The Season is once again upon us. So much to do, and so many people to take care of. Through all the chaos, we'd like to always to a little something special to bring extra cheer to our gatherings of friends and family...but how? Ever tried 'real' aromatherapy? Not just a potpourri in the bathroom, or lemon-scented detergent. Real aromatherapy with pure essential oils. It can make a difference, creating a warm, friendly, familial atmosphere inspiring a smile on everyone's faces. There may even be some health supporting side effects as well, just from smelling something good...
Natural aromatics have been used as mood lifters and to create warm and comfortable atmospheres for many years. Thousands, even. The methods are tried and true. Our olfactory sense and our psyche have an affinity for things that smell nice. Science says they even make us healthier - essential oils have been shown to lower stress levels, blood pressure, help us get better rest and even make us stop fighting - well, they've been shown to stop rats from fighting, anyway. We can hope for the best when using them in our own homes!
Using essential oils as means to create an uplifting atmosphere is very straightforward. Selecting the oils may be the hardest part, as there's so many to choose from (we'll look at a few effective ones shortly). You can get just a single oil, or mix and match several to your liking. You'll even find pre-blended ones that are popular this time of year. Beyond the oils themselves, you'll need an aromatherapy diffuser - something that evaporates the oils into the air. Diffusers are available in several varieties, from basic warming models, to high-end therapeutic units.
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.
As for the essential oils - it's especially delightful that the scents of the season have several timely qualities. Perhaps the most popular are the 'evergreen' oils like Balsam Fir, Spruce and Juniper Berry. These are all uplifting, bright aromatics that also have grounding, calming properties. Balsam Fir may be the favorite, with its complex, sweet, balsamic and woody scent; Black Spruce follows a close second, and Juniper Berry, when of fine quality, is also very well-loved. Pine needle is also a wonderful aroma, coming in the more common Scots Pine, with its simple 'piney' brilliance, and the more complex and exotic Pinus kessia. A fantastic feature of the evergreen oils is that they blend together so nicely. You may chose any two or more of the above, and blend them at almost any ratio and come out with something smelling really good.
If you're wishing to bring a little more exotic scents into your home, the oils of Frankincense, Myrrh and Sandalwood are perfect choices - aromas that have been used extensively for both their psychological and physiological health benefits for ages. These are grounding oils, one's that are known for bringing peace and stillness. Frankincense is both bright and earthy at the same time, with its citrus and woody notes. Myrrh is more hypnotic and mysterious, useful in small amounts. Sandalwood is a classic favorite with both sweet and woody notes, with lovely varieties coming from India, Australia and the South Pacific. These oils can be blended together, or added in small amounts to one or more of the evergreen oils for a pleasant combination.
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. - 16492
Natural aromatics have been used as mood lifters and to create warm and comfortable atmospheres for many years. Thousands, even. The methods are tried and true. Our olfactory sense and our psyche have an affinity for things that smell nice. Science says they even make us healthier - essential oils have been shown to lower stress levels, blood pressure, help us get better rest and even make us stop fighting - well, they've been shown to stop rats from fighting, anyway. We can hope for the best when using them in our own homes!
Using essential oils as means to create an uplifting atmosphere is very straightforward. Selecting the oils may be the hardest part, as there's so many to choose from (we'll look at a few effective ones shortly). You can get just a single oil, or mix and match several to your liking. You'll even find pre-blended ones that are popular this time of year. Beyond the oils themselves, you'll need an aromatherapy diffuser - something that evaporates the oils into the air. Diffusers are available in several varieties, from basic warming models, to high-end therapeutic units.
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.
As for the essential oils - it's especially delightful that the scents of the season have several timely qualities. Perhaps the most popular are the 'evergreen' oils like Balsam Fir, Spruce and Juniper Berry. These are all uplifting, bright aromatics that also have grounding, calming properties. Balsam Fir may be the favorite, with its complex, sweet, balsamic and woody scent; Black Spruce follows a close second, and Juniper Berry, when of fine quality, is also very well-loved. Pine needle is also a wonderful aroma, coming in the more common Scots Pine, with its simple 'piney' brilliance, and the more complex and exotic Pinus kessia. A fantastic feature of the evergreen oils is that they blend together so nicely. You may chose any two or more of the above, and blend them at almost any ratio and come out with something smelling really good.
If you're wishing to bring a little more exotic scents into your home, the oils of Frankincense, Myrrh and Sandalwood are perfect choices - aromas that have been used extensively for both their psychological and physiological health benefits for ages. These are grounding oils, one's that are known for bringing peace and stillness. Frankincense is both bright and earthy at the same time, with its citrus and woody notes. Myrrh is more hypnotic and mysterious, useful in small amounts. Sandalwood is a classic favorite with both sweet and woody notes, with lovely varieties coming from India, Australia and the South Pacific. These oils can be blended together, or added in small amounts to one or more of the evergreen oils for a pleasant combination.
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. - 16492
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
