Happy New Year

The countdown to the new year and a new decade has begun. New Year is a time for celebrating the past and looking forward to the future. A time when many make resolutions of what they want to accomplish in the next year. It is just too bad that for most of us the resolutions have often been forgotten by the time February rolls around.

This year, when you choose your resolutions, give yourself a little support. Create a special essential oil synergy to help keep you on track, or perhaps take a Bach Flower Remedy to help you continue on with what you have started. There is a very useful article Your Own Special Blend on the website's articles page that could perhaps help you with creating that special supportive essential oil synergy. There is also more information on the Bach Flower Remedies if this is a route you feel called to follow. Scroll down the page to see which Remedies are appropriate.

My essential oil Synergy for New Year is a combination of Neroli and Grapefruit (two of my favorite essential oils), with a touch of Rhu Khus (wild Vetiver), Violet Leaf and just the tiniest touch of Cistus.

I wish you all a New Year filled with great love, joy, health and abundance.

Workshops for 2010
These are offered once a month, generally the third weekend of the month so follow the link and browse through the offerings for 2010.

January 16 Indian Head Massage - $150.00 plus GST
Prerequisites: None

As always the self-directed home study Aromatherapy Courses are available. When you are ready they are only a click away, a click that will lead you into a world filled with information, self-growth and delight! Perhaps they will be a gift you give yourself this year!

If you don't want something as formal as a course perhaps you'll find what you are looking for in one of our E-books or our aroma massage DVD. E-books currently available: Infant Massage, Subtle Aromatherapy and Aromatic Gifts for All Ages and All Seasons. I am currently working on another one but it may be a little while before it's ready.

Christmas 2010

Little children are so excited right now, counting down the days to Christmas. I spoke to my grandson and granddaughter this week and their excitement was palpable. They are counting the days and looking forward to the celebrations of all that this season brings. Seeing this through their eyes reminds me that one should never lose touch with that 'magical child' that dwells within each one of us. Tapping into that place allows us to experience the wonders of the season with the eyes of a child.

I do realize that as we grow older, and life throws us a couple of curve balls it can become more difficult to tap into that special place but luckily for us we have some wonderful tools in the form of our essential oils.

What synergy or oil will you use this Christmas to help you back to that special place? Will it be a synergy of conifers: juniper, fir, pine, black spruce to recapture the scent of Fresh Christmas Trees or Wreaths or will it be a synergy of the more spicy aromas associated with the season? Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg are used a lot in Christmas baking at this time and we can't forget the smell of oranges and clementines that are so often eaten and used in potpourri at this time of year. There are articles in the blog archives and on the Articles Page of the website for many of these oils.

In my Christmas blog from 2006 Christmas mirrored in Essential Oil synergies I share some synergies that I have used over the years. I personally like the Gifts of the Magi as this captures the Spirit of this Season for me, however I also believe that it is important to create the blend that means the most to you. There's still time to create a special blend to use over the Holidays. They can be spritzed or diffused to subtly enhance this very special season.

This is also a time of the year that can be very difficult for some people and once again the oils can come to the rescue for those who may be feeling down or simply stressed out. In the Articles Archive you can find: Aromatherapy and Depression, Depression Buster Blends, Stress and Aromatherapy; and Stress Buster Blends. There is also the posting on the blog for Depression. The Bach Flower Remedies are also a wonderful tool to help one through difficult times.

Workshops for 2010
These are offered once a month, generally the third weekend of the month so follow the link and browse through the offerings for 2010. The first one for 2010 is Indian Head Massage.

As always the self-directed home study Aromatherapy Courses are available. When you are ready they are only a click away, a click that will lead you into a world filled with information, self-growth and delight! Perhaps they will be a gift you give yourself this year!

If you don't want something as formal as a course perhaps you'll find what you are looking for in one of our E-books or our aroma massage DVD. E-books currently available: Infant Massage, Subtle Aromatherapy and Aromatic Gifts for All Ages and All Seasons. I am currently working on another one but it may be a little while before it's ready.

May you rejoice in

the Spirit of Christmas,

which is Peace

the Miracle of Christmas,

which is Hope

and the Heart of Christmas,

which is Love

Wishing you and all your Family a very

Blessed Christmas.

With love, light and blessings

Beverley

Myrrh - Commiphora myrrha (C.molmol)

We're getting closer to Christmas and so I thought it might be appropriate to highlight one of the resins that are so closely associated with this time of year - Myrrh. I did a mini profile on the blog of the other one - Frankincense in December 2007 and you will also find mini profiles of both Myrrh and Frankincense on the main website - Articles Archive Page. Each one offers something a little different.

Did you know...
Myrrh was offered to Christ both at the beginning and the end of his life?

• Myrrh, together with Gold and Frankincense was one of the Gifts of the Magi, the three Wise Men of the East.
  
• When Jesus was on the cross myrrh was part of the drink he was offered. They offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he refused it. Mark Chapter 5 - Verse 23. This fact may give us some hints as to the spiritual connection Myrrh has.

What was the significance of behind the gift of Myrrh by the Magi? Like Frankincense, it is the sap from a tree that is hardened and then used. However, unlike, Frankincense, which is sweet, Myrrh has a bitter taste to it. Myrrh was mostly used to embalm the dead because it has the property to preserve. It was also used as a perfume, an ingredient of holy ointments mentioned in Exodus but it’s most practical use for Mary & Joseph would be it’s medical uses. Lastly, Myrrh represents the bitter cup that Christ would have to drink at the end of his life when Myrrh was mixed in with the wine offered to him to serve as an intoxicant to dull his pain.

In Spiritual PhytoEssencing an essential oil synergy is created to mirror a soul portrait of the individual. In this work the individual essential oils have different correlations and bring different themes with them.

In Spiritual PhytoEssencining, on a psycho-spiritual level myrrh is considered to be calming and tranquilizing. Myrrh is also most useful when the themes of aging, deterioration, death, or preoccupation with any of these is prevalent.

On a subtle level, Myrrh helps to release suffering and sorrow and it also strengthens and energizes. It can be grounding during meditation and is helpful in assisting one to move forward on one’s spiritual journey. Myrrh helps one to get through the trials and tribulations of life and helps one to understand and cope with our physical, emotional and psychological wounds. Myrrh resonates with the ‘wounded healer’.

Avoid if allergic to cosmetics and perfume. Avoid during pregnancy.

Workshops for 2010
These are offered once a month, generally the third weekend of the month so follow the link and browse through the offerings for 2010. The first one for 2010 is Indian Head Massage.

As always the self-directed home study Aromatherapy Courses are available. When you are ready they are only a click away, a click that will lead you into a world filled with information, self-growth and delight! Perhaps they will be a gift you give yourself this year!

If you don't want something as formal as a course perhaps you'll find what you are looking for in one of our E-books or our aroma massage DVD. E-books currently available: Infant Massage, Subtle Aromatherapy and Aromatic Gifts for All Ages and All Seasons. I am currently working on another one but it may be a little while before it's ready.

Essential Oils and Light

Hanukkah begins tonight at sundown.

In Hebrew, the word “hanukkah” means “dedication” and this holiday commemorates the re-dedication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem following the Jewish victory over the Syrian-Greeks in 165 B.C.E.

As I understand it there are a number of different traditions around this holiday which may vary from place to place but the three that appear to be practiced everywhere are:

• The Lighting the hanukkiyah: Every year it is customary to commemorate the miracle of the Hanukkah oil by lighting candles on a hanukkiyah. A hanukkiyah is a candelabrum with eight candleholders in a row and a ninth candleholder set a little above the others. The hanukkiyah is lit every night for eight nights.
• Spinning the dreidel: A popular Hanukkah game is spinning the dreidel, which is a four-sided top with Hebrew letters written on each side. A dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter on each side. It is used during Hanukkah to play a popular children's game that involves spinning the dreidel and betting on which Hebrew letter will be showing when the dreidel stops spinning. Children usually play for a pot of gelt, which are chocolate coins covered in gold colored tin foil, but they can also play for candy, nuts, raisins – anything really!
• Eating fried foods: Because Hanukkah celebrates the miracle of oil, it is traditional to eat fried foods such as latkes and sufganiyot during the holiday. Latkes are pancakes made out of potatoes and onions, which are fried in oil and then served with applesauce. Sufganiyot (singular: sufganiyah) are jelly-filled donuts that are fried and sometimes dusted with confectioners’ sugar before eating.

Isn't it interesting how so many different traditions include the use of light, fire or candles at this time of year. For instance the Jewish tradition celebrates the 8 days of lighting the hanukkiyah, while many of the Christian tradition are observing the Advent tradition of lighting the candles on the Advent wreath. Of course it might have something to do with the fact that here, in the Northern Hemisphere at least, the Winter Solstice (December 21) falls right around the time of these celebrations and with the world at its longest, darkest night we would need more light. However I like to think that the introduction of light in all these traditions has a deeper significance and indicates the bringing of light to the Soul as well.

With that in mind this is a perfect time of the year to create a synergy to diffuse and spritz around your home to encourage this. What oils will you put in your blend?
Here is my Advent synergy:

Angelica – Angelica archangelica : can be helpful in bringing light and wisdom into our lives, as well as to experience the presence of angels - 1 drop.
Cedarwood – Cedrus atlantica : strengthens the connection with the Divine - 3 drops.
Cypress - Cupressus sempervirens : very helpful in times of transition - 2 drops.
Elemi - Canarium luzonicum : considered a bridge between Heaven and Earth - 1 drop.
Lavender – Lavandula agustifolia : a great balancing oil - 3 drops.
Orange - Citrus aurantium var. amara: can help one to expel any negative feelings one might be holding in one’s heart or soul - 4 drops .

If you need ideas on how to use the essential oil synergies you will find some ideas on the Newsletter Page Ways In Which Essential Oils Can Be Used.

While I know that in the run up to the Holiday Season most of us are so focused on what is coming up that we don't have much time to think about next month or next year, however as things fall into place, life often become less hectic and with a little more free time this would be a good time to think about what we want to do in the upcoming year. Here are just a few ideas that would help you to grow your knowledge of essential oils, their uses and related subjects in the upcoming months.

Workshops for 2010
These are offered once a month, generally the third weekend of the month so follow the link and browse through the offerings for 2010.

Our self-directed home study Aromatherapy Courses are always available. When you are ready they are only a click away, a click that will lead you into a world filled with information, self-growth and delight! Perhaps they will be a gift you give yourself this year!

If you don't want something as formal as a course perhaps you'll find what you are looking for in one of our E-books or our aroma massage DVD. E-books currently available: Infant Massage, Subtle Aromatherapy and Aromatic Gifts for All Ages and All Seasons. I am currently working on another one but it may be a little while before it's ready.

Holiday Stresses and Aromatic Chocolates

The holiday season is fast approaching, I certainly notice a difference in the line-ups everywhere you go. It's amazing how we all seem to be hustling and bustling at this time of year to get things done.

In the hurry of it all we sometimes forget to enjoy the season for what it is and forget to focus on what matters. Sometimes the best gift we can give someone is our undivided attention for a span of time without any interruptions or irritations. Just time spent happily focused on the people around us. When we are gifting our time like this, we should not forget one of the most important people in our lives - OURSELVES. Of course we have a lot to do around this time of year, and of course we enjoy the benefits of following these traditions, but let us not get caught up in the hectic of it all and remember what is really important to us.

At this time of year many of us do get very stressed out, when this happens check out my previous blog on Holiday Stress . On the other side of the coin depression is another emotion that often shows up at this time of the year and my blog on Essential Oils and Depression has some ideas on how to deal with this.

For those of you who are still thinking about making aromatic gifts what about some aromatic chocolates? I made up a whole batch over the weekend and they are now all prettily packaged and labeled and ready to gift.

My ebook Aromatic Gifts for All Ages and All Seasons has a Chocolate Mint Truffle recipe in it that I shared in the Origins of Valentines Day Blog, or you could simply melt some cooking chocolate, add your favorite essential oil for flavoring and pour into Christmas Candy Molds. Voila - Aromatic Chocolates!

Please remember that while essential oils have been used for a very long time in the Flavoring and Food Industry they are very highly concentrated substances so a very little goes a long, long way. How much you add to your Chocolate will depend on the essential oil that you choose, your personal preference and how much chocolate you are using.

For instance, according to Leung and Foster in the Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients, 2nd Edition:

The highest average maximum use levels reported for use in candy:
Peppermint is 0.104%
Lemon is 0.046%
Bitter Orange is 0.043%
Rose is 0.0002%
Lavender is 0.0004%.

These are just a few examples of using essential oils in food but as you can see the MAXIMUM amounts are very small and of course you can use less.

Upcoming Workshops

December 12 & 13: Aromatherapy Caddy Chemistry

Workshops for 2010

Our self-directed home study Aromatherapy Courses are always available. When you are ready they are only a click away, a click that will lead you into a world filled with information, self-growth and delight! Perhaps they will be a gift you give yourself this year!

If you don't want something as formal as a course perhaps you'll find what you are looking for in one of our E-books or our aroma massage DVD.