Frankincense
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The name Frankincense simply means what it
says: real incense, but denoting a resin that comes from a desert tree that
grows in hot and arid regions. Still nowadays it is used in Christian churches
to bless the sheeps of the community with holy smoke. This Frankincense tree now goes under the
Latin name of Boswellia, but there are several varieties : the most common is
the Boswellia Carterii, but there are also the B.Sacra, the B.Frereane, and
the B.Thurifera. Somalia is the worlds leading producer in Frankincense, but
Oman, India and Indonesia also produce it. It can be used to cure illnesses, of which
treatment of the respiratory organs is the best known. When my family has a
cough or a cold I make them a steambath with Frankincense, which is much
softer then Menthol Eucalyptus which is mostly used for that. The scent of Franincense is soft, fresh, and
uplifting. For an incense you should prefer the darker and bigger lumps,
because the lighter small chunks are usually very soft and difficult to turn
into powder. |
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In the past, Frankincense is responsible for
great wealth in Arabia, so much that we still speak of Arabia Felix, happy
Arabia. There is a long trade route, which goes from Yemen to Alexandria,
which is called the Frankincense trail. Because its worth exceeded gold, big
fortunes have been made there, and this goes at least 2000 years back. The
Jordan town Petra is still a witness of those glorious days. But even when we
go back another 1000years more, we find traces in Solomons book of Kings of
the reputation of Frankincense. It speaks of the legendary queen of Sheba,
who visited him from the land of Punt (Yemen?) to bring him the treasures of
the south among which the aromatics were gratefully incorporated into the
Jewish sacred rituals. We even find some incense recipes in the book of
Solomon. In the Roman times we find for example the
book of John the evangelist, who speaks of the three kings that give
Frankincense as one of their gifts to the newly born divine child, its
symbolic meaning that the child Jezus would become a spiritual king. |
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Oddly enough, we see as one of the prime
functions of Frankincense the masking and removal of stench. So now and then
you find in the shops bags with funny little coloured lumps in it. Usually it
will be painted Frankincense or Myrrh, generally a pimped up waste product.
Usually the people from the shop will not know what it really is cause it
will be sold the under spiritual names like 'holy spirit' or something like
that. When you have an alternative you should go for the real Frankincense. |
