Essential of the Day... Frankincense

The rich, woodsy smell of frankincense always takes me back to when I was a child and had to attend mass at my catholic elementary school church. Although I'm no longer a practicing catholic or prescribe to any other organized religion for that matter, the smell of frankincense will probably always summon for me, memories of the ritual of mass, especially at Christmas or funerals. I always felt the smell was one the evoked a sense of mystery and wonder.

Lately, as I research different essential oils and their many benefits I am learning that the tranquil and contemplative feelings I was having at that time and still do at the smell of frankincense are very valid.

According to Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit ~ Restoring Emotional and Mental Balance with Essential Oils by Gabriel Mojay:


Frankincense played a role in the religious and domestic life of ancient Egyptian, Babylonian, Persian, Hebrew, Greek and Roman civilizations. It has been perhaps the most important aromatic incense ingredient since history began. This is reflected in the fact that it's English name is derived from the medieval French word franc, meaning "pure" or "free", and the Latin incensium, "to smoke".

As for frankincense's healing properties..."Frankincense oil's most important sphere of action must be the nervous system. Here it's ability to relax yet revitalize make it excellent for treating both nervous tension and nervous exhaustion. It soothes the flow of stagnant Qi~energy whenever an accumulation of stress has led to irritability, restlessness and insomnia. As a mild tonic, it can also help to uplift, and so it is an important anti-depressive essential oil."

It is also helpful for bronchitis and asthma and relieves tightness in the chest and a has a host of other uses. It is said to have profound psychological and spiritual benefits... relieves mental agitation and worry, distraction or feelings of being overwhelmed.

Now tell me who doesn't at least get overwhelmed at some time during a work week... Guess who'll be ordering more frankincense?

As Always... Be You... Live You... Love You!

The Most Astounding Fact (Neil DeGrasse Tyson)

You are far more than you think you are... Own it!
Be You... Live You... Love You!

Amel Larrieux - Get Up

Time To Get Up Ya'll! When ya gon get up?

Essential of the Day... Lavender

Lavender: (Lavandula vera, Lavandula angustifolia, Lavandula officinalis)

http://www.jarrodcastaing.com




Taken from: The Aromatherapy Bible written by Gill Farrer Halls


Decription: Lavender is a perennial, bushy shrub with silver, gray or green linear leaves and purple, violet flowers. The essential oil is steam-distilled from the flowering tips.

Countries of Origin: France, Bulgaria, England, Morocco, Australia, Hungary, Spain, Tasmania.


Characteristics: Lavender has clean, fresh floral top notes and subtle green herbaceous undertones. It blends well with most other essential oils, especially other florals, citruces and herbs.

Main Therapeutic Properties: Analgesic, antidepressant, antiseptic, antiviral, cytophylactic, decongestant, deodorant, emmenagogue, hypotensive, nervine, sedative, tonic....

(WHEW!!! That was a mouthful! I don't even know what some of those words mean but will definitely be looking them up.)

"Lavender is by far the most popular, versatile and widely used of all the essential oils." ~ Gill Farrer Halls.

I love lavender! It is by far one of my favorite essentials and I use it almost daily. I also include it in all my products. It has a soothing, calming relaxing effect that balances ( and you know I love that word!) and normalizes the body functions and emotions. It's cure-all reputation has stood for thousands of years!

It is used in massage and bath oils for muscle aches and pain. A drop or two your pillow can relax and help with insomnia. It is also used for treating colds and flu. It counteracts the viruses causing the infection and also relieves many symptoms brought on by the cold or flu.

Mr. Farrer Hall also writes... "Psychologically,lavender is soothing, balancing and calming, helping with mood swings, depression and PMS. It's calming, relaxing effect can be used to facilitate meditation. Lavender's balancing qualities can restore harmony to the aura and help to balance the chakras."
I concur!! Not to mention the calming effect it has on your skin when used in facial cleansers and tonics! I use it with a mixture of camomile tea and distilled water as a toner after cleansing my face.

So next time you're having problems catching some z's feeling a bit overwhelmed, battling PMS, you're feeling off balanced or you feel a cold, the flu or even a headache coming on before you reach for a bottle of pills, try using some pure lavender essential oil first. It's even good for repelling insects and relieves the sting from their bites! Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Contraindications: avoid in early pregnancies, especially if there is a history of miscarriages.



As Always... Be You... Live You... Love You!

Are You the Central Character in Your Life?

The feeling of living behind a mask often springs from a disturbance in one's early relationship with anger. The most threatening of emotions, anger between child and parent is also inevitable, because no parent can fulfill all of a child's needs. A famous child psychoanalyst, the late D. W. Winnicott, said that a parent's job is to neither retaliate nor abandon the child in the face of the child's anger. The parent's duty, he would say, is simply to survive that anger. There will always be frustration or disappointment in relationships. Parents who can allow a child to hate them temporarily, who can survive that hatred and return love, are bestowing the greatest of gifts. When a parent is too needy, however—because of depression, loneliness, overwork, unhappiness, alcoholism, selfishness, intolerance, insecurity or a host of other factors—a child will instinctively put the parent's needs ahead of her own. In creating a false front to manage parental demands, the child puts a mask into place—a mask that soon hardens into a shell. Instead of learning that anger is tolerable, the "as if" person learns only to maintain the connection at all costs. And the costs are high; something wonderful is lost when that naturally occurring anger is suppressed. Spirit becomes impoverished. Whole aspects of the self are vaporized.


http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Are-You-Hiding-the-Real-You-from-Yourself/4

Finding Balance in Truth...

Taken from The Moon Woman
You can check her out on facebook at the link below.

The Moon enters Libra on 5th April 2012 @ 3.33 pm GMT, opposite the mid-point of Mercury and Uranus. Here we see the Moon of relationship and balance in negotiation with new and profound truths that disrupt balance and rock the status quo. It can be an uncomfortable mix, but this is a strong Moon who can hold her own when she needs to. Yes, balance is important, but so is the truth, and over the next couple of days the Moon wants us to encounter both. The challenge lies in knowing where to establish balance and how to honour the truth. Often we look outside of ourselves, seeking to create balance out there, to protect our sometimes fragile inner worlds. But the truth can get left out of this equation, as we suppress it in favour of a version of reality that feels less threatening to the status quo. But now the Moon asks us to find balance within ourselves in order to be able to honour the truth, no matter what. The day after entering Libra she will be full and bright, bathing us in her silvery wisdom. So no matter how challenging the prospect of embracing and embodying the truth may feel, she tells us that now’s a good time to start. She’s right there with us, lighting the path. ‘Seek balance within’, she tells us, ‘and all else will fall into right relationship with the universe’.

Sarah Varcas Awakenings: https://www.facebook.com/AstroAwakenings

As Always... Be You... Live You... Love You!