Lemon Myrtle Essential Oil – Lemony Goodness from Australia

Posted on January 29, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Lovely lemon myrtle an Australian native – pic via essentiallyaustralia.com.au

The lovely lemon myrtle tree (Backhousia citriodora) is a native to Australia and the leaves are used for food flavourings, as a tea, and are processed as an essential oil for our pleasure. If you’ve never smelt this powerful oil just imagine a crisp lemon scent with a deep twist of the Australian bush – a magical blend of lemon and other Aussie leaves like eucalyptus and tea tree. It belongs to the Myrtaceae family, and the genus Backhousia. This is not to be confused with Myrtle which is also a part of the Myrtaceae family but has the genus Myrtus which is native to Europe. If you read about myrtle, it is likely to refer to this Myrtus communis.

This essential oil has a high citral content. Citral is the active ingredient which gives this and other oils their lemon scent, and it’s very interesting to note the amount of citral in a few essential oils:

Citral is present in the oils of several plants, including lemon myrtle (90-98%),

Litsea citrata (90%),

Litsea cubeba (70-85%),

lemongrass (65-85%),

lemon tea-tree (70-80%),

Ocimum gratissimum (66.5%),

Lindera citriodora (about 65%),

Calypranthes parriculata (about 62%),

petitgrain (36%),

lemon verbena (30-35%),

lemon ironbark (26%),

lemon balm (11%),

lime (6-9%),

lemon (2-5%), and orange.

Wikipedia

So isn’t it interesting that lemon only contains about 5% and this amazing lemon myrtle contains almost 100% citral! Wowsa!

So what does that mean?

In addition to the lemon scent, citral has been reported to have extremely high anti-microbial qualities and compared to tea tree seems to be much higher. The oil today is used just for this purpose and is particularly noted for it’s tested use on MCV which is a skin virus. Lemon myrtle essential oil is also used on cold sores, which are also a virus (herpes) so it stands to reason that this oil is very potent.

You could also use lemon myrtle oil as an inhalation for colds and flu and as a treatment for anxiety and depression (as many other lemon scented oils can be used for similar issues). It’s also great for cleaning because of it’s strong anti-bacterial action.

Dried lemon myrtle leaves - pic via www.abc.net.au

Dried lemon myrtle leaves – pic via http://www.abc.net.au

The lemon myrtle leaves have a history with the indigenous people of Australia, as the plant has been used as a flavouring and a medicine for many, many years. Today the leaves are also just dried and crushed to be used in foods and as a tea, and represent a particular group of foods and flavours only found in Australia.

I use this oil sparingly in my practice and it seems to jump out when someone is plagued by stress and really needs to detoxify their emotions. It works well in a perfume but you need to be careful about using too much in a body oil blend as it can be sensitising.

Check out a couple of simple recipes:

Anoint yourself with pure essential oil blends

1. 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!

“Start Anew”

Get rid of all the old stale emotions and energy –

Lemon Myrtle 1 drop

Juniper 1 drop

Orange 1 drop

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

5. Scent Your Space

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

“Dark Energy Be Gone!”

Lemon Myrtle 10 drops

Patchouli 5 drops

Cedarwood Virginian 5 drops

Rosewood 5 drops

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

10 Recipes with Indian Sandalwood Essential Oil – Santalum album

Posted on January 27, 2014 by suzannerbanks

10!

Following my recent article on Sandalwood, with links to a great series on Indian sandalwood being grown in Australia, I thought I might start a series called “10 Recipes”. I’ll feature a different oil each week with recipes for body oils, face and hair treatments, room scenting, space and aura cleansing and natural perfumes.

Sandalwood and oil - pic via www.fengshuidana.com

Sandalwood and oil – pic via http://www.fengshuidana.com

The traditional sandalwood that we’ve all come to know and love is often referred to as Indian or Mysore Sandalwood as it hails from the subcontinent of India. It is the rich, creamy, deep wood scent that has captivated the world. It is expensive because we have managed to strip India of it’s entire forests (we are very bad), so now it’s being grown in Australia (very good). This new oil grown and produced in Australia is Santalum album, so don’t get it mixed up with Santalum spicatum which is called Australian Sandalwood. Got it?

nourish your skin with oil blends

1.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”

“Snake”

Feel lithe and grounded –

Sandalwood 2 drops

Orange 3 drops

Rose Geranium 2 drops

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“Date Night”

Feel a little bit sexier –

Sandalwood 2 drops

Ylang Ylang 1 drop

Bergamot 4 drops

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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 clarifyng mask. pic via chiclooking.com

2. Face Mask

Usually add 2 or 3 drops of oil to some clay and add water, floral water or hydrosol

For any skin type use white or pink clay –

Sandalwood 1 drop and leave it at that, sandalwood is strong enough

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

essential oil diffuser

3. Scent Your Space

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

“Buddha Breeze”

Connect to your spiritual energy –

Sandalwood 8 drops

Mandarin 8 drops

Palmarosa 8 drops

Vetiver 1 drop

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“Boudoir Baby”

Sandalwood 6 drops

Ylang Ylang 4 drops

Bergamot 12 drops

Lemon Myrtle 3 drops

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“Why Not?”

Garner some courage –

Sandalwood 8 drops

Lemongrass 10 drops

Black Pepper 8 drops

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Anoint your third eye and breathe! pic via buelahman.wordpress.com

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!

“YEAH!”

Rejoice in life –

Sandalwood 1 drop

Rosewood 1 drop

Black Spruce 1 drop

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“Yep I’m Awesome”

Get vibing on yourself –

Sandalwood 1 drop

Petitgrain 2 drops

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a simple hairdressing mist bottle will do the trick for your amazing essential oil mist

5. 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)

“Alpha Brainwaves”

A meditative energy –

Sandalwood 6 drops

Lemon 12 drops

Lavender 7 drops

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“Settle Down Kids”

Mist around the kids to help them chill –

Sandalwood 4 drops

Orange 14 drops

Spearmint 7 drops

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

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

Expand Your Consciousness with 10 Natural Pulse Point Perfumes

Posted on January 13, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Anoint yourself with pure essential oil blends

If you’ve been with me the past couple of weeks I’ve been talking about 2014 being a year in which we are called to seek the truth and expand our consciousness. This will not only help you evolve and grow but in turn will send your ripples out into the universe to join with others in the necessary and imminent jump in consciousness for humanity. Look I know it may sound heavy to newcomers of the revolution but it’s easy really – just be mindful of your purchases and know where all your food comes from, be kind to people and animals, voice your opinion and champion the cause of the underdog, stand up for the planet and use essential oils.

One of the easiest ways to use essential oils is to make a little perfume to dab on your wrists (to sniff during the day), your heart (open to the love), your third eye chakra (see the truth) and anywhere else you fancy.

Chinese tea cup – perfect for a little perfume magic

Pure Pulse Point Perfume

In a little dish mix essential oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras. Use 3 drops of essential oils and dilute with a few drops of carrier oil (almond, sunflower, grapeseed, jojoba) – always patch test first!

Here are a few recipes to make a quick difference in your life –

“I Once Was a River”

Flow with the space-time continuum –

Cardamom 1 drop

Rosewood 1 drop

Lemongrass 1 drop

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“Tiger’s Eye”

See clearly and try to be objective –

Frankincense 1 drop

Clary Sage 1 drop

Orange 1 drop

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“I’m Lovin’ Myself Sick”

Love yourself, it just gets better when you do –

Rose 3% – use it straight from the bottle

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

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“No More Nervous Nelly”

Reduce the amount of cortisol in your body by chilling out and stressing less –

Neroli 3% – use it straight from the bottle

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

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we are one

“Meditate More”

Says it all really –

Lavender 1 drop

Mandarin 1 drop

Vetiver 1 drop

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“Intergalactic”

The truth is out there (it’s in here too) –

Basil 1 drop

Petitgrain 1 drop

Juniper 1 drop

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“The Black Peal” pic via crystalinks.com

“Seek”

You are the seeker – what will you find? –

Sage 1 drop

Lime 2 drops

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“Macro to Micro”

We are a star, an ocean, the wind …….

Sandalwood Mysore 1 drop

Lemon 2 drops

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accept everything good

“Amazing Opportunities are Coming My Way”

It’s all about pure potentiality –

Petitgrain 2 drops

Cedarwood Virginian 1 drop

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“Lions and Tigers and Bears”

Be courageous –

Black pepper 1 drop

Black Spruce 1 drop

Palmarosa 1 drop

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

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

5 Essential Oils to Get You Started with Vigour in 2014

Posted on January 8, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Happy shiny people - pic via www.breathezy.com

Happy shiny people – pic via http://www.breathezy.com

Christmas is over.

New Year celebrations are over. (Except we’ll be having another party for Chinese New year when we celebrate the year of the horse).

The year has started.

I’m lagging a bit behind and found it hard to drag myself out of bed this morning so looked to my trusty friends (my essential oils), to get me vibed up.

My last article 2014! The Universal Number of 7! was all about this year and its intrinsic number of truth. To seek the truth of your existence here on earth, you will need a bit of curiosity and of course some energy to keep you going. Some essential oils will open your mind and stimulate the frontal cortex, and other essential oils will give you body a bit of a kick start.

Flowering rosemary

1. Rosemary

Stimulate your mind with rosemary. Remember with rosemary. Study with rosemary, warm your body up and help sore muscles release tightness. It is an easily accessible and inexpensive oil with a long history of medicinal uses.

2. Lavender

Lavender will always be on every list of oils I create. It is a relaxing oil but also an oil of solidarity and bringing your energy together. It’s the stalwart – loyal, reliable and hard working.

Lavender can ground your energy, help induce a state of calm, help with pain relief and generally be a medicinal oil of great standing.

Black pepper

Black pepper

Forward ho! Black pepper is the spice that can warm your heart, open your mind and also be a warming tonic to your body. It is a great oil for finding your dharma and taking your unique brand of evolutionary energy into the world. Even though the spice itself is quite piquant, the essential oil of black pepper has a magical sweetness about it.

Lemongrass

I think this oil may be one of the most loved oils in the world. It has so many uses but I’ll always use this oil for a client who is lacking energy. It’s lemon scented goodness is backed up with a deep grassy green scent that represents freedom to me.

Need physical energy? Use lemongrass!

Basil

Basil

Oh you just can’t keep a good herb down! The herbs are so wonderful for healing and have been used for centuries. Basil is an oil for opening your mind and stimulating your brain. It is expansive and great for maintaining fluid thought and allowing universal intelligence to come through your crown chakra. Basil is for clarity and can be used on your body like lavender, as it has a high content of linalool which is an active ingredient in lavender.

How can you use these oils to stimulate your energy?

* try taking a whiff straight from the bottle

* put a few drops in the bottom of the shower (cover the drain for a minute with your foot or a cloth) and inhale

* make an oil blend for your body – for a coat of your body use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil in a little dish and, add 7 – 8 drops of essential oil and see my articles “Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics” and “Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 1 2 3”.

* it will be best to use a combination of oils rather than just 7 drops of the one oil as, for example, black pepper is slightly sensitising and could be too strong for some people

* as a hint, use lavender and a citrus oil to one of the oils above to make a lovely blend

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

Cleanse Your Space with Essential Oils – Prepare for a New Year

Posted on December 30, 2013 by suzannerbanks

Orange And Lemon Peels - pic via www.mindbodygreen.com

Orange and lemon peels help cleanse and clean your space – pic via http://www.mindbodygreen.com

As we are coming to the end of another year on earth it is a wonderful ritual to do some cleaning and get organised, so new energy and abundance can flow into your life in the new year. Even if it’s just cleaning out the kitchen cupboards it can have positive flow-on effects. I’ll be cleaning and tidying my bedroom in detail, and doing a good tidy-up all around.

And what better little helpers to employ but essential oils? Once your tidying is done the most fun part starts – the cleaning (ugh)! I add essential oils to warm soapy water to do all the surfaces and objects, and do the same with the water for mopping. It’s like having an aromatherapy treatment while you clean. Most essential oils will work well but there are a few that are standouts when it comes to cleaning. These oils will have an energetic cleansing effect as well as a great scent, and will help dissolve dirt and collect dust.

To a bowl of soapy water just add some essential oils – pic via mossymossy.com

Eucalyptus – a good oil remover, dissolves sticky stuff, helps you breathe deeply and works against stuffy sinuses. It breaks down unwanted, thick energy and has a clarifying and stimulating scent.

Tea tree - pic via www.eranurseries.com.au

Tea tree – pic via http://www.eranurseries.com.au

Tea Tree – wonderful for an anti-bacterial wash on surfaces. This fabulous Australian native as an enlightening cleansing effect on the soul, and has been used by some Aboriginals in smoking ceremonies, which purge the bad spirits.

Juniper – a light, spicy oil to clear teary emotions and any type of sadness hanging around. I love using this oil for surfaces in the bedrooms because of it’s enchanting and clear scent.

Lemon – can be used from kitchen benches to the bathroom to give you a bright, happy feeling to your home. It is such a simple oil but has so many great qualities for cleaning, including a lightness and sweetness that appeals to everyone. Or you could just use the lemon rind or whole lemon with some bi-carb soda or salt for benches and bathrooms.

Lemongrass

Lemongrass – another lemony scented oil to wash away the old. It’s a lot stronger than lemon but when you mop and clean with this oil you’ll be keeping away the insects too!

Grapefruit – pink or white grapefruit will work but the scent is very subtle. It’s hard to vapourise this scent well too, as it is so light it will fly away. Remember the energy is still there and grapefruit is the classic cleanser oil. I use grapefruit mostly in body oil blends for this purpose – when someone needs a gentle cleanse.

Pine – fresh, clean and a little herbaceous too this oil is a great cleaner, and makes room for more inspiration to come flooding in. To be creative in your new life next year you’ll need to allow inspiration to come to you, and when you have a clean home you have a clean mind too!

Thyme

Thyme – when you need the big guns of anti-bacterial oils thyme is your friend. Along with oregano these oils are a great disinfectants but beware USE WITH CAUTION because the scent is so strong. Mix a little thyme with some lavender and orange and you are in business baby! In fact I’m going to use that combo this arvo (Australian slang for afternoon. “This arvo”, or even “s’arvo” mean “this afternoon”).

Lavender – use it liberally as it will work as a cleaner and will also bring a sense of solidarity and calm to your space. In the wars of the past some hospitals in France used lavender and thyme to clean everything. And of course they worked amazingly!

Don’t worry too much about quantities of oils to soapy water I just chuck them in. You really only need to be careful when you are using them on your body and for those ratios see my latest article here.

I was speaking with a cleaner at a wedding last month and we got talking about essential oils and cleaning. She wanted some advice about how to use them in her work with the specific intention of her clients being able to smell the essential oils when they arrived home from work. She was particularly interested in orange oil because she had seen it in supermarket brand cleaners. I explained to her that they may disappear before the client comes home – just because they are natural doesn’t mean they will be long-lasting – in fact it’s the opposite. The citrus oils will tend to disappear first as they have simple molecular structures so it’s good to mix them with a heavier oil like lemongrass or even cedarwood. Don’t be afraid to use lavender either that will work well with the citrus oils.

Happy New Year my friends and thanks so much for connecting!

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

Festivus for The Rest of Us!

Posted on December 23, 2013 by suzannerbanks

Festivus for the Rest of Us! pic via thewordzombie.com

I’ve always loved Seinfeld (the comedy show), and its whacky way of looking at the world. This is one on the hundreds of moments that have stayed with me, and Wikipedia sums it up perfectly:

” Festivus, a well-celebrated parody, has become a secular holiday celebrated on December 23 which serves as an alternative to participating in the pressures and commercialism of the Christmas holiday season.

Originally a family tradition of scriptwriter Dan O’Keefe working on the American sitcom Seinfeld, the holiday entered popular culture after it was made the focus of a 1997 episode of the program.The holiday’s celebration, as it was shown on Seinfeld, includes a Festivus dinner, an unadorned aluminum “Festivus pole,” practices such as the “Airing of Grievances” and “Feats of Strength,” and the labeling of easily explainable events as “Festivus miracles.”

The episode refers to it as “a Festivus for the rest of us”, referencing its non-commercial aspect. It has also been described as a “parody holiday festival” and as a form of playful consumer resistance.”

So whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or any other tradition that I don’t know about; or you prefer not to celebrate any of these, there is always Festivus to bring us all together. It’s nearly the end of the year so basically let’s all come together and celebrate that.

So here’s a few essential oil recipes to scent your home and which I feel reflect the true meaning of Festivus.

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

The Festivus Pole

1. The Festivus Pole

Inspiration: clean lines, modernism, clarity

Petitgrain 10 drops

Black Pepper 8 drops

Clary Sage 2 drops

Cedarwood Virginian 5 drops

Happy Festivus! pic via thewildheartrocks.wordpress.com

2. The Airing of Grievances

Inspiration: truth, honesty, flow of energy, detox, communication

Frankincense 10 drops

Sage 4 drops

Cardamom 4 drops

Orange 7 drops

Feats of Strength – Festivus isn’t over until someone gets pinned. pic via zazzle.com

3. Feats of Strength

Inspiration; strength, fun and games, masculinity, flexibility

Sandalwood Australian 8 drops

Geranium 5 drops

Lemongrass 5 drops

Palmarosa 7 drops

I hope you have enjoyed this year on earth and you better get ready for 2014 because we are called to make a difference, to evolve. In the words of the great Bob Marley:

“One world, one love, let’s get together and feel alright”

The 12 Days of Christmas – Essential Oil Recipes for Your Home Part 1

Posted on December 11, 2013 by suzannerbanks

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

Amazon USA Amazon AU Amazon UK

The 12 Days of Christmas – Essential Oil Recipes for Your Home Part 1

The 12 Days of Christmas folk song – pic via wikipedia.org

Thought to be of French and English origin this little ditty is called a cumulative song where we build a verse on top of another verse. Its origins lay in France but it was popularised in England in the 1700’s. There is all sorts of information attached to where the lyrics came from and they are all very different but what I know is that even though I might not remember all the 12 gifts my true love gave to me, I sure do know “a partridge in a pear tree”. There also seems to be a lot game birds in this song too but I’m a vegetarian …..

I’ve taken each verse and created an oil blend for you to scent your home. To scent you own space I recommend 25 drops of essential oil, and you can use a traditional oil burner with a candle, an electric vapouriser, or for a quick and easy result put 25 drops of oil into a bowl and pour boiling water over it and leave it to stand – instant aromatherapy!

Partridge in a Pear Tree - pic via www.pspassociation.org.uk

Partridge in a Pear Tree – pic via http://www.pspassociation.org.uk

1. On the first day of Christmas I got a partridge in a pear tree (lucky me).

“A Partridge in a Pear Tree”

Inspiration – contentment, attuning to nature, simplicity

Orange 10 drops

Black Spruce 8 drops

Cedarwood Atlas 4 drops

Patchouli 3 drops

2 Turtle Doves -pic via blupenny.com

2. On the second day of Christmas I received 2 turtle doves.

” 2 Turtle Doves”

Inspiration – love, partnership, courtship, romance

Petitgrain 9 drops

Ylang Ylang 8 drops

Rose Geranium 4 drops

Fennel 4 drops

3 french hens - pic via www.booksillustrated.com

3 french hens – pic via http://www.booksillustrated.com

3. On the third day of Christmas I was fortunate to have three french hens come into my life.

” 3 French Hens”

Inspiration – creativity, working together, friendship, loyalty

Lemongrass 7 drops

Lime 8 drops

Cinnamon 6 drops

Sage 4 drops

4 Colly Birds – pic via nostalgicallyyours.blogspot.com –

4. Then unexpectedly on day four, four colly birds swooped me! Those naughty French thrushes!

“4 Colly Birds”

Inspiration – lots of choice, abundance, laughing with friends

Palmarosa 8 drops

Sandalwood (Australian) 6 drops

Mandarin 11 drops

5 gold rings - pic via www.beverlybremer.com

5 gold rings – pic via http://www.beverlybremer.com

5. Here’s the good present – five gold rings (or is it golden)?

“5 Gold Rings”

Inspiration – infinity, universal love, wishes coming true, prosperity

May Chang 6 drops

Cardamom 6 drops

Cypress 13 drops

6 Geese laying – pic via ronwalls.blogspot.com –

6. I’m running out of room in my backyard for the six geese who are laying eggs!

“6 Geese a-Laying”

Inspiration – happiness, maternal love, caring for others, willingness to share

Peru Balsam 10 drops

Spearmint 8 drops

Lavender 7 drops

Get your essential oils working for you this festive season, they will bring charm and kindness into your life. They will allow you to open to the infinite wisdom of the universe and help others to do the same.

Stay tuned for Part 2 next week.

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

The Sun – A Tarot Card Reading with Essential Oils

Posted on November 27, 2013 by suzannerbanks

The Sun – XIX from the Rider-Waite Deck

Happy, sunny, cute, fun. How could you not love this card? When this card comes to you in a reading things are looking up, or you are already experiencing the joy and abundance of life! The sun gives strong radiant energy and makes everything seem wonderful. The days the sun is shining seem to be a lot friendlier than when it is obscured, and this energy is the outward energy we can also project to others. Do you know sunny people? They are the ones that are always happy and joyous, and you always feel better when you are around them. It’s the energy of success!

Our beautiful sun – pic via nasa.gov

Success in this card also refers to our ability to merge both our conscious and subconscious minds, and use this strength to our advantage. It is this very strength that allows us to feel free, happy and abundant. The baby in this card is naked showing there’s nothing to hide when we know ourselves.

The Sun also represents our journey and how far we have come. It is definitely a card of progress through tough times, beyond the grey brick wall that holds our past struggles.

Fun times – pic via ksoo.com

Maybe this card has popped up in a reading because it’s time to have some fun and regain some childlike qualities that you’ve lost along the way. It’s time to open your heart to the world and have a good belly laugh (naked, on a white horse hahaha)!

There are lots of essential oils you could use to invoke the qualities of this card:

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

1. 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’m Naked”

Loose all inhibitions and laugh!

Mandarin 2 drops

Rose Geranium 1 drop

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“Kings to Me”

Enjoy your success even if it’s just a little thing –

Ylang Ylang 1 drop

Bergamot 1 drop

Black Spruce 1 drop

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

“Here Comes The Sun”

As The Beatles say – it’s alright!

Ginger 1 drop

Peru Balsam 1 drop

Marjoram 1 drop

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Scent your space

2. Scent Your Space

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

“Shiny, Shiny”

Get a happy, giggly, fun vibe going –

Orange 10 drops

Palmarosa 5 drops

Lemongrass 5 drops

Geranium 5 drops

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

“Success is Mine”

Summon the courage to manifest good things –

Cedarwood Atlas 8 drops

Lavender 8 drops

Lemon 9 drops

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

“Calm Seas”

Believe you are the creator of your success and that it doesn’t have to be difficult –

Sandalwood Indian 6 drops

Sage 6 drops

Petitgrain 10 drops

Lime 3 drops

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

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

Marjoram – A Must-Have Essential Oil for the Scent Enthusiast

Posted on November 25, 2013 by suzannerbanks

Marjoram is a dainty herb with a big scent – pic via thelastrevelation.com

Ah marjoram. I’m not sure if I’m addicted to this very strong, herbaceous, hardy oil but rarely a week goes by that I wont use this with clients, friends or myself.

I have written an article generally on the herbs “Essential Oils from Herbs are Spectacular”, but I think we may need to go deeper into each one.

We’ll start with marjoram because I just felt like talking about it. Often when I go to have my treatment, my aromatherapist also uses this oil frequently with me as it has some great indications for the body and spirit too (of course)!

Marjoram (Oreganum marjorana) belongs to the herb family called Lamiacae, and the genus of Oreganum. It may now be more obvious why marjoram and oregano (Oreganum vulgare) look very similar and sometimes it’s hard to tell the fresh herbs apart from each other.

Great pic comparing oregano and marjoram – pic via cookthink.com

Herbs are the ancient medicinal healers of our world and when I make a blend for a client that has a few herbs in it I always say to myself silently “ah the herbs’ and feel like I’ve created a very traditional therapeutic blend. This herb was used by the ancient Greeks and according to Salvatore Battaglia, the name marjoram means “joy of the mountains”. Aw lovely!

In aromatherapy marjoram is used for:

* aching and sore muscles

* general body pain

* as a warming tonic

* to help someone deal with grief

* to help with falling asleep

* to counteract stress

* as a sedative for distraught emotions

* generally for calming and soothing

* to reduce coughing

I use marjoram for all these things too, and particularly love the way it blends so well with all the other oils. I like marjoram and use it a lot along with lavender because they are so beautifully calming. Who doesn’t want to chill out when they have a massage? We all need a little help de-stressing from the ups and downs of daily life so in this respect it’s a great oil.

A client’s oil formulation with marjoram

Here are a few recipes –

1. 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”

“Release the Day”

Release the stress of the day by putting this all over your body after a shower –

Marjoram 3 drops

Bergamot 4 drops

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

“Oh My Aching Legs”

Apply to aching legs and rest with your feet elevated –

Marjoram 4 drops

Lavender 2 drops

Rosemary 2 drops

(ah the herbs)!

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

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’m Ready for You Now Sleep”

Induce relaxation –

Marjoram 2 drops

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

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

“Phew I’m Glad That’s Over”

Marjoram 1 drop

Rosewood 1 drop

Lemongrass 1 drop

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

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

The Fool – A Tarot Card Reading with Essential Oils

Posted on November 20, 2013 by suzannerbanks

The Fool – 0 – From the Rider-Waite Deck

Ah The Fool! Courage, naivety, adventure, passion and living in the moment is the message of this card. You may have noticed the number of this card is “0” and it can be seen as falling at the beginning of the series of the 22 Major Arcana cards (0-21). As we journey through the major arcana, it is almost as if we are following The Fool on his journey through the material world, and experience the lessons he is learning too.

This card is the card of pure potentiality – anything can happen! If this card comes to you in a reading it may be indicating you need to jump into something wholeheartedly and trust the universe will support you through your ups and downs. Is it a business venture, a new romance, a move overseas? Whatever it is you are being encouraged to try it anyway. The white dog in the picture may represent your animal instincts that can warn you of any dangers ahead so what are you waiting for? Take a leap of faith as The Fool is doing here – let’s face it he’s just about to jump off a cliff without looking!

Have faith you will be supported – pic via abetterdream.com

He’s a happy chap our Fool. He has magical powers represented by the wand but he hasn’t enough experience to use them yet. The only way to discover your own magic powers is to go out in the world and give it a go! You’ve got the power! This card also has a feeling of lightness, and a sense of being carefree. Maybe you need to force yourself to do something different that will get your energy vibed up and allow a feeling of complete freedom.

New beginnings make for a bit of fun – pic via simplyblessed.heartsdeesire.com

Just as the fool is starting his journey by walking off the side of a mountain with a smile on his face, you too can have this feeling with adding some essential oils to your life.

Take a huge whiff to change your focus in seconds

1. Open The Bottle and Take a Huge Whiff

Petitgrain – my oil of pure potentiality

Palmarosa – flexibility

Black Pepper – courage

Rose – self nurturing

Frankincense – take a deep breath and do it!

Lavender – consolidate your energy

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

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.

***** 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”

“New Beginnings”

Starting things afresh can be a little scary so use these oils to help you –

Lavender 3 drops

Petitgrain 4 drops

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

“Leap of Faith”

Take a leap of faith just like The Fool –

Black Pepper 1 drop

Mandarin 3 drops

Cypress 3 drops

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

“I’m Never Alone”

The universe always responds to your creative endeavours –

Rosemary 1 drops

Rose 3% 12 drops * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

Lemongrass 2 drops

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

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

suzannerbanks

scent . intention . consciousness . essential oils

Tag Archives: lemongrass essential oil

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Marjoram – A Must-Have Essential Oil for the Scent Enthusiast

The Fool – A Tarot Card Reading with Essential Oils

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