Essential Oils for Spiritual Journeys

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Aromatherapy, Essential Oils

THE NOSE KNOWS… Humans can smell more than 1 trillion scents. Scents enter the body in less than 1 second and travels directly to the pituitary and hypothalamus in the brain.

Essential oils are the most potent and concentrated extracts of flowers, fruits, leaves, petals, twigs, resins, seeds, rinds, spices, roots, and woods. The term essential means that the oil carries the distinctive scent or essence of the plant.
Huge quantities of raw plant material are needed to obtain a small amount of oil. Essential oil molecules are approximately 75 – 100 times more concentrated than the plant’s natural form. In the case of rose oil, it takes 2,000 pounds of petals to produce one pound of oil. Each essential oil may contain from 100 – 400 different chemical compounds.

Essential oils have strong aromas that send signals to the limbic system, which is linked to emotions, moods, memory, drive, breathing, blood circulation, and endocrine gland hormones. Emotions affect many other parts of the body. So smells can initiate a physiological responses affecting our body and mind. Smells can also trigger vivid memories of past events and persons. Only odor or fragrance can stimulate the amygdala, which stores emotional trauma memories.

Essential oils can also be absorbed through the skin between 20 and 120 minutes and travel throughout the body via the circulatory system.

All essential oils are antiseptic, antibacterial, and promote cell rejuvenation when applied to the skin. Essential oils can be subdivided into groups based on their primary function:

Monoterpenes – anti-viral, antiseptic, anti-bacterial
Esters – fungicidal, sedating
Aldehydes – sedating, antiseptic
Ketones – ease congestion, aid mucus flow
Alcohols – antiseptic, anti-viral
Phenols – anti-bacterial, stimulating
Oxides – expectorant, anti-bacterial

A healthy body typically has a frequency ranging from 62 to 78 Hertz. Disease begins below 58 Hertz. Essential oil blends typically have a frequency of 52 to 320 Hertz. Lower frequency essential oils affect the physical body. Middle frequency essential oils affect the emotions. High frequency essential oils affect spiritual states.

There are 4 grades of essential oils:

Grade A – Therapeutic Quality. They are usually made from organically grown plants distilled using steam distillation.

Grade B – Food Grade. They may contain synthetics, pesticides, fertilizers, chemical/synthetic extenders, or carrier oils.

Grade C – Perfume Grade. They may contain the same type of adulterating chemicals as food grade oils as well as solvents.

Floral Water – A byproduct of the distillation process.

Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of natural essential oils. The term was first used by Rene Gatfosee, a French chemist for the perfume industry. He was working with volatile plant essential oils when one day an explosion in his lab badly burned his hand. He plunged his arm into a vat of lavender. The pain stopped and no blistering or scarring occurred. He then changed his focus to the medicinal effects of these plant oils.

Aromatherapy can be subdivided into 4 different areas:

Aesthetic Aromatherapy – Essential oils are used for beauty issues such as hair and skin care.

Therapeutic Aromatherapy – Essential oils are used on the physical level to treat medical conditions, fight infections, and promote healing.

Psychoaromatherapy – Essential oils are used on the psychological level to create calming, tranquilizing, or energizing effects.

Spiritaromatherapy – Essential oils are used on the metaphysical level to support meditation, life purpose, past life recall, and other spiritual journeys.

Unlike many chemicals or drugs, essential oils do not accumulate and are quickly excreted from the body. Locally applied essential oils bypass the stomach and liver and, therefore, are not compromised by metabolic alteration.

To create your own blend, begin drop by drop. You can put the bottle caps together and smell them to determine what a combination of oils will smell like. Measure oils with a glass dropper, rinsing it in grain alcohol or rubbing alcohol between each oil. Allow a blend to age a week or more before adding them to a base (carrier) oil. Blends undergo great transformations as they age.

Scents can be subdivided into 3 categories based on oil evaporation rates:

Top Notes – Fastest evaporation rate. Scents are strong, sharp, penetrating, stimulating, light, uplifting, and refreshing. Lasts for 3 – 24 hours. Should be 5 – 20% of the blend.

Middle Notes – Scents are soft, harmonizing, and affect body metabolism and function. Lasts 2 – 3 days. Should be 50% to 80% of the blend.

Base Notes – Lowest evaporation rate. Scents are deep, heavy, relaxing, sweet, soothing, and comforting. Lasts up to 1 week. Should be 5% to 20% of the blend.

WAYS TO ADMINISTER ESSENTIAL OILS

There are two main ways to administer essential oils: through inhalation and through direct application on the skin.

Ways to inhale essential oils include:

Humidifier – Use 1-8 drops of essential oil per pint of water.

Diffuser or Nebulizer (electric Diffuser) – Use 1-9 drops of essential oil. Turn on diffuser for 5 to 15 minute intervals.

Spray – Use 10 drops of essential oil per pint or 30 drops per ounce of distilled warm water in a spray bottle.

Bowl of Water – Use 3-8 drops of essential oil in a bowl of hot water. Cover head and bowl with a towel, and inhale deeply for 2 to 5 minutes.

Cloth – Use 1-3 drops of essential oil on a cloth and inhale.

Ways to apply to the skin include:

Compress – Use 8-10 drops of essential oil in 2 cups hot or cold water. Briefly soak cotton cloth, wring and place on skin. Repeat every 15 minutes for up to 1 hour.

Bath – Use 10-15 drops of essential oil to a full bath. For feet and hand baths, use 8-10 drops of essential oil in a bowl of warm water. Soak for 10 to 15 minutes.

Massage Oil – Use 12-15 drops of essential oil to 1 ounce of vegetable or nut oil. (Be sure your client is not allergic to nuts.) It works especially well on the bottoms of feet and on energetic meridians.

SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR ESSENTIAL OIL USE
Keep away from children.
Keep out of eyes and ears.
Do not take internally.
Pregnant women and epileptics should consult with their physician prior to starting any aromatherapy.
Dilute essential oils with vegetable oils. Never use water.
Never apply undiluted essential oil to skin. Mix in veggie or nut oil, lotion, or bath salts.
Always do a skin test for allergic reactions on sensitive skin.
Keep bottles tightly closed and stored in a cool location away from light. Keep away from open flames or sparks.

ESSENTIAL OILS FOR SPIRITUAL PURPOSES

There are various ways to obtain essential oils for supporting spiritual journeys and events. For example, one would use oils with calming affects to support meditation practices or use oils that protect to support grounding practices. You can use single oils or you could purchase a blend of oils that have specific purposes. Or you can create your own blend of oils. Below are some suggestions.

(Please note that I am not a distributor for Young Living or doTerra oils. I recommend them based on their claims of pure essences and therapeutic qualities.)

GENDER OILS
Oils that have a strong feminine quality can balance an individual with mostly masculine energy. Feminine oils include: rose, jasmine, patchouli, cinnamon sandalwood, cistus, vetiver, palmarosa, ylang ylang, geranium lavender, fennel, myrrh, patchouli, bergamot, cocoa bean, and vanilla bean.

Oils that have a strong masculine quality can balance an individual with mostly feminine energy. Masculine oils include: sage, cedarwood, ginger, sandalwood, spruce, coriander, frankincense, clove, white fir, black pepper, rosewood, and elemi.
Young Living and doTerra offer these gender blends:

♂ Young Living Mister Supports masculine energy. Includes sage, fennel, lavender, myrtle, peppermint, and blue yarrow.

♀ Young Living Dragon Time Supports feminine energy especially during monthly cycles. Includes clary sage, fennel, lavender, marjoram, yarrow, and jasmine.

♀ doTerra Clary Calm Supports feminine energy especially during monthly cycles. Includes clary sage, lavender, bergamot, chamomile, cedarwood, ylang ylang, geranium, fennel, carrot seed, palmarosa, and vitex.

♀ doTerra Whisper Supports feminine energy. Includes patchouli, bergamot, sandalwood, rose, jasmine, cinnamon bark, cistus, vetiver, ylang ylang, geranium, cocoa and vanilla.

PROTECTIVE OILS
Some oils can protect individuals from bacteria, mold and viruses as well as energetic parasites, domineering personalities and other negative energetic influences. Protective oils include: wild orange, clove, and cinnamon.

Scott Cunningham, in his book Magical Aromatherapy, gives the following formula for protection:
1/8 cup base oil
5 drops black pepper
5 drops petitgrain
2 drops geranium

MEDITATION OILS
Mental oils support the glands and the brain. They aid in mental clarity, focus, and thinking. Mental oils include: rosemary, lemon, orange, peppermint, sandalwood, melissa, frankincense, cedarwood, basil, helichrysum, cardamom, and cypress.

Focus oils support the mind in finding inner peace through calm and grounding energies. It is especially good at supporting a meditative state. Focusing oils include: amyris, patchouli, frankincense, lime, and ylang ylang.

Grounding oils support calmness, connection, and staying in the present moment. Grounding oils include: spruce, rosewood, blue tansy, frankincense, white fir, cedarwood, vetiver, and sandalwood.

Calming oils support calmness, tenderness, love, openness, receptivity, and forgiveness. Calming oils include: lavender, marjoram, roman chamomile, and ylang ylang.

PAST LIFE THERAPY OILS
I created a formula that can be used to enhance past life and between life regression experiences. I listed all of the essential oils that support the following characteristics: clarity, concentration, dreaming, grounding, healing, meditation, memory, the pineal and pituitary glands, protection, psychic powers, spirituality, and the third eye. Then I chose the three oils listed most frequently. I chose a jojoba base oil because it is used by Native Americans and it does not go rancid. The three oils are: frankincense, myrrh, and sandalwood. “Runner up” oils that could be used are: bergamot, cedarwood, lavender, lemon, rose, rosemary, and vetiver. My formula is:
1/8 cup Jojoba oil
5 drops frankincense
5 drops myrrh
5 drops sandalwood

SPIRITUAL OILS
Scott Cunningham, in his book Magical Aromatherapy, lists the following formulas for spiritual work:
1/8 cup base oil
7 drops sandalwood
4 drops cedarwood
1 drop frankincense

Young Living offers the following pre-prepared spiritual blends:

Dream Catcher for dreaming and visualization. Supports positive dreams and protects against negative dreams. Includes sandalwood, tangerine, ylang ylang, black pepper, bergamot, juniper, anise, and blue tansy.

Gathering A combination of oils from resins used by Moses for incense to help gather emotional and spiritual forces. Includes lavender, galbanum, frankincense, geranium, ylang ylang, spruce, cinnamon, rose, and sandalwood.

Highest Potential Supports uplifting and inspirational qualities for a greater unity of purpose. Inclues Australian Blue™ [blue cypress, ylang ylang, cedarwood, blue tansy, white fir] and Gathering™ [galbanum, frankincense, sandalwood, lavender, cinnamon, rose, spruce, geranium, jasmine].

Humility supports balance, forgiveness, and spiritual awareness. Includes coriander, ylang ylang, bergamot, geranium, melissa, frankincense, myrrh, spikenard, neroli, and rose.

Inspiration A blend of oils traditionally used by the native peoples of Arabia, India, and North America for enhancing spirituality, prayer, meditation, and inner awareness. Includes cedarwood, spruce, myrtle, coriander, sandalwood, frankincense, bergamot, spikenard, vetiver, ylang ylang, and geranium.

Magnify Your Purpose Supports creativity, desire, focus, and motivation. Includes sandalwood, rosewood, sage, nutmeg, patchouli, cinnamon bark, and ginger.

Peace & Calming Supports calming tension, uplifting spirit, promoting relaxation and peace. Includes tangerine, orange, ylang ylang, patchouli, and blue tansy.

Sacred Mountain A blend of conifer oils that supports feelings of strength, empowerment, grounding, and protection. Includes spruce, ylang ylang, balsam fir, and cedarwood.

Three Wise Men Supports feelings of reverence and spiritual awareness and opening the subconscious. Includes sandalwood, juniper, frankincense, spruce, and myrrh.

Transformation Empowers you to replace negative beliefs with uplifting thoughts, changing your overall attitude, emotions, and behavior. Includes lemon, peppermint, clary sage, sandalwood, spruce, frankincense, cardamom, Palo Santo, and ocotea.

dōTerra offers the following pre-prepared spiritual blends:

Balance Supports feelings of calmness, peace, and relaxation. Includes spruce, rosewood, blue tansy, and frankincense.

In Tune Supports calmness, focus, and a balanced state of mind. Includes sandalwood, patchouli, frankincense, lime, ylang ylang, and chamomile.

Serenity Supports calmness and peace. Includes lavender, sweet marjoram, chamomile, ylang ylang, sandalwood, and vanilla.

DNA REPAIRING OILS
DNA repairing oils support the transformation cycles of life, death, and rebirth especially the body’s damaged cells at the physical level. DNA repairing oils include: frankincense, orange, lemongrass, and thyme.

FLORIDA WATER FORMULA
Spritzing with Florida water is a smokeless smudge that cleanses, purifies, and creates a sacred space. While Florida water that has a wood alcohol base can be purchased on line or from botanica stores. It can also be made at home, using a vodka base and essential oils. The formula that I use is:
2 cups vodka
7 drops angelica
7 drops bergamot
7 drops chamomile roman
7 drops clary sage
7 drops lavender
7 drops rosemary
7 drops rose otto
7 drops ylang ylang

REIKI ATTUNEMENT
Lavender is used by Teaching Reiki Masters to attune Reiki students.

THETA™ HEALING ANOINTING THE FEET
Frankincense is used by ThetaTM healers to anoint clients’ feet.

NLP & HYPNOTHERAPY PRACTICES
NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) and hypnotherapy practitioners use anchors as a technique for transforming thinking and feeling behaviors. Smell is a very powerful way to anchor. The practitioner has a wide range of single oils or blends whose properties support the issue that a client is working with. A list of essential oil properties and uses can be found in any good book on essential oils (see bibliography below) or at the following websites:

http://www.aromaweb.com/essentialoils/#essentialoilprofiles
http://www.herbs-info.com/essential-oils/essential-oils.html
http://www.sustainablebabysteps.com/uses-for-essential-oils.html

LINKS

dōTerra http://www.doterra.com/#/en doTerra is a spinoff company from Young Living.

Young Living http://www.youngliving.com/en_US

Améo http://ameo.com Améo is a new company that allows you to enter your batch number on line and not only view the scientific data but watch how the oil permeates the cell.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alchemical Scents: Integrating Hypnosis and Essential Oils by Linda Baker & Patricia Haggard
Aromatherapy Bible: The Definitive Guide to Using Essential Oils by Gill Farrer-Halls
Aromatherapy Workbook by Marcel Lavabre
Emotions & Essential Oils: A Modern Resource for Healing by Enlighten Alternative Healing (Daniel Macdonald)
Essential Oils Pocket Reference by Life Science Publishing (Gary Young)
Magical Aromatherapy: The Power of Scent by Scott Cunningham
Modern Essential: A Contemporary Guide to the Therapeutic Use of Essential Oils by Aroma Tools (dōTerra)

Copyright © 2014 Drake Bear Stephen. Except where acknowledged. www.DrakeInnerprizes.com

Shaman Claus

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Santa as Shaman, Shaman Claus

Santa was a shaman before he became associated with Christmas. Most of the symbols and icons we associate with Christmas are derived from the shamanistic traditions of the tribal peoples of Northern Europe.

Many of the symbols and icons we associate with Christmas celebrations are derived from shamanistic and pagan traditions of tribal peoples of pre-Christian Northern Europe. The family tree of Santa Claus begins 10,000 BCE with the horned shaman called Herne, the Spirit of the Great Hunt. From there he evolved to Pan for the Indo-European culture (8000-4500 BCE) and Greek Era (2000 BCE); into Cernunnos for the Celtic culture (1000-750 BCE); through the Roman and Germanic/Nordic cultures; and finally to Saint Nicholas in the 20th century.

Like Santa, shamans from the far North (Lapland to Siberia) wear bells on their ritual costumes to announce their presence as they enter the spirit world and to frighten off any unfriendly spirits who might be lying in wait. The red of Santa’s robe signifies the sacred blood that links all human beings. Red is also a symbol of fire, a gift that shamans brought to the tribal people they served. The ancient peoples of Finland and the Russian steppes believed in the World Tree. The roots of the World Tree stretch down into the underworld, the trunk of the tree is the middle earth of everyday existence, and its branches reach upwards into the heavenly realm of the upper world. The top of the World Tree touched the North Star and the shaman would climb this metaphorical tree to visit the Spirits. This is the true meaning of the star on top of the modern Christmas tree and also the reason that Santa makes his home at the North Pole.

The Christmas tree is linked to the tree of fire or the tree of knowledge. Mistletoe is linked to the symbol of lightning, fire and sex.

The roots of Santa originate with the gods Herne and Pan 10,000 years ago. This Herne/Pan god went by many names but was always portrayed as dark, furry, or wearing animal skins, with antlers or horns and, up to the 17th century, with an erect penis. Pan was a fur-covered, horned, benevolent yet mischievous figure. Shamans of this time would lead Winter Solstice rituals, initiate the New Year, reward the good, punish the bad, officiate at sacrifices, and head fertility rites. They sang, danced, and jumped over fires in sexually symbolic fertility rites.

Modern day Sinter Klaus is a conglomeration of Germanic/Norse gods such as Thor, Donner, and Odin or Wotan. Thor or Donner wore red and road in a Golden Flying Chariot pulled by two goats (Cracker and Gnasher). Many of the customs of Sinter Klaas such as checking up on naughty children, riding a white horse, and leaving food out at night, can be traced back to Woden or Odin. Wotan rode an 8-legged white horse through the night skies, his long white beard blowing in the wind. Prior to this time, Saint Nicholas was depicted as having a dark beard. Perhaps the eight reindeer echo Wotan’s eight-legged horse. In Finland, St. Nicholas assumed human form, adopting the older name of Joulupukki, which literally means Yule Goat. St. Nicholas often had helpers who were easily traced to pagan roots.

Saint Nicholas is the most revered saint in Russia and the counterpart to the native peoples highly respected local shaman. He is best known as the patron saint of children, to whom he brings presents on the eve of his feast day, 6th December. Most religious historians now agree that St Nicholas never actually existed, but was instead a Christianized synthesis of the historical bishops, Nicholas of Myra (4th Century) and Nicholas of Sion (d. 564) together with a number of pagan gods including the Teutonic god, Hold Nickar, corresponding to the Greek god, Poseidon.

Copyright © 2014 Drake Bear Stephen. Except where acknowledged. http://www.DrakeInnerprizes.com