Therapeutic Essential Oils - Aromatherapy for Health and Well Being

Therapeutic essential oils and aromatherapy products are very popular for healing, cooking, cleaning, personal care, and cleansing and raising the vibration in sacred spaces.

Taking advantage of the benefits of plant volatile oils have been part of natural health care and spiritual practices for millennium.

Rosemary was burned in sick rooms during the time of the plague to protect workers from illness. Its fresh medicinal scent helps clear your head and your sinuses.

Aromatic plants such as mints and sage have been found in ancient tombs dating back over 12,000 years. Records dating back to 4500 B.C. show that aromatics were used for medicine, perfume, and religious ritual. 

Aromatherapy started making its way into modern medicine in the late 1800's. During World War 1 and 2 therapeutic essential oils were used for treating battlefield wounds and infections.

If you have ever sniffed a rose, rolled lavender needles between your palms, or felt refreshed after taking a whiff of  fresh  lemon peel, you have experienced aromatherapy.

Essential oils are made from the volatile oils in plants - the same oils that evaporate and give off the scent of fragrant flowers. These molecules are captured and distilled for their scent and healing properties. Steam distillation is usually used to extract the essence, but some oils, such as lemon peel, are cold pressed. Others may be extracted with solvents.

It may take many pounds of plant material to make these oils. Pure rose essential oil costs hundreds of dollars an ounce because hundreds of pounds of rose petals are needed to make it. Citrus oils, made from the rinds, use much less and are quite inexpensive.

Aromatherapy Healing Remedies

Essential Oils for Stress and Anxiety

Aromatherapy for Depression

Using Therapeutic Essential Oils

Using therapeutic essential oils for pleasure and healing is safe and effective when you know what you are doing. 

• Follow directions carefully. Less is definitely more in aromatherapy. Using too much can be toxic or produce unpleasant effects.

• The two most common ways of using essential oil healing remedies is by applying them to your skin or inhaling the vapors.

• For external use, test first on your skin to make sure you don't have a reaction. With the exception of lavender and tea tree, which can be used straight or "'neat', always dilute the oils appropriately before using on your skin.

• Keep in mind that the actions attributed to aromatherapy healing oils primarily refer to internal use. These actions may also be realized if the oil is absorbed through the skin. The trick here is that some oils are so volatile that they evaporate before there is any chance of being absorbed.

• High grade pure therapeutic essential oils are a must for internal use.  Lower grade oils may be less effective and often contain additives such as alcohol that are toxic when taken internally.

• With few exceptions, only take therapeutic essential oils internally under the advisement of a qualified aromatherapist. These are very concentrated remedies. The dose is usually administered in a carrier and/or a capsule. Possible exceptions might be adding one drop of peppermint oil to a quart of tea or making mint candies. A few drops of lemon or orange oil can be used to season foods.

• Except for aromatherapy healing remedies, cosmetics and skin lotions, high grade oils are usually not necessary. Good quality oils are less expensive and have a lovely scent. They are wonderful in candles, room spritzes, soaps, and cleaning products.

There are a few manufactures that produce therapeutic grade essential oils. Purchase from a reliable company. Getting a sample kit like this is a fun way to experiment while getting to know the oils.

Vibrational Aromatherapy Healing 

Some healers use volatile oils and resins for vibrational energy healing either alone or along with laying on hands or other form of energy therapy.

Keep in mind that everything is energy and vibrates at energetic frequencies. When exposed to lovely aromas and the frequencies of the oils, our subtle energy is affected for the good.

Aromatherapy is used in energy healing to affect consciousness, set sacred space and to positively affect the energy centers (chakras) and the energy field of the individual.

For example, when working with the seventh energy center at the top of the head, healers may use lavender, frankincense or myrrh to strengthen the connection with the spiritual and the Divine. You may recognize frankincense and myrrh being named as two of the gifts given to baby Jesus by the wise men.

Beyond Aromatherapy Healing

Some fascinating research has been done regarding aromatherapy and its uses beyond healing. Researchers have found that there is a strong link between scents and memory.

• 'Forgotten' memories buried in the subconscious can bubble to the surface in the presence of an associated aroma. Students who sniff certain scents while studying find it easier to recall information when sniffing the same scent during an exam.

• When you have specific goals in place, everyday smells can activate these goals. People who smell lemon, a common cleaning fluid scent, are more likely to tidy up than those who don't.

• Speaking of cleaning - many volatile oils have disinfectant properties. Eucalyptus, thyme, pine and tea tree will help keep your home germ-free while imparting a fresh, clean scent. Once you get used to using non-toxic products scented with real essential oils, the smell of chemical fragrances will be much less appealing. 

• Selling a home or have an apartment to rent? Realtors suggest scenting a home with cinnamon or baking a pie when showing a home. The aroma awakens powerful associations and makes the house feel like home.

• Lemon oil is diffused in Japanese stores because people make more purchases when they smell lemon. Perhaps this is because it is an uplifting scent.

• A few drops of good quality lemon or orange oil added to a marinade on fish or chicken are yummy smelling and tasting. This is one of the few exceptions to the external use only rule.

Make therapeutic essential oils a regular part of caring for you mental and physical health. Used externally, they make a wonderful complement to medical care. They are some of the most pleasurable, enjoyable remedies you can use. Just massaging your hands and forearms with a cream scented with your favorite oils helps you feel nurtured and relaxed. This is no small thing when you are facing harsh medical treatments or just trying to recover from a stressful day. 

Whether you love the sweet fragrance of flowers, the medicinal scent of pine and rosemary needles, or the more earthy aroma of the resins and woods, there are aromatherapy oils for you. There is a scent for every mood and preference, complete with healing properties that make them wonderful for everything from pleasure to healing to cleaning your home to cosmetics and skin care.  

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