Aromatic Lords and Ladies of the Zodiac, an exercise in energetic blending,

I often get my ideas of what to write about in my blog, newsletters, articles and books from questions or discussions I have with others, my students and grads continue to be excellent sources of inspiration for me.

In creating my new e-book Aromatic Lords and Ladies of the Zodiac, an exercise in energetic blending, the process was no different. It was in answering questions about how one might blend more for the energetics around a person, place, theme or situation that led me to thinking about how I could create something to illustrate how to do this.

I came up with the idea of using the twelve signs of the Zodiac as the examples of how to blend energetically for a person, place, theme or situation. Each sign is a unique combination of strengths and weaknesses, abilities and attributes, and as many people are already somewhat familiar with them, it seemed to me that they would serve as a good example of how to look at information and create an energetic blend around it.

The resulting e-book is over 65 pages and full of information and is divided into three sections:

• Section One deals with basic aromatherapy, the ways in which essential oils are used and their safety precautions.
• Section Two has a page for each of the twelve sun signs and includes a lot of information pertaining to that sign as well as an outline of the personality traits, strengths and weaknesses attributed to that sign. It is here too that one will find the unique Lord and Lady essential oil synergy especially created for that sign.
• Section Three consists of thirty-five one page mini essential oil profiles. These are the oils from which the Lord and Lady Synergies were created and they can serve as a basis for information to draw from when creating other essential oil energetic synergies. This section also has an example of how to take the information outlined in Section two and marry it to essential oils outlined in Section three to come up with a unique energetic essential oil synergy.
  

It has been my personal experience that using an essential oil synergy that has been especially created to mirror a person, place, theme or situation, will work at a completely different level and appears to be able to penetrate directly to the heart of the issue. I love blending this way and I hope that I can inspire others to try it out.

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.

February 21
Reiki Level 1
$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,
Aromatic Gifts for All Ages and All Seasons
Aromatic Lords and Ladies of the Zodiac, an exercise in energetic blending .

Black Spruce - Picea mariana

Today I thought that I'd feature Black Spruce. There is a mini article on Black Spruce on the website and of course a much more in depth profile in the Aromatherapy 201 course material.

If you smell Black Spruce with your eyes closed you can imagine yourself walking through the forest. As its clean, clear aroma envelopes you gain some insight into its respiratory clearing and antiseptic properties; its ability to cleanse and clear the mind, giving one a feeling of peace and balance in the world.

This tree is native to Canada and the northern states of the USA. Black Spruce was used extensively by Native Americans in many different ways.

• The balsam was used as a chewing gum a
• The gum was used as caulking or glue.
  
• Both the inner bark and young shoots were used for food.
• Watertight baskets for storage and cooking were woven from strips of Spruce as were mats to sleep on.
• Spruce was included in ointments, salves and lotions for many skin problems such as biols, burns, skin inflammations, sores and wounds.
• Apparently they used Spruce wood powder to keep their hair dark.
• Canoes were made from the bark and stitched together with needles made from splinters of the wood.

Spruce helps to revive and give one a fresher, happier outlook. In Spiritual PhytoEssencing Dr. Berkowsky gives the following important signatures for understanding the soul nature of Black Spruce:

First, it is a very, nurturing tree. Moose like to browse on black spruce saplings and black spruce needles serve as a primary food for snowshoe hares in winter. Also, the tree’s seeds serve as a food supply for a wide variety of rodents and birds. Furthermore, a decoction of the young branches yields essence of spruce which for centuries has served as the primary ingredient in spruce beer.
Second is black spruce’s relationship to fire. Because of its thin bark and shallow roots, the tree is easily killed by fire, even low-intensity, surface fires. However, immediately following fire,large quantities of seeds are released from the cones. Delayed seed-fall and germination are post-fire adaptations that help ensure the survival of the species within a given ecosystem by making seeds available for germination and establishment in the post-fire period. The seeds are not destroyed by fire because the black spruce cones are located in the tree’s upper crown where they are least likely to burn. The seeds remain viable even if the tree has been killed by the fire.
The third key signature is the association between black spruce and binding and containing. Traditionally rope was manufactured from spruce roots. North western Indian tribes used the root as a basket material. Additionally, the Quinault tribe of western Washington used spruce root fibers for tying the tines of their salmon spears. They also sewed the corners of boxes with spruce root fibers. Some tribes used spruce limb fibers for whaling rope, binding for house parts and to tie in the cross-pieces in canoes. Spruce pitch was also used to caulk canoes.

I have included Black Spruce in a number of synergies for these soul qualities, for the person who really needs to nurture themselves; for the person who is facing having to start all over again, and whether it is just a small job that needs redoing or a complete life overall, I have found Black Spruce to be a wonderful support for them in their journey forward; and especially for the person who feels trapped or constained in any way. Black Spruce can really help them to move forward whether this is on an energetic level "I feel trapped in my life" or a physical one "my nerve feels trapped."

Generally considered non-toxic, non-irritating and non-sensitizing.

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 getting closer and Aromatic Lords and Ladies of the Zodiac, an exercise in energetic blending, is almost ready now. I should be able to offer this in the next week or two. It will be a good resource for anyone interested in creating synergies for the energetics of the person, place or circumstance.

Procrastination, Bach Remedies and Essential Oils to the Rescue

Is anyone else having trouble getting started this New Year? Here I am sitting at my computer's blank screen and trying to get back into a more creative frame of mind so that I can put a few ideas down on blog. The creative juices just seem to have dried up over the Holiday Period. What to do? What to do?

Thank goodness I do have some wonderful tools I can call on and I realize it really is time for me to get on with it. I am certainly going to make myself up a Bach Remedy to address all the moods and emotions I find myself drifting in and out of, but in addition to taking the Bach Remedies, I also like to combine them with essential oils to use as a personal lotion. I find the two together can often get things back on track really quickly. If you are interested in reading more about the Bach Flower Remedies I do have a little information on them on the website. Just follow the link.

Now what to put in my synergy?

First the Bach Remedies - I add two drops of each Remedy to the lotion.

• Hornbeam is my first choice. It falls into Dr. Bach's second category of Uncertainty and is indicated for any sort of Mental hangover that‘Monday morning feeling’. Definitely the Bach Remedy for any lack of enthusiasm and/or procrastination.
• I will add Olive, which falls into Dr. Bach's third category of Insufficient Interest in Present Circumstances, as well. This remedy can be very useful when there is a lack of energy.
• I'm also going to add Rock Water, this falls into Dr. Bach's seventh category of Overcare for the Welfare of Others and is very useful for those times when we are too hard on ourselves.
  

Now for the essential oils

• Grapefruit is the first oil that jumps to my mind. It has the added benefits of being one of my personal favorites and it has a wonderfully uplifting aroma. On a subtle level grapefruit promotes confidence, as well as increasing intuition and mental clarity. It brings inspiration.
• Rosemary is another oil I feel really drawn to right now, after all it enlivens the brain, clears and aids memory and eases dullness. Just what I need right now!
• Cypress an excellent oil to help on move on.
  

My special synergy to be applied to upper chest :
30 mls unscented lotion
2 drops Hornbeam
2 drops Olive
2 drops Rock Water
6 drops Grapefruit
2 drops Rosemary
2 drops Cypress

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.

Aromatic Lords and Ladies of the Zodiac, an exercise in energetic blending, should be ready in a couple of weeks.