Mary Magdalene devotional balm

I finished up my Mary Magdalene devotional balm this week, a process I’ve been tending to for over a month. I’ll use this in my practice as an alternative to ritual oil (I initially created a balm to avoid any drippiness, but it’s become more convenient to carry and use overall).

I decided to make a batch at the end of July as part of Mary Magdelene’s feast day celebrations and gathered enough dried rose, lavender, and mint to fill two mason jars. After layering an equal amount in both, I covered the herbs with a good extra virgin olive oil and set them in my garden to solar infuse for about three weeks. Throughout were prayers and invocations—I shook the bottles once or twice a day.

Once the oil was ready, I brought it inside, strained the herbs using cheesecloth, and added a few drops of myrrh essential oil to honor Mary’s role as myrrhbearer. Finally, I used my double boiler to mix the oil with beeswax. I’ve been using the balm with rose dust for an extra boost, but the resulting scent is still extremely mild.

This specific formula will be useful for anointing, especially in rituals or practices involving love. In general, I like using it on my hands before reading. And doorways after they’ve been cleaned.

Even though it’s a smaller batch, I should have a few tins available during my September sale (more info soon).