Myrrh ink

[Berenike]

Myrrh ink is used in several of the papyri, both Greek and Demotic, and Dr. Flowers even includes a recipe in the appendix of Hermetic Magic, but do any modern practitioners actually use it?

Searching online for further information on myrrh ink yields nothing but PGM results. Researching magic inks, not something my practice has hitherto made use of, it seems dragon's blood ink (not necessarily an appropriate substitution for the PGM, even in workings where dragon's blood may be appropriate, given its colour) is the magical ink of the post-modern magic worker's choice (either that or dubious "magic ink", with no information about what makes it magic or so expensive, of whatever colour you desire).

Personally, I'm inclined to buy fountain pen ink and consecrate it after adding appropriate essential oils. What do you do? Do you bother with special ink at all?

[Apollon]

I've never bothered about using magical inks, but is something I would like to start doing.
I find super fancy the idea of making my own magical inks for my practice

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[talerman]

I've never bothered about using magical inks, but is something I would like to start doing.
I find super fancy the idea of making my own magical inks for my practice

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I agree

[Vajrakilaya]

I've never bothered about using magical inks, but is something I would like to start doing.
I find super fancy the idea of making my own magical inks for my practice

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The easiest and probably most well known example would be your own blood mixed with ash, preferably from incense used during meditation. Or, blood of any sort, obtained in any number of certain circumstances, if you get my drift. But be careful - blood magic is pretty serious stuff. It has a naturally inherent property of tying the astral to the elemental.

[dionysiandame]

I did find a recipe for magical inks involving soot/ash mixed with a bit of gum arabic.

The text itself does have the recipe;

Myrrh Troglitis, Karian figs, Nikolaus dates, dried pine cones, single stem wormwood, 7 wings of the Hermaic ibis, spring water. When you have burned the ingredients, prepare them and write.

So basically this looks like a simple incense soot and water formula but the gum arabic is probably better. I think, due to the folk magic nature of the PGM, making alterations probably happened often and can do so now so substitutions shouldn't be an issue as long as the correspondences kind of match up or you can just skip a particular ingredient altogether.

I did think about making this ink but am so caught up in other projects right now it isn't feasible. If you do make it, please come back and post results?

[Betelgeuse]

Yep, it’s almost like making incense; you should always follow correspondences, planetary hours and so on.
I made ink a few times; it’s not really difficult as it seems; I use resins and charcoal (I don’t use incense sticks); so you smashed all the resins and mixed them together, then you add the ashes – the latter consecrated and used during rituals , meditations or whatever it suits you.
The dosages should be ¾ of between ashes and resins and ¼ of liquid – I either use red wine or hibiscus tea as liquid, or blessed water, would do– I don’t personally recommend blood, especially when working with Spirits, exception made for some very specific work.
You still need gum Arabic; I use the liquid one it’s better IMO-ideally add a few drops of lemon, as preservative; the ink will last longer.

[Provenant]

Nice practical tips. And good point about the blood.

[Shatteredzen]

I burn different mixtures of incense or resins during ritual work, most commonly myrrh, frankincense, arabic gum resin and sandalwood. Following this line of logic in the thread might it simply be prudent to save the leftover ashes and residue to prepare such an ink? Or should the preperation of inks be undertaken as its own emdeavour?

[Betelgeuse]

I use the leftover ashes, but from a ritual / meditation meant specifically for the preparation of the ink and in tune with its porpuse.
Then I add more resins and gum Arabic to the ashes.

Hope it helps.

[Asahel]

Personally, I'm inclined to buy fountain pen ink and consecrate it after adding appropriate essential oils. What do you do? Do you bother with special ink at all?

I use a consacrated fountain pen and ink. That being said, I would advise against adding anything "extra" to the ink if you're planning to use a fountain pen. Essential oils, resins and other such stuff will ruin it. Also, make sure you are getting proper ink. Some inks, such as India ink or art inks that contain shellac and other stuff will clog a fountain pen.

If you insist on using "doctored" inks better get a dip pen instead.