Essential oils & their essential benefits
Basil
This tender herb found on the kitchen tops of many south Asian homes is known for its medicinal value. The aromatic oil derived from the leaves of this herb improves the functioning of the mind, by providing clarity, improving concentration and alertness during times of mental fatigue and strengthening self-confidence. It relieves the tension of the head, enhances and improves mood, relieves stress, and boosts the immune system. It is no wonder then that it is used in culinary delicacies around south and central Asia!
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Peppermint
This refreshing herb has been around since the 1500s. The use of its essential oil is known to improve mental clarity and focus by lifting the fog in the brain. It has been used by traditional healers to heal the solar plexus chakra. Medicinally, it helps to clear the respiratory tract, relieves muscle and joint pains, and reduces headaches. It is a natural energizer, and its oil has been used in preventing infections and improving digestion.
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Rosemary
A humble herb with a powerful twist. Rosemary has been used traditionally in western cooking for centuries. Greek scholars would wear a crown made of this herb to improve memory. It is no wonder that its properties help in the development of knowledge, improving brain activity, elevating the intellect and elevating mental confusion. It also helps in giving strength during change and facing unknown challenges. It is a strong antioxidant that helps in elevating your mood and giving clarity. It is also known to cleanses the aura, purify the environment from negative energies, and give protection from negative energies.
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Clarysage
Clarysage means ‘clear eyes’ in Latin. This medicinal plant with lavender colored flowers is known as a magical cure-all herb and has high hormonal benefits. It helps in easing period cramps and menopause in women. It also helps in childbirth and reducing post-partum depression and anxiety, as well as insomnia. It is a very great cleanser to remove negativity and evil eye from the environment. It helps in balancing the negative atmosphere in the house, relationships, workplaces, family and the environment. The name ‘oil for purification’ therefore befits this tiny but useful herb.
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Cinnamon
Cinnamon is produced from the bark of an ever-green tree found in Srilanka, Myanmar and India. Its oil is used for blessing and bringing good luck. It is great for rejuvenating oneself, improving the overall immune system and reliving depression. Use cinnamon when some extra strength is needed to face those day to day challenges.
Caution! – It is not safe for a pregnant woman and a woman who is breast feeding.
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Lemon
This common fruit from the citrus family adds the zest to life. Just like its tantalizing effect on our taste buds, the oil of lemon is energizing and revitalizing for the spirit. It has a cooling effect within the body and mind, promoting mental clarity and uplifting the mood. It is safe for pregnant and breast-feeding mothers (please consult your physician before use). It detoxifies the body and stimulates the immune system. It is a great cleanser for around the house, as well as the home that resides within us.
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Lemongrass
Lemongrass found in south and central Asia this aromatic herb drives a powerful punch. The oil of lemongrass boosts energy uplifts the mood and soothes tensed muscles. For spiritual purposes, the oil of this common kitchen herb works as a powerful energy cleanser, promoting spiritual clarity and helping to let go of negative and toxic energies.
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Black pepper
Black Pepper native to the Malabar coast of south India, this tiny black pepper seed is a powerful spice. The oil derived from the black pepper plant has a hot, spicy aroma. Its oil is called the ‘oil of unmasking’ as it reveals the masks behind which we hide the true aspects of our selves. It’s hot and spicy aroma reignites the soul fire to speak our truth. It fuels motivation and helps us to release repression and embrace being honest with ourselves.
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Saffron
Saffron considered as the most expensive spice in the world. This golden yellow colored spice needs about 75000 blossoms to harvest just a pound of saffron. Super expensive spice tag is justified! Its oil lifts mood, lowers menstrual cramps and has many health benefits. It improves eyesight, respiratory health, stimulates the lymphatic system, increases endorphin and serotonin levels in the body and decreases fatigue. It also reduces emotional eating and depressive symptoms.
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Jasmine
Jasmine oil is prepared from the delicate flowers of the jasmine plant. Just like its beauty, the oil when used, inspires and activates love within the heart chakra, brings good luck, gives metal clarity, inspires joy, elevates mood and encourages optimism. It also eases insomnia, post-natal depression, headaches and tension, nervousness, and general anxiety and depression. It is also very good for women during pregnancy as it strengthens the womb, and for healing post-delivery. It relieves menstrual cramps and muscular pains. Overall, Jasmine essential oil elevates stress to bring our emotions in balance.
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Frankincense
Frankincense is the hard and aromatic resin found in the bark of the Boswellia trees species. Frankincense has been used throughout history, and its use has mention in the bible and the Egyptian texts. Egyptians used it for treating wounds and relieving the pain of arthritis. They also used its aromatic scent as incense. The essential oil is produced by steam distilling these pieces of resin. It is considered as a sacred oil, and used for spiritual purposes of blessings, meditation, prayer, yoga, as it heals the crown and sacral chakra. It also is used to improve brain health, cellular health, boosting the immune system, relieving joint and muscle pain, headaches and migraines. Overall its inhalation creates a general sense of relaxation, peace and satisfaction.
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Lavender
Lavender derived from the ancient Latin word ‘Lavare’ which meaning ‘to wash’. In ancient Rome, the buds of these tiny purple flowers were used as a light scent and added to personal items, baths and beds. Apart from aroma, it has many medicinal purposes, as observed in one study conducted by the British Association of Critical Nurses. They found that the use of lavender essential oil with ICU patients reduced insomnia and improved the quality of sleep. It also gives peace of mind, relieves headaches, and helps to heal the crown chakra. It is effective in reducing anxiety and inflammation in the body as well as rheumatic pains. Overall, the general use of the essential oil of lavender inspires well-being and increases a sense of relaxation upon its use.
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Rose
Rose used as a symbol through millennia to express love, beauty, war and peace, this humble flower has been around for centuries. The essential oil of rose has been used over time for religious purposes as well as for its medicinal and spiritual value. Its use overtime brings peace and harmony in one’s life by fighting anxiety and depression and balancing the hormone levels in the body. It can also be used to reduce headaches, or boost fertility as it works as an aphrodisiac. When under stress this oil can provide spiritual strength to overcome challenges. Its medicinal properties make it a perfect skin elixir for those seeking continually glowing and youthful skin.
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Tea rose
Tea rose just like the rose, this delicate oil made from the petals of this flower has many benefits. It helps in revitalizing the body. The delicate aroma has a powerful effect in reducing anger, anxiety, stress, tension, and depression. It also improves respiration, cough, heart problems, and blood circulation. Overall it has a soothing and calming effect on the mind and the body.
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Tea tree
Tea tree a native plant to Australia, tea tree is used as an oil of healing. It removes blockages in energy, removes negativity replacing it with optimism, and channels restlessness into more meaningful and positive pursuits of life. It is pregnancy and breast feeding safe (please consult your physician before use).
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Angelica
Legend has it, that an angel visited a monk in his dream to reveal the magical properties of this plant, and it has forever been called as Angelica. It is no wonder that its oil is known as the ‘oil of angels’. Just as its name, it has spiritual properties. It helps to connect us with the divine by being open and receptive energetically and spiritually. It gives protection from negative energies, helps in releasing negative patterns, reduces anxiety, fear, depression, and hopelessness. It is emotionally restorative, uplifting, relaxing and grounding. It also encourages inspiration, creativity and inner vision, promoting emotional strength, increasing focus and comfort.
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Agarwood/Oudh
If there was any beauty about infections, perhaps agarwood would epitomize it. Agarwood is a dark resin produced by the agar tree in its response to protect itself from a mold infection. The dark resin develops in the center of the tree
and has an aromatic fragrance. This dark resin is used to make Oudh. It is known to elevate pain both mental and physical, and supporting the digestive functions. This pleasing aromatic scent also has many spiritual benefits. It illuminates the mind, fortifies the power of thinking, elevates the emotional quotient, invigorates the senses, and paves the way for spiritual enlightenment and spiritual awakening.
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YLang Ylang
The yellow flowers of the Ylang Ylang tree gives aromatic flowery scent that is used to produce the Ylang Ylang oil. The use of this oil reduces irritability, anger and anxiety. It also relieves the feelings of depression, stress and tension. It uplifts the mood by bringing calmness, joy and harmony to the inner self, and promotes feelings of love.
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Cedarwood
Cedar oil is derived from the various cedar coniferous trees found in the western Himalayan and Mediterranean regions. Traditionally the oil of cedar was used by the Sumerian and Egyptian civilizations for religious purposes. The oil of cedar, just like the strong bark of this mighty tree, provides strength in the time of crisis by improving our inner ability to steady our conscious mind. This oil is known as a centering oil, and it is best for bring about mental and emotional stability, removing fearfulness, agitation, anxiety, and feelings of disconnection. It promotes confidence, protectiveness, concentration, balance, persistence, focus, and strength.
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Eucalyptus
This native Australian plant made it way to India during the reign of Tipu Sultan. It further spread around the world in the 1800s. The oil of eucalyptus helps to heal the throat chakra. It supports respiration and is an excellent antioxidant. Inhaling the oil of Eucalyptus after a hard day of work leaves one refreshed giving mental clarity and focus.
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Juniper berry
Although known as a berry, these fleshy berry looking cones of the Juniper tree are found in many parts of the world. The oil of the Juniper berry has a distinctive woody aroma. It is also known as the ‘oil of the night’. It gives strength and assists those who fear the dark. It gives strength to those who fear walking alone in the unknown or need the strength to face the unknown aspects of themselves. It helps in overcoming irrational fears, recurrent nightmares, night terrors and disruptive sleep.
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Grapefruit
Do not be fooled by this sweet-bitter tasting fruit. The oil of this medium sized fruit is a strong energizer; it elevates mood swings and uplifts and revitalizes the mood. It is a strong stimulant for mental energy and focus and is used for cleansing toxins from within the body. It is a pregnancy safe oil (please consult your physician before use).
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Bergamot
The oil of this fruit from the citrus family calms and soothes the nerves and diffuses high stress levels. Known as the ‘oil of self-acceptance’, the constant use of this oil helps relieve the feelings of low self- esteem and self-criticism, and promotes the feelings of confidence, optimism and an acceptance of one’s self.
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Orange
Orange spread from ancient Asia, famous for its juice, and belonging to the citrus family, orange has many important effects on the body. It strengthens the immune system, enhancing the mood with its refreshing scent. It promotes blood circulation, mitigates symptoms of depression, brings peace and happiness to the mind and the body, increases the experience of joy in the heart. It is also known as the ‘oil of abundance’. It is great to relieve stress uplift energy and enhance freshness and mental well-being.
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Camphor
Camphor used in traditional medicine in India, China and Sumatra this plant has many medicinal, religious and spiritual purposes. Its anti-inflammatory properties have been used to relieve join aches and pains. It helps in reliving decongestion, treating skin irritations and allergies as well as helps in calming the mind. It boosts circulation, improves metabolism, gives relief from bronchitis. The use of camphor essential oil also improves nervousness and anxiety. On a spiritual level camphor is a strong cleanser of negative energies and improves harmony and sense of positivity in the surroundings. It has been used for century in religious purposes to invoke the blessings of the divine.
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Citronella
Citronella known as ‘lemon balm; has gained it name due to it lemony scent. A natural insect repellent, this grass like plant, has many purposes. It helps in reducing inflammation of the skin, reduces pain, infections and rashes. It has the property of slowing aging of the skin and therefore is used in many cosmetic products. It is also useful in reducing negative effects of depression, sadness, irritability, anxiety and stress. It eases tense muscles and is also beneficial in reducing muscles spasm including muscular cramps. Its use around the house is beneficial to remove damp air and deodorize the surroundings.
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Patchouli
These pinkish- white flowers belonging to the mint family has many medicinal values. Patchouli oils have anti-inflammatory properties. Research has found that in a sample of mice, using patchouli oil reduced inflammation caused due to chemicals. It also works wonders for the skin by easing cracks on dry skin and improving the break out of acne. It is used to relieve depression, increasing the feeling of relaxation, easing stress and anxiety.
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Sandalwood
Traditionally grown in India and Indonesia, Sandalwood has been used in spiritual and religious purposes for centuries.
The oil of sandalwood reduces common cold, relieves anxiety,
stress, depression, improves and heals the digestive system, and urinary tract infections, fights bacterial infections and supports the recovery from mental disorders.
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Lime
This refreshing citrus fruit brings a zest to life. Its uses include purify the air, cleaning the environment of negative energies, uplifting the mood, and creating relaxing and stress-free experience.
