I am diligently working to improve balance and peace in my little world and I took one step closer to this a few weeks ago. I cleared my sacred space. Our master bedroom includes a loft that I claimed as my sacred space when we first took a tour of the home. As I was purging storage bins I stumbled upon a certificate of completion in aromatherapy that was awarded to me in 2009. And here I am nearly ten years later preparing to introduce you to frankincense. Everything happens for a reason.
To date I place a few drops of oil in my children’s bath water and my husband diffuses oils in his man cave. My all time favorite oil is frankincense. I believe that the use of this oil contributed to the elimination of a cyst on my son’s hand (topical application), peace of mind for my family (diffusing) and I have noticed behavior changes in my middle son (adding to bath water and topical application).
This oil is magical in my opinion. I continue to research this oil because it continues to fascinate me. With that being said, look forward to fun facts about the oil for the month of April.
Where does Frankincense come from?
Frankincense comes from the Boswellia tree that is native to Africa and some parts of India. Harvesters scrape layers of bark from the tree. This scraping causes the tree to ooze a white substance that some liken to the tree “bleeding”. This white substance is frankincense.
The harvester leaves the resin to dry and returns again to scrape the tree in the same place. The resin becomes darker in color (from white to a yellowish brown) and more aromatic after each scraping. The oils we use today are extracted from this resin.
Use #1: Clean it up
Frankincense can be used as an antiseptic, disinfectant and astringent. So, what do those words mean exactly?
- Antiseptic: Substance that prevents the growth of disease-causing microorganisms
- Disinfectant: Causes the destruction of bacteria
- Astringent: a substance that causes the contraction of body tissues, typically used to protect the skin and to reduce bleeding from minor abrasions.
Frankincense oil can be used topically to prevent infection, destroy bacteria and protect the skin. In the next post, we will focus on how this magical oil benefits the skin.
References
http://dictionary.com
Health Benefits of Frankincense Oil
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.