This time of year, we're often on the lookout for those extra touches that can make the season special. The unique decorations, flowers, wreaths, and candles all add a little something to our lives and the lives of our family. How far we go in creating the right space can have a significant impact on the overall enjoyment and shared gratitude of our loved ones. So what little something could you use this year that's simple, inexpensive and would go a long way to creating a special space? Real aromatherapy using pure essential oils is a wonderful way to do it that might just have the side effect of promoting your family's health and wellness, too.
Essential oils offer a totally unique and effective means of creating a warm, familial atmosphere with relative ease. Our hearts and minds respond to aromas before we even 'think' about them. Before we're able to decide whether we like or don't like a particular smell, our body is already reacting physiologically. In the case of aromatherapy, we're generally concerned with pleasant, healthy mind/body responses to aroma (and we'll be discussing the strictly emotional and psychological aspects of aromatherapy here, saving its extremely important roll in our physical health for another time). In scientific studies, the simple aromatic use of pure essential oils has been shown to lower cortisol levels, lower blood pressure, and promote endorphin release...they've even been shown to prevent rats from fighting. Imagine what they can do for your family!
Getting started with aromatherapy is a very simple process - you'll need just a bottle of essential oil (single or blended - we'll get to some suggestions in a moment) and a means to diffuse the aroma into your living space. Many great 'seasonal' essential oils are available at local health food stores or over the internet. Essential oil diffusers are often found at the same stores, with a wide selection of prices and style to suit your needs.
Diffusing essential oils, which really means evaporating them from their oil state into the air around you, can be done in a number of ways. The least complex of all might be making your own potpourri, adding several drops of oils to the bowl or basket. Other folks add a few drops of oil to pinecones and place them about the house. Using this diffusion method, you may want to mix a small amount of a vegetable oil with the essential oil, as to slow the oil's evaporation rate, and lengthen the time you'll be enjoying the aromas. As for the more modern devices, there are warming diffusers which just plug into an outlet and evaporate the oil from a cotton pad. There are 'fan' models which blow air over a similar, but often larger pad. Then there are the high-end units of nebulizing diffusers which make a mist of the essential oils to get higher concentrations into larger areas. ANY of these will work for making your home smell lovely for the holidays; if you think you may want to pursue aromatherapy in the future, you may consider investing in a nebulizer-style diffuser, as they generally have a more broad range of therapeutic possibilities.
And now for the fun part - the essential oils. There are SO many to choose from, and you may start by just browsing sites on the internet which will often have listings of over a hundred oils available. Here we'll have a look at just a few of the favorites for this time of year. Perhaps the most popular are the 'needle' oils, distilled from the needles and twigs of evergreen trees. Balsam Fir is especially nice, with a lightly complex aroma of both high and middle notes. Black Spruce is another favorite, much for the same reason - their sweetness is quite uplifting, and their complexity keeps us interested. Juniper berry, while not strictly a 'needle' oil is also wonderfully bright and uplifting. While some find it a bit strong on its own, it blends very well with other essential oils distilled from evergreens.
Even somewhat more traditional for the season can be the more resinous oils of Frankincense, Sandalwood and Myrrh. These tend to be more earthy and grounding than the evergreen oils, perhaps a little more calming - exactly what many homes are in need of right about now. Each has unique characteristics: nice Frankincense will have both bright citrus notes and deeper woody notes. Sandalwood is a little softer, and is well known for its calming effects. Myrrh can be slightly sharper (look for a good quality one for the smoothest aroma) with a special scent and calming quality of its own. These three oils can successfully be blended together quite easily (try 2 parts Frankincense, 2 parts Sandalwood, 1 part Myrrh) or blend any one of them in small amounts with the evergreen oil of your choice.
There are of course over a hundred common essential oils to choose from. French Lavender or Roman Chamomile can be useful to calming the little ones - and maybe help you sleep better. Cedarwood, spice oils like Clove, Cinnamon (in small amounts) and Cardamom, or the brightening citrus oils of Sweet Orange, Tangerine, Bergamot and Petitigrain are popular, wonderful choices. Many blends can be found with these oils, or, if you prefer creating your own aroma, buy a little of each and mix up some small test batches. Start slowly, as pure oils seem to have their best effect when their aromas are just pleasantly noticed, rather than overwhelming. With a little practice and intuition, you'll be able to create your home's personal flavor for the season.
You really only need a small amount of pure essential oil to make your home a happy, healthy and comfortable space. One small bottle and a diffuser will do wonders. If you're feeling more adventurous, you can mix and match as your olfactory sense desires, seeing how you and your family respond to the tried-and-true effects of pure essential oils. Almost certainly, they're bound to have a positive effect on your holiday season. - 14130
Essential oils offer a totally unique and effective means of creating a warm, familial atmosphere with relative ease. Our hearts and minds respond to aromas before we even 'think' about them. Before we're able to decide whether we like or don't like a particular smell, our body is already reacting physiologically. In the case of aromatherapy, we're generally concerned with pleasant, healthy mind/body responses to aroma (and we'll be discussing the strictly emotional and psychological aspects of aromatherapy here, saving its extremely important roll in our physical health for another time). In scientific studies, the simple aromatic use of pure essential oils has been shown to lower cortisol levels, lower blood pressure, and promote endorphin release...they've even been shown to prevent rats from fighting. Imagine what they can do for your family!
Getting started with aromatherapy is a very simple process - you'll need just a bottle of essential oil (single or blended - we'll get to some suggestions in a moment) and a means to diffuse the aroma into your living space. Many great 'seasonal' essential oils are available at local health food stores or over the internet. Essential oil diffusers are often found at the same stores, with a wide selection of prices and style to suit your needs.
Diffusing essential oils, which really means evaporating them from their oil state into the air around you, can be done in a number of ways. The least complex of all might be making your own potpourri, adding several drops of oils to the bowl or basket. Other folks add a few drops of oil to pinecones and place them about the house. Using this diffusion method, you may want to mix a small amount of a vegetable oil with the essential oil, as to slow the oil's evaporation rate, and lengthen the time you'll be enjoying the aromas. As for the more modern devices, there are warming diffusers which just plug into an outlet and evaporate the oil from a cotton pad. There are 'fan' models which blow air over a similar, but often larger pad. Then there are the high-end units of nebulizing diffusers which make a mist of the essential oils to get higher concentrations into larger areas. ANY of these will work for making your home smell lovely for the holidays; if you think you may want to pursue aromatherapy in the future, you may consider investing in a nebulizer-style diffuser, as they generally have a more broad range of therapeutic possibilities.
And now for the fun part - the essential oils. There are SO many to choose from, and you may start by just browsing sites on the internet which will often have listings of over a hundred oils available. Here we'll have a look at just a few of the favorites for this time of year. Perhaps the most popular are the 'needle' oils, distilled from the needles and twigs of evergreen trees. Balsam Fir is especially nice, with a lightly complex aroma of both high and middle notes. Black Spruce is another favorite, much for the same reason - their sweetness is quite uplifting, and their complexity keeps us interested. Juniper berry, while not strictly a 'needle' oil is also wonderfully bright and uplifting. While some find it a bit strong on its own, it blends very well with other essential oils distilled from evergreens.
Even somewhat more traditional for the season can be the more resinous oils of Frankincense, Sandalwood and Myrrh. These tend to be more earthy and grounding than the evergreen oils, perhaps a little more calming - exactly what many homes are in need of right about now. Each has unique characteristics: nice Frankincense will have both bright citrus notes and deeper woody notes. Sandalwood is a little softer, and is well known for its calming effects. Myrrh can be slightly sharper (look for a good quality one for the smoothest aroma) with a special scent and calming quality of its own. These three oils can successfully be blended together quite easily (try 2 parts Frankincense, 2 parts Sandalwood, 1 part Myrrh) or blend any one of them in small amounts with the evergreen oil of your choice.
There are of course over a hundred common essential oils to choose from. French Lavender or Roman Chamomile can be useful to calming the little ones - and maybe help you sleep better. Cedarwood, spice oils like Clove, Cinnamon (in small amounts) and Cardamom, or the brightening citrus oils of Sweet Orange, Tangerine, Bergamot and Petitigrain are popular, wonderful choices. Many blends can be found with these oils, or, if you prefer creating your own aroma, buy a little of each and mix up some small test batches. Start slowly, as pure oils seem to have their best effect when their aromas are just pleasantly noticed, rather than overwhelming. With a little practice and intuition, you'll be able to create your home's personal flavor for the season.
You really only need a small amount of pure essential oil to make your home a happy, healthy and comfortable space. One small bottle and a diffuser will do wonders. If you're feeling more adventurous, you can mix and match as your olfactory sense desires, seeing how you and your family respond to the tried-and-true effects of pure essential oils. Almost certainly, they're bound to have a positive effect on your holiday season. - 14130
About the Author:
Organic, wildcrafted and pure essential oils are truly magic gifts from nature. Essential oils have been used as medicines for thousands of years. For more, visit www.anandaapothecary.com
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