A 45-minute workshop designed for people exploring the potential of essential oils for health + wellness. My goal is to educate and empower you so that you can make an informed decision on whether or not essential oils are a good fit for you and your family!
If you've been wanting to use oils but don't know where to start, then I'd like to invite you to my Essential Oils Made Easy Virtual Workshop. It's totally no pressure - and totally free. You'll know by the end of this 45-minute workshop if essential oils are the right next step for you!
How amazing is it that God uses the timing and prophetic evidence in the scriptures to create many opportunities to point us to the Gospel of Jesus Christ? He uses plants and oils to not only heal us physically but also to help us emotionally.
In this episode, Heidi finishes out the Oils of the Bible series and explains the benefits and uses of Myrrh, Lavender, and Spikenard oils. She goes into the deeper meaning of these three oils as they were particularly used relating to Jesus in the New Testament.
Listen in to learn about laws that protect the existence of plants, like Spikenard, to ensure their sustainability in the long run.
Top Takeaways:
What you will learn:
Detailed Transcript:
Welcome back beloved to Part 3 of my Oils of the Bible Series. We’ve addressed the concerns that EOs are new age in part one as well as given a basic education and biblical history and how oils were used for healing in ancient times, and in part two we covered how it was God’s idea to create oil blends, and took a deep dive into the historical and modern uses of oils, plus the prophetic telling of Jesus through the oil producing plants in the Bible. The abundant evidence in the Bible helps to clarify all of this and so in part three – this final episode of the series, I want to tie it all up in a pretty bow for you and go deeper with three more ancient oils and how God uses the timing and prophetic evidence in scripture to create many opportunities to point people to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It’s amazing. Let’s dig in!
Myrrh:
It’s a resin oil like Frankincense, and it’s extracted from the Myrrh tree. Trees have a natural ability to heal themselves from injury. When they are damaged, they create a type of bandage, an aromatic gum called a resin to cover the damaged bark. This reaction protects them from invading insects and can inhibit disease. Resinous oils like these have been used for thousands of years for mood enhancement, immune support, pain management, circulation, infection, inflammation, and more. It takes about ¾ lb of Myrrh resin to make one 15ml bottle. Native to Somalia, Myrrh has one of the highest levels of sesquiterpenes. These are a class of compounds that can cross the BBB. Noted many places in scripture including: Genesis 37:25; 43:11; Exodus 30:23, 34; Esther 2:12; Psalm 45:8; Proverbs 7:17; Song of Solomon 1:13; 3:6; 4:6, 14; 5:1, 5, 13; Matthew 2:11; Mark 15:23; John 19:39; Revelation 18:13, but it was first mentioned as a principal ingredient in the holy anointing oil given to Moses.
See – I told you that oil blends were God’s idea! God told Moses to take a little bit of Myrrh and Cinnamon, Cassia and Calamus, and Olive Oil, “And you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil.” The main purpose of that blend was to sanctify or set apart, but could also be used as a HOLY OINTMENT, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary
Historical uses:
● Used in religious rituals and embalming
● To soften skin
● Burned as incense during childbirth
● Applied on umbilical cords to prevent infection
● Used for postpartum depression
There is a reason why the wise men brought Myrrh to little Jesus and his mother Mary! Of course, they didn’t bring it packaged all pretty in a little bottle. We don’t know if they brought the resins or the oils, BUT the fact remains that these were considered very valuable at that time in history. Ancient records show that Myrrh was deemed so valuable at times that it was valued at its weight in gold.
And it is also so valuable during labor and delivery, and after birth for both mama AND baby! Do you think that Mary could have used a little mood support after giving birth? Let’s see, she was about 14 when she got pregnant. How many of you were a 14-year-old girl at one point? There are emotional challenges right there. Right?
So on top of the fact that she was 14 and dealing with those teenage hormones, she was pregnant. Plus there are problems in her relationship because Joseph didn’t exactly believe her that she had not been another man. In fact, the Bible tells us that he was going to put her away quietly, so we know he didn’t believe her. And how else we know was that God had to send the angel Gabriel to Joseph to say, this is a work of the Holy Spirit she has not met with another man.
However, the angel didn’t go to the rest of the town and tell them, right? So now she’s probably humiliated, maybe even outcast in her community because imagine the whispers that are going on about her, because they didn’t get that memo. They aren’t on the same page with the holy spirit. And then if that’s not enough, she’s now got to go on this long trip, riding on a donkey while pregnant. Can you even imagine? It’s 90 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
And then when it came time to deliver, she had to have the baby in less than ideal circumstances. Do you remember planning your birth – did you have a birth plan and an idea of what you wanted that to look like? What about planning for your baby’s nursery – did you have a vision for that? I’m not sure if Mary ever got disappointed but I can only imagine because she is human. And I mean, it’s baby Jesus so she probably wants everything to be perfect for him. Okay. So Mary has the baby and probably thinks, “oh yay, we’re done.” She might have been dealing with some postpartum issues from all that other stuff but at least they could be done now, rest and take a break, right? No, because to top it all off the king wants to kill her baby so now they have to run away. This has not been an easy thing, Mary, saying yes to God! And so the Lord, in all of his tender mercy, love, and grace, sends her Myrrh and Frankincense – which we will talk about in a minute, but doesn’t that just speak to His goodness? He’s taking care of her and her baby.
Myrrh has been used for centuries for its internal use, but also for its external health benefits to the skin by promoting a smooth, youthful-looking complexion, as in the case with Queen Esther of the Bible. You can add 1-2 drops to your daily moisturizer to soften and brighten skin.
We love to use myrrh for oral health – my favorite toothpaste has essential oils in it including Myrrh and this is what makes it great for sensitive gums. It cleanses the mouth and is great to incorporate into your daily oral hygiene routine. You can add 1-2 drops to your toothpaste or with 2 oz of water to gargle and use as a mouth rinse.
Skin healing, cuts, and wounds – it’s excellent at supporting the closure of open wounds, both physically and emotionally. But we used this on our baby’s umbilical cords to help them fall off and heal. We call this one liquid bandaid as it helps keep the germs out. That’s why the smell of Myrrh always brings me back to my babies. But you can use it on your cuticles if they are dry and need moisture, or on cracked lips and dry winter skin, on kiddos cuts and scrapes, or diaper rash.
We recently used myrrh after my 17 yr old had her wisdom teeth removed to help clean and heal the wounds in her mouth. We dropped them on the gauze pads each time we changed them, applied with a q-tip daily for aftercare, and also had her gently swish from side to side after her saltwater rinses.
Other uses for Myrrh, are ovarian irregularities, bad breath and gum problems, jock itch, athlete’s foot and so much more!
Diffusing, you can mix with floral or citrus oils to relax and relieve tension in the room. Or to help promote emotional balance and help uplift the mood.
It is a thicker oil so you may need to put in your pocket or some ladies tuck it in their bra to help warm it up and so it comes out easier. AND if you work with someone that has a properly tested and sourced Myrrh, you can take this one internally for health benefits as well.
And again, we can see the telling of Jesus through this oil producing plant as it was a gift brought to him as a child and as I shared in EP 04 it was used in wine and offered to dying criminals as a pain-deadener and to help anesthetize the pain from brutal execution. We see later in Mark 15:23 when Jesus is being led away to be crucified and just before placing him on the cross, the soldiers offered Jesus wine mixed with Myrrh. So it’s a foretelling.
Spikenard:
The Nard that Mary used as mentioned in John 12:3 may have been Spikenard but it may also have been Lavender. The verse reads like this, “Then Mary took about a pint[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” First of all, have you ever smelled Spikenard? I wouldn’t exactly use it as a perfume. It smells very earthy with a hint of blueberries. I am going to propose that this costly perfume that she used to anoint the feet of Jesus and wipe with her hair was likely lavender. And again, I want to make sure I mention Rachel Lee Carter for her work here, but many researchers claim that 2000 years ago Lavender, was also called nard, according to the Greeks, and the accounts in the New Testament were originally written in Greek or Aramaic. So lavender was referred to simply as “nard” from the Greek name for Lavender, which is naardus, after the Syrian city Naarda from where it was derived.
Lavender is calming to the nervous system. Let’s think about that. We know that Jesus suffered great anxiety immediately prior to His betrayal by Judas as it’s written in Luke 22:44. “And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Lavender was known to be calming, sedative, and was able to lower blood pressure by dilating the arteries. Oh…that makes a lot of sense now, doesn’t it? You can see how Lavender would have been helpful here as she was anointing him, because did she have any idea what was going to happen? No. But God did.
Lavender is a coagulant, and it was commonly used to stop bleeding on contact. Was he going to bleed? It would have been used for the care and cleansing of skin irritations, lacerations, bruising, and other skin maladies. Romans commonly used lavender for cleansing. The word lavender is derived from the Latin word lavare, which means “to wash or cleanse.”
We can see prophetically, how her act of worship points to His coming anxiety, beatings, lacerations, bruising, and bleeding. She was preparing Him before it would take place. And where did she put it on Jesus? His feet. And where do we use the oils? On our feet. That’s one way that we use oils topically on the feet. I told you the Bible teaches us how to use them! So let’s see how it foreshadows what was going to happen. Six days after Mary anoints Jesus, He and his twelve disciples come into Jerusalem from Bethany. That evening, Jesus ate an early evening Passover meal with His disciples. And on the 7th day after His anointing by Mary, Jesus would be crucified. Seven is a number that represents completion and perfection.
We can’t be sure whether or not this was a mixture, whether it was Lavender or whether it was Spikenard, but I can see the timing and the prophetic evidence of Lavender, especially as the New Testament was in Greek. We might not know for sure until we get on that side of heaven, and we will find out then. That’s fascinating to me. Scripture tells us that It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out. (Proverbs 25:2). And we can see in several of the texts, from Cypress and the ark to the gift of Frankincense and the gift of the finished work on the cross to Mary of anointing of Jesus, that God uses many opportunities to point people to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He’ll even use plants to carry out His eternal message of hope. You know, the Bible says that the Pharisees went to Jesus and said, you need to silence your disciples. And he said, if I were to silence them, even the rocks would cry out. So if the rocks will cry out, why not the plants? Why not the oils? It’s amazing.
Modern Uses Spikenard:
Spikenard, a flowering plant of the Valerian family, Root oil. Native to the Himalayan mountains. It’s wild-crafted and harvested at an elevation of 12,000 ft (a 3 days climb) over a 15-20 day period. A good sourcing model will have the gatherers replant at least 10% of the shoots in order to replenish forest resources throughout the world. Spikenard essential oil is steam distilled from the roots of the plant after they’ve dried for several days. It has been valued for centuries, traditionally used to anoint people of high honor and in the health practices of India. It promotes clean, healthy skin and is commonly used for relaxing massages.
And for this oil in particular, a good essential oil company will voluntarily, systematically, and enthusiastically comply with CITES recommendations and restrictions (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). CITES provides the international agreement between governments to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. One major oil essential oil company that’s been in the industry for almost 30 years was found to be intentionally and illegally trafficking spikenard oil in violation of the Lacey Act and the Endangered Species Act. They were sentenced to pay $760,000 in fines, restitution, and community service, and also ordered to implement a comprehensive corporate compliance plan and put on probation for five years. So this is kind of a big deal!
In addition, a good oil company will have at the core of their mission, principles that ensure mutually beneficial supplier partnerships while creating sustainability in the communities and support for much needed income streams for harvesters and distillers, particularly in the remote areas where it is harvested, as well as support needed for rural community development projects. If we first take care of the people and plants that so generously provide this healing oil for us, then they will be able to take care of us and keep producing for generations. Good business is good for everyone!
Most oils have 4-6 main compounds that make up the majority of their chemistry, but in Spikenard nearly 97% of the compounds are unique. That means that it has a vast chemistry – broad-use oil that’s good for just about everything! This also makes it a good companion oil because it helps strengthen other oils that you would use it with. It creates a nice synergy! Deep cleansing and clarifying properties, great for cognitive health, cellular renewing, and endocrine balancing. It’s antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, can be used as a laxative, for athlete’s foot, inflammation, nervous disorders, skin care, UTIs, wound care, and more. You can apply 1 drop topically with a wood or floral oil for natural support of dry, irritated skin. Combine with a hydrating facial cream to soften and smooth skin. Mix a drop with Lime or Eucalyptus and apply topically over the chest for respiratory support. Or combine with Peppermint or citrus oils for relaxation and mood elevation. It’s really good for brain support too so if you have memory or focus issues, or just to diffuse while you are doing your Bible study or reading scripture. Remember adding Spikenard increases the benefits of the other oils so you don’t diffuse it alone, add in some of your other oils like a citrus or floral oil. I love to diffuse Frankincense, Bergamot, Clary Sage, and Spikenard together at bedtime.
Modern Uses Lavender: Swiss Army Knife of Oils
Lavender can be used for just about anything: sleep, burns, bug bites, skin, nosebleeds, eye rashes, cuts, headaches, stress, anxiety & overwhelm, teeth grinding, focus & concentration, sunburns, burns & scars, allergies & hay fever, pains & sprains, cuts, wounds & blisters, high blood pressure, and the list goes on! You always want it on hand! It’s an adaptogenic oil which means it works with the body to help balance. This is why for some people, lavender gives them energy, and for others, it relaxes them. It can help relieve stress, anxiety, and insomnia relieves the pain of insect bites, soothes skin (when burned or harassed it returns to perfect balance when the skin heals, natural anti-histamine for allergies, and for mucous issues, relieves muscles cramping, soothing to skin and sinuses. It is antibacterial, antidepressant, and calmative.
You can add a drop of Lavender in your Mascara to make your lashes long and full and so they don’t fall out as much. Apply around the eyes to keep from itching during seasonal changes and high pollen times. So you would just apply around the eye on the brow bone and cheekbone, being careful not to get it in your eye. You can mix it with Frankincense and Peppermint with a little bit of aloe for an after-sun spray. And our favorite is to layer with Frankincense and Peppermint for a headache.
Remember, not all essential oils can be considered safe for internal consumption, i.e. pure, unadulterated, 3rd party tested and validated, properly packaged, cultivated and distilled for health benefits and medicinal purposes. Experts estimate that 80% of the commercially available essential oils on the market have been adulterated in some way (aromaticplant.org). Please use caution and work with a specialist that has experience.
If you are looking to explore the potential of essential oils for health + wellness but don’t know where to start, then I want to make sure you know that I have a free 45-minute Essential Oils Made East virtual workshop designed just for you – someone who is passionate about purity and living clean and green and voting with their dollars. You want the best. You want the safest. You want the purest and most effective products in your home, not only as a consumer but as a mother – I hear you! Those are all very important to me too! Essential oils were a huge part of our health journey as a family and still are today. I get so many messages and tags on social media from moms shouting the blessings of these plant-powered gifts God created. Here are a few just about lavender alone…
Drugs you have for each thing – right? You usually get the drug for just one thing and that’s it. Oils work with body systems which all work together and so that’s why you can use them for so many different things. So if you’ve been wanting to ditch the side effects and are considering essential oils as a natural solution but you haven’t taken the leap yet, then I’d like to invite you to attend my workshop. My goal is simply to educate and empower you so that you can make an informed decision on whether essential oils are even a good fit for you and your family. Totally no pressure and if you’d like a free sample to go along with the workshop to make it an interactive experience you can opt for that in the link in the show notes: https://tinyurl.com/essentialoilsmadeeasy
I’m going to teach you how to work with them and use them on your own! I am going to help you understand the power of essential oils (because it just looks like water in those little bottles, right?). And if you’ve ever thought that essential oils were overwhelming or complicated or that they don’t work, I would probably argue that somebody didn’t take the time to come up with a specific plan and how they would be helpful for you and how you would use them, or the purity of the brand you tried was compromised in some way.
Check out the link in the show notes to take the first steps towards getting access. They have become our go-to for almost the last decade as a first line of defense in our home and I want to help as many mamas as I can learn that there’s a better way. That there’s a safer, cheaper, more effective option that can revolutionize their family’s healthcare.
“Heidi has such a gift for inspiring and encouraging! I love her fierce love for her family and wanting to meet mamas where they are, infusing them with faith to see they can find empowerment from God to take control of their life and health.”
- Robyn Wright, Faithfully Living Fit
“I love how Heidi not only cares deeply about health and wellness but inspires us all that part of living holistically involves our spiritual lives! I can always count on Heidi to deliver material that is astutely informative and faithfully inspired helping me live my best life!”
- Wendy Henley, Author and Mindset Coach
“I came across Heidi while looking into personal healing. Heidi offers so much value and helpful information to a new or seasoned Christian. I am really enjoying learning new biblical ways. Can’t wait to hear and learn more! Thank you!”
- 'Country Girl'
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