Spikenard Anointing Ointment (Alabaster Jar)
This ointment helps anoint the feet or hands in remembrance.
Generally well-tolerated. Spikenard is a member of the valerian family and is mildly sedating aromatically; some people find it heavy. Pregnancy: traditionally avoided in medicinal doses; topical at this dilution is generally considered safe but consult your provider. Patch-test before regular use.
About this recipe
In John 12 and Mark 14, Mary breaks an alabaster jar of pure spikenard and pours it on the feet of Jesus. The disciples object — *that ointment could have been sold for three hundred denarii* — but Jesus accepts the gesture and says her act will be told wherever the gospel is preached. Spikenard was, by Roman estimates, worth nearly a year's wages for an ounce; it was the most extravagant perfume in the ancient world. This ointment is the household-scale version of that gesture: spikenard infused into olive oil for anointing the feet of the weary, the hands of the loved, or the brow of the sick. Use it for moments that deserve more than ordinary care.
Ingredients
- 1 oz extra virgin olive oil
- 10 drops spikenard essential oil (jatamansone · valeranone)Deep emotional healing & sensuality — supports Nervous System & Mood · Hormones & Women's Health
- Optional: 2 drops myrrh essential oil (sesquiterpenes)Skin healing — supports Skin · Nervous System & Mood
Method
- 1 Combine in a small amber jar or dropper bottle.
- 2 Cap, label, shake gently.
- 3 To use: warm a few drops in your palms.
- 4 Anoint the feet, hands, or forehead with slow attention.
- 5 Pair with words — a prayer, a blessing, a thank-you, or silence.
What you'll notice
- A gesture for moments that deserve marking
- Anoint a loved one's feet or hands
- Calming aromatic for the nervous system
- Skin-friendly at safe dilution
- Lasts a year in a sealed bottle
Tips & storage
Reserve this for moments of attention — anointing a loved one's feet at the end of a hard day, blessing a child at bedtime, sitting with a friend who is sick. The act of pouring is its own medicine.
Dark glass, cool; 1 year.