This is directed to the person who has already been-there-and-done-that. They got the T-shirt. That person who feels an inner connection to Essential Oils, but doesn't get why. Potentially he/she has bought the books, bought the oils, followed some "recipes" and while that inner voice says "go", the pocketbook says, "are you out of your mind?!" In the blogs that follow, I shall share knowledge with you that shall allow you to grow as an Aromatherapist.
In case your unfamiliar to me and my life journey, I will start by giving a brief "tour" of my "discovery" of these life enhancing gifts. I first heard of Essential Oils some 35 years ago. I bought the books, followed the recipes, but still sensed something amiss. That, and the fact that I was stressing because of the accumulation of expensive oils (which bear a shelf life!) but my "recipes" weren't making economical use of them. I felt there had to be a "key" and I was overlooking it. I took the class. I became a "Certified Aromatherapist Therapist", learning fancy botanical names, oil properties, chemical compositions, contraindications, applications and the like. I studied, took and passed the test and also hold the nationally-recognized title of Registered Aromatherapist. To most people I could convey myself an "expert". But In my heart, something integral was missing and I could not put my finger on it. Being a Radiation Therapist also and spending my life administering daily doses of radiation to cancer patients, when a workshop surfaced entitled, "Essential Oils And Cancer", eagerly I signed up assuming this was the missing key. I was going to find that "recipe" and help my patients to wellness during their bout with cancer.
Upon attending, I sat on the edge of my seat, anxiously awaiting for the magical formula with pen gripped tight. Two hours into the workshop, while interesting, still no "recipe". Finally one brave soul had the gumption to ask the question we all were dying to ask, "So. . .what's the recipe to cure cancer?" There. Someone finally asked. You could almost feel the tension ease in the room as we all sat waiting to scribble it down, take it back with us and save humanity.
There was a pause from the speaker. (It seemed like an eternity!) He had a look on his face as though he was looking at a room filled with monkeys. In hindsight, we were! He simply said, "Don't you get it? they ALL help with cancer! THEY ARE PROBIOTIC!"
At that instance the veil which shielded my inner knowledge was raised. Yes. I now got it.
You see plants are an integral part of our "being". Long before we were "told" what to do, we communicated and "learned". Plants are fantastic, very much alive and very smart. Since they had an inability to run from predators, they devised means to deter them. That can be proven scientifically. They have always been there for us; very giving. Because they are carbon based in their make up as we are, our bodies welcome them.
Being a Michigander and therefore forced to endure the "winter season", I am familiar with what the medical field calls Season Affective Disorder (SAD) (Remember, everything should be labeled a "disease" so we can "treat" it!) It typically occurs in about late January to early February when we just start feeling like, for loss of a better word, crap. Some say they feel depressed. While scientists will attribute this to the lack of sunshine, I say it's being forced to exist in a situation devoid of the essence of the smells of nature because we have an affinity to them.
Remember that the olfactory system, your sense of smell, is the most rudimentary of the five senses. It is directly connected to that most primal area of the brain, the limbic system. In my book, if this developed first. . . it's pretty important. In the development of the automobile, the creation of the motor arrived loooooonnnng before air conditioning!
I use essential oils for almost everything. When I brush my teeth in the morning and if I select Ravintsara, for example, trust me that I immediately come to life in a way that is difficult to explain. But I don't want to get into specific applications yet. I'll save that for another day. My focus is to get you to understand HOW to use them first.
My recommendation for step one is simply please THROW AWAY THE RECIPE BOOK!
Choose 4 to 5 oils and get to know them. Don't be tempted by sites which encourage you to purchase numbers of various oils at high prices if your not getting it yet. There is no shame in not getting it immediately. The shame lies in buying into the sham!
Also remember if you choose to purchase someones blends, the body is really smart. It is alive. It is dynamic. So if you purchase someones blend for say, Strengthening The Immune System and use it day after day, know that over time, the effects may diminish. If your absolute favorite food is pizza and I feed you that day in and day out, after awhile you are going to wait for me to turn my back and feed it to the dog under the table! Your body reacts the same way.
If a client comes to me and asks for say a toothbrushing blend, they are going to get not one but two independent blends and not in two 10 - 15ml bottles (unless the entire family is on board!), but rather smaller sizes to not only lessen the chance of oxidation, but to make it more affordable. I want people to experience the benefits before they become discouraged.
When deciding what oils to choose, go with what appeals to you. I always tell people to look to their heritage and ask themselves what are their goals? Remember that too much or too many choices can cause confusion. When one gets confused, they attempt to avoid. That's why I say keep it simple at first. When I teach a class, I won't teach Aromatherapy 101. While I know it is an integral part of the practice, I enjoy watching the students grow as they develop a relationship with the practice and start trusting in their own suppressed intuition; it's powerful!
While currently I have no classes planned until Fall (most people are busy during Michigan's short summer!) if enough are interested we can give it a whirl! Email any requests!
Thanks and until tomorrow!
