Myrrh

MYRRH | MIRRA

Myrrh is not just a scent and a resin, it’s a sacred substance with a history that’s older than empires and as layered as the desert soil it comes from. Myrrh is what happens when tree bark bleeds with purpose- a hardened golden sap with the power to cleanse the body, calm the mind, and bridge the earthly and the spiritual.

Myrrh comes from the Commiphora trees, which grow wild in the dry, rocky regions of Northeast Africa and the Arabian Peninsula- especially in what is now Somalia, Ethiopia, and southern Arabia. These trees thrive where little else can. To harvest myrrh, you make a small cut in the bark and let the aromatic sap weep and dry into hard, reddish-gold tears. It’s labor-intensive, sacred, and not something you rush.

5,000 years ago, myrrh was already a staple of Egyptian medicine and ritual. It was used in the mummification process to preserve the body and honor the soul. The Ebers Papyrus, one of the oldest medical texts, describes myrrh as a remedy for mouth infections, wounds, pain, skin disorders, and more. Pharaohs were buried with it. Temples were anointed with it. And it was burned daily in spiritual offerings to Ra, the sun god.

In the Old Testament, myrrh shows up as one of the gifts brought to the infant Jesus - alongside gold and frankincense - not just for its fragrance, but for its healing and embalming power. In Jewish and early Christian tradition, it symbolized sacrifice, purification, and the bittersweetness of human experience.

The Greeks and Romans used it for everything from wound care to perfume to incense. Hippocrates recommended it for ulcers, coughs, and infectious wounds. Dioscorides praised it as a “gentle drying agent” for inflammation, sore throats, and uterine conditions. Myrrh was a staple in early pharmacopeias across the Mediterranean, Persia, and India.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, myrrh is known as mo yao, and it’s used to invigorate blood, reduce swelling and pain, and heal wounds. It’s paired with frankincense (ru xiang) to move qi, ease arthritis, and treat trauma- both physical and emotional. It’s warming, bitter, grounding, and deeply restorative.

In Ayurveda, myrrh is called bola or guggulu (a close cousin), and it’s used for detoxification, wound healing, and balancing vata and kapha doshas. It’s particularly revered for its effects on joint health, digestion, and skin purification.

Fast forward to today, and myrrh is still very much alive in modern herbalism and integrative medicine. It’s used in tinctures and mouthwashes for gingivitis and sore gums, topically for cuts and ulcers, and in essential oils for respiratory and skin support. It’s anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, astringent, and, according to recent studies, has antioxidant and potential anti-cancer properties.

Energetically, myrrh is deep medicine. It’s grounding, protective, and mournfully beautiful. It’s the herb of grief rituals, rebirth, and spiritual cleansing. Myrrh says, Let it go. Seal the wound. Honor what came before. It’s both wound healer and sacred smoke- used when you need to release the old and step into the sacred.

Medicinal Uses of Myrrh

• Wound Healing & Antiseptic Action
  Myrrh resin is naturally antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and astringent, making it ideal for wounds, ulcers, cuts, and skin infections. It helps disinfect, reduce swelling, and stimulate tissue repair.

• Oral Health Support
  Widely used in tooth powders, mouthwashes, and gums to treat gingivitis, mouth ulcers, toothaches, and sore throats. Its antimicrobial properties help kill oral pathogens and reduce inflammation.

• Anti-inflammatory for Joint & Muscle Pain
  Used traditionally and in modern applications to ease arthritis, bursitis, and joint stiffness. Myrrh is often combined with other resins like frankincense to reduce swelling and pain in musculoskeletal conditions.

• Supports Digestive Health
  Myrrh helps treat ulcers, intestinal inflammation, and infections of the gut. It’s used in small doses for IBS, gastritis, and parasites, and to promote healthy peristalsis.

• Immune-Boosting & Antimicrobial
  Myrrh enhances white blood cell activity, helping the body fight off bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. Used in cold and flu formulas to stimulate immunity and support the lungs.

• Menstrual & Reproductive Health
  Traditionally used as an emmenagogue (to stimulate menstruation), relieve cramps, and ease pelvic stagnation. Also used in postpartum care to clear retained fluids and tone uterine tissues.

• Respiratory Relief
  Myrrh acts as an expectorant, helping clear mucus from the lungs and sinuses. Used in steam blends, tinctures, and pastilles to relieve bronchitis, sore throats, and chest congestion.

• Skin Health
  Topically applied to help with acne, eczema, fungal infections, and chronic wounds. Its astringent and antimicrobial actions cleanse and tighten skin tissue.

• Mood, Grief & Spiritual Support
  Burned as incense to calm the mind, assist with emotional processing, and promote spiritual grounding. Energetically used in rituals for letting go, mourning, and sacred transitions.

• Potential Anti-Cancer Properties
  Modern research suggests that myrrh may help inhibit tumor growth, particularly through its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions, though it is still under study and should not replace conventional care.