The Return of the Myrrhophores: Anointing, Sacred Oils & Mary Magdalene’s Living Legacy
In ancient times. there was a lineage of women who worked with sacred oils, tinctures, and elixirs. They were known as Myrrhophores—Myrrh Bearers, Mistresses of Oils, Scent Priestesses. These women were initiates in the sacred arts of anointing, midwifery, tantric healing, resurrection rites, and the deep mysteries of life and death. They understood that anointing was more than ceremony—it was a bridge between worlds, a sacred act of transformation.
These anointing priestesses carried the knowledge of working with consecrated oils—not just as fragrances, but as potent tools of energetic alchemy, working as powerful allies in the journey of the soul.
These initiates, known as Myrrhophores or Myrrh Bearers, understood that anointing was not merely symbolic—it was a living transmission, capable of guiding souls through profound transformation, healing, and spiritual awakening.
Far beyond aromatherapy, the practice of anointing works on multiple dimensions—physical, emotional, and energetic—shifting frequency, clearing imprints, and aligning the soul with its highest path.
It has been used for millennia to prepare the body and spirit for initiation, sacred union, birth, death, rebirth, kingship, queenship, sacred union, investiture into the priestesshood, and sacred marriage. Their oils carried the codes of transition—guiding souls through the great thresholds of existence.
And now, the Myrrhophores are returning. Their ancient wisdom is reawakening through those who hear the call, those who remember, those who are drawn once again to the sacred oils and the path of the priestess.
The Myrrhophores: Guardians of the Anointing Mysteries
The word Myrrhophore comes from the Greek myrra (meaning “myrrh”) and pherein (“to carry” or “to bear”). These anointers were not merely perfumers; they were high initiates in the mysteries of oils, energy, and divine embodiment.
The Myrrhophores of ancient Egypt were priestesses who served in the temples of Isis, Hathor, and Sekhmet.
Oils were considered living conduits of divine energy, infused with specific frequencies and celestial alignments.
Each oil carried a unique vibrational signature, acting as a key to open different spiritual gateways. When applied with sacred intention, oils could:
Activate higher states of awareness and deep remembrance
Clear energetic blockages & realign the body’s frequency
Strengthen the connection between body, soul, and spirit
Facilitate healing, protection, and energetic sovereignty
The Myrrhophores understood that these oils were not passive substances—they were encoded with intelligence, working as powerful allies in the journey of the soul.
Mary Magdalene: The High Initiate & Anointer of Christ
One of the most well-known Myrrhophores in history is Mary Magdalene, the woman who anointed Yeshua (Jesus) both in life and death. She is often referred to as the “Apostle to the Apostles”, but her role extended beyond that of a disciple—she was a sacred anointer, a bearer of myrrh, and a vessel of divine wisdom. While history has often misrepresented her, Magdalene was not simply a follower—she was a priestess, a master of sacred oils, and a high initiate in the anointing mysteries.
Her act of anointing was not merely one of care and reverence; it was a deeply mystical ritual, sanctifying the Christ’s passage beyond death and affirming the cycle of resurrection and renewal.
The Gospels describe how Magdalene anointed Jesus with pure spikenard, a highly sacred oil used in ancient rites of initiation, kingship, and preparation for death and resurrection.
“She came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.” – Matthew 26:7
Mary Magdalene was not merely a follower of Jesus; she was his anointer, his initiator, the one who prepared him for his death and transformation.
Magdalene was anointing him as Christed, as the Divine Bridegroom, as one prepared for the great passage beyond death.
After the crucifixion, Magdalene and the other women returned to the tomb carrying myrrh and frankincense, continuing the sacred work of preparing the body for transition.
The Sacred Chrism and the Feminine Christ
Mary Magdalene’s anointing of Jesus was an act of spiritual consecration. The sacred oil—often referred to as chrism—was more than a physical substance; it was an elixir of divine love, a key to awakening consciousness. Through her hands, the act of anointing became a transmission of sacred knowledge, a ritual imbued with the power to illuminate the soul and reconnect humanity with its divine origins.
Some mystical traditions recognize Magdalene as the Feminine Christ, the embodiment of the Bride Mysteries, the reflection of sacred balance between the Divine Masculine and Feminine, carrying the anointing lineage that awakens the divine within.
Through her presence and her role as a Myrrhophore, she embodied the wisdom of the eternal womb—the cosmic vessel that births light into the world.
“Wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” – Mark 14:9
The oils they carried were chosen with intention, each holding a distinct energetic frequency to assist the journey of the soul, just a few of the oils they worked with were Spikenard, Myrrh, Frankincense, Cedarwood, Rose and Lotus.
Anointing: A Gateway to the Soul
Scent and touch, offered in the sacred art of anointing, are two of the most powerful sensory medicines. They awaken the wisdom of the soul while keeping us grounded in the present moment. The Myrrhophores knew this. All Scent Priestesses know this. Through the use of holy oils, they accessed altered states of consciousness, entered trancelike realms, and worked as gatekeepers between worlds.
Sacred oils are more than physical medicine; they are living codes, carriers of ancient wisdom, activators of divine remembrance. To inhale Spikenard, to anoint with Myrrh, to place a drop of Frankincense upon the skin—these acts open portals, awaken memory, and call forth the presence of the sacred.
The Bible speaks of these oils repeatedly:
"While the king was on his couch, my nard gave forth its fragrance." – Song of Solomon 1:12
"How sweet is your love, my sister, my bride. How much better… is the fragrance of your oils than any spice!" – Song of Solomon 4:10
"Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard and anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume." – John 12:3
Mary Magdalene was a Myrrhophore, anointing with oils that carried the force of divine transmission. Hippolyte describes the oil of anointing as “the force teaching us all, fortifying Christ to the inner human.” This means Mary Magdalene’s anointing oil was a bridge to the Divine, a strengthening of the connection to Christ consciousness.
But she was not the first nor the only one. Isis and Cleopatra were Myrrhophores in their own right, keepers of sacred oils, mistresses of transformation.
The Myrrhophores of Ancient Egypt
The tradition of the Myrrhophores can be traced back to ancient Egypt, where priestesses of the Temple of Isis served as sacred anointers. These women held profound knowledge of plant medicine, essential oils, and spiritual alchemy. Their rituals of anointing were acts of devotion, healing, and transformation, linking the material world with divine forces.
The Priestesses of Isis
As emissaries of Isis, the Egyptian goddess of magic, healing, and rebirth, these priestesses wielded the power of anointing to invoke divine presence. They understood that scent and touch could heighten spiritual experiences, opening portals between the seen and unseen worlds.
Their role included:
Blessing initiates into the sacred mysteries
Purification rites for both the living and the dead
Chanting sacred hymns and performing rituals of renewal
These Myrrhophores preserved the ancient wisdom of the Divine Feminine, ensuring that the sacred arts of healing and anointing were passed down through generations.
In Mesopotamian temples dating back to 5000 BCE, sacred libation rituals were already being performed. Priestesses poured fragrant oils, water, honey, milk, wine, and date-nectar syrupsover stone altars and into the earth as offerings to the divine. These libation fluids were believed to carry prayers between worlds, a tradition carried on by the Myrrhophores through anointing and sacred scent work.
The Sacred Alabaster Jar & the Legacy of the Myrrhophores
The alabaster jar Magdalene carried and is often portrayed with, was more than a vessel—it was a sacred repository of divine transmission, holding the precious oils used in sacred rites. These sacred oils were also known as the womb elixirs—holding the essence of creation, transition, and rebirth.
This alabaster jar, and the secrets it holds, has been passed down—metaphorically and energetically—by many lineages of priestesses, carrying the fragrance of their rites across time.
Alabastor was chosen for storing the oils because it was believed to be the best material for preserving their high frequencies.
But the concept of the sacred vessel goes much deeper. Across cultures, the most revered vessels were considered divine beings in themselves. In ancient temples, these vessels were stored in the darkened, innermost womb chambers, often called the "Holy Womb of Holies."
The Myrrhophores infused and activated the oils in a sacred process with prayer, chanting, incense, celestial timing and astrological calculations, and sacred intention, acting as catalysts for awakening and embodiment and ensuring that they would hold and transmit divine energy.
St. Baume: The Balm of Magdalene’s Legacy
The famous cave associated with Mary Magdalene, Sainte-Baume, is often translated as the "Holy Cave," but its name may hold an even deeper meaning. In Provençal, baumo means "cave," but in early medieval English, balm (baume, bawme) referred to sacred aromatic substances used for healing, anointing, and embalming—derived from the Latin balsamum, meaning "aromatic resin."
The surname Baume or Balmer was sometimes given to those who worked with perfumes, ointments, and holy balms, directly linking to the traditions of the Myrrhophores. This suggests that Sainte-Baume could also mean "Holy Balm,"a name that perfectly reflects Mary Magdalene’s role as a Myrrhophore—one who anointed, healed, and prepared both the living and the dead with sacred oils.
It is no coincidence that this sacred site, where Magdalene is said to have spent years in deep prayer, carries a name so intertwined with the ancient practice of anointing and the mysteries of the Myrrhophores. Pilgrims who visit often describe a palpable presence of the Divine Feminine, as if the energy of the sacred balm still lingers in the land itself.
A Calling Written in the Soul
My own journey with the Myrrhophore tradition has unfolded through my womb healing work and I incorporate it into my treatments and retreats, guiding women through cycles of birth, death, and rebirth within their own bodies. Birth and death are not opposites—they are part of the same passage, the same portal of transition.
This path of remembrance deepened when I unexpectedly received a manual on death doula work, arriving at the perfect moment, like a forgotten piece of my own soul story returning. The myrraphores were death doulas who helped guide souls through this transition.
As I worked with the oils, something ancient stirred within me. Particularly the scents of spikenard, and rose awakened memories that felt beyond this lifetime—a knowing that I had walked this path before.
During a past life regression, I was shown a vision of myself as a Myrrhophore, tending to the sacred rites of anointing and preparing souls for passage.
Myrrhophores were not just healers—they were guardians of transition, midwives for the soul.
Now, I see that this work is not just about oils—it is about remembrance. A lineage is rising once more, called to reclaim the anointing mysteries. The Myrrhophores are returning, and the sacred oils are calling us home.
Plants and working with plant consciousness opens up spiritual gateways and heals us physically, emotionality, mentality & spiritually.
At this important turning point in the history of our planet. Many ancient prophecies describe Earth as entering a new phase.
Plants are empowering us to evolve to a new level of consciousness and alter our genes & DNA.
As Earth is evolving we also have an opportunity to evolve too. To awaken spiritually, connect deeply with nature and to open and truly live in our hearts.
According to the Maya we are moving through what is called the Age of Flowers, a time when the flower devas* would bring special gifts to help the world with purification & transformation.
It’s believed plants will bring powerful messages, profound healing & the ability to awaken to who we truly are.
The Return of the Myrrhophores
We are in a time of expansion. The Myrrhophores are rising again, calling us to remember, reclaim, and step fully into the path of sacred anointing.
We call upon all of our allies—our ancestors, our guides, the wisdom keepers of our lineages. We work with sacred oils, with ancient prayers, with the whispers of the Divine moving through us.
This May, I will be including Myrrhophore anointing rituals in my Rose Retreat in France at the sacred sites Magdalene herself and priestesses before her worked with the oils.
Here we will immerse ourselves in the sacred feminine mysteries, working with oils, ceremony, and deep remembrance.
In July, at my Glastonbury Retreat, we will gather in the heart of Avalon, the land of priestesses, where we will awaken the Myrrhophore within through sacred anointing, womb rites, and connection to the ancient feminine pathways.
Beyond these retreats, my work with sacred oils continues through my womb activation treatments, where I anoint with intention, guiding women to reconnect with the wisdom held within their bodies, awakening the codes of remembrance and power within.
Click the link below to read more about my upcoming retreats.