Anointing for Physical Healing
To “anoint” means to rub or stroke with an oil, that part of the body which is out of balance-in pain, or wounded, or inflamed. The priests or healers in ancient times knew the healing properties of these oils and kept written texts which prescribed oils that were good for wounds, gout, sciatica, rheumatism, lung conditions like bronchitis and pneumonia, for coughs, sore muscles, broken bones, headaches, etc. Egyptian texts listed hundreds of recipes and antidotes for physical healing. Sometimes it meant smearing the oil on the skin and sometimes it was a concoction that the person drank. So anointing for physical healing meant more than just dabbing a drop of oil on the forehead and it certainly never meant just olive oil by itself without the addition of a healing aromatic oil. Their methods of obtaining these oils varied from crude steam distillation to macerating the plant material in olive oil to make an infusion.
Anointing for Beauty
What is often overlooked is how the ancient peoples used essential oils for cosmetic beauty and desirability. Nothing much has changed! The Egyptians used essential oils like frankincense and myrrh to enhance all of their cosmetics and hair products. After all, it was the desert and all that wind, sand and sun wrecks havoc with one’s skin. Frankincense protected the eyes from eye diseases and the myrrh kept the skin soft and supple. both oils protected from infections.
Anointing for Mental, Emotional and Spiritual Healing
Anointing also means to use an oil in the space around the physical body in the person’s aura or energy field. Now you won’t find that description in the biblical texts, but you will find references to the use of incense, and references to sprinkling the person which of course would be anointing more than the physical body. You will find references to the use of anointing to restore the individual to the community, to exorcising “evil spirits” which caused the person’s anguish, and references to the setting apart for certain individuals for priestly service, and for anointing the kings and prophets. The effect of this anointing was to make them holy-to consecrate to the Lord.
Want to learn more about essential oils and how they can help you stay healthy? The Institute of Spiritual Healing and Aromatherapy teaches classes throughout the United States on both aromatherapy and energy (spiritual) healing. I’d like to invite you to explore our educational offerings. I also would like you to claim your free instant access to a Special Report on Five Biblical Oils when you subscribe to my free short ezine newsletter on energy healing and aromatherapy at http://www.ISHAhealing.com Look for the subscriber box on the left-hand side of the page.
From Linda L. Smith, Director of the Institute of Spiritual Healing & Aromatherapy, a national program in Christian healing.
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