Strength, Clarity and Potentiality with Essential Oils

Posted on July 22, 2015 by suzannerbanks

I thought of a friend this morning and I’ll be seeing her in a few days. I decided I’d make a little oil blend for her because I know she has been working really hard in her own business for a few years, and is facing new challenges with it. These three words came to mind STRENGTH, CLARITY AND POTENTIALITY.

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

Barnes & Noble Booktopia AU Amazon UK

and many other stores worldwide as an ebook and paperback

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Strength

Strength

What oils will I use to embody this energy?

I always go to lavender for strength and solidarity. Most people attach calm and relaxation to lavender which is right, but when you smell this divine flower and essential oil, it is powerful. It has depth. It contains the energetic imprint of thousands of years in its healing ways. To me it is the embodiment of strength as it can be used to soften and relax, and to contain and bolster you in times of weakness.

Clarity

Clarity

Clarity

Ah there’s nothing like a beautiful blue sky to help you attain some clarity in your life. When I think of this I immediately think of basil, and cypress.

Basil is an oil that can open your upper chakras and completely clear your head and your mind with its robust scent.

Cypress is clean and crisp, uplifting heavy emotions and allowing your body to release excess fluids.

Potentiality

Potentiality

Petitgrain is the oil for me! This bitter-sweet citrus is lightening fast in scent and the way it affects your whole being. I use this oil to help me see the unlimited possibilities in any situation. This can be hard when you get bogged down in life and you may feel you have no choice. Limitless expansion = petitgrain.

An oil blend is full of unexpected treasure!

Strength, Clarity and Potentiality – The Blend

In a 50ml bottle add these drops of essential oil:

Lavender 8 drops

Cypress 5 drops

Basil 2 drops

Petitgrain 10 drops

Then pour in your carrier oil of choice – sunflower, grape seed, jojoba, almond, argan, rosehip, apricot, olive, macadamia or anything else you love.

Essential oil blends are best when left to mature for a while but don’t let that put you off using it straight away!

♥ ♦ ♠ ♣

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

Check out my YouTube channel too, thanks.

Hug an Aromatic Tree Today! Himalayan Cedarwood

Posted on July 15, 2015 by suzannerbanks

This gorgeous oil has a distinctive scent – rich, woody and sweet with an almost chocolate undertone. Used in Ayurveda, Cedrus deodora is used to balance the doshas and to counteract depression and help with breathing difficulties.

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

Barnes & Noble Booktopia AU Amazon UK

and many other stores worldwide as an ebook and paperback

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I found this tree in Akeroa, New Zealand.

Usually found growing in high altitudes in the Himalayas I can see why this old tree was thriving in the South Island of NZ. It stood so tall I couldn’t see the top!

I hugged this tree.

And now everytime I use the oil it reminds me of this lovely day, with old and new friends, and a sense of freedom.

Go forth and hug an aromatic tree today, it will connect you to your true purpose, and the fundamental energetic patterns of the universe.

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

Check out my YouTube channel too, thanks.

Dry Brushing for Your Face?

Posted on June 17, 2015 by suzannerbanks

Dry Brushing for Your Face? Is it a Thing? The Soft Supple Skin Series continues with Part 4 …

There are many motorised facial brushes on the market but what about dry brushing for your face? Just as dry brushing for your body is wonderful, dry brushing for your face has the same benefits!

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

Barnes & Noble Booktopia AU Amazon UK

and many other stores worldwide as an ebook and paperback

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Dry brushing for your face - pic via www.skin-brushing.com

Dry brushing for your face – pic via http://www.skin-brushing.com

The advantages of dry brushing are exfoliation and lymphatic drainage. See my previous article To Dry Brush or Not? Yep … Another Question!.

As you can see by this diagram, your lymphatic drainage points for your face are behind your ears. Brush towards your ears so the excess fluid can be taken away by your lymphatic system.

It’s pretty simple really and easy to do. The most important thing to note is not to scrub too hard, just use soft gentle strokes, for two reasons:

1. Classic lymphatic drainage ALWAYS uses superficial strokes. Light sweeping strokes are the only way to move fluid to the nodes.

2. The skin on your face is more sensitive and you need to be more gentle while exfoliating.

Motorised brush- pic via www.beautylish.com

Motorised brush – pic via http://www.beautylish.com

There are many motorised brushes on the market but they often come as a cleaning system, with facial soaps and washes and various lotions. I’ve always wondered why some people need to clean their faces so rigourously? Surely your face can’t be so dirty you need to scrub it clean, every day? I realise if you wear makeup everyday, that can build up…… but do the same people scrub their bodies with brushes daily too? Maybe. I don’t.

Look this one is cute – from sephora.com

Dry brush your face once or twice a week, just as you would your body, and if that’s too much for you make it once a week. Always moisturise afterwards – and try a light mist of a hydrosol or floral water after brushing and before moisturising.

And for the all natural person here’s a cute soft natural jute brush by bodecare.com

Now I’m totally psyched into dry brushing my entire body. The little face brush above is easily cleaned with any plain soap as the bristles are synthetic and slightly more gentle than natural bristles. The natural bristle body brushes are a bit harder to clean as it’s best not to get them too wet. You could use a comb with soap and water to pull through the bristles, and shake it out every time you use it.

I wonder if this cute little brush will help reduce the circles under my eyes? I’m going to try, and I’ll get back to you in a while. Stay tuned x

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

Check out my YouTube channel too, thanks.

Australian Eucalyptus Oil WINNER!!!!!

Posted on May 20, 2015 by suzannerbanks

Thanks to all the lovely people that read the article and commented for their chance to win a bottle of Certified Organic Australian eucalyptus oil from Banalasta in NSW.

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

Barnes & Noble Booktopia AU Amazon UK

and many other stores worldwide as an ebook and paperback

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and the winner is ….

♥

Heather Roques

♥

Congratulations I’ll be in touch to get your postal address.

The winner was chosen by using random.org.

10ml bottle Eucalyptus radiata from Banalasta

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

Check out my YouTube channel too, thanks.

To Scrub or Not To Scrub? That is the Question!

Posted on May 13, 2015 by suzannerbanks

The Soft, Supple Skin Series Part 1 – Skin Scrubs

Natural skin scrubs are easy to make, and thanks to the internet it’s easy to find recipes – but are they good for your skin?

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

Barnes & Noble Booktopia AU Amazon UK

and many other stores worldwide as an ebook and paperback

***************************************************************************************************************

Salt scrub – pic via themethuselahcenter.com

Skin scrubs can make your skin feel soft and new, providing you don’t use them too often.

The skin is called the Integumentary system. It is the largest organ of the body – and yes it’s actually classified as an organ, just like your liver and heart are organs. The skin has its own intelligence and it separates us from our environment and gives us our unique quality. It is also the most exposed organ in the body and needs some care and attention.

The skin on our faces is finer than in other parts of our body, but generally speaking it works in a particular way. It is estimated we could be losing about 30,000 skin cells per hour. Yes, per hour! New cells are formed from within, and push up to the external layer of the epidermis. This means our skin is already taking care of itself in a complicated and intelligent fashion, so is it ok to use a scrub?

Salt makes a great base for a scrub but use fine salt or grind up coarse salt

I think using a scrub once every week to 10 days is good for your skin, just be careful when actually scrubbing your skin so as not to give yourself scratches. Also the scrub you make to use on your body, could be a little too rough for your face so plan ahead and do your recipe research first.

* Winter skin tends to need a scrub more frequently as hot showers and layers of clothing can interfere with the natural release of skin, and we can get that dry crocodile looking effect.

* Basically you will be washing dead skin down the drain rather than letting it pile up around the house.

* Ideally soak in a bath for 5 minutes. Use your scrub on all parts of your body, then soak for at least another 5 minutes for a real spa treatment feeling. Some of us only have a shower so make the best of what you have.

* Always moisturise after your scrub, and of course I recommend you use a body oil and face oil or serum which will give your skin a velvety smooth finish.

Sea salt – pic via cooks.ndtv.com

Bases for Your Body

* Fine sea salt is the best. Don’t use coarse as you will scratch yourself.

* I see recipes all the time using sugar but I just don’t understand why you would use sugar when you have salt?

* Oil and/or moisturising cream to make a slurry

* Green or pink clay

* a little water

Bases for Your Face

* moisturising cream on its own or with some white or yellow clay

* almond meal – I love this gentle scrub base for the face

Use a mortar and pestle to grind up anything you want to use in your scrub

Additives to Your Bases

* a few drops of essential oil (1 drop for face – 5 drops for body – or a few more) – don’t go overboard you don’t want to burn or irritate your skin, especially if you are adding other botanicals to it

* coffee grains

* almond meal

* fresh rind of lemon/orange/grapefruit/lime

* dried citrus peel

* ground cacao nibs

* ground rose petals

* ground pumice

* dried or fresh herbs

Use your imagination but also your intuition as to what might be good for your face and what is best left for your body.

lovely legs!

A basic body scrub could look like this:

2 cups fine sea salt

grated lemon rind

3 – 5 drops lavender essential oil

a tablespoon of oil

a tablespoon of clay

a little water or cream to make a gooey paste

A face scrub:

3 teaspoons almond meal

1 teaspoon white clay

a little water to make a paste

1 drop bergamot essential oil

The only issue for me using these types of scrubs is that we are washing the gooey paste down the drain. I think that’s fine for the salt on it’s own but what about the oil and botanicals too?

Stay tuned for more in my Soft, Supple Skin Series and check out my YouTube channel too, thanks.

10 Recipes with Lime Essential Oil – Citrus aurantifolia

Posted on May 6, 2015 by suzannerbanks

Beautiful lime oil is an interesting citrus oil with depth and even a little spice. What is lime’s secret?

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

Barnes & Noble Booktopia AU Amazon UK

and many other stores worldwide as an ebook and paperback

***************************************************************************************************************

Lime oil has more depth than the other citrus oils

“Lime (Citrus aurantifolia)

counteracts negative thinking

Lime is better used in diffuser and mists rather than on the body. Lime is one of the heavier citrus oils and I feel it hides a deep, magical secret, but I’m not quite sure what that secret is. It has less classical uses than lemon but when I use this oil on my clients I can see its ability to influence and counter-act negative thinking. Don’t give away your energy to negative thoughts, feelings or situations otherwise you wont have anything left for your own happiness. Use lime instead.”

Suzanne R Banks “Revelation! Reveal Your Destiny with Essential Oils”

Beer and lime!

So while beer with a wedge of lime is lovely, what can lime oil be used for?

* According to Salvatore Battaglia (who has written a great text-book on essential oils “The Complete guide to Aromatherapy), lime is great for sore throats due to its anti-microbial nature. However, all oils have anti bacterial qualities as they are the protectors of each plant they come from.

* Lime is used to help with depression – as with all the citrus oils. They are oils of happiness.

* It could be used in a body oil blend as a digestive tonic

* In a mild dilution it can help oily skin and hair as it acts as an astringent.

Refreshing zesty lime

Let’s check out some recipes:

1. Scent Your Space

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

“Cocktails!”

Get in the spirit! Get it?

Lime 12 drops

Orange 8 drops

Cinnamon 5 drops

“Life is Good”

When you need a bit of help to see the good things –

Lime 10 drops

Lavender 10 drops

Fennel 5 drops

“Summer Summer Summer”

Lime 8 drops

Palmarosa 8 drops

Lemon Myrtle 5 drops

Nutmeg 4 drops

“Fun with Kids”

Lime 7 drops

Mandarin 6 drops

Spearmint 6 drops

Marjoram 6 drops

“From Negative to Positive”

Start feeling good now –

Lime 6 drops

Indian Rosewood 10 drops

Lemongrass 6 drops

Clove 8 drops

Anoint yourself with pure essential oil blends

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!

“Feelin Good”

Lime 2 drops

Australian Sandalwood 1 drop

“I Feel Pretty, Oh SO Pretty”

Lime 1 drop

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

“Don’t Hesitate”

Lime 1 drop

Lemon 1 drop

Basil 1 drop

nourish your skin with oil blends

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. 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”

“Energy NOW!”

Lime 2 drops

Rosemary 2 drops

Cypress 4 drops

“Life is Sweet”

Lime 3 drops

Peru Balsam 3 drops

Geranium 2 drops

lime is a happy colour too!

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

Check out my YouTube channel too, thanks.

20 Good Reasons Lavender is the Superhero of Essential Oils

Posted on April 29, 2015 by suzannerbanks

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

Barnes & Noble Booktopia AU Amazon UK

and many other stores worldwide as a Kindle and Paperback

20 Good Reasons Lavender is the Superhero of Essential Oils

Lavender at my local market

The following is an excerpt from my book:

“Lavender – Singularly Spectacular for General Health”

If it all gets a bit too confusing, lavender is here to save the day. It’s the super hero of essential oils and here are 20 good reasons why:

1. It is a herb that has been used for perfumery and healing for centuries and is still thriving.

2. Lavender’s purple colour is related to the upper chakras, mainly the crown chakra which connects us with the universe and all the knowledge contained within its structure.

3. The perfect oil for use in first aid as it has properties of cell regeneration, anti-bacterial and anti-septic constituents. Perfect for cuts, grazes, falls and anytime first aid is required. Even rushing to someone’s aid with a little bottle of lavender can help shock and fright.

4. A great after sun oil and THE one indicated oil to use for any kind of burn.

lovely lavender

5. Great for relaxing and inducing sleep.

6. It is calming and can be used for headaches and as an antidote for sadness and depression.

7. A wonderful tonic for the heart both physically and meta-physically.

8. It has warming and cooling properties and could be considered a balancing oil – an oil of evening things out. I call it the oil of solidarity.

Lavender backpackers in Akeroa NZ

9. Treats insect bites by immediately stopping the itching.

10. It’s easy to find and relatively inexpensive.

11. It’s grown and produced all over the world, each region giving its scent and quality to the oil.

12. Lavender oil can be inhaled as a steam for colds, coughs and sinus infections to relieve the symptoms.

wild lavender with butterfly

13. It counteracts most kinds of pain – physical an emotional.

14. The herbaceous scent blends well with all other oils and can be used as the main part of a potion to provide a platform for all the other scents to project from.

15. The herb can be used in baking, in jams, in teas and in body products.

16. Children seem to like it – it tends to provide a sense of calm and security. It is also a powerful oil to use with the elderly to instill a sense of safety.

more gorgeous lavender

17. The essential oil is perfect for grounding and centering, using in spells and to help stimulate creativity.

18. It is wonderful to use if you need support and encouragement, and either don’t have anyone around to give that to you, or you’ve temporarily exhausted your own supply. Helps you to find the strength to carry on when times are tough.

19. Connects us to the great feminine power of Gaia.

20. One drop is enough to change your perspective from weak to strong.

lavender!

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

Check out my YouTube channel too, thanks.

Australian Eucalyptus Oil – A Review and Giveaway

Posted on April 22, 2015 by suzannerbanks

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

Barnes & Noble Booktopia AU Amazon UK

and many other stores worldwide as a Kindle and Paperback

Australian Eucalyptus Oil – A Review and Giveaway

The picturesque road to Banalasta – it was stinking hot and there was a bushfire in the distance

At the end of last year I visited a friend in Armidale which is about 5 hours drive from Sydney (or about an hour flying). On our way to see friends in Tamworth – the Country Music Capital of Australia – we saw signs to a Eucalyptus farm. A few kilometres up a bumpy dirt road we found the gorgeous little shop and cafe, selling eucalyptus oil from the property “Banalasta” (the land of healthy waterholes). They are growing quickly and increasing their wholesale business to the USA, as well as supplying the Australian public through online sales and sale on the property. They are a certified organic farming business.

The lovely people gave me a quick look around out the back, where they actually store the leaves and distill the oil. Here are a few pics:

Here you can see fresh eucalyptus leaves (Eucalyptus radiata) harvested off the property, from living trees (that continue to live). The scent was absolutely divine!

Fresh eucalyptus leaves awaiting distillation

The massive vats used for distilling the oil:

Distilling vats

The receptacle that collects the essential oil:

The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow – where the essential oil is collected

Glass measuring and testing equipment to assess each batch:

At Banalasta they also grow and distill lavender (Lavandula Intermedia grosso):

Lavender just about to flower outside the shop

The Oil: Eucalyptus radiata certified organic

The Scent: A sweet and soft eucalyptus, almost like you are eating a eucalyptus candy. Within the scent I can detect mild camphorous tones and the poetic sense of the Australian bush.

The Verdict: A must have for all scent enthusiasts

To Win:

10ml bottle Eucalyptus radiata

Please comment via the little thought bubble at the top of the blog and tell my why you’d LOVE this little bottle of Aussie goodness. The winner will be chosen through random.org on the 20th May 2015.

Thanks so much! You can support local organic farmers by buying direct from Banalasta here: http://www.banalasta.com.au/Essential-Oils-p-1-c-252.html

Check out my YouTube channel too, thanks.

Essential Oils for The March Equinox 2015

Posted on March 18, 2015 by suzannerbanks

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

Barnes & Noble Booktopia AU Amazon UK

and many other stores worldwide as a Kindle and Paperback

Essential Oils for The March Equinox 2015

Showing the Autumnal and Spring (or Vernal) equinoxes and the position of the sun -pic via www.physicalgeography.net

Showing the Autumnal and Spring (or Vernal) equinoxes and the position of the sun -pic via http://www.physicalgeography.net

OOOOOOOO yeah its equinox time! This March Equinox means cooler temperatures for us in the southern hemisphere, and warmer times for you up north. Equatorial people just get a little hint of a change, but this may change in years to come with global temperatures changing and wacky things happening in the atmosphere.

“an equinox occurs when the tilt of the Earth’s axis is neither away or towards the Sun. At this time, the center of the Sun is in the plane of the Earth’s equator. What happens as a result is that the Sun is at one of two opposite points on the celestial sphere. The word equinox is translated in Latin to mean “equal night” because during an equinox the day and night will be at equal length.

The Spring Equinox begins on March 21 and marks the start of the new astrological year in the tropical zodiac since the Sun will enter Aries — the first sign in the zodiac. This is typically a time of new beginnings and we have come to associate the Spring Equinox with a “fresh start.”

tarot.com

But for me it’s the Autumnal Equinox in Aries (the start of the astrological year), and for others it’s the Vernal Equinox in Aries. Hmmmmmm.

So in the Southern hemisphere, the astrological year is starting but we are getting ready for winter. Maybe this means we start thinking about our new plans NOW, and we’ll see them finally hatch at the end of the year (spring and summer).

In the north your new year starts with warmth and fiery Aries energy. Get ready to party.

Which oils can we use the ease us into the next seasons?

Sothern hemisphere - pic via pixabay.com

Southern hemisphere – pic via pixabay.com

Essential oils that help us prepare for cooler weather, bring us down from a hot summer, and also plant the seeds of ideas that will hatch in spring:

Fennel – be kind to yourself, nurture your body

Mandarin – bring the happiness of summer into autumn, acknowledge the simple things in life

Basil – open the upper chakras to receive divine guidance through the darker months

Pine – give thanks for an abundant summer and the people in our lives who have helped us

North – pic via http://www.sodahead.com

Essential oils that help shake off the cold, and spur us into action:

Rosemary – increase circulation, stimulate the mind to remember what we had planned for this new season

Cardamom – get the energy flowing all around and through you

Jasmine – awaken your creativity and sensuality

Geranium – cheer up summer is coming

A median lifestyle – pic via pcwww.liv.ac.uk

Essential oils to help change our energy levels and get us moving, stimulate creativity and goal setting:

Frankincense – deep breathing, connection to spirit

Cedarwood Virginian – love what you do in everyday life and help the world evolve through these practices

Petitgrain – fresh new starts, pure potentiality

Juniper – shed old energy patterns and emotions to move forward

It is important to acknowledge and celebrate these planetary occurrences to help us stay connected to our land. Let’s love our planet, take care of it and each other. Let’s evolve – because it’s the only choice that seems relevant.

Using essential oils will help open your spirit through the elusive Limbic System in your brain. The scent of a natural oil can awaken divine intelligence within you, so go ahead and use any essential oil to expand your consciousness. We need you.

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

Do Gay People Have a Favourite Essential Oil? – Video

Video

Please check out my new book

REVELATION! Reveal Your Destiny with Essential Oils

Barnes & Noble Booktopia AU Amazon UK

and many other stores worldwide as a Kindle and Paperback

Do Gay People Have a Favourite Essential Oil? (Last Week on YouTube)

???????

I recently accompanied my very good friend DJ Wayne G on an Atlantis Cruise from Auckland to Sydney. These cruises are predominantly gay men, a few lesbians, a straight couple or two and a few straight girls. When a blog reader asked “what is gay peoples’ favourite essential oil” I laughed out loud (really). What a perfect place to ask a few people this interesting question.

Of course I imagined I would ask 500 people, like a vox pop, and ended up actually having a holiday and asking 5 people! Here is the result.

There is one clip with (another DJ) friend of mine Shigeki, filmed on a train. Clearly NOT a ship. This was shot on a beautiful wooden train that took us up through the Taieri Gorge from Dunedin in New Zealand – a beautiful day through spectacular scenery.

Thanks so much for your continued support and please let me know if there is anything you’d like me to write about.

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

suzannerbanks

scent . intention . consciousness . essential oils

Tag Archives: happiness

Strength, Clarity and Potentiality with Essential Oils

Hug an Aromatic Tree Today! Himalayan Cedarwood

Dry Brushing for Your Face?

Australian Eucalyptus Oil WINNER!!!!!

To Scrub or Not To Scrub? That is the Question!

10 Recipes with Lime Essential Oil – Citrus aurantifolia

20 Good Reasons Lavender is the Superhero of Essential Oils

Australian Eucalyptus Oil – A Review and Giveaway

Essential Oils for The March Equinox 2015

Do Gay People Have a Favourite Essential Oil? – Video

Video

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