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"essential oils"
mfranzdorf
Veteran
My wife and I had talked to a couple people and did some research on using these oils. Some claim to help with certain ailments, others are for helping your mental state and what not. Now, I'm not much for medicine, but these are natural oils. Anybody with direct experience ( good or otherwise)?
I have friends who swear by them, so we did get a starter kit. Just curious on input from me cyber sangha.
1
Comments
I think, like anything, it probably depends on the oil, the quality and the person. Almost everyone I know swears by Thieves Oil. There are a few I find relaxing and nice, particularly rose...something and lavender. They are great for making your own cleaning products, so at the very least, the whole house smells lovely! Our olfactory senses are very strong, you can tell by how a quick sniff of something can take you right back to a moment many years before. We tie certain scents to certain feelings and memories. So I wonder if some of it doesn't have to do with that connection, and why some people insist they work so well and others do not. Flowers are a very pleasant experience for me, with a lot of childhood memories attached, so floral oils decrease my stress and anxiety and make me feel calm and happy. It might not have that affect on someone who has horrible allergies to flowers and thus bad memories associated with them. I don't know that it's the oil as much as the connection to a time I was happy, if that makes sense.
Smell is one of our most primitive and potentially mind altering senses. Grapefruit always lifted my spirits just by sniffing the oil. I feel oil burners are much healthier than inhaling incense smoke. I used frankincense a lot. In terms of medicine, lavendar is very good. My experience is very positive. I am using joss sticks at present. Feel oils are better. The only oil I have presently is sandalwood, which is good for concentration.
I love essential oils in an aroma lamp. There are tons of books about what aromas correspond to which chakra and what each chakra has to do with a person. I can recommend a book if I can find it. I haven't heard of eating essential oils just smelling them.
actung!
DO NOT injest essential oils.
My truck runs on them.
I bought an exorbitantly expensive essential oil mix to burn in my aroma lamp during meditation. It made my hands break out in a rash (it smelled soooo good I put some on my wrists like perfume) but the smell, I think, immediately put the deeper areas of me on notice that I was about to get seriously quiet!
The 'odors' center in our brain is all hooked up to memory, old memories, and other deeper emotions we don't just feel every day. I think using odors (nice smells, in your case) to 'orient' yourself a certain way is an interesting experiment!
I got a little excited - I thought you may be referring to these guys (Australia's finest!)
Guys, most of these oils will burn the skin if not put in a carrier/diluter oil. Clove oil can be used directly for tooth ache but that is one of the exceptions.
Please learn how to use them.
http://cache.natureetdecouvertes.com/Medias/Images/Articles/15132510/360
I use essential oils a lot, especially organic.
There is this gorgeous shop some kilometres away from us, over the French border, and I bought the SOS kit you can see above, with different roll-on oils, for different needs and different occasions.
I carry them everywhere in my purse. You are supposed to roll a bit on the temples, back of the neck and/or the wrists.
For better sleep, clarity of mind, vitality, to destress...
I also use a special mixture of orange, lemon, cedar, sage and eucalyptus (same shop) to clear and purify the air.
I put it on an electric burner and the whole house smells fantastic.
Several aromatherapy books swear by certain oils to cure even terminal illnesses.
I know that I feel more relaxed using oils.
These oils can potentially be corrosive and toxic
http://wellnessmama.com/26519/risks-essential-oils/
please know that a roll on is diluted, it is NOT an essential oil
Well, these rolls-on are meant to be topically used, so they need per force be diluted.
The only essential oil we use pure, undiluted, at home, is tea-tree oil, for my husband's feet, or the mixture that goes on the electric heater.
My mother is a professional, fully qualified aromatherapist.
They work.
The oils, in massage, are absorbed by the skin, and have a therapeutic effect, but must either be used as directed, or left in the hands of someone qualified.
Some oils CAN be ingested (Chamomile, Basil, Sage, and other naturally comestible herbs) but again, the dosage is to be carefully considered.
For example, Lavender is very relaxing, but over-use turns it into a stimulant.
Thyme oil requires extreme caution in use.
Remember an Essential oil is completely different to 'an essence of'.... and some oils are exorbitantly expensive due to the processes required to extract the oil, and the sheer quantity of raw material required.
Rose Oil, for example, can fetch anything up to £30.00 for 10 drops.
To be honest, if you find anything cheaper, you are either not getting the pure 'real deal' or it's a cheap substitute. Real, proper Rose Oil is expensive.
I used to prepare a cream for my Mum with rose and jasmine oils, and gosh were they expensive...
Yes, Jasmine is another one....
Yes indeedy. The dharmic religions tend to use sticks but oils and oil burners from the Arabic refinement are I feel an improved potential. A good advice from @federica
Thanks so much for the insight and information (coming from people that aren't also selling it!).
-I use frakincense and sandalwood most everyday...
I am doing a degree in complementary therapies and aromatherapy is part of my course. I agree entirely with what Federica says - they do work. They should also be used with caution and in a sense use them as you would a drug - too much can be harmful.
Apart from Lavender and TeeTree oils they should not be put near on the skin but diluted in a carrier oil.
For meditation and oil burner or putting some on a radiater works well -Frankincense is very good for meditation as it works on the brain to help to induce calmness. I use an aroma stone which is ceramic and plugs in with a very low heat so it is safe to leave on for long periods.
The best thing is to smell a few and see what you like as if you dislike an oil it won't work for you in the same way.
@adele, how many drops (in general do you put int he aroma lamp)? If I am using a candle and stone bowl would that change?
Do you take into account chakras in the therapy or does i have a different basis? Any links to sites with some 'do it yourself' info?
For rubbing/diluting I have jojoba oil. Can I use that with most any essential oil?
Hi Jeffrey = there is a really good book called The Fragrant Pharmacy that you can buy a used copy of for 1p + postage on amazon uk - it is really worth getting.
You can use as much or as little as you like with aroma stones as they are not touching your skin. I put about 5 drops of a mix of oils - geranium is a good mood balancer; frankincense myrrh patchouli and that kind of resinous oils will last longer and 'glue' the other oils together. I also add a little water.
Jojoba oil is one I haven't used - I use grapeseed oil or olive oil on the skin as most people are ok with them.
www.baseformula.com is a good site that you can get info from.
http://www.baseformula.com/section.php/95/1/essential-oil-burners-diffusers
http://www.aromaweb.com/articles/dilutingessentialoils.asp
http://balance.chakrahealingsounds.com/chakra-essential-oils/
I hope this helps, have fun trying oils
Almond oil is recommended by many aromatherapists, as it's very light and neutral. I have used coconut oil, particularly in the making of skin lotions. It has to be said that coconut oil has a distinctive fragrance of its own, so I would say I use it with specific aromatherapy oils more for their therapeutic and beneficial properties, than for any fragrance.
@adele thank you for those links. I'm currently using a diffuser that is working pretty well. As far as a carrier oil, olive has been doing the trick for me.
I adore the scent of sandalwood. It's hard (here in the US) to find good sandalwood products.
Interesting conversation.
My only experience with the oils was not good, but not the oil's fault...
My Mother started selling the oils, and she came to visit. I agreed to take us for a several hour drive to visit my Brother. Well on the drive back, my Mom was worrying about me getting tired, even though I assured her that I never have a problem falling asleep while driving... well, I feel her reach up and touch my shoulder, then experienced an overwhelming scent of peppermint. I like the smell of peppermint, but this was strong and overwhelming, and I was stuck with this annoyance for the rest of the drive home. I was upset that she would douse me without asking. I thought about "skillful speech" and did not say what was going through my mind, but I did ask how to remove the oil when I was done smelling it, even though I knew that I couldn't. I guess the oil accomplished what my Mom wanted though, I was not sleepy from the annoyance.
That's funny @Telly03 . "I'm gonna oil you up if you want it or not!". Oh I can imagine your irritation with that.
I'm really enjoying the frankincense oil. We used it in the diffuser during and after yoga and it was quite pleasant. The experience felt deeper and more focused (if that makes any sense). Placebo effect? I don't think so, but even if it was, the effect is the effect, right?
Interesting stuff anyway.
Frankincense oil is also extensively use in face cream products because it does wonders for wrinkly skin!
I put a few drops in my coconut oil, together with some lavender and Vitamin A oil, and it does me a power of good!