Making Magickal Oils

What are Magickal Oils?

First, Magickal oils are NOT "essential oils." Essential Oils are a liquid (not necessarily oily) that has been distilled via steam or water from the leaves, stems, flowers, bark, or roots of a plant. It takes a lot of an herb to create an essential oil. This is one of the reasons they are so expensive. They are highly concentrated, containing the true essence of the plant from which it was derived. They are also volatile, and are primarily used to make perfumes, flavorings, and to accentuate ritual and spiritual oil blends.

Magickal oils, on the other hand, are oils that have been infused with herbs or herbal combinations, most often for a specific purpose or ritual. Magickal (or Spiritual) oils have been used in ceremonies for thousands of years. They are often used to annoint the body, candles, and tools; in spells, as a sensory prop or an essential element of the spell's intent, alone or combined with color magick, to turn crystals, amulet, talismans, etc., from mundane items to magickal ones.

Magickal oils are also used in rituals, thru annointing of the body or via aromatherapy. These can lead to ecstatic states or focused energy work. When annointing the body, however, care must be taken with the "carrier oil" for the scent. Some oils are much likely to cause skin irritations or rashes than others.

Carrier Oils

Carrier Oils are also known as "Base Oils." If purity isn't important and cost is,, you can use oils you find in your grocery store, such as canola, sunflower, and safflower oils. Other oils should be used sparingly, unless you're independently wealthy! Jojoba oil, for example is excellent to use but very expensive. Coconut oil is also very expensive, and also sometimes quite hard to find.

Others you might want to check into are Apricot kernal oil, wheat germ oil, and sesame oil. Each have their own healing qualities when applied to the skin, but each are also expensive.

Some of the common carrier oils used for magickal infusion oils include:

Almond (Sweet Almond oil): is excellent as a carrier when the oil will be used on the body. Most massage oils use almond oil as a base. It contains glyceride, olein, and linoleic acid, and is an excellent skin lubricant rich in protein,vitamins, and minerals.
Grapeseed: This oil has a very fine texture and a slight greenish hue. It provides vitamins and minerals, and is used an antioxidant. It can prolong the life of other oils. It is not recommended for us on broken skin or sensitive areas.
Jojoba: Is an antioxidant and does not turn rancid. Jojoba oil is a natural mimic of the oil secreted by the human skin. It lubricates and protects.
Olive Oil: If using olive oil, use the extra virgin, cold pressed oil. It is rich in minerals, vitamins, and proteins. Olive Oil has an ancient history of being used as a Carrier Oil, and is most often used in oils meant for blessing and anointing. Olive oil has a heavier scent than some of the other alternative oils, such as sweet almond oil.
Sunflower: A very light oil; high in nutrients, essential fatty acids, and vitamins.

Common Oil Measurements

1 drop = 0.05 ml
1 ml = 20 drops
1 teaspoon = 5 ml
1 teaspoon = 100 drops
1 tablespoon = 15 ml
1 tablespoon = 300 drops
1 ounce = 30 ml
1 ounce = 600 drops

Rule of Thumb

A common rule of thumb for blending oil and herbs is:
2 ounces of oil per 2 tablespoons of herb or flower

Methods for Making Magickal Oils

There are three main ways (that I know of) to make magickal oils. These methods include, warmed oils, cold oils, and infused oils. Let's start with the absolute easiest first!

Infused Oils

The simplest (and probably most expensive method, overall) is to blend your preferred carrier oil with a few drops of store-bought essential oil. Please do yourself and your wallet a favor and remember that essential oil is highly concentrated! A very few drops of your essential oil is all you need to add to the base oil to get your desired outcome. Do NOT pour the bottle of essential oil into your carrier oil! The scent will be overpowering and will need to be diluted with a base oil to such a degree you'll have gallons of the oil sitting around! Best advice is to use an eyedropper to add the essential oil, drop by drop, until you achieve the scent you want.

Warmed Oils

First, some notes before getting into the method:

Use fresh flowers, herbs, etc.
Dried flowers, herbs, tend not to produce as strong a fragrance as you want, and some may even have a somewhat different scent once they're dried.
If dried herbs are all you have, by all means use them; just be aware there might be a difference from the fresh.
You will need a filter in this process. You can use a coffee filter, an undyed fabric like linen or cotton, or cheesecloth folder over a few times.
Label your oils once you've bottled them!
Store oils in a cool, dark place. You can also store them in the refrigerator once they have completely cooled.
Oils should last for up to six months before going rancid. Storing them in the refrigerator might extend that life a little longer.
Several things can be used to heat the oil; including an aromatherapy warmer, small small crock pot, cast iron skillet, or candle warmer.

Directions

Gently bruise and crush the herb, flower or plant and place in your warmer.
Pour just enough oil over the herbs to cover them; no more.
Gently stir the ingredients into the base oil using a swirling method, swirling three (3) times in a clockwise direction. Chants can be said while you do this, to help infuse your magical intentions into the mixture.
Slowly heat the mixture over a period of at least one hour. Keep a good eye on it. DO NOT allow it to boil.
If the mixture begins tp boil, remove from heat immediately! Allow it to cool and then place it back on the warmer, after turning it to a lower setting. This process may need to be repeated several times before you obtain the exact scent you want
Allow oil and herbs to cool completely, then strain the mixture through the filter
Label your oils with ingredients and date. You might also want to add a "best used by" date on the label, as well.
Store your oils in a cool dark place or in the refrigerator when completely cooled.

Cold Oils

This method takes the longest amount of time, but it is one I have used often.

To make cold oils begin with fresh herbs, plants or flowers, just as in the directions above for warmed oils.
Pack the herbs/flowers in a very clean, dark glass jar (blue, green, or brown glass are possibilities), and add just enough oil to cover the herbs. You'll need to be patient for this step; it will take a few minutes for the oil to settle completely in the jar. Add more oil, if needed (and it probaby will be), once the first pour has settled.
Screw the lid on lightly and store in a cool dark place.
Once a day, at least, check on the oils. Swirl them around in the container well and then allow to sit. Everytime you swirl the oil and herbs, you can recite your spell or incantation.
At the end of one week check your oil. If the desired scent has not yet been achieved remove the herbs and replace with fresh herbs.
Repeat this process for at least three weeks or until desired scent is achieved.
When desired scent is achieved strain the oil and pour into containers. With this method, you can use a collander to strain the herbs from the oil, if you wish. If you really want to get the most out of your herbs, after straining them, pick them up and squeeze any liquid from them back into your jar.
Store your oil in a clean, sterilized jar just large enough to completely hold the oil. There should be no chance of air being trapped inside the jar with the oil!
Be sure to label your oils, just as you do with the other methods.

Tips and Hints on the Cold Oil Method

Brown spots are normal. It's the essential oil of the plant; .this is what you want.
These oils will usually last about two to three months.
Vitamin E is a preservative. If you add vitamin E to your oils they can last up to six months.
The amount of Vitamin E to use should be near 2% of the entire mixture.
Vitamin E in capsules is easily found at any store with a pharmacy or vitamin department.
Oils must be kept in the refrigerator in jars small enough to not let any air rest above the oils. As you use the oils, transfer the remaining oil into smaller jars.
Big tip here learned from experience: never add fresh oil to old oil; and always make sure the jars you use are clean and, preferably, sterilized. This will stop any chance of bacteria growth.

Tryskelion