Inspiration comes from many sources.  Sometimes I feel the Divine uses whatever means necessary to get our attention and when many signals come in a short timeframe, I always feel I REALLY need to pay attention!  Whether it be a weekend seminar with my favorite teacher, an email to a sibling, my son’s college applications, a friend’s cancer diagnosis or words jumping off the page, we ignore such messages to our own detriment.

 

THE UNFOLDING HEART

My first bit of inspiration came from a weekend seminar, titled Nurturing the Unfolding of Life.  The dictionary defines unfolding as:

§         To make known;

§         To reveal gradually;

§         To remove coverings from, disclose to view; and

§         To open, to extend.

These different meanings gave me a lot to ponder.  So much of what I know and have learned in my life has been made known and revealed over time.  To be sure, there have been those moments of instant revelation, but upon further analysis, I realize that what seemed like a lightening bolt of awareness had been percolating for some time in the weeks, months and days leading there.  I also like the idea that what is being unfolded has been there all along—it’s not about adding or creating anything new or in addition, but rather uncovering, revealing, extending what is already.  The message is that I have everything I need for my life to be all it needs and can be; all that may be missing is my awareness and intention.

This is where another concept from the seminar comes in:  cultivation.   My teacher spoke at length about the need to cultivate our lives.  This was another word I thought I knew before I looked up the meaning in the dictionary: 

§         To improve and prepare;

§         To grow and to tend;

§         To nurture and foster, and

§         To form and refine.

Upon further reflection, I realized that cultivation is intention in action. Just as I would never expect to harvest without first having sown the seeds, so too, I must sow the seeds in my life if I expect to reap any benefits. Not only that, but I must continue to nurture, foster and tend to those seeds, making adjustments as necessary for the changes life ‘throws’ as us.  As I write this, my son is completing his college applications. I realize how diligently we have cultivated his life to this point: planning and monitoring his education, refining his extracurricular activities, preparing for this moment.  I realize how little attention I’ve been paying to my own life:  yes, there must be fallow times when we allow our lives to ‘rest’ in order to restore them for the next season, but too often, at least in my personal journey, I have simply allowed my life to go untended, ‘gone to seed’ as it were from neglect.  I find this particularly true in the areas of diet, health and exercise in my life.  I realize I am not a good steward of my own life’s cultivation.

So, by now you must be asking, ‘What does this have to do with essential oils?’  And, although essential oils were not specifically discussed at the seminar, my inspiration leads me to believe they are a perfect partner in the cultivation of our unfolding.  Essential oils are distilled plant material – the linkage to cultivation couldn’t be stronger.  And, the distillation process is believed to reveal a plant’s true essence.  In other words, the process of distillation is one of unfolding (revealing) the plant’s spirit.  A blend of oils to remind us of these concepts in our own life seemed a fitting way for me to re-commit to the cultivation of my own unfolding.

 

Our 2011 New Year’s Blend is THE UNFOLDING HEART

A blend that will help us remember to nurture our own essence, open us to the gentle unfolding that takes place moment to moment and to commit ourselves to our own cultivation when our resolve falters.  The blend is composed of the following essential oils:

Petitgrain sur Neroli is the centerpiece of the blend.  This is a co-distillation of both the leaves and blossoms of the bitter orange tree.  As the word implies, co-distillation means the plants were distilled together.   The intentional co distilling of plants is a relatively new phenomenon, although when you visit the fields during harvest and distillation time, you will see that plants are co-distilled all the time.  I have seen helichyrsum, basil and other herbs growing wild in lavender fields.  No one stops the harvest to pull the helichrysum from the lavender.  I always considered this nature’s way of blending on our behalf.  It seems we continue to learn from Mother Nature and are now intentionally distilling plants together.  Petitgrain comes from the leaves of the Bitter Orange tree, while Neroli is distilled from the orange blossom. 

 

My reasons for including them in this blend were many: 

§         Blossoms are prized for their ability to ‘unfold’.  I think of tulips that open in the warmth of the morning and then close again at night.  Witnessing these cycles of unfolding informs my own life and emphasizes the notion that unfolding is a gradual process that I may cultivate but not force. 

§         Blossoms are complex structures to which the plant devotes considerable time and energy creating – a considerable act of cultivation. 

§         Most blossoms are designed to attract some other creature (insect, bird, animal) in order to pollinate and/or distribute the resulting fruit and or seeds of the plant.  That a plant would evolve to rely on another species for its own continued success is a critical aspect that fits into my reflections on the unfolding of life:  neither are we, as humans, completely self-sufficient.  This became a gentle reminder that all too often the unfolding events of my life have had an external catalyst – typically another person.

 

The inclusion of the petitgrain was perhaps a bit less obvious, but upon consideration, no less important to the intention of the blend.  At the beginning of this essay, I referenced the notion of ‘inspiration’.   Leaves are the plant where respiration takes place.  In the East, many spiritual traditions developed practices that emphasize the importance of breath and the act of breathing in the attainment of enlightenment.  So, the inclusion of leaf oils such as petitgrain, melissa, clary sage and rosemary emphasize the need to relax and breath into our life’s unfolding.  I love that inspiration and respiration both have the same root, evidence that our ancestors had a certain wisdom we seem to have forgotten. 

The other oils in the blend symbolize other aspects of cultivating our unfolding heart:

 

• Frankincense is a resinous oil, often used to heal wounds, both physical and psycho-spiritual.  Of course, many of us will recognize it as one of the Magi’s gifts to the infant Jesus.  What is less understood is the ancient use of frankincense in sacred ritual.  Today, frankincense’s ability to calm the diaphragm, open the chest and relax our breathing makes it a staple for treating asthma.

 

• Atlas Cedar is a tree oil and as such helps connect us to both heaven and earth.  It helps bring to the surface any long-held illusions and emotions that we are ready to release.  In ancient times, Atlas Cedar was planted to act as a wind-shield.  It can protect us, too, when we feel we are being buffeted by the winds of change.

 

• Clary Sage, mentioned above, was an oil that ‘jumped off the page’ at me when I began thinking about this blend.  The name, clary sage, comes from the traditional use of the herb to impart clarity and wisdom to our lives.  Its scent has a sharpness that helps tone-down the sweetness of the petitgrain sur neroli.  So, to will clary sage give us that sharpness necessary when cultivating our life.

 

• Melissa is another herb and leafy oil, but with some very important properties.  Its lemon-y and earthy scent add that grounding necessary for the blend as well as the unfolding process.  Most especially, melissa is known to ‘open the portals’, meaning it can help release any illusions we are clinging to and change the way we perceive the world.

 

• Rosemary verbenon was the ‘surprise’ inspiration to the blend.  As I was blending the above oil, I ‘mistakenly’ pulled the bottle of rosemary and added it to the blend in place of the clary sage.  When I realized my ‘mistake’, I re-did the blend as I had intended with clary sage and no rosemary.  Not surprisingly, I realized the blend did indeed need the rosemary!  Rosemary is considered the most yang of essential oils, as such, it is very moving which can be useful when we find ourselves stuck.

 

 

The newspapers are full of recent incidents of schools and other public buildgins being infected by MRSA, the staphylococcus aureus 'superbug' that is resistant to treatment by most antibiotics.  The fact is that MRSA and other staph infections have been around for years., but appears to be increasing its effectiveness at causing infections.  Experts recommend frequent hand washing as the first line of defense.

The GOOD news is that aromatherapy offers additional options!  Several essential oils have been shown to be effective in combating staph infections, including both s. alba and s. aureus.  Cinnamon bark, clove bud, oregano, savory and thyme all have significant anti-staph properties.  In 1979, Dr. Paul Belaiche published his 3-volume masterpiece, Traites de Phytotherapie et d'Aromatherapie, in which he lists his Aromatic Index - a scientific analysis of the sensitivity and effectiveness of 40 different essential oils against a number of infectious agents, including s. alba and s. aureus.  Oils of oregano, cinnamon bark, savory, thyme and clove bud were categorized as having strong germicidal effects against a broad range of microbes.  Specifically, against s. aureus, oregano and cinnamon bark scored highest with savory and clove coming in next.

No Evidence that Bacteria develop Resistance to Essential Oils

Interestingly, there is no evidence that bacteria, viruses or fungi develop a resistance to essential oils.  There are many theories as to why this may be:  since essential oils are derived from living planst, they contain a 'life force' that lab-created antibiotics can never hope to capture.  In essence, we are using one form of nature to control another - a balanced ecosystem, if you will.

My own theory is that plants, who live in the same world as the 'bugs' do, are better able to keep up with the 'infectious disease arms race' better than we are.  For one reason, most herbs have a much shorter life-span than we do - enabling them to mutate to adjust to changes in bacterial, viral or fungal mutations that would make them resistant.

Carrier Oils as Infection Fighters

In addition, at least 2 carrier (vegetable) oils have been used by indigenous peoples successfully against all types of infection;  from acne to malaria, gangrene and leprosy!  Neem oil (azadica indica) is native to the Indian subcontinent.  Its history as a medicinal tree goes back as far as 2000 to 4000 BC.  Ayurvedic medicine calls the neem tree ' the curer of all ailments' because each part of the tree is used medicinally.  From the seeds, we get a cold-pressed, oil/wax mixture that is used topically to combat every known kind of ailment.  Considered anti-bacterial, anti-viral, antifungal, antiseptic and anti-parasitic, neem oils is alos high in vitamin E and essential fatty acids.  It is cooling and anti-inflamatory as well.  Neem oil has a distinctive scent which is why I often use essential oils  and dilute neem with another carrier oil (olive oil).

Another carrier oil with anti-microbial properties is Tamanu oil (calophyllum tacamaca or c. inophyllum).  Tamanu is native to South East Asia and Polynesia.  It has been used medicinally for hundreds of years by indigenous peoples to treat all sorts of skin ailments as well as shingles and leprosy.  Tamanu is considered to have pain-relieving properties as well.

These two carrier oils have also be proven to help boost our immune function - another critical component, especially as we enter the flu and cold season.

Visit our Home page to download our November Newsletter containing holistic suggestions for using essential oils to combat superbugs this Fall and Winter.

I'm reading The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan (which I highly recommend along with his previous book, The Botany of Desire).  In one section he describes the difference between industrial farming and artisanal farming methods.  I'm sure you can imagine the industrial model where the goal is to be the least-cost producer through magnifying economies of scale to cut costs.  This is the dominant type of farming done in the US these days and the reason why our food is shot full of hormones and antibiotics.

Artisanal farming is small-scale farming where the goal is to produce an exceptional product rather than the least-costly item.  Pollan references an article by Allan Nation in the Stockman Grass Farmer comparing the two approaches and advising that any attempt by the artisanal farmer to incorporate an industrial model will be doomed to failure:  "The biggest problem with alternative agriculture today is that it seeks to incorporate bits and pieces of the industrial model and bits and pieces of the artisanal model.  This will not work...In the middle of the road, you get the worst of both worlds."

Very interesting, you might be thinking, but what does this have to do with essential oils?  Everything!

I'm often asked what makes OmnEssence Essential Oils different from other lines of essential oils?  Everyone says their oils are 'pure', 'therapeutic', 'the highest qualty', etc.  Well, what differentiates OmnEssence's oils is that we work only with artisanal producers - typically small distillers working to produce an exceptional product rather than be the low cost producer.  If you are looking for the 'Wal-Mart' of essential oils, then you have come to the wrong website.  If you want an exceptional oil, produced by artisans rather than industrial farms, Welcome!

 
 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month....

Almost all of us have been touched by cancer-if not personally, then by family members and/or friends who have/had cancer.  Today, the emphasis is on living with cancer and so those with cancer often face multiple types of treatments as well as many cycles of treatments.  Traditional treatments are difficult but the good news is that essential oils provide a holistic approach to relieving many of the unpleasant effects of traditional cancer treatment. 

I see essential oils as a complementary modality.  Complementary is defined as ‘serving to fill out or complete; mutually supply each other's lack'.   Essential oils can be a powerful adjunct to cancer care.  Below are some ways we can incorporate essential oils into cancer therapy to support the body, mind and spirit when we face the biggest fight of our lives:

For healing surgical incisions:  I blend helichrysum, frankincense and lavender in a 10% dilution in fractionated coconut oil to be applied directly to the incision.  Fractionated coconut oil is considered sterile and helichrysum, frankincense and lavender are well known for their skin-healing properties and are pain-relieving as well.  I often add another oil that has an affinity to the area that had surgery: carrot seed for liver, other seed oils (cardamom, angelica) for abdominal surgery or a leaf oil such as petitgrain for chest surgeries.  A blend of 4 oz works nicely to heal the incision and reduce scarring.  We'll blend for you - $19

For inflamed skin from radiation:  I blend helichrysum and blue yarrow or blue chamomile oils (about 2mls each)  in 4 oz of distilled water to spray over the affected area up to 6 times daily during radiation treatment and for a month following the treatment.  The oils are cooling, anti-inflammatory and also have pain-relieving properties that can help reduce the pain and irritation of the treatment.  We'll blend for you - $19

For fatigue: I blend clary sage with black spruce, pine or balsam fir along with sweet basil.  For women, I'll add a bit of geranium oil to the blend.  The black spruce, pine and fir oils all support the adrenal glands during what is a physically as well as emotionally stressful time.  We'll blend for you - 5ml $12

For nausea and abdominal pain or digestive upsets:  I blend coriander, sage, s. marjoram (or marigold), myrrh and helichrysum in equal parts to be applied over the abdomen.  We'll blend for you - 5ml $12.  Red mandarin over the abdomen calms and quiets an upset digestive tract.

For pain relief:  I blend powerful analgesic essential oils such as birch, black pepper, ginger, helichrysum, lavender or peppermint to apply topically with carrier oils.  See our Pain Relief Blend - 5ml   $19

To support the immune system:  I use bay laurel, inula graveolens or mountain savory in calophyllum carrier oil. All  have been shown to stimulate the immune system.  See our Immune Boost Blend - 5ml  $30.  For candida outbreaks, I blend 6 parts tea tree (or cajeput or MQV) to 4 parts bergamot and apply topically or use internally, if necessary.

Emotional support is no less important and essential oils are great for stress management (citruses, sandalwood, petitgrain/neroli), anxiety (bergamot, clary sage, rose, petitgrain/neroli) and even insomnia (spikenard, valerian or ylang ylang).  See our Stress Relief Blend (5ml $10) or we'll blend for you!

Please feel free to contact us regarding using essential oils for complementary cancer care:  email us at customersvc@omnessence.com or call us at 1-800-943-6846.