| Essential oils played an important part in healing during | | | | was anointed from head to toe. |
| the early years of Christianity. Jesus had modeled for | | | | Christians practiced healing just as Jesus had taught |
| his followers a way to heal and then told them they | | | | them. The Master had trained his disciples and sent |
| would do greater things than he. What he taught | | | | the seventy out to heal and anoint all those who |
| them was prayer, touching and anointing for healing. | | | | were suffering in body and spirit. Those disciples in |
| Now this behavior was actually not outside Jewish | | | | turn taught the next generation how to carry on this |
| culture. We see in the records that were left, | | | | tradition. In the letter of James to the church at |
| Christians privately used oil, ointments and salves that | | | | Jerusalem, the practice of prayer, the laying-on of |
| had been blessed by the bishop or the priests for | | | | hands and anointing with oil is described as Christian |
| physical and spiritual healing. After gathering in each | | | | duty. More than likely these early healers used the |
| other's homes for the breaking of bread, Christians | | | | most healing oils available to them. They would have |
| would then take the blessed oil home to be used the | | | | sought out those oils known for their healing |
| coming week. In this way the entire Christian | | | | properties like frankincense, myrrh, cassia, cinnamon, |
| community could participate in anointing their families | | | | spikenard, and many others. When you study the |
| and one another. | | | | chemistry of these great oils you will find that they |
| There was a strong belief in the Early Church | | | | are highly antibacterial, antiviral, antimicrobial and |
| concerning possession by evil spirits-demonic spirits | | | | immune stimulating. Wow! They had innocently |
| don't like essential oils, in fact, they are repelled by | | | | tapped into ways to protect them from plagues and |
| them. Therefore exorcisms always used strong | | | | illnesses. |
| smelling essential oils and the person being exorcized | | | | |