harnessing the power of essential oils series e-book 4 essential … · 2008-10-01 · page | 1...

P a g e | 1

©Institute of Spiritual Healing & Aromatherapy, Inc

Harnessing the Power of Essential Oils Series

E-Book 4

Essential Oils for the Mind, Emotions

& Spirit

By Linda Lee Smith RN, MS, HNC, HTCP, CHHP, CCA

Institute of Spiritual Healing & Aromatherapy

P a g e | 2


Disclaimer The material in this book is a guide to the practice of aromatherapy. It is not a replacement for traditional health care, medical diagnosis, or medical treatment for illness. Refer to a licensed medical practitioner for medical care.

HTSM Press /July, 2008 All Rights Reserved

Copyright © 2008 by Linda L. Smith ***

About the Author

Linda is President of the Institute of Spiritual Healing & Aromatherapy. She is certified in holistic nursing, Healing Touch, holistic health and in aromatherapy. As creator of a certification in clinical aromatherapy program, Linda has created a unique offering that enhances the study of clinical aromatherapy by adding the study of vibrational frequencies of the oils, emotional and spiritual aspects of healing with oils and energetic healing techniques. When students graduate from this 240 hour course of study, they will have learned much more than the national requirements to become an aromatherapist. Linda lives in Arvada, Colorado but can be found most weekends teaching somewhere throughout the world. Her “calling” is to help restore healing to Christianity and so she takes a Christian approach to the presentation of essential oils.

Linda is also an expert article writer on the internet and has published well over 150 articles for ezine articles primarily on aromatherapy and topics concerning Healing Touch Spiritual Ministry. To see a list of her published works you can google Linda Lee Smith or go to http://www.ezinearticles.com/?expert=Linda_Lee_Smith

http://www.ezinearticles.com/?expert=Linda_Lee_Smith

P a g e | 3


Table of Contents Introduction 5 Part I Chapter 1: Essential Oils and the Nervous System 7 Cerebral Spinal Nervous System—Brain, Spinal Cord and Nerves 7 Sympathetic Nervous system 8 Parasympathetic Nervous System 9 How Can Essential Oils Relax or Stimulate the Nervous System? 10 What Do We Mean by Top, Middle and Base Note Oils? 11 Chapter 2: Essential Oils for the Mind 13 How Did We Come to Split Ourselves into Body and Mind? 13 What Can We Learn from the Ancients about Using Fragrances to Affect the Mind? 15 Pheromones 16 Subliminal Fragrances 17 Learned Memory of Smells 18 Smell Linked to Taste 18 Can Age and Sex Affect Our Sense of Smell? 18 Just How Sensitive is the Human Nose? 19 The Limbic System 20 Can Odors Affect the Left Brain as Well? 21 Can Essential Oils Affect Brain Wave Patterns? 22 The Psychotherapeutic Effects of Essential Oils 24 Part II Chapter 3: Oils for the Emotions and Feelings 26 Emotions Defined 26 Thought defined 26 Feeling Defined 27 What the Physicists Say about Thoughts and Feelings as Energy and Matter 27 Changing Disposition Can Affect your Health 27 Remembering Who We Are 28 Becoming Single-Minded 28 How Can Essential Oils Help 29 How Can an Aromatherapist Select Oils to Help Someone Emotionally? 30

P a g e | 4


Some General States of Mind That Can Be Destructive 31 Anxiety and Worry 31 Stress 32 Depression 33 How Can Essential Oils Promote Positive Emotions? 35 Concentration, Alertness and Focus 35 Happiness and contentment 36 Joy and Peace 36 Positive Outlook, Positive Self-Image, Positive Self-Esteem 37 Emotional Releasement 37 So What Happens When an Emotion Gets Resolved? 38 How Can Essential Oils Assist with Emotional Releasing? 39 Part III Chapter 4: Magic and Spirituality 40 What History Reveals 40 The Role of Incense and Aromatics 40 Early Medicine Was Bound Up with Magical Practices 42 The Magical Plants 45 Chapter 5: Essential Oils for One’s Spirit 48 Where Is Your Spirit Anyway? 48 What Does Science Say about “Spirit” and How We Receive Spiritual Information? 48 What Is the Spiritual Journey? 49 Where Do You Find Meaning & Connection? 50 What Role Can Essential Oils Play in Our Spirituality and in Our Spiritual Practices? 51 What Can We Learn from the Ancient Traditions? 51 Sacred Fragrances 52 Essential Oils for Prayer & Meditation 53 What Can Meditation Do for You? 54 Blocks to Prayer and Meditation 55 Creating a Sacred Space for Prayer with Essential Oils 55 Spiritual Healing, What Is It? 56 How Can Essential Oils Protect the Subtle Energy Body? 56 Conclusion 60 Resources 61

P a g e | 5


Introduction From earliest of times—herbs have been used as magic amulets to protect from evil spirits, to bring good fortune, to heal what ails body and mind. They have been used to honor the gods, to help transport the mind to another dimension, to capture the attention of perspective lovers with their fragrance and they have been used to seek the illusive “elixir of life.” It’s even hard to imagine trying to separate out how essential oils affect only the physical body without at the same time affecting the mind, emotions and spirit. There is a kind of psychology in using aromatics whether it is sweet smelling roots, scented pollen-laden flowers, aromatic balms and resins, or herbaceous, earthy tones to the life-blood of these plants, flowers, trees and roots. As we begin this second series on essential oils, perhaps it would be helpful to identify what we mean when we say the mind, emotions and spirit. The MIND is defined in Webster’s as “the human consciousness that originates in the brain and is manifested especially in thought, memory, perception, feeling, will or imagination. Secondly, it is all of the conscious and unconscious processes of the brain and central nervous system that direct the mental and physical behavior of a sentient organism.” The EMOTIONS as defined by Karol Truman in her book “Feelings Buried Alive Never Die…” is “energy in motion” and is manifested in our reactions. They are strong surges of feeling marked by a need to express those feelings and often accompanied by complex bodily reactions. Mind and emotions as you can tell have been intertwined in the mystery of how our psychology works. Spirit is even more elusive. SPIRIT has been called our “life force,” or “soul.” The term psycho-aromatherapy refers to the practice of using natural aromatics specifically for their psychological effect. The effect of fragrance is combined with other therapeutic remedies to maximize the psychological impact of the treatment. We cannot under estimate the power of scent on our physical health.

P a g e | 6


Just ask anyone who has ever been a patient in a hospital what they remember and they often will tell you about the “smells.” Is it possible to really separate out and treat the mind exclusive of the physical, emotional and spiritual self? Of course not—just as it is impossible to separate out and treat the body exclusive of the rest of us. This ebook will specifically look at how essential oils affect the mind, emotions and spirit. Science and spirituality will form the background as we look at how therapeutic grade essential oils can heal us into wholeness.

P a g e | 7


Part I

Chapter 1 Essential Oils and the Nervous System

Cerebral Spinal Nervous System—Brain, Spinal Cord and Nerves

To begin our look at how essential oils affect the nervous system we need a quick look at the anatomy first. The brain is the coordinating center that processes incoming information from the nerves concerned with the senses. It also controls various parts of the body by way of out-going motor nerves. Higher functions are also here—intellect, memory, personality, etc. You have probably

read that science now believes that memory exists in every cell in the body. However the memory coordination is housed in the brain. The spinal cord is the main communication highway for information going to the brain and away from the brain. Think of it like a superhighway with smaller roads feeding into it. The nerves are those smaller roads that convey information from and to the periphery by way of the spinal cord. OK, here is a better picture of the brain on the next page. Now that’s the physical anatomy. I will address the anatomy of the Limbic system later. We also can view the anatomy from a function perspective. We have an Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) which is divided into 2 Parts. It is important to note that this fine network of nerves is not under direct voluntary control. It is automatic. Where is this locus of control located? In the brain stem. The role of the autonomic nervous system is to run the operation behind the scenes.

P a g e | 8


Determining what is or isn’t a major stress is the job of the ANS and it is beyond conscious control. Many people in our world today experience a heightened state of stress—just look at the increase in stress-related diseases from heart to digestion in our own culture.

Sympathetic Nervous system Anatomically the sympathetic nervous system has peripheral nerves that run to and from the viscera, glands and muscles. This is your fight or flight system. The sympathetic system has a short response time to the organs and a long response back to the system. What this means is that in order to take flight or stand and fight, you need to get the message to your organs, glands and muscles very quickly. This is no time to get your left brain involved in thinking: “should I move away from this rattlesnake or defend myself?” Often our logic is completely bypassed in an emergency—we don’t have to tell our heart to beat faster, our lungs to give us more oxygen or our muscles to tense—its automatic. Nature has provided us with an ability to quickly respond—without this mechanism—we would not survive as a species. The sympathetic nervous system responds to strong emotions like anger or excitement.

P a g e | 9


When it is in charge we can expect—

• increased heart rate • increased respirations • the arteries contract to increase blood pressure • our bodies will start to sweat (this cools the muscles which are prepared for

fight or flight) • digestion will be inhibited • glucose will be mobilized • digestion will be compromised • sleep will be a problem • headaches are common—especially migraines

All these actions prepare you for fight or flight.

Parasympathetic Nervous System The parasympathetic nervous system also has peripheral nerves that run to and from the viscera, glands and muscles. This is your system that keeps everything in working order—when it is in control—everything is working smoothly. The parasympathetic system has a long response time to the organs but a short response back to the system. When it is in charge we can expect—

• slower pulse • lower blood pressure • decreased sweat • digestion occurring naturally • the body is prepared for rest • headaches are rare • no problem sleeping

P a g e | 10


Now that we have a rudimentary understanding of how the system works, it would be helpful to know how we can either stimulate or relax using essential oils.

How Can Essential Oils Relax or Stimulate the Nervous System? First, let’s look at how essential oils can relax the body and prepare us for rest. The question then is: What will parasympathetic stimulating essential oils do for the body?

• Relax the mind • Improve digestion • Counter emotional stress responses • Assist with sleep

For an article on how essential oils can relax or stimulate the nervous system, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---How-Can-They-Relax-Or-Stimulate-the-Nervous-System?&id=1293981

What Are Some Suggested Oils? Top note oils—clary sage, coriander, lemongrass, mandarin, myrtle, orange, petitgrain and thyme Middle note oils—aniseed, chamomile, marjoram and rosewood Base note oils—benzoin, frankincense, ginger, neroli, sandalwood, tarragon, vetiver, and ylang ylang Now let’s look at how essential oils can stimulate and prepare the body for wakefulness and activity. What will sympathetic stimulating essential oils do for the body? (Adrenal stimulants)

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---How-Can-They-Relax-Or-Stimulate-the-Nervous-System?&id=1293981

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---How-Can-They-Relax-Or-Stimulate-the-Nervous-System?&id=1293981

P a g e | 11


We might see: • Increased heart rate • Possibly increased blood pressure • Increased physical and mental activity • Increased sweating • A tendency to wakefulness

What Are Some Suggested Oils? Top note oils—basil, eucalyptus, and lemon Middle note oils—fennel, geranium peppermint, pine, and rosemary Base note oils—cinnamon, clove, jasmine, nutmeg, and patchouli What about essential oils that are considered balancing for the autonomic system? In other words—what oils can respond to your needs. These oils will act either way—either stimulating or relaxing. They will not stimulate a person to either extreme but rather to a balance in the autonomic nervous system. What Are Some Suggested Oils? Top note oils—bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, niaouli, tea tree, and yarrow Middle note oils—black pepper, cypress, hyssop, lavender, Melissa, ravensara, and spearmint Base note oils—rose, myrrh, and cedarwood

These are not complete lists but it will give you some suggested oils to start with as you look for oils that will relax, stimulate or balance. Some oils can be more than one type depending on what the particular oil is combined with.

What Do We Mean by Top, Middle and Base Note Oils?

Your top note oils have a sharp, fresh, light quality that have a very fast evaporation rate. These oils will be

P a g e | 12


high in aldehydes and esters and are generally found in oils from flowers, leaves and fruits.

Your middle note oils can sometimes be referred to as enhancers or equalizers or balancers. They are typically warm, soft and mellow. Chemically they are high in monoterpene alcohols and are found mostly in leaves and herbs.

Your base note oils are rich, heavy and pleasant in odor. They will have deep effects on the mental and emotional bodies of the energy field. These fragrances tend to linger and body heat will release their power to last for several hours. They are high in sesquiterpenes and are found mostly in woods and gums. For an article on top, middle and base note oils, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-Do-We-Mean-by-Top,-Middle-and-Base-Note-Oils?&id=1294024 Here is an important question: How can you tell if someone needs essential oils to stimulate the parasympathetic system or the sympathetic system or to balance both? This is where your expertise in assessment comes in handy. We teach this in depth in our Healing Touch Spiritual Ministry program. Many of our students take both these courses and the clinical aromatherapy classes to have a broader understanding of how the physical, emotional and spiritual body—work. You ask questions about the person’s stress level, about headaches, amount and quality of sleep, about their digestion—these answers will give you keys as to which system is in control and how powerful a role stress is playing in the person’s life. Here is an extra tidbit of information—did you know that Young Living’s new blend called RutaVaLa is excellent for restoring balance between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems? It is also excellent for depression and anxiety, and is a support for countering insomnia and sleeplessness. This blend is made up of rue (ruta), valerian and lavender.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-Do-We-Mean-by-Top,-Middle-and-Base-Note-Oils?&id=1294024

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-Do-We-Mean-by-Top,-Middle-and-Base-Note-Oils?&id=1294024

P a g e | 13


Chapter 2 Essential Oils for the Mind

Now that we have looked at the anatomy and what oils can affect the physical anatomy of the nervous system, let’s turn our attention to oils that affect the mind. What affects the body—affects the mind and the emotions and the spirit—we are all one. So where exactly is the mind? Is it only in the brain? Science tells us that the mind can be found throughout our whole system—that means every cell of the body. If I have lost my mind—can essential oils help me find it?! Good question.

How Did We Come to Split Ourselves into Body and Mind? To be brief, it was the Greeks who separated the body from the mind or spirit. This was when we abandoned “magical medicine” in favor of “scientific materialism.” Aromatics with their connection to the magical approach to healing were actually regarded at this time as valuable tools of transformation. But as patriarchy took over and intuitive knowledge was put aside in favor of rational logic, their use began to wane. Fragrances offered a direct doorway through to the feminine part of the mind (right brain) which had little role in the developing new medical model and scientific approach. To be fair, Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, recognized a connection between mental and physical diseases when he wrote:

“In order to cure the human body it is necessary to have knowledge of the whole.”

He prescribed aromatics which of course were the medicines of their day. Disease he felt came from natural causes which could be located in the physical body. The Greeks liberally used aromatics to care for the body—basic hygiene, clearing polluted air, for soothing or stimulating properties, and for lifting the mind and

P a g e | 14


heart. Of course the Romans had to best the Greeks in all things and they lavishing used great quantities of aromatics both for pleasure and for the effect they had on the mind and spirit. For an article on this subject, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---How-Did-We-Come-to-Split-Ourselves-Into-Body-and-Mind?&id=1294043 The early Christian era liberally used fragrant oils for healing but by the third century associated these fragrances with the pagans who also used aromatics in large quantities. Great Christian thinkers like Augustine were greatly influenced by Greek thought which separated us into body and mind (spirit). They were connected somehow but they weren’t sure how. The body would eventually return to the dust of the earth while only the spirit ascended into heaven (the next life). Can you see where this kind of thinking leads? Why attempt to heal the body when it is considered full of base or natural instincts? Perfumes and incense stimulated the senses and could heighten sensual pleasure—something obviously rejected by the Church in that day. Arab physicians played an important role in the development of medicine especially in the therapeutic use of odors. When the School of Philosophy at Athens was closed because of religious pressure, the works of Galen and Hippocrates had to be smuggled out. By the third century the city of Alexandria became the new Athens where chemists perfected the process of distillation. In the tenth century the physician Avicenna improved this process by inventing the refrigerated coil for the extraction of essential oils, effectively doubling the Arabic production. The Arab influence actually convinced physicians to use essential oils for purifying, restorative and reviving effects. Aromatics were making a comeback. Pleasant odors were linked with ensuring good health and preventing the spread of disease especially during times of plague. For an article on the role of Arab physicians, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-Role-Did-Arab-Physicians-Play-in-the-Middle-Ages-in-the-Use-of-Therapeutic-Odo&id=1294064

By the Middle Ages, the therapeutic use of the ‘perfumes of Arabia’ had spread all over Europe. Pomanders originating in the East were hollow spheres usually made out of gold or silver and contained solid perfumes which of course only the rich could afford. These were hung around the neck to protect against plagues and other diseases. They would use oils like musk, aloes, cinnamon and ambergris in these little

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---How-Did-We-Come-to-Split-Ourselves-Into-Body-and-Mind?&id=1294043

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---How-Did-We-Come-to-Split-Ourselves-Into-Body-and-Mind?&id=1294043

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-Role-Did-Arab-Physicians-Play-in-the-Middle-Ages-in-the-Use-of-Therapeutic-Odo&id=1294064

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-Role-Did-Arab-Physicians-Play-in-the-Middle-Ages-in-the-Use-of-Therapeutic-Odo&id=1294064

P a g e | 15


aromatherapy lockets. In Britain, they also used scent boxes and ‘tussie mussies’ which were little posies of aromatic herbs. They also strewed aromatic herbs on their floors—rose petals, lemon leaves, chamomile and other herbs. For the common people perfumes and fragrances were bound up with magic and superstition. For instance, rosemary was used as a protection against evil spirits. After the reformation in the 1500s, the devaluation of the senses was pretty widespread. Mortification of the senses was held up as the ideal and religious zeal held that we are meant to suffer in this life in order to gain entrance into heaven. With the spread of information from the East, we find that Chinese, Tibetan and Indian medical systems did not suffer the same mind/body split as in the West. Life is considered a mutual interaction of body, mind and soul where the mediating factor is the life-force or prana or chi. In Ayurvedic medicine, aromatherapy has been practiced as one form of holistic treatment for thousands of years. These approaches to medical practice recognize that there is a life-force in the plant which can help to re-activate or harmonize the prana or chi within an individual—vital to the healing process. What about today—do we still see body and mind as separate? We are slowly seeing a return to holism both in society and in medicine and nursing. Discontent with the medical model approach which deals only with the physical body has led many to search out more holistic approaches to body/mind/spirit. There is a growing recognition that disease is bound up with mind and spirit and that it is not enough to treat a person simply on a physical or chemical basis.

What Can We Learn from the Ancients about Using Fragrances to Affect the Mind? Here we are primarily looking at incense—the breathing in of beautiful and sometimes exotic fragrances but also the rubbing of perfumed oils on the skin for beauty as well as healing. They used fumigation, diffusion, smoking or smudging, and burning of resins on hot coals. Incense was absolutely indispensable among the ancient peoples for their rituals and for disguising the stench of

P a g e | 16


sacrificial animals. Incense was used in many rites to purify and protect the soul in the after-life and to ensure a safe passage. Scent had the power to evoke our highest aspirations and fears, and was used to transport one onto another plane of consciousness—a mind altering experience. Since fragrance was pleasing to the senses, it was assumed that it must be pleasing to the gods as well. The two most famous oils were that of frankincense and myrrh. The three costliest commodities of the ancient world—suitable gifts for a newborn king—Jesus—were frankincense, myrrh and gold. Now we know that gold most probably referred to liquid gold which was balsam fir—another aromatic oil. Without going into detail on how various cultures used aromatics to affect the body/mind/spirit, let me just summarize here the primary ways we see in their history:

• As an offering to the gods • As a way of uplifting and altering one’s state of mind • As a way to alter or correct mood • As a means of “communion” between the earthly and divine realms • As a protection against evil • As a purifying agent for the psyche • As a cleansing agent for the physical body and the environment • As a pleasing perfume in gathering places

For an article on what we can learn from the ancients, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-Can-We-Learn-From-the-Ancients-About-Using-Fragrances-to-Affect-the-Mind?&id=1294094

Pheromones Pheromones were discovered in the 1930s by Adolph Butenandt, a German biochemist. These are subliminal smells which are airborne chemicals involuntarily expelled into the air that affect the physiology or behavior of other members of the same species.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-Can-We-Learn-From-the-Ancients-About-Using-Fragrances-to-Affect-the-Mind?&id=1294094

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-Can-We-Learn-From-the-Ancients-About-Using-Fragrances-to-Affect-the-Mind?&id=1294094

P a g e | 17


Yes, humans give off pheromones. This is what helps newborn babies identify their mothers. It is what partners, lovers, and friends use to choose one another unconsciously. This is not something we are usually aware of but it is what attracts us to another person. Couples going through a break-up or divorce will often say their partner “no longer smells the same.” You see—the chemical attraction between them has changed just as their emotions have changed. We each have a “smellprint” which is completely unique for us

and no one else in the world has the exact same “smellprint.” For an article on pheromones, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Psychoaromatherapy-Makes-Use-of-Pheromones-and-Environmental-Fragrancing&id=1294134

Subliminal Fragrances Environmental fragrancing (psychoaromatherapy) is used to manipulate mood or change perception through subliminal smell. Research shows that people can be encouraged or manipulated using this method of aromatherapy. For example, customers in a store can be encouraged to purchase a particular item rather than another identical item by impregnating it with a pleasant subliminal smell. Customers in a shopping mall can be encouraged to purchase more stuff simply by diffusing a subliminal fragrance like peppermint. [A peppermint flower is shown above greatly enlarged.] The ethical boundaries here are not very clear! And yet we have been subliminally affecting others probably our whole lives. How many of you used to use perfumes before you started using essential oils as your perfume of choice? And how many of you use some kind of aromatherapy locket around your neck? You are not only affecting your own mind but that of others as well.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Psychoaromatherapy-Makes-Use-of-Pheromones-and-Environmental-Fragrancing&id=1294134

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Psychoaromatherapy-Makes-Use-of-Pheromones-and-Environmental-Fragrancing&id=1294134

P a g e | 18


Learned Memory of Smells

Related to subliminal smells is learned memory reaction to a smell that links trauma to an aroma. When that same odor is smelled again, fear or the emotion originally experienced, gets triggered. For example, say as a child you were terrified of a teacher or older adult who wore a particular fragranced

perfume. Learned memory of smell is hard to undo. In later life, that same perfume can evoke a sense of anxiety. More on this point in the material on Essential Oils and the Emotions in the next chapter.

Smell Linked to Taste Have you ever noticed that when you have a cold and can’t smell—food has lost its appeal? It’s simply not appetizing. Smells not only give pleasure, they affect us physiologically and psychologically. Smell is closely linked to taste and can “turn on the juices” in anticipation of food or a treat! We call it “mouth watering” since our nose has signaled us that something good awaits our pallet. It is estimated that 80 to 90 percent of taste is actually smell. So food aroma enhances our appetite and hunger increases sensitivity to food aromas and when we are full—our smell sensitivity declines. Is this always true? Not in the case of obesity. Obesity reduces smell acuity. For an article on smell and taste, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Smell-Linked-to-Learned-Memory-and-to-Taste&id=1294178

Can Age and Sex Affect Our Sense of Smell? Absolutely! As we become older our sense of smell is not what it used to be. Research has shown that our sense of smell peeks between ages 20 and 40 with a marked decline after 60. Anosmia (the loss of smell) selectively occurs among the elderly first with bad odors whereas sensitivity to pleasant odors remains relatively normal even into advanced years. For many of the elderly who have lost their sense of smell, food is un-appealing and may contribute to depression.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Smell-Linked-to-Learned-Memory-and-to-Taste&id=1294178

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Smell-Linked-to-Learned-Memory-and-to-Taste&id=1294178

P a g e | 19


What can cause anosmia in a relatively younger healthy person? Trauma of course, but anosmia can also occur from a life of abuse and exposure to toxins. It can also be a result of chronic sinus infections. There can be selective anosmia or smell blindness to some particular odors or total anosmia which is the complete loss of smell. Anosmia is always associated with psychological depression paralleling the dullness of taste and smell. Research also shows that exposure to certain medicinal and environmental agents can adversely affect the sense of smell—in fact they can impair the sense of smell all together. Women are thought to have a greater sense of smell than men which is quite interesting since most ‘noses’ or professional perfumers are not women—they are men! Gary Young is among them. For an article on how age and sex can affect our sense of smell, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Can-Age-and-Sex-Affect-Our-Sense-of-Smell?&id=1294210 Just How Sensitive is the Human Nose? Over the hundreds of thousands of years that humans have been on the face of the earth, our sense of smell has gone through an evolutionary development. We walk upright now so our sense of sight and hearing have supplanted our need to smell danger or find food. Humans have some 5-10 million scent-detecting olfactory cells positioned in the olfactory epithelium at the top of the nasal cavity. These cells are only a small contingency of the entire nasal mucous membrane which is primarily respiratory epithelium. Let’s put this in perspective. A rabbit has an estimated 100 million olfactory cells which are constantly turning over as new cells every few days. A rabbit needs to smell food and danger or not survive. A small dog has some 125 million olfactory cells yet a bloodhound has over 600 million olfactory cells making its sense of smell 3 million times more sensitive or acute than mans’. No wonder a bloodhound can follow a trail that is days old. The millions of human olfactory cells are sensitive to some 10,000 different chemicals from which we can distinguish hundreds of different smells. For an article on the sensitivity of the nose, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Just-How-Sensitive-is-the-Human-Nose?&id=1294231

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Can-Age-and-Sex-Affect-Our-Sense-of-Smell?&id=1294210

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Can-Age-and-Sex-Affect-Our-Sense-of-Smell?&id=1294210

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Just-How-Sensitive-is-the-Human-Nose?&id=1294231

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Just-How-Sensitive-is-the-Human-Nose?&id=1294231

P a g e | 20


The Limbic System Because the limbic system is directly connected to those parts of the brain that control heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, memory, stress levels, and hormone balance, scientists have learned that oil fragrances may be one of the fastest ways to achieve physiological and psychological effects. Let’s review for a moment—the olfactory process which is located in the head. Fragrance molecules enter the nose with the breath—migrate through the thin mucus layer covering the olfactory epithelium where there are the 5 to 10 million olfactory nerve cells. Each nerve cell has receptor sites to fit each aromatic molecule shape—like a key in a lock. They transmit the odor along the nerve fibers in the form of electrical impulses to the olfactory bulb which in turn passes the stimulus to the higher cortical centers of the brain. Do the various essential oil molecules actually enter the brain itself? NO—only the electrical impulses from the various compounds.

The electrical impulses pass first into the limbic system—amygdala, hippocampus and cortex to the hypothalamus which influences the endocrine

and nervous systems→ we get an emotional effect. Past memories associated with the scent are evoked and immediately a feeling is registered. Once an odor is registered in the brain—it moves much more quickly the next time it is smelled. The limbic system is involved with the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is a very important brain center. It controls emotions, memory,

P a g e | 21


sexual behavior and certain visceral activities. The pleasure center lies here with the release of the endorphins and enkephalines. Odor recognition primarily resides in the right hemisphere and therefore is largely independent of left-brain analysis, verbal memory, and speech. The right brain is the realm of emotion and imagination. For an article on how essential oils affect the Limbic System, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---How-Do-Therapeutic-Essential-Oils-Affect-the-Limbic-System-Work?&id=1294252

Can Odors Affect the Left Brain as Well?

Odor induced feelings do influence thought content and the thinking process, mental concentration and perhaps even rational judgment which is left brain activity but only indirectly. They can also affect our moods which are not only complex but transient. Moods can strongly affect and determine every behavior from eating habits to social conduct.

So what happens? Odor stimuli in the limbic system release neurotransmitters:

• Endorphins reduce pain, stimulate sexual feelings, and produce a sense of well-being.

These are also feel-good hormones. Endorphins are endogenous opioid polypeptide compounds. These are big words that simply tell us that these hormones are created by the body and have similar actions to opiates. They are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus during strenuous exercise, excitement, and orgasm. And, they resemble the opiates in their abilities to produce analgesia and a sense of well-being. Endorphins work as "natural fever relievers.”

The term "endorphin" implies a pharmacological activity. It consists of two parts: endo- and -orphin; these are short forms of the words endogenous and morphine, intended to mean "a morphine-like substance originating from within the body."

• Enkephalines reduce pain, produce pleasant euphoric sensations, and create a feeling of well-being.

These feel-good hormones are a type of endorphine that are particularly euphoric. They are either of two naturally occurring pentapeptides (methionine

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---How-Do-Therapeutic-Essential-Oils-Affect-the-Limbic-System-Work?&id=1294252

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---How-Do-Therapeutic-Essential-Oils-Affect-the-Limbic-System-Work?&id=1294252

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endogenous

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opioid

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polypeptide

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pituitary_gland

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypothalamus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excitement

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orgasm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opiate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analgesia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmacology

P a g e | 22


and leucine) isolated from the brain, which have potent opiate-like effects and probably serve as neurotransmitters.

• Serotonin helps relax and calm

In the central nervous system, serotonin is believed to play an important role as a neurotransmitter in the modulation of anger, aggression, body temperature, mood, sleep, sexuality, and appetite as well as stimulating vomiting. Serotonin is found extensively in the human gastrointestinal tract (about 80-90% of the body's total serotonin is found in the gut). In the blood, the major storage site is platelets, which collect serotonin for use to help with post-injury vasoconstriction.

• Noradrenalin acts as a stimulant that helps keep you awake

Noradrenalin is one of the catecholamine hormones, chemically related to adrenalin and crucial to help us maintain alertness, drive, and motivation. This hormone functions as an important neurotransmitter in the sympathetic nervous system and in the central nervous system. Levels of noradrenalin often are significantly reduced in people with depression or who attempt suicide.

These are all complex hormonal activities. They are orchestrated by the limbic system by way of the hypothalamus. Your emotional or instinctual reactions that get registered in the limbic system—get translated into physical responses like your “fight or flight,” sexual impulses or the expression of pleasure. These are pretty important hormones that keep us safe and keep our species alive! For an article on this subject, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Can-Odors-Affect-the-Left-Brain-As-Well?&id=1318512

Can Essential Oils Affect Brain Wave Patterns?

First what are the 4 brain wave patterns:

• Beta—awake and thinking level. At this level we are physically in control of our senses. This is present moment awareness. Beta brain waves occur between 14 - 30 Hz but during intense mental activity can reach 50 Hz.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_nervous_system

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurotransmitter

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anger

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aggression

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoregulation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mood_%28psychology%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_sexual_behavior

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appetite

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vomiting

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastrointestinal_tract

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platelet

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O87-catecholamine.html

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O87-neurotransmitter.html

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Can-Odors-Affect-the-Left-Brain-As-Well?&id=1318512

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Can-Odors-Affect-the-Left-Brain-As-Well?&id=1318512

P a g e | 23


• Alpha—this is when we reach the very relaxed state—Dreams usually take place at this level and it is the most impressionable for creative work and visualization. Alpha brain waves occur between 8 - 13 Hz and are normally found when a person is awake in a quiet resting state. These brain waves totally disappear during sleep.

• Theta—we are never at this level in our conscious state—this is deep sleep. Theta brain waves occur between 4 - 7 Hz and are mostly found in children, but can be found in adults in times of emotional stress, and specifically when disappointed or frustrated.

• Delta—Delta brain waves occur below 3.5 Hz and we see these patterns in normal deep sleep, during infancy and in serious brain disease and they occur only within the cortex. Babies in the womb are at Delta level of consciousness. Adults can also reach this level in deep sleep or under anesthesia.

John Steele, Ph.D., of Sherman Oaks, California, and Robert Tisserand, of London, England, leading researchers in the field of aromatherapy have studied the effects on brain wave patterns when essential oils are inhaled or smelled. Their findings show that oils such as orange, jasmine and rose have a tranquilizing effect and work by altering the brain waves into a rhythm that produces calmness and a sense of well-being. In the same way, the so-called 'stimulating' oils - basil, black pepper, rosemary and cardamom - work by producing a heightened energy response.

The brain wave most useful for influencing the mind and therefore the emotions is the alpha rhythm.

Sedative oils like Roman chamomile, bitter orange, bergamot, lavender and Melissa can help induce the brain to drop into alpha and more easily accept positive thoughts and make imagery and visualization effortless.

What oils can evoke Beta-predominant patterns associated with aroused attention and alertness? Basil, rosemary, black pepper and cardamom.

P a g e | 24


What oils can evoke Alpha or even Theta and Delta—a quieting of mental chatter and the mind going into reverie? Orange blossom (neroli), jasmine and rose.

For an article on brain wave patterns, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Can-Essential-Oils-Affect-Brain-Wave-Patterns?&id=1318535

The Psychotherapeutic Effects of Essential Oils There are many therapeutic benefits of using essential oils for our psyche. Inhalation is only one route through the limbic system. Other routes that can bring the molecules of essential oils to the brain include blood-born transmission by ingestion, respiratory inhalation with transmission across the alveoli air sacs into the blood stream, and transdermal absorption into the blood stream. How effective the essential oils will be of course, determined by the oil’s nature. How potent this effect is will be determined somewhat by the route of application. For instance, sedative essential oils are more effective even in small doses through inhalation. These psychotherapeutic effects can actually be recorded by electroencephalogram (EEG) which shows brain-wave responses in both amplitude and frequency. This way, researchers are able to verify the effects of an oil by measuring the alpha, beta, theta and delta patterns. But what about the other routes that bring essential oil compounds to the brain by way of the blood stream? How can this be measured? Some essential oils are natural antidepressants or have sedative or tranquilizing characteristics. They can trigger the release of endorphins and enkephalins which are neurochemical analgesics and tranquilizers. These neurochemicals are released directly into the blood stream and in essence affect the entire system by regulating bodily processes. Every single body cell is influenced in some way by these chemical messengers. We need to understand that this is a very complicated system involving complex biochemical reactions. The essential oils also have a complex biochemical nature with hormonal effects upon the human body that cannot be neatly categorized as either “uppers” or “downers” as pharmaceutical drugs can. So, just as an EEG can be helpful in determining the action of essential oil compounds upon brain wave patterns, blood tests, heart rate, respiration rate and blood pressure can all be measurements helpful in

http://ezinearticles.com/?Can-Essential-Oils-Affect-Brain-Wave-Patterns?&id=1318535

http://ezinearticles.com/?Can-Essential-Oils-Affect-Brain-Wave-Patterns?&id=1318535

P a g e | 25


determining the effect of these compounds upon the body’s physiology and psychology. For an article on the psychotherapeutic effects of essential oils, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-Are-Their-Psychotherapeutic-Effects?&id=1321509

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-Are-Their-Psychotherapeutic-Effects?&id=1321509

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-Are-Their-Psychotherapeutic-Effects?&id=1321509

P a g e | 26


Part II

Chapter 3 Oils for the Emotions and Feelings

Emotion Defined Gregg Braden in his book “The Spontaneous Healing of Belief” has some very interesting thoughts about emotions. In his book he writes that the lower three chakras of creativity are commonly associated with our experience of emotion. As pure energy—these three represent the only two basic emotions that we’re capable of in life: love and fear. Joy, hate, and peace are in fact the feelings that result from the use of love or it’s opposite. Love and its opposite are actually two polarities of the same force: emotion. Emotion is energy in motion marked by a need to express those feelings and often accompanied by complex bodily reactions. So for Braden, emotion is the power source that drives us forward in life. Love or fear is the driving force that propels us through the walls of resistance and over the barriers that keep us from our goals, dreams, and desires. Emotions are further expressed through attitudes and beliefs which are externalized and manifested through our actions and behavior. The power of emotion needs to be channeled and focused for it to serve us in our lives. When we don’t have clear direction—our emotions can become scattered and chaotic. Our emotions can serve us or they can destroy us.

Thought Defined Thoughts are associated with the upper three energy centers—chakras related to logic and communication. Whereas emotion can be considered a power

P a g e | 27


source—thoughts are the guidance system that directs it, focusing it in precise ways. While important, thoughts have little power by themselves.

Feeling Defined A thought without the emotion to fuel it is just a thought—it isn’t good, bad, right or wrong. When we marry the thoughts in our minds with the power of the emotions that emanate from our lower energy centers—we create feelings. Thus a feeling is the union of what we think with the fuel of our love or fear for our thought. Feelings are impressions or reactions. While there are only two basic emotions—love and fear—we can experience an infinite number of feelings. Our feelings can change the world. Karol Truman has a slightly different take on emotion and feeling. She sees emotion as the outward expression or reaction of the feeling. Emotion—she says—is the result of a thought and an intense feeling coming together. Both Braden and Truman state that feelings and thoughts are energy.

What the Physicists Say about Thoughts and Feelings as Energy and Matter If we listen to the physicists, energy and matter are interchangeable therefore your thoughts and feelings as matter cannot be destroyed—only altered. They can be changed! If the feeling or the thought is negative energy—it can be changed to positive energy. Emotion and mood have a tremendous amount of influence on us. They can determine what you think, perceive, remember and how you behave.

Changing your Disposition Can Affect your Health A change in your emotional or psychological disposition can have dramatic results on your health. When we take control of our thoughts—we can begin to feel good about ourselves. This we know—there is a mind-body connection to our DNA—

P a g e | 28


every thought, feeling and emotion sends a message to every cell in our body. Each cell of our body then is affected either positively or negatively. When our head and our heart are out of sync—out of harmony—health problems will arise. So what happens is—we experience pain somewhere and it usually gets out attention. Somehow—we have forgotten who we are! Forgetting who we are leads to an unhealthy lifestyle and eventually to illness which is a signal that we are out of balance. So illness is a lesson we have given ourselves to help us remember who we are!

Remembering Who We Are There is a purpose in all of life—a purpose for every challenge—every situation we find ourselves in. The purpose is spiritual growth—to remember who we are. Who are we? According to the Judaic-Christian scriptures—we are love made manifest in the world. What is the key to understanding this? Forgiveness—forgiveness of self and others. For an article on Changing Your Disposition Can Improve your Health, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Spiritual-Healing---Changing-Your-Disposition-Can-Affect-Your-Health&id=1321531

Becoming Single-Minded

How do we come into balance? We need to be at one—head and heart. It’s called being single-minded. We have already seen that the left brain is the thinking and conscious side. The right brain is the feeling and the sub-conscious side. If our heart (feeling part) is not in sync with our head (thinking part) we will never move forward and achieve what we desire in life. For

instance we may think (head) that we are not worthy but feel in our heart that we are. The heart will win but there will be an inner conflict or war until agreement is reached. If we feel in our heart that we are not worthy of something and we think in our head that we are, we generally will not receive what we desire. Thinking and feeling (head and heart) must be at one. Remember, the heart always wins.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Spiritual-Healing---Changing-Your-Disposition-Can-Affect-Your-Health&id=1321531

http://ezinearticles.com/?Spiritual-Healing---Changing-Your-Disposition-Can-Affect-Your-Health&id=1321531

P a g e | 29


Truman writes that what we feel is literally the “prayer of our heart,” and we always receive the “prayer of our heart!” People who are single-minded not only think God will answer their prayers, they feel God will answer which adds up to knowing God will answer. If you want to know more about this, Gregg Braden has a great book that refers to the lost form of prayer which I highly recommend. It is called “Secrets of the Lost Mode of Prayer, The Hidden Power of Beauty, Blessing, Wisdom, and Hurt.” Take stock of your own thoughts and feelings—if you find there are mixed messages being communicated between thinking and feeling, look at your heart and head and bring them together in unison. Be single-minded as you pray and the prayer of the heart will always be answered!

How Can Essential Oils Help?

• Fragrances can affect the limbic system • Odors which carry a positive association can help bring about a change of

attitude by allowing the individual to re-experience pleasure or joy. • Fragrances can affect us subliminally and help us come into a more spiritual

place to evaluate what is going on in our lives. • Can evoke powerful memories especially from childhood. • Odors can be associated with specific feelings about other individuals. • Since our emotional state has a direct bearing on whether a virus can enter

the cell—using essential oils to cultivate a positive mental attitude can help prevent the onset of disease.

• They can help support the immune system since many are antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, etc.

• They can exert a positive psychological effect—lift one’s spirit • Essential oils have high frequencies that can intervene to raise our

frequencies thus allowing for a greater sense of well-being. • Essential oils have a cumulative effect when applied over a period of time—

they transform and raise our frequencies and vibrations at the cellular level.

• Therapeutic or medicinal grade essential oils have the ability to detoxify and clean the receptors for improved cell to cell communication with neurotransmitters.

P a g e | 30


How Can an Aromatherapist Select Oils to Help Someone Emotionally? You Want to Select Oils That— Benefit the mental state of the person rather than the isolated symptoms.

An aromatherapist needs to be good listener—ask about past health history and lifestyle, find out whether or not stress or depression are evident. Each essential oil is capable of various effects depending on the properties of the oil. Some may be analgesic, anti-inflammatory, decongestant, etc. Others are relaxing or uplifting for the state of mind, some may aid the body with pain relief, or digestive aid, etc. Remember—emotions are very complex. When experiencing one emotion, for instance—sadness, there may be a whole array of other emotions involved as well. One emotion can be the trigger causing a cascade effect of other emotions. This is true for both negative and positive emotions. Recommending an essential oil for an emotion is not as easy as recommending oils that have antibacterial or anti-spasmodic properties. Apart from research that shows essential oils do have an effect on the mind—relaxing or stimulating—there is no substantiated evidence of their effects on individual emotions. So, the recommendations from various aromatherapy authors are from their personal experience with their clients. However—if we look at how our physiology is tied so closely to our psychology then we need to see if there are any clues to our psychology hidden in our physical bodies. For instance—

• Liver and gall bladder is where we hold anger and resentment. So liver efficiency is the key to clarity of mind and emotions and well-being. A stressed and overworked liver will lead to irritability and crankiness, restlessness and inability to sleep. Feeling groggy and “hungover” in the morning may lead to depression long term. What do we need to do? Liver support. Young Living has two blends—

P a g e | 31


juvatone and JuvaCleanse which help support the liver and gall bladder.

For an article on this subject, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---How-Can-an-Aromatherapist-Select-Oils-to-Help-Someone-Emotionally?&id=1318545

Something else for us to consider here is our diet.

• Foods that harm our nerves, gut and brain health are white sugar, white flour, fake sugars, excitotoxins, fake fats, trans fats, caffeine excess, excess acid foods and large quantities of red meat.

• These foods disrupt the receptors in our cellular membranes and create deficiencies for the building blocks needed by our hormones and neurotransmitters which negatively impact our emotional and mental health.

• Nutritional deficiencies can impact our emotional health—

o Calcium and other mineral deficiencies can lead to nervousness and irritability

o B Vitamin deficiencies can lead to irritability, anxiety and depression, loss of sense of humor, apathy and moodiness.

o Vitamin D3—neurohomone, deficiency may result in depression.

Some General States of Mind That Can Be Destructive:

Anxiety and Worry Anxiety is a state of apprehension and worry is an over-anxious state of mind. These often are fore-runners for stress and depression. Why do we get anxious and worried? Any number of reasons—just driving on the freeway can cause anxiety, getting to work on time, paying the bills each month, women in labor can exhibit anxiety, test-takers can be anxious and worried over making a good grade—in short, living can be anxious and worrisome!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---How-Can-an-Aromatherapist-Select-Oils-to-Help-Someone-Emotionally?&id=1318545

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---How-Can-an-Aromatherapist-Select-Oils-to-Help-Someone-Emotionally?&id=1318545

P a g e | 32


What Oils Would You Recommend? Oils that work to settle the mind and are grounding and comforting.

Vetiver, sandalwood, frankincense, myrrh. (Notice these are all tree oils.) Also marjoram, the chamomiles, clary sage, patchouli, geranium, and cardamon can quell the worry of the mind under pressure. These oils while comforting can be grounding and balancing. Stress

Stress is only negative when it is unwanted or excessive. The body deals with all stress—both positive and negative—by releasing extra energy. Extra oxygen is transported to the brain and extra adrenalin produced in preparation for fight or flight. So when our bodies are overly stressed, we can more easily fall ill since our immune systems have become over-taxed. Stress today is at the root of so many degenerative effects on our bodies and our minds. Some people seem to cope well with outside stressors while others do not. Stress is a very individual experience—what may be stressful to one person is not to another and what is stressful to you

today may not be so for you tomorrow. In chronic stress, the “arousal state” never completely gets back to the normal state. So, the measurable levels of stress in the body do not return to normal and cortisol levels remain high. Over time, if lifestyle is not changed and the person is unable to “switch off” either physically or mentally, there will be a breakdown of the system. Physical responses to stress are governed by the hypothalamus which sits near the pituitary gland. The hypothalamus controls the autonomic nervous system and is part of the limbic system. So it should be apparent that stress will have a direct effect on almost all bodily functions, from temperature to hormone balance.

P a g e | 33


What Physical responses might we see in response to stress? Increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, dilated pupils, increased concentrations of adrenaline in blood and urine, decrease in the number of white blood cells, increase in the level of blood adrenocorticoids and an increase in certain blood cells (eosinophils and lymphocytes) will lead to suppression of the immune system and decreased resistance to infection. Physical symptoms might include tiring easily, breathlessness, nervousness, chest pain, sighing, dizziness, faintness, apprehensiveness, headache, weakness, trembling, insomnia, unhappiness, shakiness, fatigued all the time, sweating, fear of death, smothering, nervous chill, urinary frequency, vomiting and diarrhea, anorexia and palpitations. As you can see—stress can do a number on us! Psychological stress also negatively impacts the skin and blocks the skin’s permeability barrier function. This is why so many skin diseases actually get worse during periods of high stress. What Oils Would You Recommend? You want to choose oils that are relaxing, calming or sedative. Familiar smells associated with happy memories can help reestablish feelings of happiness. It is hard to be stressed when you are happy. Roman chamomile, clove, juniper, lemon, melissa, orange, ylang ylang, bergamot, clary sage, cypress, lavender, marjoram, petitgrain, neroli, and rose. Depression Many people are unable to describe their feelings of depression to a doctor and may simply say they just don’t feel well. Depression takes in a whole range of melancholic dispositions—moodiness and apathy, lethargy, boredom, mood swings, loss of interest, sadness, grief, remorse, and shame. Symptoms usually include lack of energy, sleep disturbances, significant weight loss or gain or increase in appetite, exhaustion not helped by sleep, feelings of worthlessness, difficulty making decisions, thinking, and remembering, irritation and inability to concentrate.

P a g e | 34


Depression is one of the most widespread mental-health problems in the world. TV commercials tell us we shouldn’t have to suffer—take this or that drug and all your symptoms will melt away. Psychotherapy is often rejected because of time, effort and cost. Depression can go unnoticed and sometimes even be misdiagnosed as exhaustion. It is not always caused by emotional stress. There can be many causes including lack of sunshine in the winter (seasonal affective disorder—SAD), alcohol or other substance abuse, prolonged lack of sleep, environmental pollutants, conventional medicine like antibiotics or hormone replacement therapy. It can also be caused by feelings of inadequacy, inability to cope, post-natal, rejection, sense of being over-whelmed at work or with life, and physical illnesses. What Oils Would You Recommend? Essential oils which are nourishing to the nerves, energizing and balancing—you want stimulating oils. Angelica, bergamot, basil, Roman chamomile, cardamom, fennel, cinnamon, clove, clary sage, frankincense, juniper, marjoram, orange, lemon, petitgrain, rosemary, sage, thyme, savory, cypress, ginger, lavender, neroli, geranium, peppermint, pine, rose, sandalwood, jasmine, and ylang ylang. Research shows that a blend of different oils is even more likely to have a positive therapeutic effect than individual essences because aromatic mixtures are generally perceived as being more pleasant. There is a protocol for depression that many people have successfully used for depression symptoms. It includes four blends: 2-3 drops of Valor™ on the soles of the feet or one drop on inside of the wrists, 1 drop of Harmony™ on the solar plexus, 1 drop of Joy™ on the heart and 1-2 drops of White Angelica™ on the crown and brushed through the energy field. Did you notice that some oils are on both lists for stress and depression? There is a divergence of opinion on whether oils such as rose or neroli are stimulating or sedative in effect. It may be due to concentration levels. For example, angelica at low doses stimulates the brain, but at high doses it is very sedating. It is also possible that some oils may simultaneously stimulate brain activity while sedating

P a g e | 35


other parts of the nervous system. For example neroli and rose do stimulate the brain and uplift the spirits, but at the same time they reduce the heartbeat and the blood pressure and soothe the nerves. Can you identify whether the person is depressed, stressed, worried or anxious? This is far more important than identifying the individual emotions and how they are psychologically classified. Is the person dealing with grief, anger, fear or other strong emotion? Often the person will identify this for themselves. Don’t expect essential oils to work like anti-depressant drugs. Their effects are subtle and make help over time. For an article on the Destructive States of Mind, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-Oils-Are-Helpful-For-Destructive-States-of-Mind?&id=1318554

How Can Essential Oils Promote Positive Emotions? We were born to be happy, confident, trusting, joyful, kind, compassionate, sympathetic, helpful, enthusiastic, patient, positive, hopeful, and loving. This should be our reference point for what is “normal” and “balanced.” When our state of mind reflects inner peace, joy, love and well-being—then peace, joy, love and well-being is what we naturally project outward and this brings us positive experiences.

Concentration, Alertness and Focus Concentration is about being able to focus on the tasks ahead. Focusing, we can direct all our attention and energy to one place. What Oils Would You Recommend? Lemon, basil, rosemary, cardamon, orange, grapefruit, peppermint, bergamot, cedarwood, eucalyptus, fennel, cypress, cinnamon, ylang ylang, juniper ginger, clove, nutmeg, pine.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-Oils-Are-Helpful-For-Destructive-States-of-Mind?&id=1318554

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-Oils-Are-Helpful-For-Destructive-States-of-Mind?&id=1318554

P a g e | 36


Happiness and Contentment A happy person is in a state of balance and harmony with life. It may come through accepting limitations, with forgiveness, with letting go all that holds us back, or with openness to the future. What Oils Would You Recommend?

Don’t expect essential oils to create happiness and contentment for you. But they may help by reducing the tenseness and stress of unhappiness. Orange, rose, jasmine, clove, coriander, sandalwood, bergamot, ylang ylang, Roman Chamomile, lemon, neroli, frankincense, lavender, patchouli.

Joy & Peace With joy—comes peace. Peace is a state of grace—a spiritual restfulness that reaches to every cell in the body. In peace, we embrace the stillness inside—in our bodies, minds and spirits—and are one with the still vibration of the universe. What Oils Would You Recommend? Essential oils can help to create a peaceful environment that encourages peace within. Neroli, frankincense, melissa, angelica, Roman Chamomile, juniper, rose, jasmine.

Positive Outlook, Positive Self-Image, Positive Self-Esteem A positive outlook and self-image not only sees but focuses on the light, rather than the dark, the good rather than the bad in life. People with a positive outlook

P a g e | 37


are optimistic which dispels negativity. If we can see ourselves as positive, happy, vibrant and radiant—other people will be more likely to see us in the same way. What Oils Would You Recommend? Essential oils will subtly and gently support a positive outlook on life. They can help us find our better qualities thus strengthening our self-image and help us to build self-esteem. Vetiver, rose, geranium, sandalwood, ylang ylang, jasmine, bergamot, cedarwood, orange, melissa,

cypress, mandarin, myrtle, lavender, neroli, juniper, pine, frankincense, nutmeg. For an article on Essential oils that promote positive emotions, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---How-Can-Therapeutic-Essential-Oils-Promote-Positive-Emotions?&id=1318595

Emotional Releasement Releasing emotions that have been buried is the ongoing work of a lifetime for each of us. We can do this for ourselves and we can help others by facilitating the release of emotional blocks for them and by helping them to develop tools that they can apply to resolve emotional blocks from their own past. We came into this world with a perfect blueprint— it is our true nature and it is registered in our DNA as light frequency. That means our feelings are registered in our DNA as frequency—both positive and negative. Every time we experience a negative thought or emotion—it acts like a short circuit to our system—it dims our light and conversely, every time we experience a positive feeling or emotion it brightens our light. Repressed, hidden or buried emotions block us from accessing our cellular record of God’s perfection.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---How-Can-Therapeutic-Essential-Oils-Promote-Positive-Emotions?&id=1318595

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---How-Can-Therapeutic-Essential-Oils-Promote-Positive-Emotions?&id=1318595

P a g e | 38


Repressed, hidden or buried emotions block us from accessing our cellular record of God’s perfection. Releasing these stored emotions from when they were first locked into our cells—un-covers the memory of perfection throughout our bodies. It restores our light! That means we need to get to the original wound to unlock the cascade of feelings that have continued to dim our brightness. Carolyn Myss says as much in her work on “woundology.” For an article on Releasing Emotions—the Work of this Life Time, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Spiritual-Healing---Releasing-Emotions-is-the-Work-of-This-Lifetime---What-Can-Help?&id=1321575

So What Happens When an Emotion Gets Resolved?

So when an emotion gets resolved—we gain a spiritual lesson and we are able to move forward positively and productively without storing negative memories from the experience. This is our spiritual work in this lifetime—to recall and reconnect with who we truly are. When we resolve emotions—our lives are flooded with peace and happiness. And, when a negative feeling gets released and deleted from our DNA, the door is opened for our lives to come into balance—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. People are often surprised when an emotion is released and their physical maladies disappear or that a lifelong behavioral problem is changed for the better. Aromas can play a transformational role in this process. We have a choice here—we can choose to ignore or run away from spiritual growth. What are the consequences? Not pretty ones—refusing to resolve issues may be a result of fear or incorrect perception of truth. We fail to learn the life’s lesson and our lives move in negative and unproductive ways like controlling habits and unproductive emotional reactions to life’s situations. Our lives become dysfunctional, relationships become strained or broken and peace and happiness eludes us. These negative feelings get stored in our DNA and can lead to in-numerable physical, mental, emotional and spiritual problems and inappropriate behaviors. They can lead to depression, anxiety, mental illness, hopelessness and even suicide. To be free of unresolved emotions you must be willing to look at both your present and your past, take responsibility for your emotions and release and let go that which no longer serves you in a positive and healthy way.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Spiritual-Healing---Releasing-Emotions-is-the-Work-of-This-Lifetime---What-Can-Help?&id=1321575

http://ezinearticles.com/?Spiritual-Healing---Releasing-Emotions-is-the-Work-of-This-Lifetime---What-Can-Help?&id=1321575

P a g e | 39


For an article on What Happens When an Emotions Gets Resolved, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Spiritual-Healing---What-Happens-When-an-Emotion-Gets-Resolved?&id=1321588

How Can Essential Oils Assist with Emotional Releasing?

Clearing emotional patterns with essential oils is very gentle process but could take time. Essential oils as we have seen are made up of thousands of different compounds. When an oil is inhaled or rubbed on the body or taken internally, the molecules of these compounds carry coded information that can be translated by cellular DNA –this can be therapeutically beneficial for body, mind, and spirit. These compounds each have an affinity for certain cells of the human body—some gravitate to muscle cells, other to nerves, and some to digestive and still others to the heart and lungs. They bring beneficial results including the removal of toxins and the opening of emotionally stored memory in the DNA. The molecules of essential oils act like enzymes, hormones, vitamins and ligands which are amino acid chains that form a communication system between cells. Each cell has thousands of receptor sites each de-signed to accept only certain types of ligands and reject the rest. Ligands are like keys that fit only certain locks. So if essential oils are like ligands, they possess the right key to open the cells with matching receptor sites. They carry information that is pertinent only to the cells with the receptor sites able to accept that specific ligand. This is why certain oils are helpful for muscles and others are not. Why some oils are antiviral and some are not. Why certain oils are good for digestion while others are good for the lungs. Essential oils also directly stimulate the limbic system or emotional brain. The nose is wired in such a way that it connects directly with the limbic brain and its messages do not have to go through the reasoning cortex first. Therefore one’s response to an aroma is going to be emotional before it can be rational. For an article on emotional releasing with essential oils, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---How-Can-Therapeutic-Oils-Assist-With-Emotional-Releasing?&id=1318610

http://ezinearticles.com/?Spiritual-Healing---What-Happens-When-an-Emotion-Gets-Resolved?&id=1321588

http://ezinearticles.com/?Spiritual-Healing---What-Happens-When-an-Emotion-Gets-Resolved?&id=1321588

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---How-Can-Therapeutic-Oils-Assist-With-Emotional-Releasing?&id=1318610

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---How-Can-Therapeutic-Oils-Assist-With-Emotional-Releasing?&id=1318610

P a g e | 40


Part III

Chapter 4 Magic and Spirituality

What History Reveals

From the beginning, man has been preoccupied with the question of divinity—who is responsible for us being here and how do we relate to the Creator. All primitive peoples have developed some kind of world-view which they expressed through myths, legend or stories. All life was viewed as dependent on a force which transcended the visible world. This force was honored through specific rites and rituals. How was illness and environmental disturbances or disasters interpreted in this world view?—as discord or disharmony between the human, environmental, and spiritual realms. Disease was viewed as disunity and so early on the art of healing was bound up with an ability to appease the spirit world, please the gods and counter curses.

The Role of Incense and Aromatics

In these world views, fragrant odors were thought to be favored by the gods and were a way of appeasing their anger and wrath and ensuring divine favor and attracting special attention to prayers. Since scent delighted the human senses, it was assumed that the deities found it very pleasing in fact it was considered the “food of the gods.” These odors were thought to work like a drug on the minds of the gods as well as on the minds of men and thus the gods would look kindly on the misdeeds of man. In Syria and Mesopotamia, incense smoke was used as a form of

P a g e | 41


divination to calm the wrath of the gods so they would be inclined to give positive oracles. It was also used as a means of purification—cleansing the human soul before the face of the god. Many herbs and aromatics were also considered to have magical properties including healing. Temples erected to honor the gods had great urns for the burning of incense before the gods. Even public buildings had censors for the burning of incense to petition the gods for their favor as well as to cleanse the foul air. Great festivals or holidays grew up incorporating magic and spiritual practices in which the people used incense, amulets, and aromatics. Early on, burning incense in the sick room was a common way to cure. Native Americans to this day continue to “smudge” with purifying smoke from aromatic plants like sage, cedarwood and juniper. The Sumerians and Babylonians burned incense as a means of purification to please their gods, the Hebrews used burning incense (generally thought to be frankincense) to veil the presence of God in the holy tabernacle, the early Persians used incense in their worship which is depicted on their monuments at Persepolis, the Muslims still offer incense in the shrines of their saints today. The Roman Catholic church, Anglican and orthodox Christian churches still use frankincense and myrrh incense to honor God in their rituals. The Australian aborigines burn eucalyptus as part of their ritual practices and in early America, the Mayas of Mexico burned balls of copal incense for their gods and used perfume as part of their practice of human sacrifice to establish communication with the divine. Besides the burning of dried herbs and resins, we find in history that many people used aromatics to protect against evils spirits by scented fumigations and with balms made from fatty oils and aromatics. Similarly, before marriage ceremonies the bride would be adorned with sweet smelling or enticing fragrances not only for the marriage bed but also to drive away any evil spirits.

P a g e | 42


Incense was absolutely indispensable in ancient Egyptian rituals. The ascending smoke was seen symbolically as a vehicle to carry one’s prayers to the deities and to bridge the realm of human and spiritual. This is particularly true for their elaborate ceremonies surrounding death. For a dead king, incense and aromatics were used to protect the physical corpse from decay and to disguise the stench—but it was also used to confer the transformation from the human state to that of a divinity. And as we know, the body of a pharaoh, queen or consort or an extremely wealthy person was embalmed using pure essential oils utilizing secret recipes devised by the priests and priestesses. The Hebrews also used incense to carry their prayers to God. “Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.” Psalm 141:2. The use of perfumed ornaments like necklaces made of saffron, orris, musk and Benjamin were used in black Africa and throughout Asia to appease the spirits. In India, the sacred plant of basil was made into sacred beads and rosaries. In Tibet, dry incense is worn as a talisman to ward off evil spirits and in Mexico to this day, a clove of garlic is still hung around the neck of a newborn as a protection. Amulets are commonly used in magical rites in many cultures and often include aromatic plant materials. In today’s world, many users of essential oils are now wearing “diffuser” jewelry to ward off germs from others and protect against bacteria and viruses. For travelers, especially on airplanes, this simply makes good sense. When enough people begin performing this action, a ritual will be established that says—this is how we ward off “evil spirits” like bacteria and viruses. Are you wearing diffuser jewelry? For an article on magic and spirituality, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-is-the-Role-of-Magic-and-Spirituality?&id=1318722

Early Medicine Was Bound-Up with Magical Practices Early cultures did not distinguish between the physical and spiritual realms—they were bound-up together. Medical practice was done by the shaman or medicine

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-is-the-Role-of-Magic-and-Spirituality?&id=1318722

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-is-the-Role-of-Magic-and-Spirituality?&id=1318722

P a g e | 43


man or woman and thus integrated with spirituality and magic. Cures required a combination of physical remedies, spells and prayers. An example of this comes from the Old Testament found in the book of Leviticus (Lev.14:15-18). This is an account of anointing with oil to restore the leper to the community. This is not a purification rite but the conveying of life as is suggested by the anointing of the head. The entire rite indicates that the formerly ostracized person is now accepted once more into the life of society. The priest was to take cedarwood oil and put some on the tip of the right ear, (a reflex point to release guilt). Then he put oil on the thumb of the right hand and the big toe on the right foot which are both reflex points for the brain and pineal gland—the center of the body’s communication systems and the place where emotional memory is stored.

Egyptian medicine dates back to prehistoric times and was supposed to have originated with the mythological deities. The priests and priestesses of these divinities prepared remedies along with incantations and evocative prayers. Actually they were quite skilled in pharmacy which was supposed to be transmitted by the goddess Isis who then communicated this to the priests and priestesses. The Egyptian Papyrus Ebers manuscript written about 1552 B.C.E. in the time of Moses and before the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt contains numerous formulas for compounding various remedies and how to use them. Fumigation with fresh herbs was a principal remedy and preventative measure in the treatment of disease not only

for the Egyptians, but also for the Babylonians and Hebrews. Aromatics common to all these cultures include saffron, galbanum, cannabis or Indian hemp, mastic, frankincense, myrtle, myrrh, cumin, coriander, cypress and balm of gilead (believed to be balsam fir). Most cures however involved a combination of physical remedies, spells and prayers. Spices and herbs were not only physical remedies but also “charms” or “magical drugs” which could influence the mental disposition of the patient and provide a medium through which psychic healing could take place. In the ancient Greek culture, the cult of Asclepius is a prime example. Early Greek medicine was part mythical, part historical. Asclepius, the mythical son of Apollo and Coronis was the god of medicine who was worshipped by both the Greeks and Romans. The cult combined magical or primitive therapeutic methods such as incantations,

P a g e | 44


offerings and exorcisms with a more empirical approach which looked for an overall psychological effect. The priest-physicians, known as Asclepiades, practiced healing in these Asclepian sanctuaries. Central to their practice was the belief that curing the body primarily meant re-activating the person’s primary life-force. The sick came to the temple where first, sacrifices and prayers were offered. Then the sick underwent a period of seclusion during which their dreams were recorded and interpreted by the priest-physicians. These gave insight into the cause and the cure of the person’s affliction. Recipes for the therapeutic fragrances and incense which were used

to enhance the psychological state were recorded on tablets and hung on the walls of the temples. When we stand back with the perspective of history, we see this as a forerunner of modern psycho-therapeutic practice. For an article on Early Medicine Bound-up with Magic Practices, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Early-Medicine-Was-Bound-Up-With-Magical-Practices&id=1319439 Dioscorides who wrote around the year 100 C.E., mentions over 700 plants which were in use at that time. They formed the basis of the remedies used in the temples of Asclepius with their focus on psychic medicine. In his book De Materia Medica, he combines herbal lore of the Egyptians and Greeks and discusses the components of perfumes and their medicinal properties and then gives a detailed listing of recipes. Here is an example of a recipe for the perfume Susinum. It contained cardamom, cinnamon, lilies, myrrh, saffron, balanus, wine and honey. Nardinum contained calamus, cistus, cardamom, melissa, spikenard and myrrh. So when did medicine change from the magical to one of objective observation and diagnosis? It actually began with Hippocrates who was the son of a priest-physician of Asclepius. Hippocrates separated medicine from priest-practice by maintaining that disease was not due to possession by evil spirits but to an imbalance of fluid matter related to internal, emotional and external factors. His theory was based on the four elements and the four humors. He recognized a psychosomatic unity in mental and physical diseases. In his treatment, he recommended aromatics and maintained that the key to good health was in having a daily aromatic bath and scented massage. Disease now was regarded as arising from natural causes located within the physical body.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Early-Medicine-Was-Bound-Up-With-Magical-Practices&id=1319439

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Early-Medicine-Was-Bound-Up-With-Magical-Practices&id=1319439

P a g e | 45


Following on his heels was the physician Galen who saw all disease—mental and physical—caused by disorders of the humors. He was quite disdainful of the Egyptian incantations and spells which the Egyptians priest-physicians spoke while picking their herbal drugs. Besides using aromatics for physical problems, the Greeks used aromatic oils and incense for:

• Psychological conditions such as anxiety, depression and hysteria • Pursuit of beauty and romance • Religious and spiritual exercises such as meditation, prayer • Consciousness expansion and heightened perception and awareness • Creating conducive atmospheres for spiritual, intellectual, creative and

romantic activities For an article on Magical Practices Give Way to Modern Medicine, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---When-Did-Magical-Practices-Give-Way-to-Modern-Medicine?&id=1319457

The Magical Plants Some plants have long been associated with magic or clairvoyant powers and used as charms against evil. Anyone who has read the Harry Potter novels can attest to the novel’s parade of strange concoctions of plants for magical purposes. But in real life, yes certain plants do have a history with magic. Rosemary is one such plant. In Europe, a sprig of rosemary placed under the pillow was thought to prevent nightmares. A sprig of fennel placed over the doorway was believed to ward off witches. European medieval history is filled with stories of ways to ward off evil spirits and witches. Paranoia based on ignorance and fueled by religious zeal, existed throughout the whole period of the Middle Ages. Here are some other examples of “magical plants:”

• Cedarwood oil used in ritual purification after touching anything “unclean.”

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---When-Did-Magical-Practices-Give-Way-to-Modern-Medicine?&id=1319457

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---When-Did-Magical-Practices-Give-Way-to-Modern-Medicine?&id=1319457

P a g e | 46


• German chamomile was considered a sacred herb by the Egyptians, Moors and Saxons.

• The Romans revered Clary Sage as herba sacra or ‘sacred herb’ because of

its euphoric properties.

• Fennel was thought to ward off evil spirits and spells cast by witches. They hung sprigs of fennel over doorways to fend off evil.

• Galbanum was considered spiritually uplifting.

• Hyssop was used to protect against plague and to drive away evil spirits.

• Juniper was used in the Middle Ages to ward off witches.

• Marjoram was considered a funeral herb to bring spiritual peace to the

departed.

• Melissa or Lemon Balm was considered the “elixir of life” and used for nervous discords and ailments dealing with the heart or the emotion—anxiety, melancholy and to strengthen and revive the vital spirit.

• Mugwort in the Middle Ages was associated with superstition and

witchcraft and was used as a protective charm against evil and danger.

• Myrrh is one of the oldest spiritual oils known to man—lifting the spirit to the gods.

• Myrtle was considered a sign of immortality and used in religious

ceremonies.

• Palo Santo was known to peoples of Latin America as a spiritual oil to purify and cleanse the air of negative energies.

• Sage was used by native peoples to help cleanse the aura of negativities.

P a g e | 47


• Sandalwood is considered one of the oldest oils known for its spiritual qualities and assistance with prayer and meditation. It is also considered an aphrodisiac.

• Spikenard was considered one of the sacred chrisms for anointing

monarchs and high initiates into the mystery schools.

• The Lakota Indians used black spruce to strengthen their ability to communicate with the Great Spirit. They believed spruce possesses the frequency of prosperity.

• Thyme was associated with ‘courage.’ The Roman soldiers bathed in thyme

before going into battle and in the Middle Ages, sprigs of thyme were woven into the scarves of knights departing for the Crusades—again to boost courage.

• In the Middle Ages, yarrow was cut “with a black-handled knife, by

moonlight, repeating mystic words. It was then brought home, put into the right stocking, and placed under the pillow” so that young Highland girls would dream of their true loves!

For an article on Magical Plants, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---The-Magical-Plants&id=1319468

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---The-Magical-Plants&id=1319468

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---The-Magical-Plants&id=1319468

P a g e | 48


Chapter 5 Essential Oils for One’s Spirit

Where Is Your Spirit Anyway? It has been said that we are all spiritual beings who are having a physical experience. We are first of all spirits who have physical bodies and live in a physical world. Energetically, we can liken the field to our spirit which is larger than our bodies and interpenetrates our physical reality. When there are blocks or energetic “debri” (congested energy), our spirits are not in balance or harmony with our surroundings. We may experience this as emotions or thoughts that are keeping us from our highest potential. We are not “at one with ourselves.”

What Does Science Say About “Spirit” and How We Receive Spiritual Information?

We are actually wired neurologically as “receivers”—this is particularly true for women. What this means is that we are attentive to the nuances of voice, expression, sight, and sound around us which registers in our bodies as feelings and sensation, health and illness. I am talking about the sixth sense that speaks to us regularly in dreams, “knowings,” flashes of insight or feelings. Men can and do develop these sensitivities but for women they are a natural gift of our gender. God speaks to us through

our intuition which is always turned “on.” Women on the whole have greater access to the right brain and a greater ability to move back and forth between the two hemispheres simultaneously. Men tend to stay more in the left brain. Studies have shown that intuition and receptivity to spiritual information increase during the second half of the menstrual cycle when women become more right-hemisphere dominant. The Right brain is less optimistic but more in tune with emotions that are uncomfortable and which the left brain filters out during the first part of the menstrual cycle. As women mature into menopause, intuition actually increases. So instead of two weeks on and two weeks off—it’s like our

P a g e | 49


right brain or intuition is on all the time. No wonder so many ancient cultures have referred to postmenopausal women as the wise women. From history, the wise women were feared because of their knowledge of things in the spiritual realm. We know what happened to them! For an article on what happened to the wise women healers, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Healing-Touch---7-Reasons-Why-Wise-Women-Healers-Faired-Badly-in-Christianity&id=831481 Also see What Science Says about Wise Women Healers in the article: http://ezinearticles.com/?Spiritual-Healing---What-Does-Science-Say-About-Wise-Women-Healers?&id=1319494

What Is the Spiritual Journey?

It is a personal one we each make to find the meaning in life. The journey is one of spiritual connection to a greater whole. That whole is not somewhere above us—it is found within us here and now. This journey is one of connection to our own deepest self. That connection enables us to access and utilize our gifts and strengths. It guides us in recognizing and overcoming our weaknesses. On the journey we look for answers to questions like:

• Why am I here • What is my purpose • Where do I go to from here • What legacy will I leave the earth

I think the older we get these questions become more important. Many of us are middle-aged and already see several generations behind us so time appears to warp and the days ahead appear shorter. Leaving some kind of mark or legacy is now important whereas in our younger days—there always seemed to be lots of time to think about that. Joan Borysenko writes in her book A Woman’s Journey to God, that spirituality is the result of thoughts, words, and deeds that culminate in the ability to take our place in a universe where every thread is important to the integrity of the final design. She says that the spiritual journey for women is

http://ezinearticles.com/?Healing-Touch---7-Reasons-Why-Wise-Women-Healers-Faired-Badly-in-Christianity&id=831481



http://ezinearticles.com/?Spiritual-Healing---What-Does-Science-Say-About-Wise-Women-Healers?&id=1319494

http://ezinearticles.com/?Spiritual-Healing---What-Does-Science-Say-About-Wise-Women-Healers?&id=1319494

P a g e | 50


less a matter of climbing up a ladder—as it is for men, than of looking in and discovering the Inner Light that has been there all along. For an article on this subject, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-Role-Do-They-Play-in-Our-Spirituality-and-Spiritual-Practices?&id=1318621

Where Do You Find Meaning and Connection? Church? Nature? In Relationships with others? In meditation? Silence? Often we find we have a lifetime of hurts that need healing. Healing our relationship with God often means coming to grips with theologies that may have wounded us. It means learning to trust that God is in the center of the circle of our lives, in the center of our hearts. As we grow into being wise women, our circle of close relationships can help us learn trust—trust in our intuition, the Inner Light, trust in the illogical, irrational flashes that guide us on the spiritual journey. We find ourselves blessed by each other’s presence, at home in the garden of the soul. What is interesting is that as we focus on a relationship with God—relationships with friends and lovers also deepen. When our heart is open to God—all life pours in more abundantly. And conversely, when our heart is open to friends and lovers, we feel the nearness and Presence of the Divine. We become mirrors for each other—soul friends. Wisdom and delight pour through us to one another and we feel that closeness to God that is the true essence of love. The journey home to God as Borysenko says—is a journey home to our deepest Self, to the ability to connect deeply and intimately and lovingly with other people and ourselves.

When we turn our attention to spiritual things—our spirituality puts us in touch with the cosmic forces which permeate time and space. God is finally real for us and our spiritual quest for meaning has purpose. Spirituality and healing are actually one and the same thing. The word healing comes from haelan which means “wholeness.” So spirituality is about wholeness.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-Role-Do-They-Play-in-Our-Spirituality-and-Spiritual-Practices?&id=1318621

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---What-Role-Do-They-Play-in-Our-Spirituality-and-Spiritual-Practices?&id=1318621

P a g e | 51


Our spiritual practices are attempts to find meaningful responses to the thought provoking questions of life. They are meant to be celebratory as we honor the birther of the universe. The most important thing in our spiritual practices is that the God of our understanding feels real and authentic—otherwise our spiritual practices fall flat—they lack the “juice of life.”

What Role Can Essential Oils Play in Our Spirituality and in our Spiritual Practices? History shows that aromatics have played a key role in assisting us to lift our thoughts and emotions to things spiritual so that we can contemplate the meaning of life. They help us connect with the Divine Forces. This makes sense energetically and chemically since essential oils are in harmony with all of life. Essential oils resonate with us and we respond to their messages. They activate the receptors of love, compassion and empathy. Essential oils affect us emotionally and yes, spiritually by helping us to make those connections to Divine forces. This makes sense energetically and chemically since essential oils are in harmony with all of life.

• EOs resonate with us and we respond to their messages • EOs activate the receptors of love, compassion and empathy • EOs affect us emotionally and yes, spiritually by helping us to

make those connections to Divine forces.

What Can We Learn from The Ancient Traditions? Fragrance and spirituality mingle as one in many spiritual traditions:

• Native peoples practices of smudging and sweat lodges with cedar, juniper, sage and sweetgrass

• Jewish Sabbath celebrations with spices and holy anointing oils

• Buddhist and Hindu offerings and incense sticks. They also anointed the statues of their gods with musk, sandalwood and other fragrant woods on a daily basis.

P a g e | 52


• In India—the Hindu god Indra is always represented with his breast anointed with sandalwood oil while the Hindu god of love, Kama is shown with one of his five arrows tipped with jasmine. Divinity, sex and perfume were bound together in the oriental mind since aromatics were recognized as contributing to the attainment of religious or sexual ecstasy.

• Christian incensing the altar, the vessels and the people with frankincense

and myrrh. The history of Christianity is filled with ambivalence towards the use of fragrances since many other cultures used perfumes for pagan worship or in depravity, over indulgence and sexuality.

• So on the one hand—perfume is associated with spirituality—on the other

with profanity. Both a token of divinity and a tool of seduction. In Christianity, depreciation of the body associated perfume with temptation and sin.

• Muslim anointing their mosques and holy places with sweet-smelling rose water. Tradition has it that Mohammed’s sweat had the scent of roses though he singled out the aroma of musk as a favorite sexual stimulant.

• and the countless home altars of peoples of many cultures honoring the

gods, saints, angels and their ancestors.

Sacred Fragrances It is believed by many that this ‘odor of sanctity’ signals the presence of the divine and prepares us for communicating the desires of our hearts. Certain fragrances were considered sacred, “holy unto God.” Frankincense, myrrh, onycha, galbanum and spikenard along with the special blend in the formula God gave Moses consisting of myrrh, cinnamon, calamus and cassia. The ‘odor of sanctity’ also denotes particularly holy individuals—those elevated to some higher level of existence closer to the Divine. Many Christian, Hindu and Jewish saints (holy persons) exuded these sweet smelling fragrances. Mystics exude an odor similar to rose or other sweet smelling floral fragrances when they meditate. The body of St. Teresa of Avila gave off a scent that was like lily and orris which changed to include violet and jasmine many years after her death.

P a g e | 53


The odor of sanctity probably originated in ancient Egypt where the souls of the dead were judged by Anubis, the jackal-headed Lord of the Underworld. It was believed that with his keen nose he was able to smell the ‘essence’ of each person and determine the purity of their soul. So your odor reflects your soul quality! Shamans, medicine men and women use aromatics and drugs to open to the spiritual realm. Many of their ‘magical herbs’ or oils are dangerous if not used properly. They use herbs and aromatics for healing purposes. Some of these aromatics were for inhalation similar to inhaling hallucinogens. Medicinal plants and aromatics were thus used to open the doors of perception or gain access to the realm of the spirit world. This journey was considered vital for the success of the healing operation as well as for the personal safety of the shaman acting on behalf of the sick person.

Certain flowers have always attracted a spiritual significance or symbolism just as certain scents have been associated with the sacred. Notable is the rose. Avicenna, the Persian physician of the tenth century wrote his first book on the healing properties of the rose. The scent of rose is also associated with the sensual side of life as well as with the heart. It has always been used

symbolically to indicate religious passion or devotion. The Madonna in the mystic tradition has been called the “rose,” the Mystic Rose,” the “Queen of the Most Holy Rose Garden,” and the “Holy Rose.” For an article on sacred fragrances, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Are-There-Sacred-Fragrances-in-Our-Judeo-Christian-Heritage?&id=1318650

Essential Oils for Prayer and Meditation Prayer has been described as our reaching out—speaking to God. In prayer we petition for our needs. This is a pro-active move on our part—moving towards God. Prayer provides peace and spiritual uplifting. To pray means to entreat—prayer offers hope.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Are-There-Sacred-Fragrances-in-Our-Judeo-Christian-Heritage?&id=1318650

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Are-There-Sacred-Fragrances-in-Our-Judeo-Christian-Heritage?&id=1318650

P a g e | 54


Meditation on the other hand reaches within—it is a listening to God. Here our goal is communion with God. We are listening for the answer. Meditation brings us to a quiet place within where Spirit dwells. Meditation is basically very simple—it is trying to create stillness and peace in the mind, beyond the usual chatter and clutter that usually fills it. It is about being in the present moment—all forms of meditation are about quieting the mind and awareness of one’s breathing. Some examples

of different meditation styles include: • mindful awareness • insight • visualization • centering prayer

I find that meditation is extremely helpful for those who aspire to the healing profession.

What Can Meditation Do for You? It can be healing and refreshing—bring clarity and insight—allows your intuitive faculties to come through. Meditation can sharpen and intensify your powers of direct perception, giving you eyes to see into the true nature of things. It can lead to less stress and more energy. Meditation can bring self-knowledge and help you to discover love, compassion and your own inner wisdom. Fragrance has accompanied many a prayer to heaven and helped act as a focus for meditation. Fragrance provides something spiritual to focus on—it opens the consciousness, relaxes the mind and body, puts you in another space—one where you are open and receptive to spiritual exploration. When you use the essential oils with your meditation you connect with Spirit and with spiritual wisdom to find your inner peace and harmony. It’s important though that the fragrance does not evoke any particular memories for you which will just flood your mind and defeat the purpose of meditation. Blends are better since no particular ingredient dominates. I particularly like the soft woodsy smell of Young Living’s Inspiration™,

P a g e | 55


the grounding fragrance of Gathering™, or the floral scents of Humility™, Awaken™, Sacred Mountain™, or White Angelica™ . For an article on essential oils for prayer and meditation, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Essential-Oils-Are-Helpful-For-Prayer-and-Meditation?&id=1318673

Blocks to Prayer and Meditation

1. Letting go of control-- This is about allowing God to be God in your life which takes humility, acceptance, generosity and willingness to receive.

Suggested oils: Myrtle, frankincense, juniper, cypress, pine, coriander, tuberose, cardamom, lemon, and rose.

2. Inability to Receive and Accept—this is about worthiness. If you can’t accept a gift from another person without feeling like you need to give something in return it may mean you have difficulty receiving and accepting. Prayer is about being receptive to the blessings and gifts God bestows upon us.

Suggested oils: Rose, neroli, lavender, orange, jasmine and mandarin, Roman Chamomile

3. Feeling unworthy to Receive God’s Blessings—if you believe you are not

worthy to receive God’s blessings, then you won’t. The truth is—you are worthy of God’s love for God loves all God’s children no matter what great sin may be in the past.

Suggested oils: Frankincense, rose, sandalwood, cardamom, mandarin, clove, ylang ylang, neroli, geranium, and cedarwood.

http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Essential-Oils-Are-Helpful-For-Prayer-and-Meditation?&id=1318673

http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Essential-Oils-Are-Helpful-For-Prayer-and-Meditation?&id=1318673

P a g e | 56


Creating a Sacred Space for Prayer with Essential oils First, you might want to consider cleansing the space where you intend to pray or meditate. You can do this through diffusion, spritzing, or smudging. Select oils and blends that you personally find helpful to aid you in your space and meditation. You can anoint your brow, temples, throat, wrists, feet or another energy center like heart, solar plexus or crown of my head. Don’t use the same oils every time you pray or meditate. Intuitively pick the oil or oils that are helpful in the moment.

Spiritual Healing—What Is It?

The Healing Touch Spiritual Ministry work is spiritual healing. It combines:

• healing presence • prayer • intention • energetic healing • anointing with essential oils.

As healers, we seek to come to our work with as much knowledge as possible for our clients good. Learning is a never-

ending part of being a healer. To help someone come into balance physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually—we need to know:

• how the body works • how the mind, emotions and spirit affect the body • how the subtle energy body is affected by both the person’s internal and

external environment. When we choose to use essential oils in our healing, it adds yet another layer to our energetic work. By learning about the oils in terms of their physical, emotional, and spiritual properties, we are better able to achieve our mutual goals with the client. We can “intuit” which oils to use but first it’s helpful to have

P a g e | 57


a wealth of information from which that inspirational knowledge can evolve. For an article on the work of Healing Touch Spiritual Ministry, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Healing-Touch-Spiritual-Ministry---The-Healing-Process&id=844975 Also see Spiritual Healing—What Is It? Article: http://ezinearticles.com/?Spiritual-Healing---What-is-It?&id=1319510

How Can Essential Oils Protect the Subtle Energy Body? Essential oils can affect all layers of our energy body—physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. They can protect the outer edges of the field by forming a protective shield around us. What have other cultures used to protect against perceived negative intentions of others or perceived invisible forces? Cedarwood, pine, juniper, and sage. Juniper has been used not only by many Native American groups but also by Tibetans. Sweetgrass and sage purify one’s energies and are thought to attract good “spirits.” Frankincense is used by the Roman, Orthodox, and Anglican Catholic churches as well as by Muslims to expel evil spirits and invite the angels to come in. The ancient Romans, Greeks and Egyptians all used fragrance to attract good energy and to keep negative or “bad” energy away. They fumigated their homes, temples and places of business on a regular basis. Censors were kept burning in homes to drive away evil and honor the good deities. In medieval Europe, witches were feared as evil and rituals involving smoldering fragrant herbs or woods were a daily part of life to protect against their “evil eye.” There was also the tradition among many cultures including the Australian aboriginals of aromatically cleansing strangers or guests before allowing them into the village or one’s house. Native Americans traditionally smudge the aura to cleanse both the inside and outside of the individual. White Angelica™ which is a blend of over 20 different aromatic oils is widely known as a protection for the field. This beautiful blend carries a high vibration that can protect the field from energy assaults and negative intentions. It is an

http://ezinearticles.com/?Healing-Touch-Spiritual-Ministry---The-Healing-Process&id=844975

http://ezinearticles.com/?Spiritual-Healing---What-is-It?&id=1319510

http://ezinearticles.com/?Spiritual-Healing---What-is-It?&id=1319510

P a g e | 58


excellent oil for the healer to use on themselves prior to doing healing work on another. Using essential oils in the auric field brings new energy to the field. The auric colors become more vivid and clearer and there is a shift in the density. It literally “lifts” the spirit by raising the person’s vibration. What the essential oils do is clear out the “auric debri” thus making way for the field to shift into balance—back into a harmonious whole. We respond to the frequency or vibrational properties of the oils and not just to the oil’s chemistry. The human body has a normal vibratory range (electrical frequency) between 62 and 68 megahertz. This is called a state of health. Energy disturbances in the field will actually precede the appearance of disease and illness in the body. When the human frequency range drops below the norm of 62 megahertz, this is when abnormal processes begin to develop. Healing is the activation of the body’s energies toward a dynamic state of equilibrium and balance. We are constantly healing in life towards this state of harmonic health.

Our work in healing is to find those combinations that enable the person to move towards a state of harmony and balance—to one of harmonic resonance.

For an article on How Essential Oils Protect the Subtle Energy Body, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Can-Essential-Oils-Protect-the-Subtle-Energy-Body?&id=1319541

When disease and illness are present, they may manifest as chemical imbalances but underlying this is an electromagnetic imbalance that has altered the molecules, cells, tissues and organs.

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Can-Essential-Oils-Protect-the-Subtle-Energy-Body?&id=1319541



P a g e | 59


Healing means providing the correct or healthy frequency to bring the cells back to a state of coherence, to a state of equilibrium. When we raise a person’s vibration it results in “restoring health to the body, clarity to the mind and attunement to the spirit.” When something vibrates at many dissonant frequencies, it produces “chaotic or incoherent frequencies.” Therapeutic grade essential oils produce coherent frequencies that are naturally tuned to the health of our bodies. Pharmaceuticals and synthetic oils do not! God has certainly breathed God’s energy into these healing oils. For an article on vibrational healing, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Vibrational-Frequency-Is-the-Key-to-Their-Amazing-Ability-to-Heal&id=820464 Pure essential oils, that is, therapeutic or medicinal grade oils, have strong frequencies, though adulterated oils may be as low as 0 MHz. When you inhale an essential oil, there can be an immediate shift in your frequency level. Adulterated oils may actually lower your frequency level. Essential oils create an environment in which low frequency diseases, harmful bacteria, viruses, and fungal diseases cannot survive. When choosing an essential oil for subtle healing or spiritual connection—the chemical constituents are not as important because they are not being required to act on the physical level. What is most important is the energy of the essential oil—its vibrational note, which interacts with our own spiritual harmonic note. Essential oils basically carry the light and that light potential is activated by positive thought. Essential oils and hands-on healing work synergistically. When you do energy healing, the key is to connect into a higher source of vibrational frequency and be a conduit or vessel through which this higher energy flows to the one in need. So in energy healing, we teach centering—connecting both above and below—to heaven and to earth. Then filling your field intentionally with this higher energy—call it God, energy, light—whatever word best describes this for you. Then set the intention for the highest good for the person before you. This is not about you and this is not about you giving your energy to anyone else. Once you have filled your subtle energy field with this higher light/energy—you become that conduit or empty pipeline for the energy to flow. I cannot stress enough the importance of thought, intent and purpose in your healing work. If you are attached to a

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Vibrational-Frequency-Is-the-Key-to-Their-Amazing-Ability-to-Heal&id=820464

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Vibrational-Frequency-Is-the-Key-to-Their-Amazing-Ability-to-Heal&id=820464

P a g e | 60


particular outcome—you will always be disappointed. Rather than come with the intention of using a particular essential oil to “calm someone down,” try being open to the highest good for this individual. It is not for us to impress our will or ego on the oils. We are there to facilitate the joining of the harmonious energies between the oils and this person before us. The essential oils synergistically make the energy work—work better—and vice versa—the energy work makes the essential oils work better. Why? It’s all about frequency—the higher you raise the vibrational frequency of the one in need the better chance there is that the body/mind/spirit will be brought into balance—into a state of health. For an article on the energy of essential oils, go to: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---The-Energy-of-Essential-Oils&id=844933 Also see Healing through the Vibrational Frequencies of Essential Oils: http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Healing-Through-the-Vibrational-Frequencies-of-Oils&id=1319549 Can your vibrational frequency affect the vibrational frequency of the essential oil that you hold in your hand? According to the latest research—YES! Valerie Worwood writes in her latest book “Aromatherapy for the Soul,” that Scientists, religious leaders, medicine men—all are in agreement: “essential oils have a vibration that is altered by the persons handling them.” With that in mind, always work with a company that provides high quality oils and works out of integrity.

Conclusion We are not alone on the spiritual journey through life. No matter how long your life may be— you will leave some kind of mark upon this world. What lessons will you learn along the way? What visions and dreams will shape your spirit? Will the fire of your heart teach you what and whom to love? Will your soul’s fire call you to be authentic in service to others? What legacy will you leave the world?

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---The-Energy-of-Essential-Oils&id=844933

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Healing-Through-the-Vibrational-Frequencies-of-Oils&id=1319549

http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Oils---Healing-Through-the-Vibrational-Frequencies-of-Oils&id=1319549

P a g e | 61


Resources

Resource books for further reading include the following:

Borysenko, Joan. A Woman’s Journey to God. New York: Riverhead Books, 1999.

Braden, Gregg. The Spontaneous Healing of Belief, Shattering the Paradigm of False limits. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, Inc., 2008.

Braden, Gregg. Secrets of the Lost Mode of Prayer, The Hidden Power of Beauty, Blessing, Wisdom, and Hurt. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, Inc., 2006.

Buckle, Jane. Clinical Aromatherapy, Essential Oils in Practice, second edition. New York: Churchill Livingstone, 2003.

Cunningham, Scott. Magical Aromatherapy, The Power of Scent. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2006.

Damian, Peter and Kate. Aromatherapy Scent and Psyche, Using Essential Oils for Physical and Emotional well-Being. Rochester, VT: healing Arts Press, 1995.

Higley, Alan, Connie Higley. Reference Guide for Essential Oils. Spanish Fork, Utah: Abundant Health, 2002.

Hildegard von Bingen. Hildegard’s Healing Plants. Translated by Bruce W. Hozeski. Boston, MA: Beacon Press Books, 2001.

Lawless, Julia. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils. Shaftesbury, Dorset, England: Element Books, 1995.

Lawless, Julia. Aromatherapy and the Mind, An Exploration into the Psychological and

Emotional Effects of Essential Oils. London, England: Thorsons, 1994.

Manwaring, Brian, editor. Essential Oils Desk Reference, fourth edition. Salem, UT: Essential Science Publishing, 2007.

Mojay, Gabriel. Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit, Restoring Emotional and Mental Balance with Essential Oils. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts press, 1997.

Price, Shirley and Len Price. Aromatherapy for Health Professionals, Third Edition. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 2007.

Price, Shirley. Aromatherapy and Your Emotions. London: Thorsons, 2000.

Smith, Linda L. Healing Oils, Healing Hands, Discovering the Power of Prayer, Hands On Healing And Anointing, Second Edition. Arvada, CO: HTSM Press, 2008.

Smith, Linda L. Essential Oils for Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Well-Being. Arvada, CO: HTSM Press, 2005.

Smith, Linda L. Learning to Use and Trust Essential Oils—100 Essential Oils for Our Health & Well-Being (ebook), 2008, available through www.ISHAhealing.com

Stewart, David. Healing Oils of the Bible. Marble Hill, MO: CARE, Inc., 2002.

Truman, Karol. K. Feelings Buried Alive Never Die… Las Vegas, NV: Olympus Distributing, 2000.

http://www.ishahealing.com/

P a g e | 62


Truman, Karol. K. Healing Feelings… From Your Heart. Las Vegas, NV: Olympus Distributing, 2001.

Worwood, Valerie Ann. The Fragrant Mind, Aromatherapy for Personality, Mind, Mood, and Emotion. Novato, CA: New World Library, 1996.

Worwood, Valerie Ann. Aromatherapy for the Soul, Healing the Spirit with Fragrance and Essential Oils. Novato, CA: New World Library, 2006.

harnessing the power of essential oils series e-book 4 essential … · 2008-10-01 · page | 1...

Documents