Moxor resin from Madar Mooge

Composition: pure resin collected in the wild, cleaned and sorted by hand. 100% organic with no added chemicals

Source: Moxor (frankincense carterii) is what many consider the archetypal frankincense: balanced in aroma, rich in therapeutic compounds, and versatile in application. This resin has been harvested by Abdillahi Said Awad in the Al Madow mountains near Madar Mooge, in the Sanaag region of Somaliland. It was sorted, cleaned and packed by the women of the Beeyo Maal cooperative in Erigabo, and flown to Europe.

Instructions for use: light a charcoal. Wait a few minutes until most of it is grey with ash; then place the resin siftings on the charcoal. Use your hand to waft the smoke towards your face and breathe it in. Sit back and enjoy for 20-30 minutes, replenishing when the resin has melted. A better alternative is to use an electric resin warmer with an adjustable thermostat, and slowly heat the resin. This will release the active agents, including the prized neuro-active incensole, while minimizing the pollution of your airways through charcoal smoke. 

Why burn resins? This resin contains the same molecules as Moxor essential oil from Madar Mooge but also bio- and psycho-active incensoles and boswellic acids, providing a wider scope of benefits. From a ritual perspective, humans have inhaled burnt resins for thousands of years, connecting you to this collective experience. The inconvenience is that the smoke from both the charcoal and the resin contains some unwelcome substances. Continuous direct inhalation is therefore not recommended, but occasional use will cause no harm. Beware: the smoke can trigger a smoke detector.

Benefits: When burnt, moxor purifies the air. This is why it was burnt in ancient Egyptian temples, a practice that was later adopted by Rome and Christianity. It would most likely also be effective to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and similar airborne diseases in closed spaces. Burning moxor in the cold winter months helps keep the flu away and seems to cleanse the respiratory system.

Contemporary research largely confirms traditional knowledge about the medical benefits of this resin rich in boswellic acids, and has even expanded the scope of its benefits: anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-arthritic, anti-cancer, neuroprotective and anti-asthmatic. 

In terms of spiritual wellness, moxor is considered conducive to meditation and contemplation.

Storage and shelf-life: This resin is packed in an aluminium can with a screw lid. It has no date of expiry

Fair trade: We pay what the members of the cooperative think is a fair price. In addition, 10% of the listed price (excl VAT) is donated to the Beeyo Maal foundation to improve working conditions among harvesting communities and the regeneration of frankincense forests. See our page on conservation and trade issues. Another 10% is invested in the activities of Arawelo, which seeks to establish a new model for trade in products collected in the wild by indigenous communities worldwide by building short supply lines to consumers while facilitating research and advocacy.

Aromatic profile :

fresh and invigorating with scents of rosemary, eucalyptus, arnica, bitter orange, Mediterranean sweet lime

In this video Abdillahi Said Awad (centre) first discusses sustainability issues, then shows  how he taps a boswellia tree to extract moxor resin. Subtitles are on their way!

Note by our sourcer:

Some harvesters strip the bark from the tree when collecting the resin. It makes it easier to transport the resin and the bark of frankincense trees fetches a nice price in Merkato, the main market of neighbouring Ethiopia, where it is used as traditional medicine. We insist that harvesters drop that practice, as it damages the trees and pollutes the resin.