Frankincense and Myrh and the Three Wise Men
Christmas is almost here and the team and I have been busy unraveling some of the medical mysteries associated with this ancient midwinter tradition.
Tucked quietly into many of the world’s most celebrated holidays are hidden codes, sacred symbolism and my personal favorite – valuable and often forgotten medicines. In certain cases, we have to dig a little in order to find the deeper wisdom in these annual celebrations, but not with Christmas. This one wears its healing jewels in plain sight, like ornaments on a tree.
Today, we’re going to visit the Three Wise Men, who famously paid a fateful visit to Jesus in the moments after his birth. Also known as “The Magi,” which is the root of the English word magician, the bible says that these distinguished foreigners came bearing three special gifts. One of the gifts was pure gold, but the other two may have been a far more valuable offering. These were the herbs frankincense and myrrh.
Yes, frankincense and myrrh are best known for their use as incense in religious rituals, but make no mistake, these revered herbs are potent medicines that have been used by healers throughout history to treat everything from serious infection to hair loss. Let’s take a closer look at each one.
Frankincense: Boswellia sacra, Boswellia carter
Dating back to Sumerian times, this fragrant resin was often transported via large caravans across the desert from eastern African and Arabian regions, including Yemen, Oman, Ethiopia and Somalia. Its use as a medicine most likely started with the ancient Egyptians who also charred it to make the famous black kohl eyeliner that adorned the faces of their noble women.
Frankincense is central to almost every major religion from this region of the world, but its healing value…
