THE ARCANE ARCHIVE
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Newsgroups: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.magick,alt.thelema,alt.occult,talk.religion.misc,alt.pagan.magick,alt.folklore.herbs
From: Grendel  (Frater Kali)
Subject: alt.magick REF: Abramelin Oil
Date: 28 Feb 1998 19:29:09 -0800


[edited for your reading pleasure by tyaginator]

Abramelin Oil REF v 1.1

Do what thou wilt shall be the wole of the Law.

In response to my questions on Thelema93 ([ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thelem93-l ]) 
e-list, I recieved the following recipes and hints for the making of 
the Oil of Abramelin.  Please note that all information is copyright 
the individual authors. 

When using Essential Oils, it must be remembered that they are 
concentrated extracts of the respective plants.  In some instances, 
these extracts are caustic and harmful if taken internally.  This 
faq is posted for informational purposes only. The authors will not 
assume any responsibility for the misuse of this information.

To those who responded to me directly, I eliminated the email 
addresses and used the given names.  To those who responded to the 
list, I left the e-mail addresses intact.

******************************************************************

Contents:

Recipe/Hint#	Who			What

Recipe 1	Khem Caigan		Biblical reference recipe
Recipe 2	Chariot156		Store bought generic recipe
Recipe 3	Donald Correll		Alchemical recipe
Recipe 4	John Crow		Recipe from Book 4 Liber ABA
Recipe 5	Grendel			Combined recipe from list submissions
Recipe 6	Fra.'. Anastasios	Experiential recipe
Recipe 7	Khem Caigan		Exact recipe from Exodus 30
Hint 1		Ruthanne7		Checking Galangal Oil for rancidness
Hint 2		MDNewcomb		Aquiring and Using Fresh Galangal Oil
Hint 3		Grendel			Is Galangal Ginger? Olive Oil to use
Hint 4		Fra.'. Anastasios	Testing Oils for use
Hint 5		Fra.'. Anastasios	Blending Oils
Hint 6		Behutet			Keeping Oils from spoiling
Hint 7		Grendel			Alchemical Blending
Hint 8		Grendel			Keeping Oils from spoiling
Hint 9		Ixel & Hunahpu		Olive Oil Type
Hint 10		Ixel & Hunahpu		Distilling Galangal Root
Hint 11		Ruthanne7		Keeping Oils fresh
Hint 12		Ross A. Ramos		Where to buy Galangal Root

Use your editors "Find" function to search on the Recipe or Hint Number
to jump to that section quickly.

*************************************************************************

Recipe 1

~From:	Khem Caigan
Sent:	Saturday, December 20, 1997 11:58 PM
~Subject:	Re: Abramelin Oil Recipe

93s!
    Myrrh in tears, one part
    Fine Cinnamon, two parts
    Galangal, 1/2 part
    Half the total weight in olive oil.
See Exodus 30:22 for more information on the Sacred Annointing Oil, and 
indeed
on the Work of the Knowledge & Conversation .
    -Khem

Recipe 2

~From:	Chariot156 [SMTP:Chariot156@aol.com]
Sent:	Sunday, December 21, 1997 1:25 PM
~Subject:	Re:  Abramelin Oil Recipe

I lifted this recipie off of a a bottle of Abramelin oil that I did not 
buy.
(shhhh. It was written right there! How could I not swipe the recipie?)

4 parts cinnamon oil
4 parts galangal
7 parts olive oil
4 parts myrhh

I have a friend who makes this stuff and he does his own recipie (which 
I'll try to get for you) and then he goes back, tests it, and invariably 
dedides it needs more "burn" (we have a masochistic lodge).  He then 
adds more cinnamon oil to the mix, which, if you are not careful, could 
fry your toenails off, so be very conservative with it (drop by drop).
I'll try to get ahold of my friend to see if his recipie is any different.
93/93
lia

Recipe 3

~From:	Donald Correll [SMTP:dcorrell@mindspring.com]
Sent:	Monday, December 22, 1997 12:35 AM
~Subject:	Re:  Abramelin Oil Recipe

Care Frater,
  Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.
I recieved this Abremelin recipe from our greatly esteemed coleugue 
Fr. EMT.  about a year or so ago. I have tested it and it works 
however I found that practically speaking a lot more olive oil was 
necessary. I ground all ingredients in a blender and wrapped in 
cheese cloth, and placed in a ball mason jar, which I heated to 
boiling repeatedly in a baie marie for several hours daily for about 
a week, perhaps even longer steeping would have provided more "burn". 
When extracted separetly the constituent oil tends to separate in to 
layers, so I reccomend doing it all at the same extraction.

"You shall prepare the Sacred Oil in this manner:  Take of myrrh
 (Mirrhe en larmes) in tears, one part; of fine cinnamon, two parts;
 of galangal half a part; and the half of the toatal weight of these
 drugs of the best oil olive.  The which aromatics you shall mix
 together according unto the Art of the Apothecary, and shall make
 thereof a Balsam, the which you shall keep in a glass vial which
you shall put within the cupboard..."

Sincerely Yours in Thelema
Donald Correll who loves the Gods of Egypt.
Love is the law. Love under will.

Recipe 4

~From:	John Crow [SMTP:jcrow@mindspring.com]
Sent:	Monday, December 22, 1997 3:09 PM
~Subject:	Re:  Abramelin Oil Recipe

93 everyone,

When I made my oil, I used the recipie listed in the back of Book 4 (1994),
footnote number  233, page 715.
8 parts cinnamon oil
2 parts galangal
7 parts olive oil
4 parts myrhh

It worked very well. I think this would account for the added cinnimon oil
(and burn) Chariot spoke of.

I hope that helps.

93  93/93
John Crow

Recipe 5

~From:	Grendel [SMTP:dougs170@cris.com]
Sent:	Tuesday, December 23, 1997 4:25 AM
~Subject:	RE: Abramelin Oil Recipe

93,

Thank you for the information.  I got 28 drams from Nuit Importers.  I
immediately put the remainder in the fridge.  It was not rancid.
I also noticed that it takes a while for the Myrrh to assimilate.  I used
Myrrh essential oil.  Next time, I'll grind the myrrh and go from there.
Anyone else have experience making it?  Please post.  It is an expensive 
endeavor, and the more knowledge, the better the results.

Oh, silly me, The recipe I used was as follows:

4 parts Cinnamon E. Oil
2 parts Myrrh E.Oil
1 part Galangal E. Oil
3.5 parts Extra Virgin Pressed Olive Oil.

I used the L.B.R.P. to begin.
Cleared, centered and focused my mind on the project at hand.
Mixed the ingredients slowly.
Used a quartz stirring rod and a glass bowl to mix.
Through out all I stayed focused.

After funneling into glass containers, I did the L.B.R.P. to finish.

93 93/93
Frater Kali

Recipe 6

~From:	Fra.'. Anastasios [SMTP:anastasios@earthlink.net]
Sent:	Tuesday, December 23, 1997 10:41 AM
~Subject:	Re: Abramelin Oil Recipe

93 All,
Tradition is a wonderful thing.  I personally like to make my own
incenses and oils from scratch whenever I can and have been doing so for
over twenty years, but I have never been happy with the results of
Abramelin oil made that way, largely for E6sthetic reasons.  I have been
much more satisfied by blending my own using all natural, non-synthetic
essential oils (real galangal oil can be had from a number of places I
am told, but I get mine in San Francisco at Curios and Candles on
Divisidero just east of Haight).  I recommend caution when using
purchased oils for this reason: our extraction methods are more
sophisticated and efficient nowadays than they were when the abramelin
recipe was recorded.  Using those proportions with modern oils will not
give the same results and you will most likely only be able to smell the
cinnamon.  And I, for one, do *not* like to go for the burn.

What I do is this:  Start with an amount of olive oil approximately a
third of the amount of Abramelin oil desired.  Remember that what is a
desirable trait in olive oil for cooking may not be desirable for
fragrance purposes.  Dark green, extra virgin olive oil will lend it's
own fragrance to the result.  I use the lightest oil I can find.  Add
about a quarter to a third that amount of Myrrh oil.  Then start adding
the galangal oil several drops at a time, mixing and smelling in between
additions to test the strength. Real galangal oil has a very peculiar
fragrance and you don't want it to overpower the others.  When the
galangal and myrrh oils seem to be in good balance with one another (you
may have to go back and forth, adding the two oils) then start adding
the cinnamon.  The cinnamon is the strongest of the three and you will
need to add it very slowly, drop by drop, to avoid completely
obliterating the other two more subtle fragrances, particularly the myrrh.
This is the simplest method I have found for developing a blend that
truly satisfies your own tastes.

93, 93/93
Fra.'. Anastasios

Recipe 7

~From:	Khem Caigan [SMTP:frob@bway.net]
Sent:	Thursday, December 25, 1997 11:52 PM
~Subject:	Re: Abramelin Oil Recipe & Exodus 30

Loran93 wrote:

> Could you please point to which book in the Bible I might find this 
> reference?  

93s, Loran-    Exodus 30 is pretty much the nuts-and-bolts of the 
Knowledge and
Conversation of the H:.G:.A:..The recipe for the Oil given there is:
    five hundred weight of solidified myrrh,
    two hundred fifty of fragrant cinnamon,
    two hundred and fifty of aromatic cane,
    five hundred of cassia,
    and a hin of olive oil.
'Make of this a sacred annointing oil, a compound of ingredients 
expertly blended,
to serve as sacred anointing oil.'
    -Khem

************************************************************************

Hints from experience:

Hint 1

~From:	Ruthanne7 [SMTP:Ruthanne7@aol.com]
Sent:	Monday, December 22, 1997 11:09 PM
~Subject:	Re: Abramelin Oil Recipe

Just a side note.....if you get galangal oil, be careful that it isn't 
rancid.  It does that rather quickly. This is the information I get 
from some friends that make it.

AbraMelin oil is known to undergo some alchemical "change" as the 
ingredients "marry". I forget the particulars, but the idea is to let 
it sit for a while and let it do it's thing. You'll know when it's 
ready. It clears and gets that wonderful golden color.

Also, Galangal is said to have certain mind-altering qualities, perhaps 
a reason why it is used instead of ginger. : ) Galangal oil is 
associated with the Sun, and all solar energies.

I hear that Lotte Leib of Stellar Visions is a world class expert on 
the manufacture of AbraMelin oil.

9393/93,
Ruthanne

Hint 2

~From:	MDNewcomb [SMTP:MDNewcomb@aol.com]
Sent:	Tuesday, December 23, 1997 12:07 AM
~Subject:	Re:  Re: Abramelin Oil Recipe

93!

As for the Galangal, it needs to be mixed with the other ingrediants 
ASAP in order to prevent the rancid effect.  If you find a place 
that sells the essential oil of this root, be sure they over-nite it 
to you in a "cold" pack OR have it shipped via refrigerator truck.  
This will add to the expense of the oil and you really should expect 
to pay apporx. $150 to 200 for an ounce (shipping incl.).  At least 
that is the last price I recieved from the Labs that make the 
essential oil from the root.

Thanks,
	Mark

93 93/93

Hint 3

~From:	Grendel [SMTP:dougs170@cris.com]
Sent:	Monday, December 22, 1997 9:03 PM
~Subject:	RE: Abramelin Oil Recipe

93!

Galangal is not ginger.  It is from the same family, but not the same.
Galangal is more "bitter", "hot".   Ginger is "sweeter".  It is more
popular in Thai cooking than in Chinese cooking, where ginger is
predominant.

Olive Oil extract, or pressed Olive Oil will work.  I doubt that the
original recipes used Extract of Olive Oil.   I can almost bet that they 

used the pressed.   Extraction being the more "expensive" if  not the 
more difficult.

I used "extra virgin pressed".  The resultant was a nice base.  Very 
smooth and luxuriant.  I feel that extract would scent the resultant 
differently.

But then again, Do what thou wilt!

93 93/93
Frater Kali

-----Original Message-----
~From:	Andrew Spitzer [SMTP:iopan@ix11.ix.netcom.com]
Sent:	Monday, December 22, 1997 8:34 PM
~Subject:	Re:  Abramelin Oil Recipe

Galangal is also known as Ginger, yes?

Anybody know where to get _extracted_ Olive Oil, rather than the pressed
stuff from the grocery store?

  --Andrew
  iopan@ix.netcom.com
  http://www.netcom.com/~iopan
  http://www.netcom.com/iopan

Hint 4

~From:	Fra.'. Anastasios [SMTP:anastasios@earthlink.net]
Sent:	Tuesday, December 23, 1997 10:41 AM
~Subject:	Re: Abramelin Oil Recipe

A simple method for finding out if the oils you are buying are *truly*
non-synthetic is to taste them.  Be brave, and taste only a tiny amount
on the end of a toothpick. Real cinnamon oil is easy enough to buy at
the grocery store (read the ingredients and be sure it's not quassia, a
common substitute),  but I have been sold "natural" galangal oil that
was nowhere near genuine.  Myrrh is very bitter and galangal tastes like
hell, but *neither* of them tastes the least bit like perfume.  If you
detect the slightest bit of soapy, perfumey taste, the oil has at least
some synthetic ingredients and is likely a blend, not the real thing.
For some purposes that's just fine, but if you're going to be using it
for cakes of light, I don't recommend it.  Good luck.

Hint 5

~From:	Fra.'. Anastasios [SMTP:anastasios@earthlink.net]
Sent:	Tuesday, December 23, 1997 12:19 PM
~Subject:	Re: Abramelin Oil Recipe

93,

Ruthanne7 wrote:
>Thanks for the info about Candles and
> Curios...Do you also place the oils in a bain marie for a while?

No, I just blend them and shake 'em up real good.  Different brands
sometimes have different weights or viscosity which could account for
the separation.

>How do you still smell anything after the 8th sniff or so?

Coffee, love.  It's an old trick: freshly grind some coffee and give it
a sniff after each sniff or so of the oils.  It keeps your olfactory
receptors from getting tired and accustomed to the same old smell.

> One thing I have noticed is that it's very hard to get someone who 
> DOES make it successfully to give out all of the steps.

What I've outlined in my earlier post is what I do, nothing left out.  I
don't see what all the ooky spooky mystery is about, other than to lend
importance and mystique to one's own methods.

>And what about this "change" I hear it goes through?

Fragrances do blend or "marry" over time.  It's a molecular thing and it
just takes time.  My abramelin oil matures pretty much completely after
about two or three months.  The only way I can describe the difference
is that the freshly made stuff, while definitely usable and quite nice,
is more "raw" or "green" smelling and become more mellow with age. Kind
of like people.  It's a very subtle change.

> I will trade my mother's cheesecake recipe for a coherent complete 
> AbraMelin oil recipe!

I've been known to trade "personal" favors for cheesecake!

93, 93/93
Fra.'. Anastasios

Hint 6

~From:	Behutet [SMTP:Behutet@aol.com]
Sent:	Tuesday, December 23, 1997 8:46 PM
~Subject:	Re: Abramelin Oil Recipe

<< How long will it stay "good"?  Does it have a "shelf life"?  >>

I'm not sure if Abramelin oil would go rancid over time or not.  In any
case, the addition of a small amount of oil from a vitamin E capsule 
will keep most oils that do go rancid from doing so.

93/93
Behutet

Hint 7

~From:	Grendel [SMTP:dougs170@cris.com]
Sent:	Tuesday, December 23, 1997 5:25 PM
~Subject:	RE: Abramelin Oil Recipe

93!

I would assume, after all this discussion, that this is where the dual
nature of Alchemy comes into play. (Not sure if I am stating this
correctly, bear with me.)

For a successful mixture, the ingredients, and the mixing are only half 
the operation.  The spiritual being the other half.

Example:  I stated earlier that my in my Oil, the myrrh seperated.  So I 
wondered what to do.  I took a vial and massaged it between my hands.  I 
focused on it, I applied my body heat to it, I sat in front of my Stele. 
I invoked the love of Nuit.  And the Myrrh started to assimilate.

Call it what you will, (a scientist would probably state that the heat 
from my body accelerated a normal chemical change) but if I had stopped at 
only the "mixing stage", not carried it through to the ritual, I would 
still have a vial of seperated Oil.

Thank you all for the info.

93 93/93

Frater Kali

Hint 8

~From:	Grendel [SMTP:dougs170@cris.com]
Sent:	Tuesday, December 23, 1997 11:47 PM
~Subject:	RE: Abramelin Oil Recipe

93!

As for your question, all true essential oils will keep with care.
Remember, these are natural extracts.  In most cases they are 
susceptible to air, light and heat.  I have a special cabinet where 
I keep my extracts and essences.  All oils are kept in tightly 
sealed jars.  If I am really worried, or the essence is highly 
valuable (Rose Otto), the fridge has always worked well.

Hope this helps.

93 93/93

Frater Kali

Hint 9

~From:	Sekhet-Bast-Ra Lodge, Ordo Templi Orientis [SMTP:sbr@telepath.com]
Sent:	Wednesday, December 24, 1997 6:40 PM
~Subject:	Re:  Abramelin Oil Recipe

93  Andrew

We recommend pharmacial grade olive oil.  It is the purest that you can
buy, but it is expensive.  You can get it at any local pharmacy.

Ixel & Hunahpu

Hint 10

~From:	Sekhet-Bast-Ra Lodge, Ordo Templi Orientis [SMTP:sbr@telepath.com]
Sent:	Wednesday, December 24, 1997 6:50 PM
~Subject:	Re:  Re: Abramelin Oil Recipe

93
We are not Ruthanne7 but...  Lotte still makes the Abramelin oil.  
However if you wish to make your own, distilling galangal root in 
a grain alcohol is the most effective way of obtaining galangal.  
Since you use grain alcohol, there is little  or no chance of 
getting rancid galangal and it keeps for years.  Galangal has a 
strange organic chemistry and many of the so-called experts that 
deal with galangal will sell you a bad batch.  So let the buyer beware.  

93  93/93

Ixel & Hunahpu

Hint 11

~From:	Ruthanne7 [SMTP:Ruthanne7@aol.com]
Sent:	Wednesday, December 24, 1997 7:44 PM
~Subject:	Re: Abramelin Oil Recipe

Thank you also for the info on making one's own Galangal Oil.
Now for the hard part?  Where do you get the fresh root? Assuming that 
is what is used in the distillation process.....

I usually add a couple of drops of  homemade tincture of Benzoin to all 
of my oils. This does the job of keeping them from going rancid. Would 
this be a bad idea with the AbraMelin oil? I haven't made it 
successfully yet, and won't try again until I'm quite sure of the 
process.... do's and don'ts, ect.

Thanks in advance,
9393/93,
Ruthanne

Hint 12

~From:	Ross A. Ramos [SMTP:raramos@socrates.berkeley.edu]
Sent:	Thursday, December 25, 1997 10:17 AM
~Subject:	Re: Abramelin Oil Recipe

93 all!!

> Now for the hard part?  Where do you get the fresh root? Assuming 
> that is what is used in the distillation process.....

Try your local Thai grocery store. I live in the Berkeley, Calif. area 
and found it quite available. The typical price is $5.50 per lb. One 
store on University Ave. had galangal at $3.50 per lb. Shop around 
and you may find a bargain. But then again, you get what you pay for.

Love is the law, love under will.
Ross

************************************************************************

Websites:

OTO and EGC Consecration and Making:
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/7793/oil.htm

Botanical/Herbal References:
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/g/galang01.html
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/m/myrrh-66.html
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/cinnam69.html
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/o/olive-06.html

Thelema93 list and others can be found at:
[Yahoogroups]

Love is the law, love under Will.

Frater Kali
EOF