The Complete Guide to Magical & Ritual Anointing Oils
Did your ancestors practice the sacred art of anointing?
Does your soul remember lifetimes as an oil-bearing priestess?
Do you experience a full-body resonance when you simply hear the word, anointing?
If so, you just might carry the signature of one who is destined to work with these sacred oils in this lifetime.
Read on to discover what anointing oils are, how they’re made, and why you should use anointing oils in your own spiritual and magical practices.
What are anointing oils?
Anointing oils are sacred infusions of plant materials and oils created to channel divine transmission into physical reality.
Traditionally, anointing oils were made by macerating whole plant material into pressed oils—the spikenard in olive oil of the Bible and myrrh infused in safflower of ancient Egypt are just a few well-known examples.
Today, fragrant essential oils join the ingredient list, inviting rare and precious botanicals from throughout the world into our sacred oil repertoire.
Anointing oils open our connection to both spiritual wisdom and divine healing. Perhaps this is because oils infused with botanicals are not only fragrant—they are medicinal.
Every plant carries both physical and energetic gifts, and a true alchemist knows how to harmonize these layered intricacies, creating sacred oils that provoke divine bliss, carry unique vibrational signatures, and contain chemical properties that promote healing on all levels. —Juniper Stokes
A note of caution: Many anointing oils sold today contain synthetic fragrances. This is partly because these ingredients are much cheaper than true plant oils, and partly because there are many suppliers who sell fraudulent oils to well-intentioned makers. These oils do not carry the vibrational gifts and resonance of true, botanical anointing oils. Check out my free guide to avoiding fakes here.
The History of Anointing with Oil
From the beginning of time, in every culture and on every continent, humans have used fragrance to connect with the divine—and the use of sacred anointing oils has been one of the most important expressions of our aromatic practices.
By turning to the past, we discover the ancestral connections with plants held in our bodies and souls. And by living in the present, we can discover profound ways to create and make use of sacred oils today.
Ancient Egypt
The ancient Egyptians held that the world was created from the fragrance of the blue lotus, and scent was an integral part of all Egyptian life.
Precious oils were used to anoint and activate statues of the gods. Other blends—including the famous Kyphi—were used as both personal perfumes and as medicine.
Egyptologist Dora Goldsmith (a PhD candidate and one of my personal teachers in this area), notes how inscriptions on temple walls point to the ritual and intention that went into creating anointing oils and unguents. While some perfumes and oils were made for daily use, others had very strict ritual instructions: These precious oils and perfumes could only be made by priests and priestesses—surrogates for royalty—and precise ingredients, steps, timelines, and even incantations were required during their creation.
(After studying with Dora for over a year—and reading over a dozen books on the fragrances and rituals of ancient Egypt—I have much more to share on this topic. Be sure to subscribe to stay in the loop!)
Vaso alchemico, unknown artist
It’s also likely that our modern practices of anointing royalty (yes, in England a new monarch is anointed in a private ceremony, with a secret blend of oils, to this day) began in ancient Egypt as well. In her groundbreaking work, Egypt’s Anointing Mysteries, Egyptologist Dr. Alison Roberts explores rituals in which the queen would take on goddess-like powers and attributes in order to empower the king through anointing practices.*
*As an aside, in Celtic traditions, kings would receive their power from a sovereignty goddess—without her blessing, he could not be sovereign of the land. A theme to be explored in further articles… ;)
The fragrant traditions of Egypt spread throughout Europe and the Middle East, where they were influenced by expanding trade routes and changing cultures. From Greek Olympians empowering themselves with olive oil and Hippocrates’s instructions to anoint the sick with oil, to the Arabic healing traditions of Avicenna and Hebrew consecrations of priests and kings, to the Biblical anointing practices still used in churches today and much more, Western antiquity was bathed in fragrant oils.
Myrrophores
Myrrophores, or “myrrh-bearers” were sacred priestesses who would channel the celestial power of the divine through sacred oils for soul-level healing—a tradition that likely originated in ancient Egypt and spread throughout the Greco-Roman empire, as well.
Perhaps one of the most well-known acts of anointing in the West is when Mary Magdalene anointed Jesus’s feet with the oil of nard (spikenard). Here, as much as patriarchal retellings have tried to erase Mary Magdalene’s healing gifts, they have not been able to fully obscure the power of her anointing practice or her connection to the myrrhophores.
Some mystical scholars even suggest that her transmission of prayer and protection, carried forth through sacred oil, empowered the resurrection that followed.
Artus Wolffort, Mary Magdalene Anointing Christ’s Feet in the House of Simon the Pharisee
How do anointing oils work?
Anointing oils work by transmitting divine empowerments into our physical reality.
This happens through the ingredients used, the approach to creating the oil, the art of transmission, and the rituals involved when using the oil.
Plants have been our allies, teachers, healers, and guides since the dawn of humanity, and every plant used in an anointing oil carries a unique set of empowerment codes that synergistically act to empower the oil.
When these plants are alchemized in sacred ceremony, they harmonize with the intentions of the alchemist to create a powerful unguent.
When we place these oils on our body, or anywhere in our fields, we receive the oil’s alchemical codes and ignite our own transformation.
Shamanic Transmission in Anointing Practices: The Key to Potency
The most powerful oils contain a transmission that they pass onto the anointed.
When I create either an anointing oil or a botanical perfume, I always include a transmission ceremony for the finished product. My process is rooted in shamanic practice, though certainly not limited to those who identify with shamanism.
After setting sacred space and preparing my mind, body, and spirit for the work, I enter into a mediumship state. If I’m channeling a particular deity, I invite them to merge with me. If I’m working with an intention, I call forth that energy to be present. Then, I pour the energetic signature of the being or intention involved directly into the final bottle.
This way, not only does each bottle of perfume or oil contain the vibrational signatures of every botanical involved, it contains a direct healing transmission from spirit. This transmission is then activated with every use. Even if all you have time for is quick application on your wrist, the blessings will flow.
How to Use Anointing Oils
Throughout history, anointing was used for both healing and spiritual purposes—and as mentioned before, the two were often one and the same.
Traditional aromatic rituals include:
Awakening and honoring the gods: The anointing of deities’ statues to awaken and empower the gods was a common practice in Egypt and likely used in ancient Greece, as well.
Blessings: Blessing visitors and guests with sacred oils was a common Hebrew practice in antiquity, and to this day babies might be anointed with sacred oils for blessing and protection at birth.
Anointing the sick: Throughout the world, anointing the sick was a common practice. In Greece and the Arabic world, oils were infused with medicinal plants. In Christianity, priests would anoint the sick in what is known as an unction.
Consecration: Kings and priests were anointed by sacred oils, usually by priests standing in for God to symbolize the divine rights of the anointed.
Exorcism: The Oil of Catechumens, aka the Oil of Exorcism, is used by some churches to expel evil during baptisms—but the Christian church isn’t the only group to use oils for exorcism. In Taoist anointing traditions, oils are placed on key acupuncture points to expel ghosts and possessions.
Modern Anointing Practices
Today, magical practices and new spiritual practices have reinvigorated the use of anointing oils—and who can use them.
I believe that it is our birthright to access the magical, spiritual, and healing gifts of sacred anointing oils. A few of my favorite ways to use oils include…
Spiritual & Energy Healing—We can use the subtle vibrations of oils to shift our own energetic health.
Taoist Anointing Practices—Apprenticing with a rare master in the Jade Purity tradition has opened my eyes to the magic that happens when we apply oils to specific meridians.
Empowering Objects—Rubbing an oil on a sacred object imbues it with spiritual power. (Crystals love anointing oils!)
Rituals and ceremonies—Anointing oils can enhance rituals and ceremonies of all types, including blessings, transitions, seasonal celebrations, and other intentions.
Connecting with the Divine—Whether you want to align with the energy of a specific deity, connect with the angels, or simply open yourself to spiritual wisdom, anointing oils can support you.
Chakras—Blessing each energy can bring about balance and health.
Spellwork and Manifestation—Whatever your intentions, be they prosperity, health, protection, or love, magical anointing oils can help.
A Personal Anointing Ritual
While anointing oils can be used in infinitely complex rituals, they can also be used for simple daily empowerment.
Here’s a short practice for anytime you want to connect with an intention or deity:
Upon receiving your oil (spiritual perfumes will also work here), hold it to your heart and visualize your intention. See your intention flowing from you into the bottle and from the bottle into you. This will activate your personal connection with the oil.
Next, inhale the oil’s fragrance deeply and several times. You can inhale directly from the bottle, or you can apply a bit to your wrist first. This activates your neural response to the oil, so you’ll more easily remember your intention every time you smell it in the future.
Then, apply the oil to your body on a daily basis for 30 days. Depending on your intention, you may rub a few drops into your heart or third eye. Or, you might simply wear a bit on your wrists as a perfume you can smell repeatedly until the natural fragrance fades. Either way, focus on your intention while you apply the oil.
Common Questions: How to Distinguish Anointing Oils from other Aromatic Practices
What’s the difference between an anointing oil and other botanical oils?
The main difference lies in the intention with which the oil was created. Anointing oils must be created through ritual. This involves setting sacred space, blessing your materials, and infusing the resulting oil with a transmission of your intention. Some oils are made following specific instructions and recipes, while others are created by allowing the divine to work through you intuitively.
Are anointing oils the same as aromatherapy?
Anointing oils can fall within the realm of aromatherapy, but they don’t always do so.
There are two main approaches to modern aromatherapy: clinical aromatherapy, and subtle aromatherapy.*
Subtle aromatherapy blends are based on the energetic and spiritual qualities of oils, and anointing oils certainly fall in this category.
Clinical aromatherapy relies on the psycho-emotional and physical effects of oils. While anointing oils may certainly have psycho-emotional and physical effects, their primary purpose is spiritual in nature. So, your typical aromatherapy blends for stress relief or headaches probably aren’t anointing oils.
*As a note, I feel that the best aromatherapy products integrate both subtle and clinical dimensions into their formulas.
What’s the difference between anointing oils and perfumes?
Broadly speaking, the word perfume can refer to anything used for aromatic purposes—incense, aromatic waters, oils, and unguents of all types all fall under this fragrant umbrella.
Today, the word perfume most often refers to scents worn for pleasure, while the term anointing oil refers to sacred oils used for ritual and spiritual purposes.
However, I think it’s worth noting that throughout most of human history, fragrance, medicine, and spiritual practice were one and the same.
In ancient Greece, the single word arómata was used to describe incense, perfume, spices, and aromatic medicine, showing us how little differentiation was given to aroma for pleasure, spirit, and health. Interestingly, the unguentarii, those who sold perfumes, were held in the same esteem as doctors.
Are anointing oils the same as ritual oils?
The way I create and use them, yes.
Some folks will likely disagree here—especially if you’re focused on Christian anointing traditions or have specific guidelines around your magical practice. For me, anointing is sacred and it is magical, so I use the terms interchangeably.
If you’re ready to receive powerful light codes for healing and spiritual connection, be sure to explore my alchemical collection of pure, botanical anointing oils.
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