How I use essential oils daily - Part One

Learning about essential oils and how to use them has been a part of my personal journey for the past few months. I used to be like the majority of people - I would purchase an essential oil, use a few drops in the bath or even add some to my household cleaner and then put it away.  However, my current daily routine uses essential oils from when I wake to just before my head hits the pillow at night.  Let me explain...

In the morning I start with a few drops of rose hip oil applied and massaged into my face. I now add a drop of frankincense to that. Frankincense as many of us know is a holy oil in the Middle East.  It affects the skin, emotional balance and immune and nervous systems. I use it to help rejuvenate my skin as it helps to reduce the appearance of blemishes. It also smells wonderful and I feel a sense of peace when I use it.

One of my favorite blends is Balance - the grounding blend. I have made my own roller ball with some fractionated coconut oil to apply to my wrists, neck and heart centre. I find that Balance helps calm but the woodsy and slightly flowery scent also make me happy.

Before I get into the car I take a couple drops of peppermint and place behind my ears and on the back of my neck. Peppermint is one of my must haves and I take it everywhere I go. If I feel a headache coming on, I use it on my forehead and temples, if I am exhausted I place a drop in my hands and inhale deeply.

Another life saver has been Digestzen - the digestive blend. It contains ginger and fennel, among some other oils and applied directly to the abdomen assists in nausea, bloating, etc... I find when I travel by air that I get an uneasy tummy. This blend is perfect and within 10 minutes it works so well I almost forget my digestive troubles.

stay tuned for part two...

that first step

This past September, I took a journey – one which I knew would change me spiritually, mentally and physically.  I learned so much from my yoga teacher training in Hawaii, I made many friends and I quite literally changed my life.

 

I left Hawaii with not only a change in my consciousness, but also an awareness that I wanted to take care of myself the best way I could, and take care of my family.  I wanted to completely eliminate toxins from our lives – as much as we could – and this included things that we put in our bodies, on our bodies and also, in our minds.
It all started with some lavender.  The girl that I was rooming with told me to put some on my pillow before bedtime.  I also had some on the bottom of my feet.  I love the smell of lavender and was surprised by her offer.  She also gave me some melaleuca (tea tree) oil and told me that it works well on blemishes and skin irritations.  To my surprise, she was right.  With the humidity in Hawaii, as well as the journey to get there (often tense at times) plus all things hormonal, I started to break out.  The melaleuca tamed those blemishes quite remarkably.

My friend shared all of her oils with me over the course of our 16 days together.  Since caffeine was not allowed on our training, many of us had the headaches that come with the withdrawals.  Peppermint rubbed on the temples and behind the neck made those manageable.
Sore muscles prevailed throughout the yoga teacher training and one soothing oil blend relieved a lot of those pains.  About halfway through the training I was inflicted with the venom from a fire ant.  Lavender calmed that discomfort.

I knew that these oils had a place in my life; I wanted to try and incorporate them into my daily life as much as possible.  Before I had left, I had signed up and was able to get these oils for myself.
Since then I have used these oils daily.  On the kids to appease bug bites, diffuse it aromatically for the holidays, calm digestive issues, soothe sore throats, assist with bruises and head bumps, disinfect the kitchen and bathroom, remove sticky residues off of glass jars, the list is endless!
Perhaps the most satisfying thing is not only with having these oils in my life, but actually sharing them with others.