Then Mary took a pound of the very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of this oil.- John 12:3

Spikenard is one of the most precious oils talked about in the Bible. Back in Biblical times, for Mary to pour out a pound of it on Jesus was like pouring out a year’s worth of wage. It references the cost of that much oil being worth 300 Denarii. Well, back then, one day’s wage was worth one denarius. To equate that to today’s wage, that would be like pouring out a $50,000 year’s salary. Why was Spikenard worth so much? Because to this day, Spikenard only grows above 10,000 feet in the Himalayan Mountains. To even climb those mountains to harvest it is a feat in and of itself. Now harvest it, distill it to it’s essential oil form and then carry it all the way to Israel. That is why it cost so much.

Back in biblical times, Spikenard was used as one of the main ingredients of the holy incense used in the temples in Jerusalem. The Romans used it as a perfume. The Egyptians used it in their sacred burial rituals. In Medieval times, it was used to season food and make spiced wine. Pope Francis even has its image on his Coat of Arms.

So, let’s talk about how we can use this precious oil to help us today. Spikenard is considered an anti-fungal, antimicrobial, hypolipidemic, hepatoprotective, hypotensive and antiarrhythmic.

We can guess what anti-fungal and anti-microbial mean, but what are the rest? Hypolipidemic means it is lipid lowering, which means it is fat or cholesterol lowering in the blood. Hepatoprotective means it helps protect the Liver from damage. Hypotensive means it helps lower blood pressure. And antiarrhythmic means it helps regulate heart rhythm. Wow, that’s a body support powerhouse. Here’s some practical applications for you to incorporate it into your daily routine:

Spikenard is thought to be immune-boosting. Not only does it help support the body in defending against bacteria, it also helps to calm the body as a whole and help it function normally. A great way to use it for this purpose is to add a drop in your smoothie in the morning. I would add one drop in the mix before you blend it, that way it’s fully mixed in and you don’t run the risk of gulping a good portion down in one drink. Whenever you put EOs in a beverage or food, you always want to make sure it’s well mixed in and not just sitting on the surface. When adding my lemon to water, I put it in the glass or bottle first, then add the water.

Next, Spikenard is great for its calming and sedative qualities. It’s a great natural mental coolant, helping to reduce feelings of anger and aggression. It also helps to lift feelings of depression and restlessness. Using it in its aromatic form will help to combat stress, anxiety, and even symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. I would recommend it at night to help you sleep and it will help you mentally heal by allowing you to get into that deep restorative sleep.

Spikenard is great for digestive health, as well. It works as a sedative and laxative for our digestive systems. It’s a great replacement for traditional laxatives, as they can cause the walls of your intestines to dry out, eventually becoming counterproductive to your digestive cycle. Using Spikenard will allow things to move along efficiently with no side effects to your digestive health. A great digestive combo would be using a drop of Spikenard and 2 drops of Orange since it’s great for regulating intestinal wall function and a drop of Peppermint to relieve the gas and bloating.

Spikenard is great for supporting women’s hormone and reproductive system health. It helps to stimulate estrogen and progesterone production, regulating your hormonal cycle. This will help to regulate your monthly cycle. And because it has anti-inflammatory properties, it will help to reduce inflammation in the uterus and help alleviate painful menstrual cycles. I would take two drops and rub them directly across your lower abdomen. If you have sensitive skin, use a couple drops of a carrier oil with it.

And lastly, I’ll just drop this one right here and walk away… Spikenard also has the side-effect of being an aphrodisiac. Hee-Hee! Happy Oiling Ya’ll! *Wink*

Hey, do you have questions about oils and how to use them? Leave me a comment right here and I’ll get right back with you or email me directly at thecurrentoilco@gmail.com.