Psychopomp Oil (Telling the Bees)
In ancient Greece and other cultures, the bee was revered due to its various sacred associations, one of which was to usher the souls of the newly dead to the afterlife. As psychopomps, or guides of souls, bees were thought to be able to travel freely between this world and the next. They would carry the small filament of the soul from the heavens down to those being born, and when the individual died, would return that soul to the place "where there is no room for death, and where the souls fly free, ranging the deep heavens to join the stars' imperishable number" (Virgil). The practice of "telling the bees" when the beekeeper dies, or when there is another death or significant change within the family, can still be found in modern European and American folklore.

Though bees have many death and funerary associations, mostly they are comforting rather than frightening ones. As we know today, without bees our world would be malnourished and barren. This ritual oil is dedicated to the bee as soul guide. It was created for aid in guiding the newly dead, for traveling to and from the Underworld, and for comforting the bereaved. Composed of honey, beeswax, rosemary, which attracts bees and has long been used in funerary rites, and a few others, the scent is not overly sweet but very complex, warm, and soft—a comfort.

Though purchased from reputable suppliers with a committment to sustainable practices that cause no harm, this oil does contain honey and beeswax, so is not vegan.

Psychopomp Oil
1/4 oz. (2 drams/7.5 ml) $17.25

Uses in Witchcraft & Magic:

Guiding the Dead
Traveling to and from the Underworld
Comforting the Bereaved
Honoring Bees

Using Magic Oils

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