*This column is a Japanese translation of an excerpt from "Essays on Holistic Aromatherapy" by Dr. Malte Hozzel.
Learn about the effects of frankincense to heal your mind and body
- From the notes of botanist Dr. Malte Hoetzel -
Frankincense is a natural herb that has been used since ancient times and is said to have many benefits for the mind and body. In this article, we will explore the benefits of frankincense in detail. You will find information that will help you with your health and well-being.
What is Frankincense?
Frankincense is a resin extracted from Boswellia trees. It has been used as a fragrance and medicine since ancient Egypt and Rome. Even today, it is used in aromatherapy and is said to be effective in relaxing the mind and body, relieving stress, and improving immunity.
Frankincense to Illuminate Your Body and Mind
Frankincense has an ancient spiritual connection to the sacred and to meditation. Its resin and oil are easily associated with fumigation and purification. The special mindset that Frankincense creates is "vertical" like smoke rising to the heavens. Vertical means going back to the depths of the soul, away from the air and affairs of the world and the conflicts and tensions that accompany them.
Frankincense has the power to raise human consciousness to another level by freeing the nervous system from undue tension and allowing one to focus on fundamental, transcendental unity with the inner self.
A spiritual substance that has been used since ancient times
In ancient Egypt, frankincense was also called "olibanum" and was considered to be "a substance that leads to a sacred state." Frankincense was also found in the tomb of the Egyptian king Tutankhamun, who died about 3,330 years ago. At that time, it was used to help the soul return to a higher realm. In the New Testament, it is written that the three magi from the East brought frankincense among their gifts to the newborn Jesus Christ.
Frankincense's aromatic resin is obtained from the Boswellia genus of trees, specifically Boswellia sacra and Boswellia carterii (Cupressaceae). When the bark of the tree is scraped to obtain the resin " teardrops " (which are teardrop-shaped), a yellow or white resin oozes out and hardens.
Resin can be harvested from trees that are 8 to 10 years old or older. It can be harvested two to three times a year, with the last harvest producing the best quality resin. A single tree can produce 10 to 20 kilograms of resin per year, but after three years old trees need to be allowed to rest for a few years.
Frankincense has long been valued not only for its pleasant fragrance, but also for its healing properties.
Frankincense's healing and powerful anti-inflammatory properties
Frankincense has been used since ancient times against chronic inflammation, especially rheumatic diseases . Studies have shown that 60-70 % of patients with polyarthritis experience a reduction in pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints. This can be explained by the fact that pain is released and carried out by infectious inflammatory mediators, the so-called prostaglandins. In allopathic medicine, prostaglandins and the pain caused by them are fought by antirheumatic drugs and cortisone. Frankincense has these same abilities, but without the unwanted side effects. Clinical studies in universities and hospitals have proven the positive reactions brought about by frankincense, and it is hoped that in the near future, frankincense will be able to replace, at least in part, modern allopathic medicines.
The beautiful healing resin of Frankincense is effective for any kind of inflammation, especially joint problems, but can also be used for any other kind of inflammation, such as the urinary tract and colon.
In cases of catarrh, asthma, bronchitis, coughs, influenza or asthma attacks, this essential oil has a strong effect on the respiratory system, slowing the frequency of breathing and increasing the volume of breathing.
Frankincense deepens and invigorates the breath, a phenomenon that occurs naturally during meditation, connecting frankincense with a natural approach to self-awareness.
Winter Remedies
Inhaling frankincense essential oil can help dissolve mucus when you have a cough or cold. It's also a great oil to use for preventing winter illnesses. Just 2-3 drops of frankincense applied to the nape of the neck or diffused indoors will create a barrier against viruses.
Skin protectant (spiritual practice to combat acne under the nose)
The cosmetic industry sells products containing frankincense because of its ability to rejuvenate the skin, prevent wrinkles, and reduce scars. It is also highly effective in treating acne and many other skin conditions, from minor to severe skin cancer.
Holistic Spiritual Healer
Used in religious and ceremonial settings, Frankincense balances the human emotional consciousness, helping to reduce fatigue and improve clarity of mind.
Frankincense has a calming effect on the nervous system, which has a positive effect on depression and relieves anxiety and nervous tension.
Cancer Treatment
One of the most striking features of frankincense is its anti-cancer effects. It has been scientifically proven that the presence of so-called "boswellic acids" has a definite effect on tumors and cancer. However, despite the high concentration of these acids in the resin, the distilled essential oil has a very low concentration of these acids. It may be premature to draw any conclusions about the overall anti-cancer effects of frankincense using various extracts such as essential oil, hydrosol, alcohol or CO2 extractions.
However, there are many testimonials that Frankincense has a significant antitumor effect. Frankincense should be a natural and good approach for cancer treatment. Also, hydrosols that are thought to contain more boswellic acids should be used because aromatic acids are generally absorbed by water during distillation and are hardly contained in essential oils.
The typical Western "isolation approach" always looks only at the active ingredient (here boswellic acid) and does not do justice to the synergistic or holistic effects of all the compounds in a medicinal plant extract like frankincense. You have to consider the dozens of biochemical compounds present in frankincense oil in total. Even if you look at these compounds separately and discover their effects in a focused analytical study, you will not be able to draw any conclusions about the overall properties of all those compounds.
Also, speaking from a biochemical perspective, for example, frankincense oil contains a lot of monoterpenes, and the effects of these on cancer may be under study.
We can also say that there is simply a "vibrational signature" (wow, that's bold!) of all kinds of substances (including boswellic acids) that act as "unsung heroes" in the overall biochemical composition of the oil. In other words, the ancient "sacred" properties of frankincense are a phenomenon that goes beyond modern scientific approaches and the superficial material level.
A paramedical understanding of frankincense goes beyond "para" (Sanskrit for "beyond"), or mere biochemical analysis, to a more holistic understanding that frankincense helps us reconnect with our inner life flow (prana or chi). By restoring lost inner harmony, frankincense allows the body, with its trillions of cells, to find a new equilibrium.
Divine ally
Frankincense is truly a divine ally that helps us in many ways. Spiritually, it protects us from material temptations, elevates our consciousness, and relieves subconscious stress. It makes sense that this oil has such a strong spiritual use, and here is the answer to the question why Frankincense has been and still is so heavily used in rituals.
The ancients viewed Frankincense as a " divine being " and believed it could dissolve many physical and psychological blocks, allowing one's true spiritual self, the soul or Atman (the individual's innermost source of consciousness) to shine freely.
Some testimonials that demonstrate its amazing properties
"That night I trusted my instincts and chose Jasmine, Frankincense and Palo Santo. I mixed 4 drops of each oil with 2 tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons of lime juice. I soaked in the bath, breathed deeply and let the oils work from the inside out. The scents of all three oils were amazing and I felt their healing powers gently envelop me. I slept well that night and woke up feeling refreshed and my cough gone!" thearomablog.com
"A friend of mine was treated for a tumor at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and her doctor said it was okay to use frankincense essential oil topically during her intravenous chemotherapy. During the first round, when she didn't use frankincense, the tumor continued to grow all over her body, she felt very sick, and her body almost stopped functioning. During her second round of chemo, she used frankincense essential oil topically on her legs and where she thought the tumor was. She felt so much better and had almost no side effects. After 5 weeks, all of the tumor below her neck was gone and the tumor in her brain had shrunk by 30 %. I now know how to avoid having chemotherapy." roberttisserand.com
"I had squamous cell carcinoma on my nose and basil cell carcinoma on my cheek - both skin cancers. I started layering frankincense, myrrh and lavender oils on those areas and they completely cleared up.
I also suffered from lower back pain that led to a herniated disc in my lumbar spine, and I was bedridden for three months. However, by taking capsules containing oregano, copaiba, and cabruba essential oils (diluted in a carrier oil), the excruciating pain was completely relieved. I have been using essential oils for 14 years now, and once you start, you can't stop. It's amazing that they can be effective against any illness. " likemindedmamas.com
"I have been using frankincense oil for over a month now. My baby daughter has been having seizures for unknown reasons. After reading about it all night I decided to at least give it a try and ordered it. The medicine makes her a little sleepy and cranky but the first day she applied the oil she was immediately back to her normal self. I apply a drop twice a day to her feet and one drop to her brain stem. Since then she has only had one seizure which was very mild compared to the other seizures which usually last 20 minutes or more." epilepsyfoundation.ning.com
"Our son first had partial complex seizures at 18 months old.
By the time he was 3 1/2 years old, he was on 3 different anticonvulsant medications, but still had daily seizures. They didn't stop the seizures, and the side effects of the medications were just as bad as the seizures. Then a friend asked me if I'd ever tried frankincense, and as strange as it sounds, I decided to give it a try. That was over 8 months ago. I applied 2-3 drops of frankincense twice a day, on the front and back of his neck. From day one, he was seizure-free. Over the next 7 months, we were taken off all 3 anticonvulsant medications. He has now gone a month seizure-free and medication-free, using only the oil. Frankincense oil has given our son his life back." epilepsyfoundation.ning.com
"Emily's son had severe damage to his face and jaw after being kicked by a horse. His jaw was wired in place. After applying Palo Santo along with Frankincense to his jaw 3-6 times a day, the wires came off in 3 weeks instead of the 3 months the doctor predicted - and there was no infection." thejoyofessentialoils.com
