10 Essential Oil Recipes to Help Meditation

Please check out my new book REVELATION! – Reveal Your Destiny with Essential Oils

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10 Essential Oil Recipes to Help Meditation

 

Meditation creates positive ripples in your environment

Meditation creates positive ripples in your environment

Many people are still are still unsure of meditation, why we do it and how accessible it is. It is a term for a wide variety of styles and beliefs but the one common thread is that we meditate to connect with the universe within us, and all around us. This includes people in your life, when you have problems, when you don’t have problems, when you want to create something and simply just as a way of attuning to higher consciousness.

One of the biggest myths of meditation is that you can’t do it because your mind is too active. That’s WHY you do it.

Another myth is that it takes too much time. Have you heard the story of the student who says to the master he hasn’t got enough time to meditate for half an hour every day. The master considers the story and then tells him to meditate for an hour everyday. We MAKE time for meditation it’s as simple as that.

If you have access to the internet you can find out many ways of meditating. It could be an “open focus” style meditation where you close your eyes and open your mind to become no body, no thing at no time, in no place. You may learn a mantra meditation by going to a meditation group or you may sit with relaxing music and breathe deeply.

be happy

Be happier with meditation

The key to meditation is actually doing it. Sometimes your mind will be quite and sometimes it may not. Meditate anyway. Even if it’s for 5 minutes, just do it.

Positive results from meditation include –

* reduced stress leading to far-reaching health benefits

* a more relaxed body

* deeper, slower breathing in waking states

* reduced blood pressure

* healing of chronic disease

* objectivity

* better sleep

* better relationships

* better communication

and the list goes on. Here are some recipes to help induce slower breathing and meditation –

Take a huge whiff to change your focus in seconds

Take a huge whiff to change your focus in seconds

1. Open The Bottle and Take a Huge Whiff

Frankincense – deeper slower breathing

Lavender – general relaxation

Marjoram – stress relief and relaxation

Orange – sweetness and innocence

Sandalwood – connection to spirit

Patchouli – feel grounded

 

Puzhen diffuser from the 5 senses series - puzhen.com

Puzhen diffuser from the 5 senses series – puzhen.com

Scent Your Space

In a traditional oil burner with a candle or a diffuser add 25 drops of oil

“World Peace”

World peace starts in your heart –

Mandarin     10 drops

Cypress        8 drops

Patchouli      7 drops

——————————————————————————————————————–

“Clarity’

May Chang     8 drops

Lavender         7 drops

Pine                5 drops

Basil                5 drops

——————————————————————————————————————–

“Double Torus”

Get the energy going

Frankincense     10 drops

Geranium             5 drops

Cardamom          5 drops

Rosewood           5 drops

——————————————————————————————————————–

“Fairy Garden”

Open to the magic –

Petitgrain                         8 drops

Lime                                7 drops

Cedarwood Himalayan    7 drops

Sage                               3 drops

——————————————————————————————————————–

The classic Duralex glass dish is handy to make oil blends and quick perfumes in

The classic Duralex glass dish is handy to make oil blends and quick perfumes in

 

3. Pure Pulse Point Perfume

In a little dish mix these oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras – 3 drops of essential oils and dilute with a few drops of carrier oil – always patch test first!

“The Time is Now”

Meditate for 5 minutes NOW –

Geranium                   1 drop

Indian Sandalwood    1 drop

Lemon                       1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————–

“Mantra”

Just say ‘om’ as a simple mantra –

Cedarwood Virginian   1 drop

Neroli 3%                     3 drops  * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

——————————————————————————————————————–

“Heart Chakra”

Open the flow –

Rose 3%    on its own straight from the bottle * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

——————————————————————————————————————–

“Release Toxic Thought Patterns”

Juniper          2 drops

Peru Balsam  1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————–

 

A clay face mask is the best and most natural clarifyng mask. pic vis chiclooking.com

A clay face mask is the best and most natural clarifying mask. pic via chiclooking.com

4. Face Mask

Usually I add 1 or 2 drops of oil to 2 teaspoons of clay, and add water, floral water or hydrosol. Keep the mask on for 5 minutes then rinse off with cool water. Mist with a hydrosol or floral water and moisturise.

Bergamot    2 drops in white clay.

Relax and meditate for 5 minutes with some chilled music.

———————————————————————————————————————

Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas. See my article about intention.

copyright suzannerbanks 2013

10 Recipes with Himalayan Cedarwood – Cedrus deodora

Stunning pic of Himalayan cedarwood via www.efloras.org credit KK Shrestha

Stunning pic of Himalayan cedarwood via http://www.efloras.org credit KK Shrestha

Himalayan cedarwood has a deep history in Hindu traditions, as a tree that creates sacred forests, spurring a closer connection to Shiva through meditation. In Ayurveda the oil has been used to treat bronchial and lung disorders, urinary tract infections and to release fluid from the body. The oil is also considered a spiritual oil which helps to expand consciousness. In modern aromatherapy it is used for the same issues, and has a much softer, creamier scent than Atlas cedarwood or Virginian cedarwood (which is actually a juniper tree).

Let’s check out some recipes –

Face mask it!

Face mask it!

1. Face Mask

Usually I add 1 or 2 drops of oil to 2 teaspoons of clay, and add water, floral water or hydrosol. Keep the mask on for 5 minutes then rinse off with cool water. Mist with a hydrosol or floral water and moisturise.

Great for oily or acne skin add 1 drop of Himalayan cedarwood to some pink clay for a clarifying and toning mask.

—————————————————————————————————————–

Nourish your body with a beautiful oil blend - pic via redbookmag.com

Nourish your body with a beautiful oil blend – pic via redbookmag.com

2. Nourishing Body Oil Blend

For a coat of your body use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil in a little dish and, add 7 – 8 drops of essential oil. It’s always best to patch test first, before you apply all over.

***** Always put the drops of essential oil into the bottle or dish first, then add the carrier oil. It gives the scents time to create a synergistic fusion.

For a 50ml bottle of oil add 25 drops and see my articles “Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics” and “Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 1 2 3”

“I’m the One and Only”

Respect yourself –

Himalayan cedarwood       2 drops

Orange                              4 drops

Lavender                            2 drops

——————————————————————————————————————

“Forest of Dreams”

Click into the vibes of the sacred Deodora forests –

Himalayan cedarwood       2 drops

Rosewood                         3 drops

Bergamot                          3 drops

——————————————————————————————————————

“Energy Now!”

Himalayan cedarwood       3 drops

Lemongrass                      4 drops

——————————————————————————————————————

A personal mist is easy to make! pic via ebay.com.au

A personal mist is easy to make! pic via ebay.com.au

3. Personal Aura Cleansing Mist & Room Mist

In a 50ml mist bottle filled with water add 25 drops of oil

(depending on the packaging you have, you may need to use a little alcohol -like vodka- at the bottom of your bottle first, so the oils disperse into smaller drops to prevent clogging the atomiser top. I’ve found sometimes it works just with water, and sometimes it doesn’t – very annoying!)

“Portable Sacred Space”

Himalayan cedarwood       8 drops

Mandarin                         10 drops

May Chang                        4 drops

Sage                                  3 drops

——————————————————————————————————————

“Meditation Anywhere”

Himalayan cedarwood       6 drops

Frankincense                  12 drops

Lime                                 7 drops

——————————————————————————————————————

“Overthinking, 0: Feeling, 1”

Himalayan cedarwood       8 drops

Peru balsam                      8 drops

Ginger                               4 drops

Geranium                          4 drops

Vetiver                               1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

Anoint yourself with pure essential oil blends

Anoint yourself with pure essential oil blends

4. Pure Pulse Point Perfume

In a little dish mix these oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras – 3 drops of essential oils and dilute with a few drops of carrier oil – always patch test first!

“Thankful”

Himalayan cedarwood       1 drop

Lemon                               1 drop

Ylang Ylang                        1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

Changing my Epi-Genetic Markers”

Himalayan cedarwood       1 drop

Jasmine 3%                       4 drops * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

——————————————————————————————————————

“Inter Stellar Travel”

Himalayan cedarwood       1 drop

Roman Chamomile 3%      4 drops * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

——————————————————————————————————————

Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas.See my article about intention.

copyright suzannerbanks 2013

 

 

 

 

Himalayan Cedarwood – Cedrus deodora

The shaggy Christmas tree type of Cedrus deodora - pic via plants.plantcrazy.ca

The shaggy Christmas tree type of Cedrus deodora – pic via plants.plantcrazy.ca

While I was searching for some good pics of Himalayan cedarwood I came across a few species variations, but they all look gorgeous – especially the one above which looks like the perfect Christmas tree to me. This cedarwood comes from the Pinacae family and the genus Cedrus (like Atlas and Lebanon cedars but not Virginian cedar which is actually a juniper).

The essential oil of Himalayan cedarwood is steam distilled from the wood, however I can’t find any evidence to support the notion that the needles are also used. I would have thought some twigs and leaves would also be used in the distillation process, but at any rate it’s a bloody gorgeous oil. It has an almost creamy, spicy, woody scent which seems much more rounded than Cedar Atlas and has roots in Ayurvedic medicine and spirituality on the sub-continent of India. Traditionally in India, the forests of Cedrus deodora have been regarded as sacred places, maybe even where one could reach a clearer connection with Shiva. In one of my Ayurvedic Aromatherapy books, the author Farida Irani claims the wood is offered to Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. Both these Gods are part of the Hindu religion.

It’s also the national tree of Pakistan.

In both Ayurveda and traditional aromatherapy this cedarwood is indicated to treat –

* respiratory tract infections, particularly the lungs as it is a drying oil

* urinary tract disorders

* fluid retention

* oily and acne skin.

 

Up close and personal with Himalayan cedarwood - pic via www.arbolesyarbustos.com

Up close and personal with Himalayan cedarwood – pic via http://www.arbolesyarbustos.com

As with many essential oils Himalayan Cedarwood is used to treat anxiety and stress related conditions and isn’t it interesting that many essential oils are used for the same thing.

Why?

By smelling an essential oil your brain responds almost immediately to the stimulus and starts to bring about change. This change could be anything from a change in emotion, a stimulus to the hormone producing centres in the brain and/or a shift in consciousness. These moments can start to breakdown resistance to the flow of life and therefore be interpreted as lessening stress. The outcome will be stronger the more you like the scent of the oil, and the more you are willing to release negativity.

 

One type of Himalayan cedrawood - pic via loneelder.7thcrow.com

One type of Himalayan cedrawood – pic via loneelder.7thcrow.com

Enhanced connection to spirit is often a claim when using essential oils and I wholeheartedly agree with this surmise. Essential oils are little drops of coded information, on which the future of the universe rides. Delve into a scented paradise and try to disprove me; you won’t be able to as you continue to expand exponentially!

Stay tuned for 10 Recipes with Cedrus deodora!

copyright suzanne

 

 

Essential Oils that Inspire Love, Truth and Acceptance

What is love?

What is love?

Ok here’s the thing people.

Be kind to each other and all the animals too.

Accept your fellow humans as a reflection of yourself.

Move your energetic vibration to peace.

Do it now because we’ll all be dead in the blink of an eye, and if not you, then who will help the evolution of our species?

How?

Well use essential oils of course! Throw in meditation, mindfulness and empathy for every living entity, and I think we’ll make it.

One drop leads to many ripples...

One drop leads to many ripples…

Many of you already feel this way, so I’m writing this in the hope that I will reach someone new and bring them into our fold. We must keep talking about the future, we must accept we have the power to drive consciousness to new multidimensional levels, and we must allow our brilliance to change the way we have structured life on the planet.

It’s important that you treat yourself first, and then emanate the qualities of the oil from your energetic body. It’s never about treating someone else unless they ask for help. So with that in mind here are some recipes for your own little daily perfumes to help the evolution of humanity. Yep, really. One drop of lavender could save the world.

Chinese tea cup - perfect for a little perfume magic

Chinese tea cup – perfect for a little perfume magic

Pure Pulse Point Perfume

In a little dish mix these oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras – 3 drops of essential oils and dilute with a few drops of carrier oil – always patch test first!

I love the following oils to support our journey;

Love

Love

LOVE

Love is a word used for many things, including the one positive force that connects us all. It could also be aligned with the 99.999999% space around the atoms of our cells and the universe at large. It is an emotion of feeling good. Keep sending it out to those that need your help whether you know them or not. You can do this by starting your day with a little scented message to yourself –

Patchouli

* peace, grounding, mother earth, collectiveness, wholeness

Patchouli       1 drop

Cypress        2 drops

—————————————————————————————————————–

Rose (usually in a 3% blend)

* nurturing, self love, softness and kindness

Rose 3%      3 drop  * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

Petitgrain      1 drop

—————————————————————————————————————–

Truth

Truth

2. TRUTH

What is the truth? It’s the same as love. One love.

Frankincense

* “frank” incense is the scent of truth, deep breathing, connection to everything

Frankincense     2 drops

Rosewood         1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

Sage

* speak the truth, abundance, wisdom

Sage               1 drop

Palmarosa       1 drop

Lavender         1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

Accept you are part of a simple (yet complex) existence

Accept you are part of a simple (yet complex) existence

3. ACCEPTANCE

Acceptance is the emotion of the NOW. If there is only one NOW, allow acceptance to flood your aura with its subtle power, and when you do, all barriers to life will melt away. By accepting things you are not giving up desires or wishes for things to change; you are simply stepping into the slipstream that binds us all together.

Lavender

You knew I’d have to say lavender at some stage didn’t you?

* solidarity, consolidation, acceptance

Lavender                       1 drop

Orange                          1 drop

Sandalwood Australian  1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

Jasmine (usually in a 3% blend)

* remove anxiety, immersion in the creative forces of the NOW

Jasmine 3%     2 drops  * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

Juniper            1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

Lavender is the most versatile essential oil we have and it can be used all through the year

Lavender is the most versatile essential oil we have and it can be used all through the year

 

Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas. See my article about intention.

copyright suzanne

 

 

 

Digital Scent vs Analog Scent

Analog clock - great for planning ahead

Analog clock – great for planning ahead

 

Well I’m not sure if I can use the analog/digital signal to describe scent but I’m gong to anyway. It is usually applied to sound recording and clocks at a very basic level so check out this description:

 

“The difference between analog and digital technologies is that in analog technology, information is translated into electric pulses of varying amplitude. In digital technology, translation of information is into binary format (zero or one) where each bit is representative of two distinct amplitudes.”   diffen.com

 

Something stuck in my mind a while ago when I was talking to someone about my need to use an analog clock while I was doing treatments so I could plan as I was working. For example I always look up at the clock to note in my mind how long I’ve been massaging the right leg and how much time I need to spend on the back, or do I need to leave more time for the face and head, and so on. He said analog is great for planning ahead whereas digital is about right now. I loved that description!

Digital clock - the time is now!

Digital clock – the time is now!

So with analog we can quickly see what has gone before and what is to come. It shows us a range of past, present and future (but of course that is an incorrect description because we know in quantum physics all those possibilities exist at once).

With digital we see only now! That’s cool because in quantum physics that’s all we have.

 

Smelling an essential oil could be an analog experience - pic via plantlifeworld.com

Smelling an essential oil could be an analog experience – pic via plantlifeworld.com

Ok so here’s my application of signal to scent:

Essential oils come from a natural source even though they undergo a process of some sort. They are made up of molecules that have been present in a living organism and carry an energetic force. This magic that they hold can be used a tool to access higher consciousness via the brain and can also effect the body this way too. Scent is a powerful mechanism that can transform our physicality and our spirit and sub conscious too, and with essential oils we are treated to the divine scent of mother nature.

When I first started using essential oils after a weekend workshop with two amazing Australian aromatherapists, I was shocked to hear that neither of them could use perfume anymore, after using essential oils. This was 20 years ago now and of course I am exactly the same. This is because essential oils carry this invisible life force and they are undeniably powerful. They give us a range of scent from the first whiff to the lingering notes on our bodies. They connect us to past experiences and allow us to see potential for the future. They give a complexity of scent that only exists in nature and that can never be replicated, even by the masters of chemistry (according to Luca Turin a master Perfumer).

To me essential oils are ANALOG. They have range and are complex. They are old school.

Perfume is digital - pic via bubblews.com

Perfume seems to be digital to me – pic via bubblews.com

 

Perfume is still absorbed through the nasal cavity into the brain and can also connect us to experiences of the past, present and future – as can any smell. Perfumes that are available today will be mostly made up of molecules that have been created in a lab, and that are quite precise in their scent. So you may have hundreds of different molecules that go into a perfume and it’s the master perfumers who will conduct this symphony of scent.

People all over the world love perfume but I don’t. I don’t like the alcohol as a base. I don’t like cold feeling it gives me and the way there seems to be too many conflicting ideas in one spritz. There are, of course, some perfumes that are way better than the dross out there. With perfume there are many precise notes blended to create the scent – but usually it’s too many.

To me perfumes are a DIGITAL scent. They are precise and do not have complex ranges, as they have many digital signals mixed together. There doesn’t seem to be any expansiveness or invitation to connect with the universe.

Hey, but if it’s digital it must be about NOW, which can only be a good thing. They are modern and contemporary, and fall in line with our digital era.

There’s a place for both in our world – let’s never lose the analog!

2014! The Universal Number of 7!

Please check out my new book REVELATION! – Reveal Your Destiny with Essential Oils

Amazon USA      Amazon AU      Amazon UK


2014! The Universal Number of 7!

7 - pic via jakhongirshaturaev.wordpress.com

7 – pic via jakhongirshaturaev.wordpress.com

I met a numerologist the other day when she came into a pop-up shop I was a part of – I was selling handmade body washes, face mask kits, oils and other scented things. I asked her about the way she practices numerology as there are a few different techniques. Well I got loads of quickly downloaded information with the one prominent theme being 7. She said that 2014 had the universal vibration of 7 and that I must remember and write about this in particular. It was very important she said. Write about she said. So here goes …….

This year our collective vibration is a 7. Clearly we have  assigned this number to our lives as somewhere along the track, as the study of numbers in numerology has evolved to a practice that combines maths with consciousness. So we are moving into a 7 to help us evolve to the next level. My numerologist friend talked about ‘the universal vibration of the year 2014’. I had never looked at numerology this way, so it’s opened up a new level of meaning for me.

Basically there are a few different ways of calculating someone’s number or life path, cycle year and other things. I’ve always stuck to the basics which is add up all the numbers in your birth date and that’s the life path number. Add up all the numbers in the year you are in, plus your birth date to get to a cycle year. There are 9 numbers but some people read double digits like 1/1 or 1/0. And then there’s this simple way of looking at a year and what it may hold for us.

In other numerology too, different numbers are assigned to letters and then your number is calculated according to the letters in your name, but that is a bit too difficult for me because I haven’t studied that technique.

The truth - what is it? pic via theyogablog.com

The truth – what is it? pic via theyogablog.com

I always remember 7 being about truth, seeking the truth and embodying the truth. It is the number of looking for the hidden meaning in things and usually has a spiritual undertone. It is also about the big picture and how things fit together. 7 is searching for the underlying meaning of things. 7 is philosophical. 7 is about the why? 7 is about the mystical and magical powers in the universe and collecting all the scientific information and combining it with the spiritual truth.

So that’s pretty exciting I reckon. Combined with starting the year off with a supermoon I’d say 2014 will be a cracker of a year. Come on people let’s make some oil blends to support our search for the truth.

1. Scent Your Space

In a traditional oil burner with a candle or a diffuser add 25 drops of oil

“Mulder and Scully – The Truth is Out There”

Connect to the truth of the universe –

Frankincense   12 drops

Rosewood       6 drops

Juniper            6 drops

Vetiver             1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

“I’m on a Quest”

Don’t be afraid to start searching –

Black pepper      8 drops

Lime                   8 drops

Lavender            9 drops

—————————————————————————————————————–

“Look Within”

Macro to micro – it’s all the same

Cypress                 10 drops

Cedarwood Atlas     8 drops

Mandarin                 7 drops

—————————————————————————————————————-

Anoint yourself with pure essential oils

Anoint yourself with pure essential oils in a little carrier oil

2. Pure Pulse Point Perfume

In a little dish mix these oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras – 3 drops of essential oils and dilute with a few drops of carrier oil – always patch test first!

“I Have a Dream”

Dream big – we need you!

Basil                              1 drop

Roman Chamomile 3%  3 drops  * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

—————————————————————————————————————–

“All Knowing”

You already know everything so embrace it –

Nutmeg            1 drop

Pink Grapefruit  2 drops

—————————————————————————————————————–

Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas. See my article about intention.

copyright suzannerbanks 2013

New Year – New Moon – Oooooooo powerful!

The new moon - pic via photo.accuweather.com

The new moon – pic via photo.accuweather.com

The new year is upon us – well actually it’s just the linear, calendar kind of new year but this year it’s special. It is special because on January 1st 2014 we have a new moon. It really kicks off the year perfectly as we move into a universal vibrational year of 7. I’ll be writing about that next week.

The new moon (you guessed it), is about new beginnings and planning for the future, and the future is NOW! Sometimes described as quite magical, the new moon gives is some space to momentarily step back from our lives and observe. Meditating with the new moon is powerful because it allows us to connect with the rhythm of the universe and by doing this we can slip into the gap of pure potentiality.

The new moon can stimulate us to –

* think about who we are as a person

* connect to the emotions of our life

* go beyond our personalities and be brave to ask ourselves the important questions

* why am I here?

* what is my purpose?

* how may I serve?

* how can I evolve?

* what do I want to create?

* what can I release?

 

Just asking the questions can shift your awareness and consciousness immediately. You don’t need to know the answers straight away, only be willing to ask the questions.

? sneakily borrowed from biodagar.com

? – pic via biodagar.com

And……

this is a ‘supermoon” in Capricorn. According to earthsky.org;

“The term supermoon didn’t come from astronomy. We used to call them perigee… ‘near Earth.’ An astrologer, Richard Nolle, is credited with coining the term supermoon.

 

He defines them as:
. . . a new or full moon which occurs with the moon at or near (within 90% of) its closest approach to Earth.

 

“By this definition, a new moon or full moon has to come within 361,863 kilometers (224,851 miles) of our planet, as measured from the centers of the moon and Earth, in order to be a supermoon.”

 

So the energy of this moon is very close to us, almost imploring us to look within.

The zodiac sign of Capricorn - pic via www.buzzle.com

The zodiac sign of Capricorn – pic via http://www.buzzle.com

From what I can gather this new moon is as much about letting go of old stuck energy before planting the new seeds. As Capricorn is quite methodical and systematic, it’s about being methodical and systematic about purging all the crap. Maybe this is why I’ve spent the last couple of days cleaning and tidying my house, shredding old papers, doing all the washing and meditating. See my last article about cleansing your space here. Once all that’s been taken care of it’s now time to put yourself in a place of quite contemplation to plant the seeds of your new life.

Here’s some essential oils to help you:

Take a huge whiff to change your focus in seconds

Take a huge whiff to change your focus in seconds

Open The Bottle and Take a Huge Whiff

Let’s cut straight to the chase and just have a huge whiff straight from the bottle as it can help you change your focus and emotion easily. See my article about changing your focus here.

Frankincense – take deep slow breaths, meditation, contemplation, serenity

Petitgrain – potentiality, new beginnings

Juniper – release unwanted emotions

Fennel – be kind to yourself as you detox

Sandalwood (Australian or Indian) – deep connection to your soul

Clary Sage – dare to dream, open crown chakra

Lemon – refresh, reload

My dear friends it is time to evolve. We are being summoned to take great steps on behalf of Earth and her inhabitants to move to higher consciousness as a group. It is in  your every day life where this evolution takes place so please be mindful about what you are creating.

Thank you.

copyright suzannerbanks 2013

 

 

 

Justice – A Tarot Card Reading with Essential Oils

Justice - XI from the Rider-Waite deck

Justice – XI from the Rider-Waite deck

Justice is number 11 in the major arcana and speaks for itself really. It looks a lot like the Hierophant and also The Emperor. This is the last article about essential oils and the major arcana so be on the lookout next year for a free e-book to download!

The Emperor - IV from the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck

The Emperor – IV from the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck

The Hierophant - V in the Rider-Waite Deck

The Hierophant – V in the Rider-Waite Deck

It’s a card about balance and justice for all, and if this card shows up in a reading it could mean many things. This could be a time for you to be making a decision that involves others and you are called upon to be fair and just. It’s important here to use your life experience, your mind (the double-edged sword) and your intuition (the scales). Use all the tools at your disposal to bring about the right outcome.

It could mean that you are one of the people having to accept a decision that has been made that affects you directly. Are you in the midst of a court case, a challenge or a dispute that requires mediation? You must accept this decision and carry on with your life.

A decision has been made

A decision has been made

Perhaps this card is letting you know that you are in this place in your life because you have made good decisions throughout your journey. Maybe you are rising to a position of authority and this card is telling you to always remain fair, just and kind.

Anyway you get the drift! Kindness, fairness, good decisions, use your mind and your heart in all you do.

What essential oils could we use to embody this card?

? sneakily borrowed from biodagar.com

? pic via biodagar.com

1. Open The Bottle and Take a Huge Whiff

Rosewood – flow of love in the heart chakra

Rosemary – stimulate your mind and memory

Basil – open your crown chakra to the wisdom of the universe

Ylang Ylang – release frustration and anger toward others and yourself

Classic oil burner with a twist pic via top3.com.au

Classic oil burner with a twist pic via top3.com.au

2. Scent Your Space

In a traditional oil burner with a candle or a diffuser add 25 drops of oil –

What better way to help you make big decisions than to vapourise oils in your space?

“Heart and Mind”

Blend these two areas of power –

Rosemary         8 drops

Palmarosa       8 drops

Orange             9 drops

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“Empathy”

Try to put yourself in the other person’s shoes –

Lime           10 drops

Petitgrain     10 drops

Geranium     5 drops

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“Flow of Energy”

Ask the universe to help you get the right flow going –

Cardamom           5 drops

Pink Grapefruit    20 drops

Lemongrass          5 drops

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Nourish your body with a beautiful oil blend - pic via redbookmag.com

Nourish your body with a beautiful oil blend – pic via redbookmag.com

3. Nourishing Body Oil Blend

For a coat of your body use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil in a little dish and, add 7 – 8 drops of essential oil.

***** Always put the drops of essential oil into the bottle or dish first, then add the carrier oil. It gives the scents time to create a synergistic fusion.

For a 50ml bottle of oil add 25 drops and see my articles “Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics” and  “Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 1 2 3”

“Ok Concentrate….”

Be clear in your mind by waking up your body too –

Ginger        3 drops

Lemon       4 drops

Basil           1 drop

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“Made with Love”

Use your heart’s intelligence –

Rose 3%                6 drops   * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

Cedarwood Atlas    3 drops

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Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas. See my article about intention.

copyright suzannerbanks 2013

Rosewood – A Story of Ecology and Conservation

Rosewood tree in the Amazon pic via amazonecology.wordpress.com

Rosewood tree in the Amazon pic via amazonecology.wordpress.com

I love this oil so much and have really enjoyed using it for many different things, but now I must adapt!

The Rosewood tree (Aniba roseaodora) is under threat and so the supply of this pure essential oil has been halted. Also known as Bois de Rose in perfumery, the last Rosewood oil I bought was actually from Canada and I think the Canadian company is a supplier rather than a grower as the climates are so very different. Most rosewood comes from Brazil and the government has been forced to protect this beautiful tree from poachers by enforcing strict laws. I’ve found a great article on Brazilian Rosewood from the Food and Agriculture Organistion of The United Nations –

The perceived threat to the species posed by the destructive nature of harvesting has led to increasingly tight controls on the industry in Brazil. Government regulations exist which are intended to minimise this threat although there are difficulties in enforcing them. The results of recent field surveys in Brazil by Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias do Pará (FCAP) based in Belem indicate, in fact, that the species is not presently faced with extinction. Substantial wild stands exist deep within forest areas which are unlikely to be exploited for logistical or economic reasons.

However, the older, more accessible areas which have been utilised by the rosewood oil industry are effectively devoid of mature trees and there is no significant natural regeneration. This, together with the general problem of deforestation caused by land clearance, has led to a loss of germplasm diversity and a narrowing of the genetic base on which future domestication of the species will depend.

http://www.fao.org/docrep/v5350e/v5350e06.htm

A few months ago I was making a large batch of an essential oil blend I designed for a customer many years ago. I ordered my oils only to find out I was no longer able to get rosewood oil as it’s back on the endangered list. Not good. Not good for the people from the rainforest, the tree itself and the people who love this oil.

Rosewood trees - pic via http://positiveproductions.org/

Rosewood trees – pic via http://positiveproductions.org/

So what can are the alternatives to this oil? Many trusted suppliers are now offering a ‘blended Rosewood oil” and here’s a quote from one of mine –

Rosewood is a small evergreen tree now strictly controlled as an endangered species by the Government of Brazil. Due to the ever-increasing controls that CITES has put on the harvesting of the Aniba rosaerodora tree, the amount of legal wood finding its way to oil distillers has significantly reduced to a point now where we have been unable to source a good affordable quality of Rosewood Oil on the international market. Therefore we now offer this natural blend which imitates the components and scent of the real Rosewood Oil.

Rosewood twigs - pic via www.plantingempowerment.com

Rosewood twigs – pic via http://www.plantingempowerment.com

I have bought and tried this oil and the scent is basically the same as Rosewood – you really wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. However if you are using Rosewood for the therapeutic properties which most therapists would be, then it will not have the same effects on the skin and it is not the same. This is where the Canadian supplier comes in I think – they have created a blended oil from their own supplies of the real thing.

Let us pray for sustainably farmed Rosewood

Let us pray for sustainably farmed Rosewood

So let us pray that some genius out there with a trillion dollars to spare can start a sustainable rosewood farm so we can all experience, once again, the medicine this beautiful tree has to offer us.

We must listen to the earth and allow plants to thrive – after all we are relying on them to sustain us too! And we need to support the indigenous population of the Amazon who rely on their forest to live!

copyright suzannerbanks 2013

The Hermit – A Tarot Card Reading with Essential Oils

The Hermit - IX from the Rider-Waite tarot deck

The Hermit – IX from the Rider-Waite tarot deck

He’s old, looks like he’s cold, and he’s on top of a mountain with a lantern. Notice how the yellow of the light and his staff jump out in this very grey card. He has taken one step at a time to reach the pinnacle of his wisdom. His lantern has shown the way. His lantern represents the wisdom he has gained through deep contemplation and life experience, and the acknowledgement of his inner light. His staff shows he has trusted his intuition, and knows that he can trust this part of himself.

When this card comes to you in a reading it’s about accessing your inner wisdom to guide you through this challenging time. It could also mean that in this time in your life, perhaps you need to look for a counselor or guide to help you find the right path for yourself.

It could mean this is a time for introspection and even isolation from the world so you can actually find quiet, to allow the divine intelligence of the universe to shine through you. This connection to universal energy may give you the space to find the inner peace you need right now. It is definitely a time to withdraw from the outside so you can turn your awareness inward to access the secrets of the multiverse. This can be a lonely life for the spiritual warrior and often very devoted spiritual people to find solace in being alone. It is in this state of being quiet, that the soul can soar in all directions of the space-time continuum. This is the great philosophical card of the major arcana.

Inner peace - pic via spiritualclarity.wordpress.com

Inner peace – pic via spiritualclarity.wordpress.com

 

Could this mean you are the wise person in someone’s life right now? Perhaps you need to become aware that your wisdom can help others and it’s time to share your light with the world. Are you a light worker that has hidden away from the world because you feel you are inadequate? It’s time to claim your place in the evolution of humanity and allow your wisdom to flow!

Lightworkers - it's time! pic via www.ashtarcommandcrew.net

Lightworkers – it’s time! pic via http://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net

SO what essential oils could we use to access this state of calm, inner peace and spiritual enhancement?

Take a huge whiff to change your focus in seconds

Take a huge whiff to change your focus in seconds

1. Open The Bottle and Take a Huge Whiff

Black spruce – expansion of higher consciousness (my new fave oil)

Frankincense – deep breathing, meditation

Sandalwood Indian – the classic spiritual oil

Marjoram – relax, be calm

 

The classic Duralex glass dish is handy to make oil blends and quick perfumes in

The classic Duralex glass dish is handy to make oil blends and quick perfumes in

2. Pure Pulse Point Perfume

In a little dish mix these oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras – 3 drops of essential oils and dilute with a few drops of carrier oil – always patch test first!

“I Am Willing”

Gain courage to look within –

Black pepper    1 drop

Petitgrain          2 drops

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“Meditate”

Slow down your breath and just be –

Frankincense  2 drops

Peru Balsam   1 dropsandal

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“One Step at a Time”

Start your process of inner evaluation slowly o it doesn’t freak you out –

Vetiver      1 drop

Mandarin  2 drops

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Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas. See my article about intention.

copyright suzannerbanks 2013