Your Essential Oil for the Lunar New Year of the RAT, 2020!

Posted on January 22, 2020 by suzannerbanks

Yes, it’s a new year (almost)! How was your pig year? It seems to me there were a lot of people feeling pushed towards the end of the year, but sometimes that’s just life. The rat brings exciting times as the first animal in the Chinese Horoscope. The rat is smart, fast and engaging and has an attractive personality and an outgoing lifestyle. What does the Year of the Rat have in store for you?

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2020 is the year of the yang (male) metal rat.

Yay. I think?

This year is connected to metal and water and could see an increase in those industries.

Money and finances for all signs could increase, but only with the will, planning, and determination. Luxury, opulence and shiny things are characteristics of the rat year too.

The rat year brings new opportunities and new experiences for the ones who jump on their lucky opportunities quickly.

Your Chinese Zodiac in the Year of the Rat

Rat

Keywords: success, learning, discipline

Oil: rosemary

Keywords: new work skills, adapability, be social

Oil: palmarosa

Tiger

Keywords: happy home life, curb impulsiveness, friends

Oil: rose

Rabbit

Keywords: alertness, accept change, exercise

Oil: wintergreen

Dragon

Keywords: initiative, career, chance

Oil: Ylang ylang

Snake

Keywords: action, commitment, ideas

Oil: lemon myrtle

Horse

Keywords: consultation, self care, work

Oil: Peru balsam

Goat

Keywords: creativity, openness, new connections

Oil: petitgrain

Monkey

Keywords: fun, personal growth, success

Oil: coriander

Rooster

Keywords: inner strength, care, pace yourself

Oil: Siberian fir

Dog

Keywords: forward march, friendship, planning

Oil: cinnamon

Pig

Keywords: go with the flow, expansion, health

Oil: Roman chamomile

So what is your oil this year and are you happy with my key words and oils?

I wish you a wonderful year and look forward to connecting with you about natural scent and essential oils in 2020!

恭喜发财 Gōngxǐ fācái Happiness and prosperity

Your Essential Oil for the Lunar New Year of the PIG!

Posted on February 6, 2019 by suzannerbanks

Yes it’s a new year! Was 2018 a dog of a year for you? It seemed to me that it was for a lot of people, and maybe that’s because it was Year of the Dog. The pig year will bring lots of fun things so please read on the find out which oil is your power oil for 2019. Essential oils and botanical extracts are wonderful conduits for invoking new energy, are helpers in everyday life and they smell wonderful!

Buy my 100% natural and organic botanical perfumes, and paperback book here:

suzannerbanks.com.au

Digital downloads and paper backs of my book Revelation! Reveal your Destiny with Essentials Oils here:

Barnes & Noble Booktopia AU Amazon UK

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Pig – pic via http://www.chinesehoroscopeonline.com/

2019 is the year of the yin (female) earth pig.

Yay. I think?

This year is connected to the soil and the water and can be a year of relaxation and carefreeness, but also climate instability.

Money and finances world wide could become less important or weak, as modesty and spirituality become more of a focus.

As the last animal in the Chinese zodiac the pig likes to over-indulge but also realises the importance of a healthy body too.

Year of the Pig 2019

Keywords: review relationships, keep active, be generous, forgive, enjoy

Oil: petitgrain

Your Chinese Zodiac in the Year of the Pig

Rat

Rat – pic via http://www.chinesehoroscopeonline.com/

Keywords: open up, new horizons, end of a era

Oil: bergamot

Ox – pic via http://www.chinesehoroscopeonline.com

Keywords: resilience, sew seeds for the future, social

Oil: Virginian cedarwood

Tiger

Keywords: flexibility, relaxed home life, surprises

Oil: cinnamon

Rabbit

Keywords: up-skill, peacefulness, lighten up

Oil: geranium

Dragon

Keywords: rewards, release, hope

Oil: basil

Snake

Keywords: challenges, rest, acceptance

Oil: Australian sandalwood

Horse

Keywords: rejuvenate, prioritise, be creative

Oil: amber

Goat

Keywords: travel, parties, strength

Oil: neroli

Monkey

Keywords: learning, consolidation, luck

Oil: myrrh

Rooster

Keywords: strategy, destiny, synchronicity

Oil: lime

Dog

Dog – pic via http://www.chinesehoroscopeonline.com

Keywords: opportunities, happiness, planning

Oil: black spruce

So what is your oil this year and are you happy with my little key words?

I wish you a wonderful year and look forward to connecting with you about natural scent and essential oils in 2019!

恭喜发财 Gōngxǐ fācái Happiness and prosperity

The Wonders of Wintergreen

Posted on January 18, 2017 by suzannerbanks

Thanks for tuning in again natural beauties. This week a client and friend brought me a gift from the USA – Wintergreen Life Savers. She had promised she would bring some back to me so I could have a taste – and had been inspired to do this after I used wintergreen in an oil blend for one of her treatments. She said that this lolly was a blast from the past and a loved candy from her childhood.

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Please check out my 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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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Suzanne R Banks (@banksbotanicals)

As you can see from the comment in my pic above – wintergreen as a flavouring for a candy is very unusual for me (and I would think many Aussies too). To me it’s like eating a sports rub like Deep Heat or Dencorub. It is commonly used as a flavouring in America, but I’m not sure if it’s embraced the same way in other parts of the world. After the initial blast and sensation of the essential oil of wintergreen in my mouth, the fragrance subsided into a general sweetness. Phew.

Some of my classic aromatherapy text books warn against using this oil at all, which seems strange when you can eat it in a lolly )this is however, at an extremely low dosage). Wintergreen is an essential oil of warmth, expansion and healing and can be used in an external oil blend for:

sore muscles
a chest cough
a headache
tension
poor circulation

I think the reason this oil is misunderstood is that some texts say it is high in the same chemical constituents that are in aspirin – but that’s not quite true. It has a high concentration of methyl salicylate ……

“Methyl salicylate is good for some people, not for others. A blanket contraindication is not necessary, but it is best avoided in pregnancy – all salicylates are teratogenic in sufficient amount, including methyl salicylate and aspirin (acetyl salicylic acid). Methyl salicylate must be absolutely avoided by anyone taking blood-thinning drugs, as it increases the action of the drug, and this causes blood to leak into tissues and internal bruising occurs.

Wintergreen oil has some wonderful properties, but I would not like to see it used at more than 5%.”

Robert Tisserand

wintergreen – Gaultheria procumbens

NB: As Robert Tisserand says above, he would not recommend using this at a higher concentration then 5%. Well 5% is a very high concentration in aromatherapy as mostly our oil blends are a standard 2.5%.

I have used this oil with an elderly client who is on blood thinners and it really helps him with back pain. I don’t use it all the time and when I do make a blend I always add other oils too.

Common sense and intuition must always play a part when you use essential oils. One size does not fit all.

Here are a few recipes for an oil blend at 2.5%

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”

Wintergreen with frost – pic via http://tcpermaculture.com/

“BRRR I’m Freezing”

Wintergreen 1 drop

Lemon 7 drops

“The Anti Cough”

Wintergreen 2 drops

Marjoram 2 drops

Frankincense 4 drops

“Period Pain-Away”

Wintergreen 2 drops

Lavender 4 drops

Peppermint 1 drop

“Oh My Aching Knees”

Wintergreen 3 drops

Ginger 3ginger drops

Cypress 2 drops

Do you like wintergreen?

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

Check out my YouTube channel too, thanks.

Lavender for Summer AND Winter Skin

Video

Hello natural beauties I hope you’re all faring well after the New Year. I’m so grateful I’ve been having lots of lovely beach time this summer, which also means I have tan, and have been exposed to lots of UV rays. Lavender is the perfect essential oil to cool summer skin, but even if you’re in the dead of winter, it’s perfect for you too! Read on to find out how this amazing oil of oils can help you now ….

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

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

Barnes & Noble Booktopia AU Amazon UK

and many other stores worldwide as an ebook and paperback

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

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Suzanne R Banks (@banksbotanicals)

SUMMER

Lavender has always been used to treat burns as its high linalool and linalyl acetate content helps soothe hot skin.
Used as a calming oil you can see how this relates to stress, sleep, healing skin and soothing skin too.
Mix a few drops of lavender oil into some natural aloe vera gel for the perfect after-sun treatment (although it can be a bit sticky)
Add a few drops of this amazing oil into your favourite body or face moisturiser to help soothe and repair sun damaged skin
Have a luke warm bath with some coconut milk and 4 drops of lavender
Make a body oil blend with lavender and your favourite cold pressed oil using this ratio:

lovely lavender in my neighbour's planter box out the frot

lovely lavender in my neighbour’s planter box out the front

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”

“After Sun Special”

Lavender 4 drops

Peppermint 2 drops

Vetiver 1 drop

I took this pic in Mexico in 2014

WINTER

Warm up in winter with essential oils

While lavender is wonderful for soothing and calming summer skin how can it help you in winter?

Lavender is an ancient healing herb oil that has strength and tenacity which is what one often needs to brave the winter months
Your skin can become very dry due to many reasons – artificial heating, hot showers and baths and by being continually covered up the dead skin cells often don’t have anywhere to escape to, leaving you dry and flaky
Lavender is the perfect oil to nurture you in the cold by doing steam inhalations to bring colour and life into your face – even add a few drops to your shower to give you an all over steam inhalation
Add a few drops to a hot foot bath to increase circulation
And as above: add a few drops of this amazing oil into your favourite body or face moisturiser to help soothe and repair dry skin
Make a body oil blend with lavender and your favourite cold pressed oil using the ratio above:

“Warm me up, Give Me Strength”

Lavender 3 drops

Rosemary 2 drops

Ginger 2 drops

Lavender in Sydney

“When in doubt, use lavender”

Suzanne R Banks

Ah yes there I go quoting myself again, hehe.

Do you use lavender all year round? I’d love to know x

Rosemary Essential Oil – Get Fired Up!

Posted on May 19, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Get fired up!

Rosemary is a herb that is found all around the world in suburban gardens, dried in little bags and fresh at grocery stores. It’s a herb that has been used for medicine and in gastronomy for thousands of years and packs a powerful punch. Rosmarinus officianalis belongs to Lamiacae family (which has all the herbs in it) and the genus Rosmarinus.

I have written about this wonderful herb before when I attended a funeral and we were offered sprigs of rosemary to place on the coffin (Remember with Rosemary – Lest We Forget). Rosemary’s traditional use is that of remembering.

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia says, “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance.” (Hamlet, iv. 5.) Wikipedia

The fresh herb and of course the essential oil, is stimulating to the mind, and is warming and generally stimulating in its nature. It is high in 1-8 cineole (found in high amounts in Eucalyptus), and camphor and a-pinene (also found in many others oils including sage and thyme, citrus oils, eucalyptus and cedarwood).

Flowering rosemary in my client’s garden

Rosemary was found in the tombs of Egypt, used by the Greeks and Romans as medicine and revered as a sacred herb. More modern herbalists and physicians from the middle ages have used rosemary to treat any sickness of the head – and in this way we could see rosemary as a “cephalic oil” – the same as basil, which I have just written about. It has been used as a treatment for the liver, muscle aches and pains and for colds and sinus.

In aromatherapy today rosemary is used –

* for muscular aches and pains

* for stimulating memory – to be used in study and for the elderly

* for warming the body and increasing circulation to extremities

* as a digestive tonic

* as a tonic for the spleen meridian organs (liver, gall bladder, pancreas, spleen)

Rosemary botanical drawing – from Köhler’s Medizinal Pflanzen

As you can see the modern uses of rosemary are the same as the traditional uses of rosemary – stimulating and warming. It certainly is a strongly flavoured herb. Recently my friend, who has loads of rosemary bushes on his new property, stuck some in a bottle of gin and it didn’t take very long for the flavour to infuse.

I use rosemary frequently in my practice. Most clients have some type of muscle stiffness or soreness and rosemary is a real winner when it comes to relieving muscle tension. I’ll often use lavender, rosemary and marjoram together for a warming, pain relieving oil blend.

Rosemary oil is produced in a few countries around the world and this herb and oil has some very common chemotypes (again this is similar to basil and other herbs like marjoram too). Different chemotypes will have different scents and varying degrees of the common chemical constituents, depending on the soil, climate and other factors. Don’t get too confused, just dive in and use whatever rosemary oil you can find. It’s inexpensive and easily accessible!

Rosemary will stimulate your mind – pic via goldenagersrock.com

10 Recipes with Basil Essential Oil – Ocimum basilicum

Posted on March 5, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Beautiful aromatic basil

Basil is a herb from the Lamiacae family and the genus Ocimum, and has been flavouring our foods and healing us for centuries. It is a scent you won’t forget – green, herbabceous sweet and pungent. As an essential oil basil (sometimes referred to as sweet basil) is stimulating to the mind opening the upper chakras and giving the brain a cleansing, refreshing scent.

In aromatherapy basil oil is used –

* as a cephalic which means it stimulates the head in general so if used in small amounts it could help a headache. Some basil oils can be high in linalool oil which is present in large amounts in lavender.

* to ease stress and tension and calm mild anxiety (you may notice lots of essential oils are attributed to this use which shows that they can be easily used to help you relax – even if it’s just for a couple of minutes)

* as an anti-inflammatory agent for joint pain

Sneakily borrowed from thepoofairy.com (hehehehe)

There are many types of culinary basil but so far the winner in terms of essential oil production is this basil – sweet basil. When using this oil it can be tricky to get the proportions right because it’s so strong. Sometimes a drop is all you’ll need.

Let’s check out some recipes –

Take a huge whiff to change your focus in seconds

1. Open The Bottle and Take a Huge Whiff

This “recipe” is one for those who need to –

* wake up

* open to universal intelligence

* chill out and stop freaking out

* have a headache or have mental fatigue?

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There are lots of great essential oil diffusers on the market now - pic via www.aliexpress.com

There are lots of great essential oil diffusers on the market now – pic via http://www.aliexpress.com

2. Scent Your Space

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

“Can’t.Wake.Up”

When your brain needs a boost –

Basil 8 drops

Rosemary 4 drops

Peppermint 4 drops

Orange 9 drops

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“Summer Evening”

Add some basil to your gin and tonic too –

Basil 10 drops

Geranium 6 drops

Petitgrain 8 drops

Vetiver 1 drop

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“Oh Man What a Day!”

When you need to relax after a challenging day –

Basil 8 drops

Bergamot 12 drops

Lemongrass 5 drops

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“Living the Dreams”

For a slumber full of dreams –

Basil 4 drops

Lavender 12 drops

Mandarin 8 drops

Spikenard 1 drop

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Chinese tea cup – perfect for a little perfume magic

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!

“Ascended Masters”

Tap into this great wisdom –

Basil 1 drop

Nutmeg 1 drop

Lime 1 drop

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“Big Day Ahead”

Basil 1 drop

Palmarosa 1 drop

Lavender 1 drop

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“Bon Courage”

Basil 1 drop

Black Pepper 1 drop

Peru Balsam 1 drop

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“I Invite Understanding”

When you need a nudge to gain understanding –

Basil 1 drop

Ylang Ylang 1 drop

Pink Grapefruit 1 drop

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

4. 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”

“Bring it On!”

For a kickstart to the day –

Basil 2 drops

Rosemary 2 drops

Orange 4 drops

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

Essential Oils for Emotional Freak-outs

Posted on May 27, 2013 by suzannerbanks

It’s ok if you are freaking out – grab a bottle of essential oil

Sometimes we just have a meltdown. Freak out. Lose it. Feel completely overwhelmed, and wonder how we can go on. It times like these that essential oils really become ESSENTIAL!

But also, it’s times like these that we feel so weak the idea of getting an essential oil out and taking a big whiff is just too hard.

A drop of oil can be essential

Phone a friend. Seek some solace in a chat with someone and if that’s not possible then try to take some time out to gather yourself. Don’t be afraid to go home early from work if you aren’t coping – or don’t go to work at all. Close the bedroom door if the kids are driving you to distraction. It’s ok to have some time to yourself and remember

“this time too shall pass”

If you are the friend that is there to help, here are some essential oil tips to help someone consolidate their energy and regain strength. This also applies to kids having a raging tantrum too.

beautiful roses

Rose

The Queen of Oils will bring softness and nurturing to the emotions and is the perfect freak-out tonic. Also wonderful for grief, rose oil helps the body deal with heat and inflammation – including hot feelings and an internal meltdown.

A drop of rose oil on the temples will be soothing and calming but remember the most important thing is to SMELL the oil so it can go to work on the brain and nervous systems quickly. For more info please see my article “Stop and Smell the Roses”.

Rose oil could be used for prolonged periods of time to aid in recovery and to re-establish equilibrium.

Marjoram is a calming herb

Marjoram

Marjoram is sedating oil and perfect for some who’s crying and can’t stop. It is an oil I use to treat pain – muscle pain and emotional pain and is also another good oil for grief.

Combined with Lavender, Marjoram is the oil for acute pain and for stroking the energetic body into calm. This herb is a must have for anyone who’s into aromatherapy as its inexpensive and powerful. For more hints on herbal essential oils check out “Essential Oils from Herbs are Spectacular!”

lovely lavender

Lavender

This is the all round everything oil. I actually would use this for ANYTHING. The only time I would consider not using this oil is if a client doesn’t like the scent.

Lavender is calming and soothing and is an oil for solidarity and strength too. Lavender is a herb and belongs to the same family as Marjoram so they work well together. For more info on Lavender see my article Lavender is the “Little Black Dress” of the Oil Wardrobe

Hairy vetiver root

Vetiver

Oh yeah, one drop of this can bring a screaming child to calm quite quickly. It’s very heavy, cool scent can be a bit sickly so when it is used in aromatherapy it is used sparingly. A little goes a long way because of its power. Deep, Cool, Grounding Vetiver will give you some more hints on this amazing oil.

Vetiver helps align the meridians and bring focus where there was none. It “grounds” someone instantly when their head is up in the ether.

It’s important to look after yourself and your friends too.

Use your intention when you are using essential oils so they carry the energetic vibration of positivity.

World Peace, Hippies, Patchouli Oil and The Evolution of Human Consciousness

Posted on March 27, 2013 by suzannerbanks

peace

We owe the Hippies from the 60’s a great deal more kudos than they receive today. They tapped into the energy of the coming of the new world age, and displayed a radical yet peaceful way of behaviour. It really was the first signs of the “dawning of the age of Aquarius” and 50 years later we, the common people, are really feeling the vibe in everyday life. The age of Aquarius is finally here and we are being summoned by the universe to improve, change, be kind to animals, be peaceful, add value to the world, be positive, look after the earth, tap into our spirituality and connect with people we have never met before. The scent of change in the 60’s was patchouli oil, and as a scent of peace, it is our oil now! It is an oil of the evolution of mankind.

The patchouli shrub

Patchouli oil on it’s own is not particularly lovely, but when used with others oils, really comes alive. It is a “base oil” meaning that is dark, deep and heavy and related to the base and second chakras. The base chakra “Muladhara” is about survival (food, nurturing, shelter) and the second chakra “Svadisthana” is about our scared sexuality.

chakras via westwoodhealingarts.com

So it’s easy to understand why the hippie culture used this amazing oil. It is “grounding” as it helps us place our attention on our lower chakras – the ones closest to the earth. It helps us place our feet firmly in this world now and creates an empathy toward the planet and all the beings who reside on this planet. I would even say patchouli oil is almost buddhist in its existence.

hippies via flowerpower89.wordpress.com

The “free love” ethos of the hippie culture was supported by patchouli oil, and a need to connect with others in a deeply spiritual and sexual manner. It was all about the sharing the love and if we are to evolve beyond war, famine, politics and money we need to be peaceful and loving. We need patchouli oil!

Patchouli oil is also;

* great for skin disorders like eczema and psoriasis to help calm the symptoms

* wonderful to blend with other oils to help consolidate the scent and keep the formula in harmony

* a good oil to use on nail fungal infections – a drop straight from the bottle is best for this treatment

* an oil used to stimulate cell growth (like lavender) and therefore lovely in skin and hair care

Here are some recipes:

Hair Mask

Warm 6 teaspoons of olive oil, add the following essential oils, then massage into hair and scalp. you can sleep on a towel overnight so the oils really penetrate, or wash and condition after an hour.

“Rapunzel”

Patchouli 4 drops

Lavender 6 drops

Orange 5 drops

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Body Oil

A deep moisturising oil blend to promote peace and harmony in your environment. To 3 teaspoons of oil (almond, jojoba, sunflower, grape seed) add:

“Miss Universe”

Patchouli 2 drops

Rosewood 4 drops

Ylang Ylang 2 drops

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Scent Your Space

In a traditional oil burner with a candle or an electric vapouriser add:

“Om, Baby”

Patchouli 5 drops

Mandarin 15 drops

Lemongrass 5 drops

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Patchouli is peace.

Patchouli is worldly love.

Patchouli is the scent of the evolution of human consciousness.

Essential Oils from Herbs are Spectacular!

Posted on February 6, 2013 by suzannerbanks

oh lovely peppermint!

The Lamiacae family of plants groups together lots of great herbs we know and use frequently. It used to be called the Labiatae family (and sometimes still is), but I’m glad we’ve upgraded the name!

You may never have guessed it but these plants, that make wonderful aromatic oils, belong together:

Basil

Clary Sage

Hyssop

Lavender

Melissa (lemon balm)

Marjoram

Oregano

Peppermint

Patchouli

Sage

Spearmint

Thyme

So when you smell lavender, even though the flowering tops are used in the distillation process (as well as other parts of the plant), it really is a herb. Try smelling hints of marjoram in the oil and it can give you a very different opinion of it.

thyme

Thyme and oregano also have those marjoram notes too, even though they are very strong oils and less user-friendly than marjoram in massage and skincare.

Hyssop has a spicy scent, and once again very herbaceous. It smells similar to sage, lavender and marjoram.

Basil is quite distinct, but two or three seconds into a good long whiff, you will also detect hints of the other herbs.

Clary Sage is a very heady oil and quite different to Sage – but you can almost smell a little hyssop in there.

patchouli – looks a bit like mint

Patchouli is another oil that tends to stand out in this group as it has very individual notes. The earthiness however, connects a little bit to the sages, and even thyme.

melissa – can you see the similarity in the leaves of all these herbs?

Melissa is a premium oil and is the only lemon scented herb of the group. It is a lot more subtle than other lemon scented oils like lemongrass, may chang and lemon scented tea tree. I would definitely consider it to be quite special and very talented.

The mints are very different and spearmint often gets a bad wrap because of its use in toothpaste and gums. Some people find it hard to relate to as an essential oil but I love it in mists and use it in skincare too. It’s great to use when peppermint is too strong for an oil blend for the body, and when you want a herb that’s sweet and light.

This lovely Lamiacae family deserves our praise and thanks for serving us for thousands of years. And now we have the beautiful aromatic oils they provide, yay for us!

We live in a scented paradise!

Remember with Rosemary – Lest We Forget

Posted on November 20, 2012 by suzannerbanks

We remember Ken with rosemary

I was at the funeral of my ex-partner’s Dad the other day. He was a war veteran and the service was in the chapel of a beautiful retirement village for old soldiers. The service was a simple family affair with tears and laughter.

As people were arriving the chaplain said to my friend, “there’s a rosemary bush out there. would you like me to pull some off the tree, and then all the family can have a sprig to lay on the coffin?” I piped up and said yes.

At that moment I took the picture above, and silently said to myself “remember with rosemary”. I’m not sure if it happens in any other country but we celebrate our soldiers, war veterans and give thanks to those who have given themselves selflessly. We do it with with rosemary.

I’ve always loved the way such on old herb has made it through to modern times. I’ve always loved that it’s made it through the ages with it divine purpose intact. Rosemary is used to stimulate the brain. Always recommended for study, rosemary can help you remember things.

So when the ANZACs (Australia New Zealand Army Corps) and other soldiers from Australia who have fought in wars, commemorate the fallen in marches and ceremonies, it is common to wear a sprig of rosemary on the lapel. To remember. To stimulate the mind and create an anchor to the scent. So the next time rosemary is smelt, the memories of those who have gone before us, will bring them right back into our minds again.

I just loved that we were given a sprig of Rosemary for Ken’s farewell. The Last Post was played and the beautiful stanza from Laurence Binyon’s poem “For The Fallen” was read. It is synonymous with Australian and New Zealand Remembrance days:

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

Lest we forget.

So to connect with a love one who has passed, remember a person or animal that has lived before you, or to connect with a time in history or your own past life…….

flowering rosemary

Use rosemary.

Remember with rosemary.

suzannerbanks

scent . intention . consciousness . essential oils

Tag Archives: herb essential oils

Your Essential Oil for the Lunar New Year of the RAT, 2020!

Your Essential Oil for the Lunar New Year of the PIG!

The Wonders of Wintergreen

Lavender for Summer AND Winter Skin

Video

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