ESSENTIAL OIL

Lavender

By David Crow, L.Ac.

Lavender is one of the most well-known, versatile, and extensively used essential oils in the world. When we use lavender essential oil we receive the blessings of the feminine, because lavender could be described as an angel of healing from the floral realm, and an expression of the earth's compassion.

Lavender has a long history of use. Originally, it was an herb used primarily in European herbology, but it has now spread worldwide. When one thinks of lavender oil cultivation, images of Provence in the south of France may come to mind, where it has been grown for centuries. But lavender has migrated across the globe, and is now at home in places as diverse as northern California, New Zealand, Kashmir, and the Himalayan states of India. Because demand for high quality organic oil is high, lavender is an ecological crop that provides income for many people. Lavender cultivation is also a source of ecotourism, as people are naturally drawn to the beauty and peaceful atmosphere where it is grown.

What is the fragrance of lavender? One who is unfamiliar with the aromatic world might assume that all lavender oils are the same, but there are hundreds of species and varieties that create oils with different perfume notes, as well as differences produced by the soil, water, and climate. In general, lavender has a soft, sweet, and floral aroma. However, depending on the quality and place of origin, it can reveal a wide range of other scents, including hints of spiciness, fruity undertones, and green and herbaceous notes. When one smells lavenders from different places, it is easy to imagine the different elements that influence the plant: the hot summer Mediterranean days,the icy mountain winters, the spring rains.

Therapeutically, lavender oil is one of the most versatile and safest of all essential oils. Its wide spectrum of benefits can be summed up as calmative and relaxing, cooling and anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and immune enhancing, and hormone balancing. Lavender enhances the healing powers of the body: it is effective against colds, flus, and infections, and is used specifically for burns. It has pain-reducing properties, which, because of its feminine nature, are more pronounced in women than men. Lavender's pleasing fragrance and skin-regenerating benefits make it one of the most commonly used oils in cosmetic and body products.

Lavender is safe and effective for children, who are more sensitive than adults and therefore more susceptible to its soothing influence. Used in diffusers in the home, it creates a background scent that calms hyperactivity, excitability, and irritability of both parents and children.

How would yogis and yoginis use lavender? In Ayurvedic terms, the effect of lavender oil could be described as pacifying to the vata (calms, relaxes, and restores the nervous system) and cooling to the pitta (anti-inflammatory). It is a highly sattvic oil, meaning that it purifies aggravated emotional states and helps bring mental peace.

Use a few drops in a diffuser at the end of asana practice to make the transition into a calm state of rest. A few drops in a bath afterwards will refresh the mind and support the purifying effects of the asanas. If you are sitting down to meditate after a busy day, sprinkle a few drops of oil on your palms and inhale the fragrance. This will assist in making the transition from an active state of outwardly-focused sensory stimulation to an inward state of absorption and mental serenity.

Sprinkle a few drops on the pillow and sheets before starting yoga nidra, yogic sleep. The fragrance of lavender will make it easy to imagine beautiful scenery and peaceful visions before drifting into sleep. The combination of this fragrance with meditative sleep will give deep rest to those suffering from insomnia, and will assist in waking up refreshed and renewed.

 

The next time you stop to smell a rose, imagine that its deep, rich floral fragrance is a gift from nature to your heart and soul. In her generosity, the earth has blessed us with over five thousand varieties of this beautiful flower. However, only a few give the world-renowned treasure sought by perfumers: the oil of rose.

The most famous of the roses is the pink-red Damascus rose. This rose is legendary for the exquisite aroma of its oil. In Bulgaria’s Valley of Roses, this rose and the white rose are cultivated side by side, as their companionship strengthens each others resistance to harsh weather and disease.

Roses, like all flowers, have a biorhythm that dictates their cycles of blossoming and production of fragrance molecules. The harvesting of roses for distillation begins in the early dawn at the time the Vedas call Brahma muhurta, God's time, as the peak production of oil in the petals is in these pre-dawn hours. Roses produce their maximum levels of damascenone, the primary molecule of rose fragrance,on the mornings of the full moon.

Ayurveda observes that the full moon radiates a special kind of energy, called soma, which is said to have a cooling, nourishing, and relaxing effect on the mind and body. It is fascinating to consider the biological connections between the cooling influence of the moon's rays, the biorhythmic production of damascenone molecules in roses according to the moon, and the effects of rose oil, which, like soma, are cooling and relaxing to the mind and body.

This, then, is one way to think of the feminine oil of roses: it is the moonlight absorbed by the flowers, the dew on their petals at dawn, and the flavors of the soils in which they grow. It is a well-known fact among farmers and perfumers that organically cultivated roses produce a superior oil, while those raised with synthetic pesticides and fertilizers lose the essence of soma. A pure rose oil from healthy soma-rich roses is an elixir for ojas, the nutritional essence that supports the immune system. Rose oil is tridoshic, meaning that any body type can use it without concern for causing physiological imbalances.

As we are in the Thanksgiving season, it would be appropriate to mention a few statistics about rose oil as we savor its aroma. It requires 1,400,000 handpicked blossoms to produce a liter of oil. A single ounce of the oil contains the essence of 40,000 blossoms, and sixty-seven blossoms give only one drop. If we remember these numbers as we inhale the precious perfume, we will naturally feel a sense of gratitude toward all those who have labored hard to bring us such a treasure.

There is an analogy between this labor and the symbolic meanings of rose in spiritual traditions. Rose oil is a gift of healing and joy from the flowers, but this essence does not come easily. Likewise, roses symbolize the open heart filled with love and sattvic consciousness, which, like a gradual alchemical distillation process, must be cultivated with yogic diligence, sincerity, and mindfulness. Roses are also a paradoxical symbol for the apparent duality of worldly and spiritual realms: they represent the essence of purity, innocence, and sattvic qualities, yet their oil is also one of the most famous ingredients in alluring and sensual perfumes. Like the symbolism of lotuses, which are said to open their radiant petals above the mud of worldly concerns, roses offer their enticing beauty, but warn us of the dangers of samsara with their thorns.

There are many ways for yogis and yoginis to use rose oil to enhance their practice, all of them enjoyable. A drop applied to the heart, throat, or third eye centers deepens any meditation, especially those contemplations that develop love and compassion. Rose has renowned powers as a sexual rejuvenator and romantic aphrodisiac; it is the perfect anointing oil for yourself and your beloved before tantric lovemaking, helping to transform the impulses of sexual gratification into deeper levels of emotional intimacy. An application of rose oil as a simple perfume is an antidote to the rajasic aggravation that disturbs the mind when we follow the news too closely, something to remember in this election month. A few drops of oil or a sprinkling of fresh petals on the bath restores equanimity and joy lost in the course of a typical modern workday.

Wearing this exquisite oil is not only a treat to yourself; everyone you come in contact with will be affected positively by the aura of this sublime flower. Remember this the next time you stop to smell a rose.

Over two thousand years ago, three sages made their way across the desert, following celestial signs. Among the various gifts they carried for the newly incarnated Avatar was a collection of resinous tears, one of the most sacred substances and valued medicines of the time. Ever since then, frankincense has been remembered as a fragrance associated with the Christian holidays.

Frankincense comes from northeastern African countries and the Arabian Peninsula. The primary producing areas are Somalia, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Dofar Valley of Oman is considered to be the source of the highest quality frankincense resin, which is harvested by Beduin nomads.

Frankincense is one of the world's oldest and most famous items of commerce. For over a thousand years, the resin has been carried by camel caravan from the remote harvesting regions in the desert to the far corners of Asia. Navigating by stars, the ancient traders made their way across the sands of the Sahara, following a network of secret cisterns built to collect the precious scanty rain. Every year large shipments of the treasured resin tears found their way into the cities of northern Africa, to be sold in markets from Rome to Beijing.

There are numerous species and varieties of frankincense trees, each producing a slightly different type of resin. Differences in soil and climate create even more diversity in the resin, even within the same species. In some places the desert environment is so harsh that the trees grow directly out of marble rock; the resin from these hardy survivors is considered superior.

To harvest frankincense, the outer bark of the tree is cut with a metal knife, causing the resin to bleed out. A few weeks later the harvesters return, gather the resin tears that have flowed from the tree, sort them into different grades, and store them in caves. The highest quality frankincense is in the tears which are almost pure white.

Frankincense is highly valued for its medicinal powers. Oleoresins are a part of a trees immune system, secreted to protect it from herbivores, insects, and fungal pathogens. Resins also speed the healing of wounds to the tree, which is why the sap flows when the bark is cut. In a similar way, frankincense has medicinal functions related to enhancing human immunity and supporting rapid healing. Frankincense has been used historically for treating respiratory infections,regenerating the skin, and for treating wounds, bruising, and scars. The resin of Boswelia Serrata, Indian frankincense, is now widely used for its anti-arthritic and anti-inflammatory properties; these functions were well-known in Ayurveda long before the discovery and isolation of boswelic acids, the active compounds.

Frankincense is the most universally known temple incense. When burned on a censor, the resin gives a sweet pine-like smoke, which purifies the atmosphere and uplifts the spirit. Foul odors have always been regarded as a sign of evil spirits, which could be interpreted in modern scientific terms as the presence of pathogenic microbes. Frankincense has confirmed antibacterial properties, which can remove these disease-causing spirits. In medieval times, the fumigation of churches with frankincense was as much an antiseptic function as a spiritual one, since most people were filthy from lack of sanitation. Many spiritual practices, including those taught in Ayuveda and the yogic traditions, are actually derived from hygienic methods.

How can yogis and yoginis use and enjoy frankincense? A few drops of high-quality frankincense oil can be applied to the palms, rubbed together, and inhaled. This produces an instantaneous clearing of the sinuses and a strong activation of the prana entering the brain and lungs. Frankincense essential oil can be mixed with a carrier oil such as coconut or sesame and applied to sore joints and stiff muscles. A few drops of the oil can be sprinkled on a hot wet towel and applied to the chest for opening and stimulating the respiratory system.

To express their devotion, meditators could offer a tear of resin or a drop of essential oil on a charcoal placed on their altar; the fragrance is pleasing to the hearts and minds of humans and deities alike. We might like to adopt a simple practice from Arabic cultures: honored guests are greeted by sprinkling a few shavings of the family's finest frankincense on a coal, producing a cloud of smoke that the guest then uses to wash himself before entering. These types of simple practices promote inner peace, improve health, increase social harmony, and remind us of our common spiritual ancestry, which in turn are the foundation for creating peace on earth.

Vetiver: I am the Fragrance of the Soil

By David Crow, L.Ac.

All creatures are born of the earth, and nourished by her rich flavors. I am the fragrance of the soil, Lord Krishna proclaims in the Bhagavat Gita, reminding us of God's life-giving presence within the most humble of the elements. 

Every plant absorbs the prana (life force) and ojas (nutritive essence) of the soil into its body, transforming them into foods, medicines, and oils for the benefit of other beings. Yet none capture the subtle complexities of the earth's mysterious fragrances as completely as vetiver grass, known in India as khus. 

Khus (Vetiveriazizanioides) is a grass that grows up to six feet high. Vetiver's deeply penetrating roots and thousands of tiny fibrous rootlets reach out to drink in the aromatic molecules from the surrounding soil, which in turn become the multi- layered perfume notes of its dark amber oil. Sweet and heavy, with rich undertones reminiscent of precious woods and marshlands, the oil has widely varied olfactory characteristics depending on the type of earth it grows in. Because of the diversity of compounds present in different soils, vetiver oil is one of the most biochemically complex of all essential oils. Silently enjoying a secret banquet, only the plants know that the soil is a feast of flavors. 

Vetiver grows primarily in Indonesia, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, and India. In India the grass grows wild in many areas, and it is often harvested as a cash crop by nomadic tribal people. The roots are woven into sweet-smelling sleeping mats, and hung as curtains in desert homes; when the fierce hot winds blow, people sprinkle water on these curtains, which then release their cooling vapor into the air. 

Khus oil has been used in the perfume trade for centuries. One of the most unusual, rare, and unique of the vetiver oils is ruh khus. The ruh (an Arabic word meaning essence) of khus is distilled from the wild roots that grow in the blazing expanses of Rajasthan's deserts. After the roots are carefully dried, they are slowly reconstituted while immersed in water during hydro-distillation. Another beloved vetiver preparation is khus attar, which is created by repeatedly distilling the fragrant steam of vetiver roots into sandalwood oil. The preparation of these aromatic treasures is a vanishing art and science. 

Ayurvedic medicine describes vetiver oil as cooling to pitta (anti-inflammatory), yet pacifying to vata (calming and comforting to the mind). A traditional method of using the root is to apply it as a paste, which reduces fevers and cools the body. Used in massage oils, its relaxing effects spread through the skin and muscles into the deeper levels of the nervous system, helping to counteract nervousness, stress, and exhaustion. The relaxing fragrance of the roots stabilizes concentration and works as a rejuvenating tonic. Vetiver is considered to have mild estrogen-like effects that are balancing for a woman's hormones; it is used in lotions for enhancing fullness of the breasts. Vetiver oil is used in cosmetic products for its skin-regenerating powers, which make it helpful for counteracting aging of the skin and preventing stretch marks after pregnancy. It is an ingredient in liniments used for rheumatic pains and arthritis, and a compassionately soothing remedy for enthusiastic yogis who strain their muscles and joints with excessive asana practice. 

Through purification and regeneration, plants cure diseases of the earth's ecological terrain in the same way that they cure diseases of the body's inner terrain. Vetiver grass is one of the world's most important botanical solutions for a wide range of environmental problems. Its deep roots hold the topsoil and prevent its erosion by wind and water. These roots also capture the rain and percolate it into the soil, preventing runoff, recharging depleted groundwater, and bringing springs back to life. Like many other plants, vetiver has amazing metabolic powers that allow it to thrive in polluted environments and digest the endless stream of man-made poisons that we dump everywhere. Because the grass has a special appetite for pesticides and agricultural toxins, it is now used in over a hundred countries for phytoremediation purposes, helping to cleanse the environment in the same way that medicinal plants detoxify the organs of the body.

Vetiver is beloved to perfumers, esteemed by traditional physicians, and appreciated by people who need its healing virtues. It is also a great friend to farmers, who use it as mulch for improving the fertility of the soil; animals, too, are pleased with finding the sweet grass in their meal. It gives livelihood to nomadic tribal people, and it is a treasure to alchemists who distill its rich essence. Vetiver is only a simple grass, yet its multitude of benefits and its earthy aroma reminds us that we need not look far to find the life-giving powers and presence of the Creator. 

The Seven Best Ways of Using Essential Oils
for Health and Healing

1) Inhalations

This is the use of essential oils on hot compress, in diffusers, or in hot water for inhalation. Standard dose is 10 drops. Best for respiratory and sinus, headaches. Caution: prolonged inhalation of concentrated essential oils can cause headaches, vertigo, dizziness, nausea, and lethargy

2) Baths

The best way to use essential oils in the bath is to mix them first with salts or an emulsifier such as milk or sesame oil. Aromatic bath salts disperse the oils safely into the water, and milk and sesame oil emulsify the essential oil so that it disperses. Without salts or an emulsifier, drops of essential oils will float on the water and then get directly on the skin. Combined with the heat of the water, this can cause dermotoxicity, especially if the oils are of a heating nature. Oils that should be avoided in the bath include spicy oils such as cinnamon oil, oregano oil, thyme oil, and tulsi; phototoxic oils such as citruses, especially bergamot oil; and those with specific irritant potential such as lemongrass oil. The oils that are generally considered mild and safe for bath are lavender oil, clary sage oil, rose oil, geranium oil, frankincense oil, sandalwood oil, eucalyptus oil, and conifers such as cedar oil, fir oil, pine oil, pinon pine essential oil, spruce oil, and juniper oil to name a few. A generally safe dose is 5 - 10 drops, mixed with 1/2 to 1 cup of salt or emulsifier. Aromatic baths are excellent for skin problems, circulatory problems, respiratory symptoms, stress and nervous tension, insomnia, muscular and menstrual pains. Caution: overuse of essential oils in the bath can cause irritation. Use only mild, non-irritating oils for bath, such as lavender oil and clary sage oil.

3) Compresses

10 drops oil in 4 oz hot water, soak cloth, wrap.

Good for bruises, wounds, muscular aches and pains, dysmenorrhea, skin problems.

4) Facial steam

1 - 5 drops on hot water in a pot, cover head with a towel, steam face. Excellent for opening sinuses, headaches, skin treatment.

5) Massage

Pure essential oils are about 70 times more concentrated than the whole plant. Dilutions are typically 2% - 10%. For adults, a 2.5% dilution is recommended for most purposes. For children under 12, 1% is generally safe. A 2.5% blend for a 1 ounce bottle of carrier oil is 15 drops of essential oil.

1% blend = 6 drops per oz

2% blend = 12 drops per oz

3% blend = 18 drops per oz

5% blend = 30 drops per oz

10% blend = 60 drops per oz

Floracopeia infuses oils of jasmine, neroli, rose and vanilla with marula oil for our different massage oil blends.

6) Direct Palm Inhalation

Caution: This method of use should only be done with oils that can be safely applied to the skin (see the toxicology and safety section below). Apply 1-2 drops of oil to the palms, rub together gently and inhale deeply. This is an excellent method of use for a quick and easy exposure to the anti-microbial and other therapeutic uses of essential oils.

7) Diffusers    

There are various types of diffusers on the market, with different advantages and disadvantages.

Candle diffusers

Usually a heat resistant vessel for water and essential oils, and a heat resistant platform that holds the vessel over a small candle.

Advantages: very simple to use; provides light background fragrancing

Disadvantages: does not produce strong concentration for therapeutic benefits.

Electric heat diffusers

Small absorbent pads are placed inside of a heating chamber with ventilation that allows the aromatic compounds to evaporate into the surrounding air.

Advantages: easy to use; minimal maintenance; can diffuse thicker oils.

Disadvantages: heat damages some aromatic compounds

Cool air nebulizing diffusers

A system that uses air pressure generated by a compressing unit to vaporize the essential oils. A glass nebulizing bulb serves as a condenser, allowing only the finest particles of the essential oil to escape into the air.

Advantages: strong diffusion maximizes therapeutic benefits in respiratory conditions.

Disadvantages: diffusers need to be cleaned regularly. More viscous oils cannot be diffused (such as sandalwood oil or ylang ylang oil).

Timers Electric heat and cool air nebulizers can be purchased with timers, to produce intermittent diffusion. This reduces the amount of oil consumed, and prevents over-saturation in a room.