FRANKINCENSE ESSENTIAL OIL
Family: Burseraceae
Common Name: Frankincense (also known as Olibanum)
Botanical Name: Boswellia carterii
Extraction method: Steam distillation of the oleo gum resin.
Odour: Frankincense oil is a pale-yellow or pale-amber greenish mobile liquid with a strongly diffusive odour. The odour is fresh and terpene-like with a subtle green-lemon note.
General Description:
A handsome small tree or shrub with abundant pinnate leaves and white or pale pink flowers. It yields a natural oleo gum resin which is collected by making incisions into the bark; at first, a milky-white liquid appears which then solidifies into tear-shaped amber to orange-brown lumps between the size of a pea and walnut. The scrapings from the first cutting are thrown away, the second cutting yields low quality frankincense; it is at the third cutting that the best frankincense is taken.
Common Name: Frankincense (also known as Olibanum)
Botanical Name: Boswellia carterii
Extraction method: Steam distillation of the oleo gum resin.
Odour: Frankincense oil is a pale-yellow or pale-amber greenish mobile liquid with a strongly diffusive odour. The odour is fresh and terpene-like with a subtle green-lemon note.
General Description:
A handsome small tree or shrub with abundant pinnate leaves and white or pale pink flowers. It yields a natural oleo gum resin which is collected by making incisions into the bark; at first, a milky-white liquid appears which then solidifies into tear-shaped amber to orange-brown lumps between the size of a pea and walnut. The scrapings from the first cutting are thrown away, the second cutting yields low quality frankincense; it is at the third cutting that the best frankincense is taken.
Native to the Red Sea region; the gum is mainly produced in Somalia, Ethiopia, China and south Arabia, the distilled in Europe.
Over the past decade it has become increasingly difficult to obtain good Frankincense because drought has caused the desert to spread into marginal land which is the natural habitat of the Frankincense tree, also because of wars in the producing areas which has made it impossible to collect the raw resin.
History/Folk lore:
Frankincense played a role in the religious and domestic life of the Ancient Egyptian, Babylonian, Persian, Hebrew, Greek and Roman civilizations. It has been perhaps the most important aromatic incense ingredient since history began.
An alternative name for Frankincense is Olibanum. This occurs commonly in older texts, and is thought to derive from the Latin "Olium Libanum" (Oil from Lebanon). The name Frankincense itself derives from Medieval French meaning 'Real Incense'.
Frankincense is one of the four main ingredients that make up Jewish ceremonial incense, and has for centuries formed an integral part of the Frankincense has been used for 5000 years for spiritual healing and was used in ancient Egypt in the embalming process.
Main Uses In Massage:
Frankincense is a very interesting essential oil because of its long use in many religious and spiritual settings and has been used as incense, for meditation and worship.
The antiseptic and mild expectorant nature of frankincense helps asthmatics who often develop bacterial infections in the lungs from a tendency toward shallow breathing. Many other respiratory conditions, such as bronchitis and laryngitis, can be helped by the anti-inflammatory effects of frankincense.
One of the most important uses of frankincense for massage work is its marked ability to boost the immune function. Lowered immunity is a common side effect of chronic stress and various diseases, and the ability of essential oils to reduce stress and increase resistance to illness is extremely hopeful.
Therapeutic Properties or Actions:
Antiseptic, astringent, carminative, cicatrisant, cytophylactic, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, sedative, uterine, vulnerary.
Body Systems & Therapeutic Uses:
Nervous system - Has been used to alleviate anxiety, nervous tension and stress-related conditions.
Respiratory system - Traditionally been used to treat respiratory conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, catarrhal conditions.
Skin Care - Well known in skin care for its cicatrisant, cytophylactic and vulnerary properties and recommended for dry and mature skin, scars, wounds and wrinkles.
Energetics - Gabriel Mojay recommends frankincense to smooth the free flow of Qi. Best used whenever there is an accumulation of stress that has led to irritability, restlessness and insomnia.
Precautions:
None at usual doses, including pregnancy.
I will be posting more information about other essential oils on this blog so keep checking back.
< Related articles - basil, bergamot , clary sage & eucalyptus >
< Related articles - basil, bergamot , clary sage & eucalyptus >
Information on this page is for educational purposes only and should not replace advice from a medical practitioner.
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