Myrrh Meaning and magickal uses
Also called Commiphora, Gum myrrh
A deep, bittersweet resin for protection, healing work and honoring the dead.
- Intentions
- Protection, Healing, Cleansing
- Element
- Water
- Planet
- The Moon
- Day
- Monday
- Parts used
- Dried resin, steam-distilled oil
- Scent
- Earthy, bitter, warm and slightly medicinal
How to use it
- Blend with frankincense
Burn equal parts frankincense and myrrh on charcoal for a classic temple blend. The bright resin and the dark one balance each other, which suits rituals of both blessing and release.
- Ancestor offering
At Samhain or on an anniversary, burn a pinch of myrrh beside a photo or candle for someone you have lost. Let the smoke carry your words to them.
- Protective anointing
Add a drop of diluted myrrh oil to a black or white candle before protection work, or to the threshold of your door, while you picture a steady shield around your home.
Works well with
Substitutes
History and folklore
Myrrh is the fragrant sap of thorny Commiphora trees from Arabia and northeast Africa. Ancient Egyptians used it in embalming and temple incense, and its name is traditionally linked to a word for bitter. In Christian tradition it was one of the three gifts of the Magi and was later associated with mourning. Witches today often pair it with frankincense, the solar resin, treating myrrh as its lunar, watery partner for protection, healing and remembrance.
A deep, bittersweet resin for protection, healing work and honoring the dead.
- Intentions: Protection, Healing, Cleansing
- Element: Water
- Planet: The Moon
- Day: Monday
- Parts used: Dried resin, steam-distilled oil
- Scent: Earthy, bitter, warm and slightly medicinal
Safety: Never swallow the resin or oil. Avoid the oil during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Always dilute before skin contact and patch test first. Keep the oil and smoke away from pets, especially cats. When burning, ventilate the room.
How to use it
- Blend with frankincense. Burn equal parts frankincense and myrrh on charcoal for a classic temple blend. The bright resin and the dark one balance each other, which suits rituals of both blessing and release.
- Ancestor offering. At Samhain or on an anniversary, burn a pinch of myrrh beside a photo or candle for someone you have lost. Let the smoke carry your words to them.
- Protective anointing. Add a drop of diluted myrrh oil to a black or white candle before protection work, or to the threshold of your door, while you picture a steady shield around your home.
Works well with: White Candle, Samhain, Waning Crescent, Amethyst, Water
Folklore
Myrrh is the fragrant sap of thorny Commiphora trees from Arabia and northeast Africa. Ancient Egyptians used it in embalming and temple incense, and its name is traditionally linked to a word for bitter. In Christian tradition it was one of the three gifts of the Magi and was later associated with mourning. Witches today often pair it with frankincense, the solar resin, treating myrrh as its lunar, watery partner for protection, healing and remembrance.
The Witch's Cabinet is a free reference for your practice. Correspondences are traditional associations, not medical advice. Always follow the safety notes, especially with herbs and essential oils around children, pets and during pregnancy.