Aromaceuticals

Last night I was privileged to attend a lecture by prolific artist Karen Blessen on art and mysticism. Karen uses a contemplative process known as passage meditation as a daily spiritual practice, which resulted in an unexpected outpouring of creativity she is now sharing with others.

Everyone in attendance had a brief opportunity to experiment with her version of the practice, which involved contemplating a line or two of sacred writing and responding to it in a stream of consciousness fashion. Although participants were given a mere 5 minutes to express the sacred through written word, the results were both moving and astounding. Of course, it helped that the lecture was given in church, and I could feel an enormous rush of energy descend through an open space in the rooftop of the sanctuary as we began our meditation on the words "if the very world should stop..." excerpted from a passage by St. Augustine.

Here is what I was inspired to write during that brief period:

If the very world should stop, we would see the Void. We would fully experience the Void, falling within it. Devoid of all senses, we would simultaneously sense All that Is. If the very world should stop, there would be an overwhelming, tranquil, soothing blackness. Within that blackness, within that darkness, Peace. The Breath of Life. Breathe. Breathe deeply and drink of it. All knowledge, everything that is needed, everything that is required for this lifetime on earth resides within that breath. The Breath of Life.

Spend a few minutes this week contemplating a brief passage from a sacred script or favorite piece of literature. What does it inspire within you?

Daily or seasonal pollen allergies can usually be managed with the topical use of dilute essential oils. Eucalyptus radiata and sweet myrtle are among my favorite anti-allergy oils, and a must for those living in high pollen areas. Aromaceuticals' pre-diluted Respiro blend contains both these oils for easy dermal application to sinus pressure points.

However, there are times when topical application just isn't strong enough to manage the unpleasant symptoms of allergic rhinitis. I experienced this last week when I was struck overnight with a severe allergic reaction to mountain cedar pollen. After just a brief outdoor exposure, my nasal passages swelled and my voice completely disappeared. This sent me running to the nearest drugstore for a nasal lavage kit to start some emergency aromatherapy.

Nasal lavage, or sinus irrigation, is a very old therapy that has once again become popular in both the holistic and allopathic medical communities due to its rapid effectiveness. Very simply, the nasal cavities are gently washed with a mild saline solution, which moistens the nasal pasages and washes out inhaled pollen and accumulated mucus. Large amounts mucus can't collect to breed a sinus infection, and if pollen isn't present, a histamine reaction won't occur, along with accompanying swelling, stuffiness and sneezing.

Lavage is accomplished via use of a neti pot or plastic squeeze bottle. Some people find neti pots a bit cumbersome and prefer the bottles which come with prepackaged sinus irrigation kits. Either way, you can boost the effectiveness of nasal lavage by creating your own saline solution.

Add 10-12 drops of essential oil to 8 tablespoons of finely granulated sea salt. Mix together thoroughly in a sterile capped container. Use as directed with your neti pot or sinus irrigation kit– most require about 1/2 teaspoon salt for a single application. I use a blend of the above-mentioned eucalyptus radiata and sweet myrtle, but other suitable essential oils include eucalyptus globulus, eucalyptus smithii, eucalyptus polybractea, bay laurel, basil ct. methyl chavicol, tea tree and niaouli. One batch of neti pot salts will be enough for several weeks of daily irrigation treatments.

Do not perform nasal lavage if you have a known ear infection.

If you suffer from persistent pollen allergies, I also recommend taking a good quality stinging nettle supplement. Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) capsules are widely available at health food stores. Be aware that a loading dose is necessary to obtain the desired antihistaminic effect, so start taking the capsules about 2 months before the arrival of your usual allergy season. Purchase a brand that contains a standardized dosage of nettle herb.

If your sinus problems are accompanied by laryngitis, application of dilute frankincense to the throat can quickly return your voice back to normal. Cypress oil is helpful for laryngitis accompanied by sore throat.

Keep two or three bottles of essential oils at the ready in your medicine cabinet for sudden allergy attacks. The same essential oils do double duty for colds and flu, making them indispensable for home health care.

I will be presenting a teleconference lecture to the Alliance of International Aromatherapists (AIA) on Wednesday evening, February 17. Essential Oils for Difficult People is about using aromatherapy to uncover the hidden Buddha nature in those who are angry, distracted, obstinate, distrustful, or just plain crazymaking. Once their craziness is put aside and they are able to show us their real selves, a true healing journey can be facilitated.

I'll be discusssing somato-emotional and psychospiritual profiles of juniper, sage, melissa, fennel, and a few other essential oils, as well as presenting several case studies from my private practice. If you have a client who has been stalled in their healing process, this lecture should be of help to you.

The actual teleconference is open to AIA members only, but you may purchase a CD of the lecture, which will be available by mid March. For more information or to join AIA, please contact www.alliance-aromatherapists.org.

Fragrance exerts a powerful effect on physical attraction, and perfumers have used this knowledge to their advantage for centuries. Here is a favorite recipe to enhance your Valentine's Day experience or any other romantic encounter. Use the synergy like a perfume, applying it sparingly to the pulse points on the inner wrist, crease of the elbow and back of knee, as well as behind the ears and on the breasts/upper chest.

The secret ingredient: black pepper, which provides an unexpectedly sexy kick! This is an especially lovely blend to use in tantric ritual if you practice sacred sex as part of your spiritual path.

Aphrodisia Synergy

Macadamia Nut oil                      1 oz.
Black Pepper essential oil           4 drops
Jasmine Absolute                        3 drops
Rose Otto essential oil                3 drops
Ylang Ylang Extra essential oil   3 drops
Petitgrain essential oil                3 drops
Neroli essential oil                      2 drops

As an aromatherapist, I'm passionate about plants and love to work with ikebana as a form of creative expression. Earlier this week, I was privileged to have an unexpected private lesson with my ikebana sensei. We worked on creating the first arrangement for the new year (in the traditional Japanese calendar, this falls in February), an important event that sets the tone for one's ikebana practice in the coming months.

Ikebana is about creating a space of beauty and peace in one's environment and in the macrocosm of existence. This art honors the change of the seasons and uses materials that are available and appropriate to the time of year. The creation of an arrangement is a ritual, and every flower or branch holds a particular symbolism. 

Traditional plants for a new year arrangement are pine, bamboo, chrysanthemum and red accent foliage.

In Japan, the evergreen leaves of pine symbolize strength and long life. It is often used as the shin, or heaven line, in a flower arrangement. This relates to western aromatherapy, where pine is recognized as a tree that imparts inner strength in times of adversity, and an ally that assists in uniting the energies of sky and earth. In ikebana, the placement of pine indicates whether the practitioner will experience a year that requires developing or refining inner strength.

Fast growing bamboo is used to reflect the impermanence of all things in life, as well as imperfection. Although the stalks are extremely hard and difficult to break, they are enormously flexible in the wind. Placement of bamboo is indicative of the amount of spiritual and emotional flexibility that the practitioner will require in the coming year.

The white chrysanthemum is the symbol of the emperor and the national flower of Japan. In former times, the Japanese emperor was thought to rule by divine decree, and therefore represented divinity, immortality, nobility and peace. Flowers are generally used for the hikae, or earth line, and in new year arrangements, a chrysanthemum hikae signifies the presence of the Divine on earth.

Red is usually introduced in the form of holly, ilex or nandina berries, and is regarded as an auspicious colour in Asian culture. At the encouragment of my teacher, I broke with tradition in my freestyle arrangement and used bright red geraniums, asking for luck throughout 2010.

The symbolic language of plants is very old and crosses many different cultures. We can choose to view a flower arrangement simply for its beauty, or contemplate it on a much deeper level. Whichever you choose, may the time spent in this experience bring you a sense of inner peace.