The Legend of Myrrh

The legend of the origin of myrrh goes back to the Greek epic poet Panyassis from Halicarnassus (around 5th century BC): 

“Myrrha was a king's daughter who fell in love with her father through a spell cast by Aphrodite and seduced him for twelve nights. The nights of love were not without consequences: Myrrha had become pregnant. When the king realized who had seduced him, he wanted to kill his child. Pursued by her father, Myrrha fled and asked the gods to make her invisible. So she was turned into a tree, and her tears became myrrh. But after nine months the tree broke open and their child Adonis was born.”

The magical protective aspect of the plant is reflected in this story. The ancient Egyptians used them as a magical means to arm themselves and ward off evil. Many magical recipes with myrrh can be found in a wide variety of papyri, almost all of which were used to protect life.

For the ancient Egyptians it was even the transition to immortality. Scientists at Cairo University found out how effective this term is. The embalmers of that time were good experts in the microbiology of the plants used. The more myrrh resin was added to the corpse, the better preserved the mummies are. Even after thousands of years, the bodies remained largely intact.

Myrrh was one of the most important and versatile plants in ancient times. It was not only a magical and ritual remedy, but also a valued cosmetic and medicine. It was more than just a scent that invited spiritual or erotic-sensual gatherings. Myrrh was considered a universal panacea that could heal the body and soul, and a symbol of an extremely long life.

Their biochemical composition is particularly interesting. The myrrh from the species Commiphora molmol, which is used medicinally today, contains: 6 - 8% essential oil, 28 - 30% alcohol-soluble resin, 61% gum and enzymes. The distilled essential oil consists of 85 - 95% sesquiterpenes, monoterpenes, phenols, aldehydes and ketones. It is no wonder that myrrh was important in ancient and medieval medicinal recipes. The essential oil is extremely skin-friendly, has a strong psychological stabilization and leads to one's own center. Myrrh oil can regulate histamine production. Histamines are chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) that are responsible for pain, inflammation and itching, but also for allergic reactions. When you are stressed, more histamines are released.

All ancient cultures used myrrh in their religious and magical ceremonies. While its counterpart, frankincense, embodies spirituality and the transcendental, myrrh helps grounding and down-to-earth. It is the Chinese Yin and Yang principle of polarizing opposites that come together perfectly here.

This is why frankincense and myrrh, used together, acquired such great spiritual significance in religious and magical practices. Myrrh grounds us and gives us the roots we desperately need. Because the deeper we go into the spiritual worlds, the greater the danger of drifting spiritually and anchoring ourselves outside of our reality. We all know people who have lost touch with reality and devote themselves solely to other worlds. However, this means that real insights are no longer available, but only spiritual wishful thinking. That is why magicians and shamans have a “map for the return flight” back to our reality. Myrrh has this property. It anchors us in our center so that the spirit can fly.

Myrrh has been one of the most important and versatile aromatic and incense plants for thousands of years. 

To this day it is still used as ancient cultures did, and its popularity has not changed.