Q&A featured in HelloGiggles
Q: What are essential oils? How do they work?
A: Essential oils are the most volatile, concentrated aspects of aromatic plants. As products of plant metabolism, essential oils mediate between the plant and its environment. They are stored in various parts of the plant: roots (ginger), fruit (lemon), flowers (ylang ylang), heartwood (sandalwood), and leaves (rosemary). Essential oils are extracted solely through a distillation process (water/steam/vapor). Citrus oils can be obtained via the expression (pressing) of their peels, but another method is called supercritical Carbon Dioxide extraction. In this more sophisticated technology, CO2 as both liquid and gas extracts the aromatic compounds. Some aromatics, like Jasmine are termed absolutes and are extracted either via enfleurage (plants macerated in fat) or solvent extraction.
Biochemically active, essential oils contain sometimes hundreds of chemical constituents that contribute to their aromatic profile as well as their physiological benefits. For example, one of the main chemical constituents of Lavender, linalool, contributes to the nervine nature of this tremendously versatile and calming oil. From an alchemical perspective, aromatics represent the spirit, or the “quintessence” of the plant. Their energetic nature offers us a profound ability to open, access, and actualize our highest nature and potential for a vibrant life rich in all facets of health and harmony.
There are numerous factors that contribute to the quality of the essential oils on the market, including growing methodology, timing of harvest, and form of plant material used (fresh or dried). Other factors related to distillation include length and type. For essential oils, I am an enormous advocate for organic, biodynamic, and ethically wild-crafted aromatics, as well as their reverent usage. Aromatics like palo santo, rosewood, and sandalwood are currently over-harvested. In these cases, respectful, ethical, and sustainable harvesting is of primary import. At the same time, their spirit and medicine are here right now for us to be able to shift and heal at our core levels, supporting the elevation of consciousness in our humanity. These oils are best used sparingly for sacred work. These precious essential oils offer the most potent form of plant medicine available on Earth.
Essential oils work in a multitude of ways, but the most immediate and sustainable way is inhalation. This is because of the proximity of the nose to the brain, specifically the limbic system, which regulates so much of our physiology including mood, memory and emotion. Uniquely, in part due to their molecular size, essential oils pass through the blood-brain barrier, providing important phyto-nutrients throughout our body. This aspect, along with their vibrational nature, allow us to clear old dysfunctional patterns and re-program healthier new ones. This brings healing through the nervous system down to the DNA level of our cells for quantum shifts on our generational healing: past, present and future. This is a complete game changer in the world of wellness.
The right essential oils (quality as well as variety) in the correct formulation have the ability to literally shift our mood, our thoughts, our conscious awareness, and therefore our overall physiological response. This makes essential oils perhaps one of the most effective ways to balance stress response and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Essential oils are also absorbed through the dermal layer of the skin. There are numerous variables in timing and absorption rates that are individual, environmental and plant specific. Have you ever peeled a clove of garlic and rubbed it on the sole of your foot? About a minute or so later, you can actually taste it on your breath. This is the power of the essential oils absorbing through your bloodstream. I love to use essential oils in the mind-body practice of tapping on meridian points to clear and balance our emotions. We are longing for deeper contact, now more than ever. Massage synergizes touch and aromatics to enhance our connection with ourselves through communion with another. This releases healthy brain chemicals, like oxytocin. This is imperative for optimizing our brain chemistry and mind-body vitality.
From a vibrational and energetic perspective, essential oils assist us in opening our auric field, chakras, and meridian points for clearing, balancing and expansion of self-awareness. They become an anchor for our intentions and a means for us to come to a greater understanding of the limitless potential of human nature and the grand importance of self-love and compassion through self-care. These oils encourage us to embrace the sacredness of the earth beneath our feet and the divine consciousness that surrounds us in benevolence in each and every moment. Essential oils gently awaken the ancient wisdom within our spirits, encouraging us to claim our greatness.
Q: What are the most popular essential oils and their coordinating benefits?
A: The beauty of true aromatherapy is that it offers healing on an individual specific basis. Our desire, or distaste, for a particular essential oil is highly subjective and often relates to what is emotionally present in the moment. Here are the top 10 of my personal and my family's favorites that I recommend for every home “aromatic arsenal.”
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) *Relaxing and restorative *beneficial for acne, sunburn, anxiousness and sleep
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) *stimulating and restorative *beneficial for sore throats, coughs, nausea, pain, allergies, anxiousness aq
Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata superior extra) *calming and aphrodisiac *beneficial for sleep, anxiousness, emotional release and opening to our feminine sensual nature
Blood orange (Citrus aurantium) *uplifting and refreshing *beneficial for depressive natures, SAD and enhancing creativity
Cinnamon cassia (Cinnamomum cassia) *warming and inspiring *beneficial for colds, sluggish energy and circulation
Lemon (Citrus limonum) *cleansing and invigorating *beneficial for circulation and concentration, colds and allergies
Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) *grounding and calming *beneficial for anxiousness and scattered thinking, sensual connection
Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) *centering and uplifting *beneficial for acne, anxiousness, hormonal and emotional balance
Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) *soothing and comforting *beneficial to balance stress, insomnia and nausea
Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) *energizing and uplifting *beneficial for colds, headaches, digestive issues, migraines and fatigue
I am also often asked about essential oils for memory, focus and concentration, for which I adore Rosemary. It has also been used to stimulate hair growth. My go to for pain and inflammation is Immortelle (Helichrysum italicum). It is incredibly pricey, yet its potency is unmatched in this regard. The anti-viral activity of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) makes it an excellent choice for cold sores, as long as it is diluted in a carrier oil. Although, this oil is highly expensive and often adulterated, hence necessitating the importance of “knowing your source.”
Q: What are the best essential oil combinations?
A: Here are a few blends to tantalize your DIY, and impress your family and friends with your essential oil savvy. Making your own medicine is an incredible fulfilling experience.
Essential oils are not water soluble. When making room sprays without an emulsifier, you will need to shake well to blend before misting in your personal space.
When making your massage oils, these recipes use a standard therapeutic dilution of 2.5 percent. Organic jojoba is my carrier oil of choice because of its stable nature, but you can also use coconut oil, almond, grapeseed, or even olive oil.
For your diffuser blend, I recommend using a nebulising diffuser with a timer feature. Ten minutes on and then thirty minutes off as to not overexpose your nervous system.
“Get Your Best Mood On” Room Mist
6 drops Blood Orange essential oil (Citrus aurantium)
5 drops Patchouli essential oil (Pogostemon cablin)
4 drops Geranium essential oil (Pelargonium graveolens)
Blend into a spritzer bottle 30 ml distilled water.
“Activate Your Energy” Massage Oil
4 drops Ginger essential oil (Zingiber officinale)
6 drops Lemon essential oil (Citrus limonum)
5 drops Tulsi essential oil (Ocimum tenuiflorum)
Blend into a 30 ml bottle of your favorite carrier.
“Get in the Mood” Boudoir & Linen Mist
7 drops Ylang Ylang essential oil (Cananga odorata superior extra)
2 drops Cinnamon essential oil (Cinnamomum cassia)
6 drops Geranium essential oil (Pelargonium graveolens)
Blend into a spritzer bottle 30 ml distilled water.
“Get Your Calm On” Massage Oil
3 drops Roman chamomile essential oil (Chamaemelum nobile)
5 drops Geranium essential oil (Pelargonium graveolens)
6 drops Lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia)
Blend into a 30 ml bottle of your favorite carrier.
“Strengthen Your Vitality” Diffuser Blends for Cold & Flu Season
1.5 ml Ginger essential oil (Zingiber officianle)
1.5 ml drops Cinnamon essential oil (Cinnamomum cassia)
2 ml drops Lemon essential oil (Citrus limonum)
Blend into a 5 ml glass bottle with an integral dropper top.
Q: What's the best way to use essential oils?
A: Essential oils have a beautiful affinity to address our health, holistically. As we continue on the path of betterment from a personal and planetary perspective, there is an inner calling to bring wholeness into our lives. Everything and everyone is connected. Our thoughts, emotions, and spiritual natures are just as real, although less tangible, as our physical body. Our habit patterns, belief systems, and subconscious natures also contribute to our health, happiness and wellbeing. Essential oils exponentially answer this calling.
I am incredibly passionate about using essential oils via inhalation, particularly when we enhance the process by combining our intentions for healing. This process creates a new memory cell in the brain, filled with positive intention, energy, and intelligence. The aromatic molecules imprint their vibration and medicine through our olfactory senses into our cellular consciousness and the totality of our beings.
More than ever, we are being pulled in multiple directions at once, through our digital devices and platforms, juggling work, school from home, family, and more. How do we find time to breathe deeply and source more control over our thoughts and feelings? How do we find the center? The ability to shift how we feel, reposition the trajectory of our emotional response and how we relate to ourselves and everything and everyone around us is at our fingertips. We can align the presence of mind and power of our intention with appropriate application to create these new benevolent habit patterns and shift!
The fastest and easiest way to experience this is to apply one drop of your diluted essential oil, or synergy, into the palms of your hands and breathe in deeply for about 30 seconds. Combine your intention to amplify the benefits!
Spray mists and diffusers are also great ways to incorporate inhalation into your daily routine.
In addition to massage oils, you can create your own intentional perfumed oils, balms, salves, serums, and body mists for topical use.
I am an enormous advocate for the health benefits of hydrotherapy and take an aromatic bath once (sometimes twice) a day. The warm water increases the skin absorption of the essential oils. Adding epsoms salt provides another element of soothing and restoration. To avoid potential skin irritation, blend the oils in coconut oil or other carrier before adding to the bath. Generally speaking, 7-10 drops of an essential oil or synergy is effective for your aromatic bath.
The concept of synergy is paramount in essential oil blending. It is where the sum of the parts or ingredients are more effective than the singular aspect, or isolate. This concept has evolved from my perspective and practice over time. In a synergy, each plant or essential oil lends its energetic configuration, medicine, and “quintessence” until all ingredients sing in unison and in harmony.
Peace & Calm Hydrotherapy
3 drops Lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia)
4 drops Geranium essential oil (Pelargonium graveolens)
2 drops of Patchouli essential oil (Pogostemon cablin)
Blend essential oils in a carrier, add 3 cups of epsom salts and soak for at least 20 minutes.
Q: Are essential oils safe?
A: This is such an important question. As we are moving into a greater understanding of our health and wellbeing, there is an enormous lift in essential oil sales worldwide. Their growth and bounty are dependent on Mother Nature herself. From weather, blights, and other natural variants, oil yields differ from year to year and ultimately there is only so much plant material grown and harvested globally. This is where “knowing your source,” becomes critical. Let’s call point “A” where the plant material is grown, harvested, and distilled (although there are many other permutations to this process). Before it makes it to point “B” and becomes a product on the shelf, your favorite spa, health food store or boutique, the essential oils will move through many different hands, and more often than not become adulterated in the process. The science of adulteration is itself a mega industry with essential oils for the wellness market competing with the heavy demand in the flavor and fragrance industry. The source, the species, and the knowledge of your desired aromatic profile are key in unlocking the full expanse of empowering medicine in these oils. Creating your own lexicon for quality aromatics takes time, but is well worth it. Using your organoleptic senses of sight, touch, and most importantly, smell of varying essential oils will help you build this “muscle” of discernment. Inviting the intimacy of relationship with the oils, and your openness to listen to the wisdom that they have to impart, will illuminate you in a myriad of unexpected ways.
In terms of safety, just because something is natural, doesn't always mean it is safe. Context is key. Safety in usage and blending is a voluminous topic. Here are a few key points:
Standard considerations- Keep out of reach of children and pets. Consult a trained practitioner before using with children under 3, if pregnant, or under the care of a physician for epilepsy. Do not use oils internally. Dilute with a carrier oil for use on the skin. Do your research. Check to see what oils may be skin irritants. Do not use citrus oils topically before sun exposure. In this form of plant medicine, less is, more often than not, best. Store your oils in a cool, dark area.
On the topic of pets, they often enjoy the soothing benefits of essential oils. They typically have an excellent sense of smell, so less is certainly best in this case.
Q: Anything else you can share on the topic is greatly appreciated.
A: After over twenty years in this field, I believe the art and science of using essential oils offers a lifelong study and practice. I continually find new levels of inspiration and application for their potent alchemy. They are a bridge to the best versions of ourselves and our unification as a species. They invite us to move into a new level of alignment with our higher selves and the experience of Quantum Living: shifting from the perspective of surviving to a life of thriving. They transform limitations to freedom and allow the fulfillment of your greatest self-expression.
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