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INHALATION
Inhalation of essential
oils is rapid and deeply affects the physical and emotional bodies.
The most effective methods of inhalat ion
are:
SIMPLE INHALATION
The easiest method of
inhalation is to open a bottle, keeping it about 6-8 inches
under your nose and wafting the aroma up towards your nose with
your other hand. Be sure not to touch or breath on the oriface
or inside of cap as this will contaminate the contents and greatly
reduce the life-force of the oil(s).
Another easy method is
to simply place a drop of undiluted oil into your hand
(use only therapeutic-grade oils and only oils that are mild:
see Cautions).
Place a drop into your non-dominant hand, stir the oil clockwise
with the fore and middle fingers of your dominant hand to potentize
the oil with your body’s frequencies. Then lightly rub hands
together to disperse oil evenly, and finally, cup your hands
over your nose taking a small breath of the oil and wait a minute
to see how you respond. If you feel as if you can take in more,
take three deep breaths of the oil into your body. And remember,
when you apply oils to yourself or others with your hands, you
can take in the oils too by cupping your hands over your nose
and inhaling. Try Sage or Bergamot for depression,
Orange or Peace and Calming for stress relief
and relaxation, Eucalyptus, Peppermint or My-Grain
for migraine headaches.
DIFFUSION
Diffusion introduces essential oils into
the air for inhalat ion.
There a variety of diffusors ranging from simple evaporation
devices, vaporizers, humidifiers to glass nebulizers
which atomize oil into microscopic particles. The evaporation
method is best when no heat is applied to the oil. Lamp rings,
aroma lamps heated with tea lights and other devices that rely
upon heat for diffusion are the simplest way to diffuse essential
oils, but heat alters the chemical make-up of the oil, destroying
the life-force of the plant's essential constituents and thereby
it's therapeutic effect. They are fine for the simple enjoyment
of the fragrance, but are not the best method for therapeutic
applications. The best way to diffuse essential oils is with
a professional glass nebulizer.
Glass Nebulizers properly ionize and microscopically
size the essential oil molecules to ensure suspension
of the droplets in the air for long periods of time producing
maximum therapeutic benefit. A cold air diffuser uses room-temperature
air to blow the oil up against a glass nebulizer. This breaks
the oils up into a micro-fine mist that is then dispersed into
the air covering hundreds of square feet in seconds. The oils,
with their negative ions and oxygenating molecules, will reamin
suspended for several hours. Diffuse oils for only 15-20 minutes
at a time, wait awhile and diffuse again for 15-20 minutes.
Diffusion with a glass
nebulizer is especially recommended for any situation where the
lungs are involved, such as colds, flu, and respiratory
conditions, as well as to affect bacteria, viruses, pollution,
orders, etc. Several excellent models are available from Aroma
Therapeutix, ranging from room size to professional size. There
are many types of diffusers, but AromaTherapeutix models are
the best I've found as they are easy to clean and require only
about 10-12 drops of essential oils. Aroma Therpeautix has a
timer that turns the diffuser off and on for properly timed treatments.
They also have the Deluxe Model which allows continuous or intermittent
operation as well as a variable speed pump allowing you to control
how much oil is dispersed depending on the size of the room.
Call Aroma Therapeutix at 1-800-308-6284 for a catalog.
Diffuse or put in a humidifier
or vaporizer Eucalyptus, Raven or RC for respiratory
conditions. For colds and flu, diffuse Immupower
or Thieves. Use Purification for killing orders
and their bacteria, molds and fungus. Purification also
neutralizes mildew, cigarette smoke and other noxious odors,
and it repels bugs, insects and mice. Essential oils like peppermint,
lemon and frankincense are wonderful to add to humidifier
or vaporizers to oxygenate the air. ( For HUMIDIFIERS or VAPORIZERS,
please follow appliance instructions for adding essential oils.)
MISTS
Another fun and inexpensive
way to diffuse the oils into the air is by filling a 1 oz. spray
bottle with purified or distilled water, in which you have
added 10-15 drops of essential oil. Since oil does not mix with
water, shake the bottle vigorously before misting the contents.
Or first mix essential oils in a bit of vodka before adding
water to spray bottle then shake well. Spray up over the body
and let the mist fall all around you. Spray bottles of water
with a drop or two of Peppermint, Lemon, Orange or Spearmint
are refreshing sprayed in the mouth. Mister waters last from
1-2 weeks, so make small batches at a time. I prefer glass mister
bottles over plastic as there is no reaction with glass. I also
prefer clear glass misters rather than colored bottles so that
the color energy does not distort the life-force of the oils.
Clear glass does not protect the oils from sunlight, so once
again, make small batches and keep the misters in a cool, dark
location. For longer storage, use amber glass bottles and keep
refrigerated. Though the blue and green bottles are lovely, they
do not protect the oils from light. I also recommend using distilled
water that has been energized with crystal energy as the base
for your mister waters.
Spe cifically,
I recommend using Golden
'C' water for mister waters. This is water in which the
crystal energy of the Golden “C” crystal has been transmitted.
This crystal has the special elemental structure of 35% lithium,
61% beryllium and 4% gallium. There are no more of the original
14,000 crystals from the mine near San Diego, CA available for
sale, so we now make this water in concentrate form for others.
Just add 1-3 drops per 8 oz. of distilled or other purified water
and the water will be charged with the crystalline structure
of the Golden “C” crystal. There are many uses for
this water aside from the addition of essential oils.
OTHER METHODS OF INHALATION
Another wonderful way
to disperse essential oils is to put 1-2 drops on a handkerchief,
tissue or cotton ball. Most oil’s aromas evaporate from
fabric or a cotton ball in a day or two.
Place tissue or cotton
ball inside your pillowcase at night. As you sleep the
delicate aromas will drift in the air around your head. I find
this particularly lovely as while you are in the beta and theta
states of sleep, the oils can more easily make contact with your
system. While sleeping, you are more receptive to the frequencies
of the oils. I even have a special little pillow just for
applying essential oils. What a beautiful way to experience
the rich aromas of essential oils! Note: most oils stain, particularly
those such as blue tansy and blue chamomile, so expect your little
pillow to wear these stains with pride! When changing to another
oil, simply apply to a different spot on the pillow.
You can also put essential
oils on tissue, cotton balls or dampened cloth, and place it
in front of your home's heating/cooling vents.
Diffuse oils in your
car for a lovely
change of pace while driving. Rosemary and Peppermint
will refresh and focus the mind. Use Orange, Tangerine, Mandarin
or Grapefruit to cleanse the air. A simple method to diffuse
essential oils in your car is to take a piece of heavy paper
(preferably unbleached natural paper) and poke a hole through
it near the top. Tie a piece of cotton string through it and
attach to your rear-view window. Place a drop or two on the paper
and enjoy! Unglazed ceramics also absorb and diffuse essential
oils very well. Many are now available for car use. You can also
put a couple of drops on a cotton ball or tissue and stuff into
your vents of the car.
DIRECT APPLICATION
Just as inhalation through
the olfactory system creates a variety of specialized responses
in the body, direct application introduces essential oils to
the body by absorbtion through the skin.
Methods of direct application
include:
Pulse Points and Perfumes
Pulse points can
be found where a major artery runs close to the surface of the
skin. Customarily, perfume is dabbed on the wrist and neck pulse
points for quick dispersion of the aroma. Many therapeutic-grade
essential oils applied “neat” (undiluted) to pulse
points, create a lovely perfume. You may use either a single
oil, a masterfully created Young Living Essential Oil
blend, or a unique blend of your own. Suggestions of single oils
are Lavender for a light floral scent, Sandalwood,
a known aphrodisiac, or Patchouly as a musk. Many Young
Living Essential Oil blends make extraordinary perfumes.
Sensation, a blend of primarily Ylang-Ylang and
Rose, arouses and uplifts. Wear Citrus Fresh as
a light daytime perfume. Sacred Mountain, an earthy blend
of Spruce, Pine, Fir and Cedarwood, conjures up
a high mountain forest after a cool rain. A complex blend of
rare essential oils, White Angelica lifts one to a higher
spiritual plane.
Reflex Zones, Auricular
Therapy and Vita Flex Therapy
Reflex Zones are
areas on the skin that map to particular parts of the physical
body and emotions. Detailed zones of emotions and the physical
body are mapped on the hands, feet, ears and head. Reflexology
and Vita Flex Therapy address the feet and Auricular Therapy
concentrates on the ears. For example, the middle of the bottom
of the big toe connects to the pituitary gland. Sandalwood
and Frankincense and Myrrh have been shown to increase
oxygenation to not only the pituitary and pineal glands, but
to other areas of the body. Valor is recommended on the
feet to balance the electrical systems of the body and is always
applied before any emotional blends. There are several zones
on the body relating to emotions. The zone of fear responds favorably
to the single oils of Bergamot and Ylang Ylang and the Young
Living Essential Oil blends of Hope and White Angelica. Hope,
Joy or Bergamot soothe when applied to the grief zone. Reflex
zones offer wonderful possibilities for non-invasive contact
with the emotional and physical systems of the body.
Acupuncture Points and
Meridians
Acupuncture points and merdians respond beautifully
to therapeutic-grade. Use Rosemary, Peppermint or Young
Living's Clarity on Spleen 2 or 3 on the big toe to clear
the mind and prepare for mental activities. Release on
any meridian will help clear its corresponding organ. To nourish
the heart, use Joy on Heart 7 or the entire heart meridian.
Fir and the blends of Raven and RC are beneficial
for respiratory conditions when applied to the Lung meridian.
On the bladder meridian Release is useful for the final
clearing of both the physical and emotional bodies.
Chakras
Chakras are spinning vortexes of energy
which both take in and emit life-force energy. There are 8 main
chakras down the centerline of the body from the top of the head
to the bottom of the torso. When all chakras are spinning evenly
and in concert with one another, the physical, emotional, mental
and spiritual systems of the body are in balance. Therapeutic-grade
emotional blends are excellent for balancing and blending the
chakras. Harmony and Sandalwood open the chakras.
The solar plexus responds beautifully to Juniper, the
heart to Rose or the blend of Joy, the brow or
3rd eye chakra to Awaken and Dream Catcher and
the crown to Sacred Mountain and 3 Wise Men. Young
Living emotional blends on the chakras offer infinite possibilities
for deep and lasting shifts.
Compresses
Compresses are the only time water is recommended
for applying essential oils. Water drives the oils into the
skin, so care must be taken in choosing essential oils using
this method. See CAUTIONS.
Hot chest compresses using
RC, Raven or Fir are useful for congestion.
A warm compress of Di-Tone on the stomach and colon can
help to relieve digestive disturbances. A cool compress
of Peppermint or Eucalyptus on the forehead may
help to relieve a headache and migraine.
To prepare a compress,
fill a bowl with hot, warm or cold water and add 3-6 drops
an essential oil. Stir with your hand to disperse the oil over
the top of the water. Lay a clean, cotton wash cloth or toweling
on top of the water letting the water saturate the cloth. Wring
out most of the water and lay over the appropriate area of the
body. If using a hot or warm compress, lay dry towels over the
wet compress and then cover with as many layers of heavy blankets
as you can to contain the heat. For a longer hot compress, lay
a hot water bottle or heating pad between the dry towels and
blanket layers. A quick compress consists of applying
the appropriate oils on the body with your hands and then cover
with a hot or cold wet towel as appropriate. For hot compresses
continue as described above. |
1-13-05
