Myrrh
Here we have a rather vague recipe for Kyphi. Kyphi was primarily used in ancient times in Egypt to purify the temple but was also made into a drink which was taken as a remedy for asthma. There are a number of recipes for Kyphi, this is one of them.
I have not actually made it, so I have no idea as to how it would turn out. It does look interesting and adventurous. If anyone tries this, I’d love to hear how it worked out.
- Begin by blending equal parts dried ground acacia, henna, and juniper.
- Soak the resulting powder in wine.
- In a separate container soak golden raisins in wine.
- Allow this soaking process to continue for seven days.
- Take equal parts cardamom, sweet flag/calamus, cinnamon, peppermint, bay leaves, galangal, and orris root.
- Grind each one separately then blend and grind again into a fine powder.
- Add a tablespoon of honey and a tablespoon of myrrh resin to the spice mixture.
- Drain the herbs and raisins that have been soaking in the wine, and add them to the honey/myrrh/spice mixture.
- Add sufficient wine to steep the combined materials, terebinth and raisins to form a thick paste.
Use this as is (simmer it to release the fragrance) or dry it, cut into squares, or form into balls and burn as incense.
Note: I do not recommend the use of this particular recipe for Kyphi as an herbal remedy for any illness, or as something that could or should be ingested for any reason. The fragrant uses are, however, highly recommended.
Source: Element Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells
A small cauldron filled with homemade potpourri can be used as a fragrant altar decoration, burned (outdoors) as an offering to the Old Gods during or after a sabbat celebration, or wrapped in decorative paper and ribbons and given to a Craft Sister or Brother as a sabbat gift.
- 45 drops Myrrh Oil
- 1 cup Oak Moss
- 2 cups Dried Heather Flowers
- 2 cups Dried Wisteria
- 1 cup Dried Yellow Tulip Petals
- ½ cup Dried Basil
- ½ cup Dried and Chopped Bay Leaves
Mix the myrrh oil with the oak moss, and then add the remaining ingredients. Stir the potpourri well and then store in a tightly covered ceramic or glass container.
From: The Wicca Spellbook
- 1/4 cup almond or other carrier oil
- 8 drops pine oil
- 8 drops cedar
- 5 drops juniper
- ground myrrh – approx 5 or 6 small lumps
- ground frankincense – approx 5 or 6 small lumps
Grind the frankincense and myrrh into a very very fine powder. Heat them with the carrier oil over very very low heat or in a small potpourri cooker for about an hour or so – when the fragrance is released you will know it is time.
Once that is done add your essential oils and combine all ingredients. For a decorative touch, add a sprig of pine or cedar to the bottle.
by Dawn Walenda
- 1 cup salt
- 1/8 teaspoon dill weed
- 1/8 teaspoon ground hyssop
- 4 drops myrrh oil
- 1/4 teaspoon powdered galangal
- 2 drops anise oil
Lightly mix the ingredients together and place them in a jar for storage.
Helpful Tips:
Add the essential oils drop by drop, one ingredient at a time, until the scent seems right. Mix with a spoon (or shake) until all salt particles are moistened. Be prepared to spend some time doing this, perhaps a half hour or so. Here is where a plastic bag comes in handy!
If the Bath Salts are mixed for a ritual purpose, visualize the energies within the oils merging with each other and with the salt as you mix. Keep the salt’s goal in mind while you stir. Use or store until needed.
From: Moon Magick
Bat’s blood ink is one magickal ink that you should use carefully. This ink has been used to write spells of misfortune, havoc, and putting hexes. But being the good witch that you are, you can use bat’s blood ink to protect yourself from hexes. Plus you can use it to undo jinxes that have found their way into your life.
Be very careful with using bat’s blood ink for negative purposes since that can easily backfire. To make the ink you will need the following:
- 2gr Dragon’s Blood resin
- 1gr Myrrh resin
- 1gr Gum Arabic
- 12ml Alcohol
- ½ cup water
- Dark red coloring – optional, to make the ink darker and better for writing.
Ground the resins and the gum to a fine powder. Then, boil about half a cup of water. Lower the fire and pure the gum Arabic in the water. Stir until the gum is fully diluted. Then put in the rest of the resins and keep stirring until you have a honey-like paste.
Then take the mix out of fire, let it cool down to approximately 60oC (140oF) and add the alcohol. If you are using coloring, add it now. Stir until it becomes an homogeneous liquid. This is your Bat’s Blood Ink.
Depending on how finely you have ground the ingredients and how much water remains in the paste, you may need a little more or less alcohol to end up with a proper liquid. But whatever the case, the ink will work.
How to use Bat’s Blood Ink to remove problems and obstacles:
Light a fire in your cauldron and infuse it with purifying power. To do so, chant “Hum” or “Ksham” 108 times over the fire. Of course, always take all fire safety measures when using fire.
Add to your Bat’s Blood Ink a few drops of a Banishing or Uncrossing magical oil. Do not substitute with a Road Opener, Block Buster, or Success Oil. With this oil empowered ink, write on pieces of paper your problems and obstacles. Do not, under no circumstances, write people’s names. Only situations.
Then throw the papers into the purifying fire and let them burn to ashes. Even better, summon a fire Deity or a fire Spirit you trust to assist you in this procedure.
Source: Magical Recipes Online
To tap into the essence of the Mistress of Magick, blend powdered orris root, sweet flag (calamus) and ground myrrh. Add the herbs to a base of rice flour or powder and sprinkle on yourself for added psychic power.
Frankincense
- Symbolizing: Sun, Purification, Consecration, Protection, Spiritual Illumination
- Forms: incense, oils
- Divinities: Sun Gods, Ra at Dawn, Bel
Myrrh
- Symbolizing: Healing, Death and Afterlife, Purification, Inner Peace
- Forms: incense, oils
- Divinities: Isis, Ra at Midday
Yule Oil
- 2 drops of each Cinnamon and Clove oil
- 1 drop of mandarin oil
- 1 drop of popine oil
- 2 drops each Frankincense and Myrrh oil.
Yule Incense
- 2 parts Frankincense
- 2 part Pine Needles or resin
- 1 Part Cedar
- 1 Part Juniper Berries
Other Scents and Incense for Yule
- Pine
- Cedar
- Bayberry
- Cinnamon
Mix and smolder on Yule (on or around December 21st), or during the winter months to cleanse the home and to attune with the forces of nature amid the cold days and nights.
Leo Vinci in Incense: Its Ritual Significance, Use and Preparation states that the Egyptian formula for Kyphi was given in the writings of Plutarch and that it contained 16 ingredients. He gives three different formulas for this incense in his book. My own personal formula contains more than 16 ingredients but smells much better than the ones given by Vinci.
Here’s the recipe. Blend together the following ingredients:
- Red sandalwood – 1 part
- Frankincense – 1/2 part
- Myrrh – 1/4 part
- Galangal – 1 part
- Juniper berries – 1/4 part
- Dragon’s blood – 1/4 part
- Calamus root – 1 part
- Bay laurel – 1 part
- Orris root – 1/4 part
- Henna powder – 1/4 part
- Cinnamon – 1/4 part
- Balm of Gilead – 1/4 part
- Styrax bark – 1/4 part
Add oils of amber, honey, acacia, orris, storax, lotus, and musk to personal preference.
Note: Many recipes for Kyphi call for the use of raisins, honey, and wine. These “wet” ingredients enable you to make the incense into a paste that is then formed into balls and left to dry before burning.
From: D J Conway’s Magick of the Gods and Goddesses
Add the following ingredients to 1/8 cup of sesame oil. Visualize the Goddess as you mix the essential oils and inhale the fragrance. For best results, use therapeutic grade organic oils instead of synthetics.
Ingredients:
- 3 drops Myrrh
- 2 drops Cypress
- 1 drop Sandalwood
- 1 dried Mugwort leaf (optional)
This blend can be worn during the Waning Moon to honor Hekate, Goddess of the Fading Crescent. It can also be worn during rituals and magicks having to do with death, intuitive wisdom, dreams, divination, witchcraft, transition, child birth, and gateways or passages to other realms.
Note: Be cautious in the use of this blend as Mugwort is quite powerful and used in excess can be dangerous. A mint leaf can be used as a substitute for the Mugwort.