Myrrh

Overview

Myrrh has a sweet, smoky, musky, and slightly spicy aroma with a warm, rich quality. Known for its incenselike and medicinal scent, myrrh's name comes from an Arabic word meaning "bitter." Myrrh oil is derived from the thorny Commiphora myrrha tree, growing nine to fifteen feet tall in dry climates. Native to Arabia, northern Africa, and southwestern Asia, myrrh trees produce aromatic leaves and small white flowers. The resin is harvested by making incisions in the tree bark, yielding a pale yellowish-white fluid that hardens into reddish-brown tears. Steam distillation of the resin produces a pale-yellow or amber oil.

Emotional Effect

Myrrh scent fortifies the nerves and emotions, replacing feelings of apathy and weakness with motivation and strength. It provides clarity, focus, and resilience during troubled times. Its cooling and calming effect helps subdue anger and inflamed emotional states, promoting emotional stability.

Principal Properties

Healing | Rejuvenating | Antiseptic

Aroma

Warm | Balsamic | Musty