Description

The oil is described in The Book of Abramelin by Abraham of Worms, a Jew from Worms, Germany. While no records can confirm it, he is said to have lived from c.1362–c.1458. The Book of Abramelin tells of an Egyptian mage named Abraham who taught a magical system to Abraham Worms. The system of magic from this book found new popularity in the 19th and 20th centuries thanks to Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers who translated the book and retitled it, The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage. Mathers, a British occultist, and Freemason integrated these teachings into the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, an organization devoted to the study and practice of the occult, metaphysics, and paranormal. They were considered a magical order that studied astrology, geomancy, Tarot divination, and scrying. Their rituals and practices helped to form the magical roots of what is now known as Wicca and Thelema. As far as the recipe for this oil goes, Mathers took it upon himself to alter the original recipe that was recorded by Worms. The original recipe is the same as the holy oil given to Moses by God, as told in the Bible: myrrh, cassia, cinnamon, calamus, and olive oil. Mathers switched out the ingredient calamus for galangal root. Some say this is a translation error. Others think he made the substitution to differ it from the biblical recipe.

In the Jewish tradition, the olive is a symbol of domestic happiness and security, myrrh is sacred to the Lord, calamus is known for its sweetness and represents fertility and love, while cinnamon is favored for its warming ability.

In Hoodoo, these symbolisms are slightly different: myrrh and olive remain unchanged, but cinnamon is used for money and luck, and calamus is used to subtly control others. If we include Mather’s galangal root in the mix, we find a root that is used for protection and court case work. In Hoodoo, galangal is widely known as ‘Chewing John,’ or ‘Little John to Chew.’ An old Hoodoo trick for winning a court case is to chew some galangal and spit the juice on the courtroom floor as you enter. Today, most practitioners suggest adding a few pieces inside your shoes before making a court appearance.

Contains cinnamon, cassia, myrrh, and galangal in a base of fractionated coconut oil.