

Magickal Uses of Myrrh

Myrrh is one of the sacred incenses of the Bible. It is mentioned several times in the Old and New Testaments. Myrrh represents Christ’s suffering—the gift of Myrrh by the Magi presages his death and entombment. The evangelist Mark says that Christ was offered wine mixed with Myrrh prior to the crucifixion. Myrrh (mixed with Frankincense) is still used in the church incenses of many Christian denominations.

Myrrh is sacred to the Great Mother, whether she is called Mary, Isis, or Binah. (The names “Mary” and “Myrrh” both probably derive from the Hebrew word for “bitter.”) It is an herb of the ancient Goddess, especially in her aspect as She Who Mourns and who hears the cries of the mourning.

As an incense and anointing oil, Myrrh can lead to rich and rewarding meditation (especially introspection). It is used to heal personal sorrow and to connect with the dead and the Underworld. Myrrh is rarely used alone. Its character is somewhat malleable depending on what it’s blended with.