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Archives for January 2013

Spirit Medicine Spritz

In a previous post, I wrote about the birth of this formula and my recent personal use of.

ROSE HYDROSOL (Rosa damascena)

The radiant Heart, the early Christian heart symbol is representative of faith, hope and love.  These are the qualities that rose oil seeks to restore.

Rose is known as the “Queen of Flowers”. Rose hydrosol (Rosewater) is one of the gentlest tonics for the heart and a traditional symbol of God’s love for the world and its inhabitants. The compassion of the flower petals (of which 4000 are needed to extract one pound of essential oil) is revealed through its amazing ability to heal emotional wounds. Rose brings a sweet, gentle comfort to an injured heart, allowing for self-love and self-nurturing. Rose can touch the deepest despair, restoring the trust that makes it possible to love again. Rose alleviates anxiety that is caused by fear, including the fear of losing control. It helps the heart to reabsorb the mind.

The vibration of the rose petal is higher than that of the human heart’s.

FRANKINCENSE HYDROSOL

Please read the qualities of Frankincense in the previous post, Spirit Medicine Body Oil.

MYRRH HYDROSOL

Please read the qualities of Myrrh in the previous post, Spirit Medicine Body Oil.

FORMULA (all ingredients GC/MS tested and organic)

4 oz. spray bottle

2&1/2 oz. distilled H2O

1 T. Frankincense hydrosol

1 T. Myrrh hydrosol

1 T. Rose hydrosol 

 

Spirit Medicine Body Oil

In the previous post, I wrote about the birth of this formula and my recent personal use of.

CEDARWOOD (Juniperus virginiana)

The Nordic peoples used cedar as incense to invoke Wotan, the one-eyed god of storm, magic and harvest. Wotan calls up strength from deep inside to help us weather difficult and turbulent circumstances.

The word cedrus originates from an Arabic word meaning “power”.  Cedarwood oil thus is known as a fortifying and strengthening essential oil, one that gives us the will to hold firm in the face of crisis. It steadies the conscious mind and helps us to resist powerful emotions that threaten to undermine our spiritual certainty. Cedarwood oil bolsters the transforming power of the will so as to convert fear into wisdom.

FRANKINCENSE (Boswellia carterri)

Frankincense was employed in the worship of the Egyptian sun god Ra, a primordial symbol for whom was the Utchat, or “All-seeing” – the sacred eye that burned with judgment.  Frankincense oil rekindles the inner light of the mind.

Considered by many as the most important aromatic incense ingredient since history began, Frankincense was prominent in the ritual religious life of the ancient Egyptian, Babylonian, Persian, Hebrew, Greek and Roman civilizations.  The oil is steam-distilled from the gum resin that results from the “wounding” of the olibanum tree.

Frankincense’s most important sphere of influence is with the nervous system.  Its ability to relax and uplift are unsurpassed. It smoothes the flow of stagnant chi and is said to “deepen the breath”. It calms and centers an unfocused mind, bringing deep clarification. Frankincense is an ideal aid to meditation, contemplation and prayer – it ceases mental chatter and stills the mind.  Facilitating a state of single-pointed concentration, it allows the spirit to soar.  Frankincense contains the power to focus our spiritual consciousness and imbue a potential for transcendent awareness. This oil helps us to forego troubling thoughts of regret and break free of our attachment to the mundane past. It promotes the cultivation of insight and spiritual discipline through the union of the ego and transpersonal self.

Frankincense oil is concerned with the transformation of the Self from an amorphous state of spiritual consciousness into a crystallized one.

MYRRH (Commiphora myrrha)

The effect of myrrh oil reaches far into the psyche, and can help us to both transcend and transform aspects of material existence. It heightens our awareness of the Self, which, to the ancient Egyptians, was depicted as the bird-like Ba-soul, formless and free.

The resinous Myrrh gum has played a role in religious and medical life for almost four millennia. Said to have come from the tears of Horus, the Egyptian falcon-headed sun god, Myrrh oil is considered a revered aromatic that both honors the dead and dying and assists in the elevation of consciousness of those in transition.

Myrrh’s effect on the nervous system is that of calming and soothing. It instills deep tranquility and grounding of the mind. It is a principal oil indicated for over thinking, worry and mental distraction.

On the spirit, Myrrh’s effect is one of inner stillness and peace; awareness freed from the restless and mundane. Vulnerary in nature, Myrrh helps to close the wounds of loss and rejection, sorrow and grief, and invoke the power of solitude.

This ancient esoteric plant oil unites the spiritual and the physical. By building a bridge between Heaven and Earth, it strengthens the link between our crown and base chakras.

Neroli (Citrus aurantium)

The medieval alchemical symbol “to amalgamate” signifies Neroli’s emotionally unifying and harmonizing effects.

Neroli is extracted from the fragrant flowers of the bitter orange tree (also known as the sour or Seville orange tree). Its delicately rich, floral sweetness is both soothing and euphoric, at the same time that its bitter note is grounding.

Since its introduction in Italy in the 17th century, Neroli has been recognized as an effective tonic for the nervous system. It relaxes the nerves and uplifts the spirit. As an all-round regulator of the nervous system, Neroli oil helps to ease mental and emotional tension, depression and anxiety.

Neroli is one of the best essential oils to calm and stabilize the heart and mind. It is particularly good for agitated conditions of the heart.

Neroli’s ability to reunite the solar and lunar (conscious and unconscious) makes it a valuable oil when there are unresolved, unexpressed painful emotions.  Neroli helps to re-establish the link between a disconnected body and mind, allowing denied emotions manifesting as physical pain and spasm to gently release. Neroli, therefore, instills the individual with renewed hope and joy.

(SWEET) ORANGE (Citrus sinensis)

Oranges have long been used as ritual gifts to bestow happiness and prosperity.

From an energetic perspective, the principal value of sweet orange oil lies in its ability to unblock and circulate stagnant chi. Its relaxing and uplifting qualities help to relieve tension and frustration. Its warm, sunny, sweet aroma conveys joy and positivity.  Sweet orange helps us to take an easy-going, more relaxed approach to life.

SPIKENARD (Nardostachys jatamansi)

The Amida Buddha has been a popular object of devotion since the 5th century.  A symbol of spiritual peace and compassion, his benevolent power to restore faith and tranquility echoes the qualities of spikenard oil.

Spikenard’s association, (like Frankincense and Myrrh) with Jesus highlights its age-old mystical significance as a precious aromatic medicinal and ritual oil.

Spikenard calms and regulates the heart, stabilizes the mind and settles the emotions. Its energetic and psychological effects pertain mainly to the mind and soul. Its calming effect helps to soothe the deepest forms of spiritual anxiety and can instill a profound sense of peace. The bittersweet pungency of Spikenard releases obstruction to the flow of chi, freeing the ethereal soul.  It works to replace despondency, bitterness and resentment with acceptance and compassion.  Spikenard relates to the eternal part of us that exists beyond the flux of illusion and suffering. This warming oil is perfectly indicated for the spiritual seeker struggling to find a stable ground of faith. It allows one to surrender, and awards the power of devotion to one’s path.

FORMULA  (all ingredients GC/MS tested and organic)

1 oz. organic jojoba oil

Myrrh – 2 drops

Neroli – 2 drops

Cedarwood – 1 drop

Frankincense – 1 drop

(Sweet) Orange – 1 drop

Spikenard – 1 drop

 

Spirit Medicine

A few years ago I was asked to create an aromatherapy product for a group who actively supported people who desired to transcend during their dying process. I was honored to contribute to this worthy endeavor and excited about the opportunity to just “live with” the energetic qualities of certain essential oils.

I had the opportunity the last few days to use these products with a friend who peacefully passed this morning after a long bout with cancer. Perhaps as a tribute to her and the inspiration she was in my life, I feel moved to share my thought-process in creating these two products. I’ll also share the formulas, along with my blessing to use.

My intention for both these products was to uplift and provide support for the individual’s transcendence. I was not looking to target any individual system of the body nor address any physical ailments. In every sense, my choice of oils and their route of application were guided by my understanding of essential oils as “messengers of energy and consciousness.” [i]

The first product was a massage oil, for which I chose jojoba as the base. I chose organic jojoba for its purity, subtle aroma and molecular approximation to the skin’s natural sebum. Since it is highly moisturizing, I thought it would be a good choice for the elderly and/or bed-ridden. The fact that it does not go rancid was a plus.

The second product was a spritz that could be sprayed around the client’s head. The base for this was distilled water.

I chose skin and inhalation routes because both applications allowed direct access to the circulatory system, thereby reaching every inch of the body.  Since the nasal cavity lacks a stratum corneum (the top protective layer of the skin), absorption is rapid. Absorption through the skin, by way of a massage, is slower. I liked that the products would provide both immediate and slower-acting absorption rates.

I took into consideration a balance between top, middle and base notes, with a result of two top, one middle and four base in all.

I also wanted the rhizome, wood, resin, flower and fruit parts of plants to be representative in the blends. A rhizome is present to support the person in time of fear and instability, and offer strength, balance and connection in a time of big change. The wood offers core support and centeredness; conducts energy and pushes one to go deeper. The resins, of which there are two, have been used traditionally to support inner reflection and meditation; to offer protection and heal wounds. The fruit uplifts, cleanses emotions, clears energy, protects and brings light to the heart and mind. The two flowers are calming and soothing to the mind, and offer emotional support. They encourage love and forgiveness. I thought that all of the above qualities would be useful at the time of one’s passing.

In addition to selecting oils according to their psychological and spiritual properties, I also created the massage oil to include all of the Five Elements: water, wood, fire, earth and metal. The Five Elements is one of the two main pillars of eastern medicine and is most simply described as the phases or movement of energy, each of which either supports (creates) or controls the process.

My friend was unresponsive the last few days, resting peacefully, thanks to the loving attention of Community Hospice of NE Florida’s caregivers, so I have no tangible way of knowing if the oils and my contact with her feet eased her passage. I trust that they did though, as I know they soothed my loss.

Formulas shared in next two posts.

 

[i] Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit; p.7; Gabriel Mojay.