Using Essential Oils in the Time of Covid 19

Hello natural beauties! Keep calm and use essential oils. If you are an essential oil enthusiast I know you’ll be making your own anti-bacterial concoctions. And the words to note here are ANTI-BACTERIAL and Corona VIRUS. Some essential oils have been shown to exhibit antiviral activity, but so far we can’t say for certain that any oil will stop you from getting the virus. In fact, we cant say that at all. But by using essential oils for cleaning surfaces and hands, we MAY help limit our exposure to the virus and reduce exposure to other bacteria too.

 

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

I’ve started making a re-usable hand wipe with essential oils and carrying it with me in my bag. I make a new one every couple of days, using different essential oils, and put the old one in the wash. This doesn’t have alcohol in it so I can’t say it has complete anti-bacterial capabilities, however, it’s the first line of defense and soft on your hands. And why not use essential oils if you have them? It’s definitely better than nothing.

Check out my little video:

A quick, easy, reusable and portable first line of defense for your hands on the go

What essential oils will be best to use? I love lemon myrtle best of all for an antiviral oil along with lemon-scented tea tree. I’d also go with thyme and oregano as antibacterial and include lavender and eucalyptus and tea tree – just for starters. Myrrh as well.


Which oils do some high profile aromatherapy experts recommend as having anti-viral activity?

Salvatore Battaglia recommends these oils:

clove, hyssop, manuka, patchouli, thyme, marjoram, peppermint, oregano, eucalyptus, tea tree, myrtle, sandalwood, rose and a few more too!

Patchouli leaf – pic via toptropicals.com

Dr E. Joy Bowles: gives some advice from March 12, 2020:

“So people are clamoring for a natural preventative for the new virus… Best of all is to do all the health-building activities you know about already: EAT HEALTHY, SLEEP ENOUGH, EXERCISE EVERY DAY, DE-STRESS… And really DO…

We don’t know which essential oils kill this new virus… It’s too new. By all means be a test subject for your own experiments, but please, keep a record of what you do and the results… Could be helpful later…”

Thyme is not vulgar! Hehe

Farida Irani notes these oils: lime, clove,


Dr Penoel refers to monoterpenols as having antiviral effects: lavender, melissa, peppermint, basil, oregano, marjoram, sage, clary sage, and thyme among others.


Patricia Davis says: bergamot, eucalyptus and tea tree.


Sylla Sheppard-Hanger lists quite a few and here’s some for you: rosewood, cinnamon, myrrh, palmarosa, eucalyptus, melissa, helichrysum, eucalyptus, lemon, thyme, hyssop, ravensara, niaouli…

I used patchouli, lemon scented eucalyptus, myrtle and oregano in my surface and hand sanitiser

I also made my own surface and hand sanitiser with perfume grade alcohol and oregano, lemon eucalyptus, patchouli and myrtle (I ran out of lemon myrtle). I used 26 drops in 50mls, but 20 drops would be enough. Be careful when using alcohol on your hands for extended periods of time because it will really dry them out. A great base to use is aloe vera gel – but it can be a bit sticky and does not contain alcohol, therefore much less effective and is not great for surfaces! It’s more like a hand softener and conditioner if you’ve been using drying and harsh hand sanitisers. See pic above.

I hope you take this all on board and use these beautiful gifts from nature, to help your immunity and help everyone at the same time. May The Force be with you and wash your hands.

10 Recipes for Your Essential Oil Diffuser

Hello authentic humans! I’ve just turned on my vapouriser and somehow I’m still surprised after 20 years that it makes such a glorious difference in the home, or office – any space really. Here’s a few recipes to embrace the new season and expand your consciousness too, with a few drops of essential oil ….

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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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A diffuser or vapouriser is a motorized machine to disperse essential oils throughout your space. There are so many wonderful designs now that it can be fun to have a few to choose from – hey some vapourisers may you suit your mood better than others, and even the recipe you’ve decided to use too. Some are colourful and have LED light displays, some are wood or bamboo and add a more natural vibe.

Diffusing essential oils is a great way to relieve stress, calm children and pets, and beautify your home.

To Scent Your Space, my ratio has always been:

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

However many diffusers say to only use a few drops, so use your intuition and see how you go with your own diffuser, how long it lasts, and whether you want to use more or less next time. If you are using a traditional vapaouriser with candle (often referred to as a “burner”), then 25 drops is a good ratio as it takes a lot longer for the oils to disperse.


 

There’s A Light

having a bad day?  – This too shall pass

Orange                 8 drops

Rose Geranium     8 drops

Lavender              5 drops

Patchouli              4 drops


Pre-Party Party

Mandarin              8 drops

Lemongrass         7 drops

Rosemary             5 drops

Ylang Ylang          5 drops


Sexy black diffuser from puzhen.com

Sexy black diffuser from  http://puzhen.com

 

Date Night

Bergamot                  12 drops

Cedarwood Atlas        8 drops

Jasmine                      5 drops (don’t use 3% in jojoba as it will clog your machine. Only use pure essential oil as the jojoba could mess with the mechanics of the machine))


My House Smells Weird I Need Essential Oils

Lemon Myrtle                10 drops

Geranium                       6 drops

Palmarosa                      6 drops

Cedarwood Virginiana    3 drops


Super Nature Girl

Lemon                            10 drops

Peru Balsam                    8 drops

Cypress                           4 drops

Australian Sandalwood    3 drops


Body Warmer

Black Pepper       8 drops

Lavandin             8 drops

Lime                    6 drops

Clove                   3 drops


Settle Down You Ratbag Kids

Petitgrain          8 drops

Marjoram          6 drops

Frankincense     5 drops

Cinnamon         5 drops

Vetiver               2 drops


The Sick Room

Peppermint         6 drops

Lavender             9 drops

Orange              10 drops


Brainiac

When you need to study or even wake up!

Rosemary          10 drops

Basil                    5 drops

Tea Tree              5 drops

Siberian Fir          5 drops


Lovely

Indian Rosewood      8 drops

Roman Chamomile   6 drops (don’t use 3% in jojoba as it will clog your machine. Only use pure essential oil as the jojoba could mess with the mechanics of the machine)

Vanilla CO2               6 drops

Mandarin                  5 drops


 

The diffusers shown above are just some examples of all the different types of machines available on the market today. There are some Australian links, but it will be easy to find great vapourisers nearer to where you are, just by looking on the Internet with your search engine.

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

Check out my YouTube channel too, thanks.

copyright 2016

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Essential Oils and their Keywords – Part 3

Essential oils tend to be grouped together as to their physical healing properties – but what about the way they treat our spirit and minds too? For example marjoram, lavender and rosemary are great for muscles; rose, geranium and patchouli are wonderful for skin health; fennel and juniper can help relieve joint swelling. Of course essential oils often have more than one quality and the art of aromatherapy allows synergistic combinations to be formulated to expand their individual powers. Read on to discover how I feel about some of my favourite oils.

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

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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Patchouli leaf - pic via toptropicals.com

Patchouli leaf – pic via toptropicals.com

Patchouli

peace, earthly: nurture your body

Peppermint

removes resistance

Petitgrain

potentiality

Peru balsam

softness, protection

Pine

abundance through others

Rose is the Queen of oils

Rose is the Queen of oils

Rose

divine love, self-love, self nurturing, Cleopatra

Rose geranium

cheeriness

Rosemary

remember

Rosewood

giving and receiving; flow of love in the heart

Sage

wisdom; courage

Sandalwood

opens the chakras; sacred sexuality

Spearmint

Spearmint

Spearmint

lighten up

Spikenard

chill out, stop thinking

Tea tree

purge negativity

Thyme

detox

Vetiver

centredness; tranquility

Ylang Ylang

release anger & frustration

Revelation! Reveal Your Destiny with Essential Oils

Revelation! Reveal Your Destiny with Essential Oils

All the oils and their keywords are quotes from my book. You will find the links to buy the book at the top of the post.

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

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Like our Facebook page to stay tuned for more info on the inaugural

Australasian Artisan Botanical Perfume Expo in Sydney, 24th April 2016

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copryright SR Banks 2015

 

 

 

The 12 Days of Christmas – Essential Oil Recipes for Your Home Part 2

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

Amazon USA      Booktopia AU      Amazon UK

and many other stores worldwide as a Kindle and Paperback


The 12 Days of Christmas – Essential Oil Recipes for Your Home Part 2 – Unashamedly a Re-Blog From Last Year!

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

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

We’ve covered the first 6 days of Christmas so strap yourself in for the last 6 days! And I’ve just realised that I haven’t used the classic Christmas oils of frankincense and myrrh. As with part one 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!

The song continues …..

7 Swans swimming by Tracy Watt - pic via www.redbubble.com

7 Swans swimming by Tracy Watt – pic via http://www.redbubble.com

7. On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me seven swans-a-swimming serenely in a lake. I’ve always imagined the swans to be black, regal, beautiful.

“Seven Swans a-Swimming”

Inspiration – serenity, flow, calm

Frankincense       12 drops

Lavender               6 drops

Clary Sage            3 drops

Bergamot             4 drops

8 maids milking - pic via staceyreid.com

8 maids milking – pic via staceyreid.com

8. Then on day eight the maids finally got some fresh milk so we could all have coffee and hot chocolate and make cakes and Christmassy things. These gifts from my true love just keep getting better!

“8 Maids-a-Milking”

Inspiration – nurturing, warmth, sustenance, compassion for our animal friends

Fennel          7 drops

Myrrh           4 drops

Nutmeg        4 drops

Rosewood   10 drops

Ok this is where it gets tricky. Some versions say its 9 drummers drumming, others say its 9 ladies dancing so I’m going to go with the majority of all the English versions and say it’s the drummers. Most of the American versions seem to have the drummers up last but it makes sense because the drummers are starting to call the tribe to dance. From verses 9 – 12 it’s all quite different. My Mum also thought it was 9 drummers drumming but my Dad didn’t know. As Janet Jackson says in Nasty Boys – “Give me a beat”. The party has started!

Wikipedia says

The gifts associated with the final four days are often reordered. Most often, this involves placing the ladies and lords earlier (on days nine and ten), and the musicians later (on days eleven and twelve).

So I reckon the music must come first!

The Drummer - was there 9 or 12? pic via www.krinklesonline.com

The Drummer – was there 9 or 12? pic via http://www.krinklesonline.com

9. Clearly my true love wanted to dance because the drummers came along to start the party

“9 Drummers Drumming”

Inspiration – rhythm of life, coming together as one

Tea Tree                      6 drops

Clove                          6 drops

Cedarwood Virginian   6 drops

Mandarin                    7 drops

Pipers are piping - pic via stmatthewsyear5.wordpress.com

Pipers are piping – pic via stmatthewsyear5.wordpress.com

10. And now that the drummers have given us a beat, come in pipers! (Even though the American version says it’s 11 pipers piping, I’m sticking with the English version).

“10 Pipers Piping”

Inspiration – harmony, party, fun

Lemon         15 drops

Geranium        6 drops

Peppermint    4 drops

11 ladies dancing - pic via www.ffmcontheweb.com

11 ladies dancing – pic via http://www.ffmcontheweb.com

11. Ok it’s all gone haywire now. The ladies have hit the dance floor (or is it the drummers or the pipers or the lords?)

“11 Ladies Dancing”

Inspiration – femininity, celebrating the sisterhood, release of the old

Petitgrain       15 drops

Spikenard       4 drops

Thyme            2 drops

Rosemary       4 drops

Lords are leaping -but how many? pic via www.neatoshop.com

Lords are leaping – but how many? pic via http://www.neatoshop.com

12. And once again it could be 10 lords that are leaping, but I’m going with 12 this time around. At any rate – let them leap! Let’s all leap into a wonderful end of year celebration, so whether you’re into Christmas or not, please be thankful for this interesting life. Bring on 2014 (sounds SO futuristic).

“12 Lords-a-leaping”

Inspiration – carefreeness, freedom, comradeship

Basil            8 drops

Citronella     8 drops

Lime            9 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.

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

copryright SR Banks 2014

Space Cleansing and Protection

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

Amazon USA      Amazon AU      Amazon UK


Chapter 11

Space Cleansing and Protection

Another look in between the covers of my book

Cedar smudge sticks - pic via www.livingwild.org

Cedar smudge sticks – pic via http://www.livingwild.org

Space cleansing has been traditionally accompanied by herbs and a smoking technique called “smudging”. This has been employed by many indigenous people throughout the world using sage, tea tree and other raw materials.

Essential oils can do the same thing in an easier way and also give you a bubble of protection from negativity.

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

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

The easiest way to surround and protect yourself is to create a mist with some oils and carry it with you wherever you go. Mist yourself, your car and your work space for an immediate cleanse, and an energetic seal that indicates this is your space, divinely scented.

My tips to make a mist:

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

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

Throw some essential oils into your bucket and mop your floors

Throw some essential oils into your bucket and mop your floors

And of course if you add essential oils to your house cleaning regime you have the added benefits of an aromatherapy treatment too. The essential oils go to work to help stagnating energy disappear, leaving you with a fresh, clean vibe and scent.

Here are some oils I recommend you use:

“Juniper

spontaneous lightness

I’ve always used juniper to release negative, watery, emotions. When you can let go of emotions and energy that do not serve your highest good. it is easier to find a more positive vibe…. If you want a champion of “protection” juniper will not let you down. Juniper has the sent of sophistication.”

 

 

tea tree

tea tree

“Tea Tree

purifying

 

Tea tree is brilliant for removing bacteria and other impurities from your environment and most people equate tea tree with this action….. There is noting subtle about tea tree, but don’t be hesitant to use it in a diffuser or sample it and take it with you in your bag….. If you feel like you need a sturdy force of purity in your space try tea tree with some softer oils to make your potion pleasing as well as powerful.”

 

As a quick method of personal protection put a couple of drops of essential oils in your palms, rub them together, then smoothe down your energetic field with the oil (it will look as thought you are stroking nothing, with your hands about 10cm from your actual body).

Voila! Instant recalibration!

To find out which other essential oils can help you cleanse your space and add a little protection from the outside, click on one of the links below.

Amazon USA      Amazon AU      Amazon UK

Thanks everyone.

copryright SR Banks

 

10 Essential Oil Recipes to Help Deal with Road Rage and Traffic

Traffic!

Traffic!

When looking for inspiration for articles one of my readers suggested I apply the 10 Recipes series to minimising road rage and dealing with traffic. Great idea so here goes.

If you are someone that has to deal with traffic congestion on a daily basis, and gets frustrated by it, then these oils may be for you.

Or, are you someone that just can’t handle what others do on the road and then completely freak out about it? Road rage? It seems sad that we now have a widely accepted term for this anger on the roads and that’s not good at all. This is just a reflection of how angry we are as a society, and how we are not coping with modern day life. You definitely need some oils.

Look people, just calm down ok? Release anger, and have a more “go with the flow” attitude when driving. If you can’t do that then stop driving. If you really hate the traffic on your way to work try and find solutions that put you in a less stressful situation (public transport, car pooling).

If you must drive and tend to get a bit stressed then try these 10 recipes to start your day;

An essential oil steam in the shower will do wonders for your mind and energy levels - pic via completehealthcircle.com

An essential oil steam in the shower will do wonders for your mind and energy levels – pic via completehealthcircle.com

1. Put A few Drops Of Oil into the bottom of the Shower

This works in a similar way to just taking a whiff straight from the bottle, but if you’ve got an extra minute, it will give you a completely different experience. Your whole body will be immersed in an essential oil steam. Just cover the drain with a cloth or your foot for a couple of minutes and breathe in the medicinal goodness.

Peppermint – clarity, happiness

Tea Tree – cleanse your aura and energy

Mandarin – happiness, allowing

Lemongrass – stimulating and refreshing, happiness

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Rub oil into your body - it's good!

Rub oil into your body – it’s good!

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”

By doing this in the morning, while using your good intention, you will start your day with scented positivity. Allow this feeling to infuse good vibes all day long.

“Patience is a Virtue”

Sure is –

Lemon           3 drops

Frankincense  3 drops

Patchouli        2 drops

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“I Wonder What Good Things Are Coming My Way?”

Open up to possibility –

Lavender                      4 drops

Petitgrain                      2 drops

Cedarwood Virginian    2 drops

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“I Heart You Even Though You Didn’t Let Me Merge”

Ylang Ylang         3 drops

Orange               2 drops

Rosewood          2 drops

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“Repeat the Happy Mantra”

Lemongrass      3 drops

Peru Balsam      2 drops

Spearmint          2 drops

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

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

3. Personal Aura Cleansing Mist & Room Mist

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

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

“Smile and Wave, Smile and Wave”

Let others drive the way they drive, practice being kind anyway –

Basil               6 drops

Mandarin       12 drops

Lemon Myrtle   7 drops

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“1, 2, 3”

Count to 3 and then breathe deeply, release anger –

Juniper           8 drops

Lime              10 drops

Vanilla CO2     6 drops

Vetiver             1 drop * see my article for more info on CO2 extracts What are CO2 Extracts in the World of Aromatherapy?

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“Bubble of Love”

You’re in control of your little space (and headspace) –

Bergamot        10 drops

Black Spruce     7 drops

Marjoram           6 drops

Clary Sage        2 drops

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Anoint yourself with pure essential oil blends

Anoint yourself with pure essential oil blends

4. Pure Pulse Point Perfume

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

“Sniff and Go”

A quick natural perfume for your wrists to sniff in the middle of traffic to help release anxiety –

Neroli 3%    a few drops straight from the bottle

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

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“Sniff and Go Too”

You are the benevolent Queen –

Rose 3%  a few drops straight from the bottle

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

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10 Recipes with Rose Geranium – Pelargonium graveolens

Rose geranium - pic via commons.wikimedia.org

Rose geranium – pic via commons.wikimedia.org

So what is the difference between Rose geranium and Geranium?

Good question.

Both Rose geranium and geranium come from the same species. They are from the family Geraniaceae, the genus Pelargonium and then the species Pelargonium graveolens. It seems that the common name Pelargonium roseum is actually just another term for graveolens too.

But they do smell different! Rose geranium is a lot sweeter with a distinct rosey scent and geranium just smells like geranium. There are many different cultivars and it depends where the plants are grown as to what scent they have. The particular sweet rose scented flowers will be sold as Rose geranium and others as just geranium.

Just to add something else into the mix, hundreds of years ago the Island of Reunion was famous for their geranium which was called Bourbon geranium. It is thought that this could have been Pelargonium capitatum rather than, or as well as P. graveolens. Now the neighbouring island of Madagascar produces geranium which is called Bourbon, but it is  listed from my suppliers as coming from P. graveolens.

According to Marcia Elston http://www.wingedseed.com/blog/

“North Africa is a principal producer and includes the countries Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt. Most of the plant stock for North African development came from Grasse from P. graveloens or its hybrids; the French oil produced around Grass having the most rosaceous odor of all.”

 

Ok let’s get into some recipes!

Sexy black diffuser from puzhen.com

Sexy black diffuser from puzhen.com

1. Scent Your Space

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

“Party!”

Get the party started –

Rose geranium        8 drops

Orange                    8 drops

Cedarwood Atlas     5 drops

Patchouli                 4 drops

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

“Fresh Saturday House Cleaning Vibe”

Don’t avoid the housework any longer –

Rose geranium        7 drops

Lemongrass            7 drops

Juniper                    7 drops

Tea tree                   4 drops

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“Cheer Up!”

Add some happiness –

Rose geranium                 5 drops

Mandarin                        10 drops

Ylang Ylang                      5 drops

Sandalwood Australian    5 drops

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

 

Rub oil into your body - it's good!

Rub oil into your body – it’s good!

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”

“Happy Days”

Get smiling in the morning –

Rose Geranium       3 drops

Lavender                 3 drops

Black spruce           2 drops

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

“Cute-Sexy”

Get your cute on –

Rose geranium       3 drops

Peru balsam           3 drops

Vanilla CO2             1 drop   * see my article for more info on CO2 extracts What are CO2 Extracts in the World of Aromatherapy?

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

“I Like Life”

Rose geranium   2 drops

Palmarosa          2 drops

Rosemary           2 drops

Lemon                2 drops

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

get any cute little dish to mix your oils in

get any cute little dish to mix your oils in

3. Pure Pulse Point Perfume

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

“Yee ha Lets Go!”

Rose geranium   1 drop

Black pepper      1 drop

Basil                   1 drop

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

“Lollipops and Laughs”

Acknowledge your inner child –

Rose geranium   1 drop

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

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

“Sweet AND Determined”

You can do it –

Rose geranium     1 drop

Nutmeg                1 drop

Lime                     1 drop

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

“First Class”

You are the Queen –

Rose Geranium    1 drop

Rose 3%              3 drops

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

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

copyright suzannerbanks 2013

 

 

 

 

Lagging Energy? Use These Essential Oils

Sometimes it just feels hard to do anything! pic via www.katimorton.com

Sometimes it just feels hard to do anything! pic via http://www.katimorton.com

Feeling listless, not enough energy to get through the day? Sometimes it’s not even about being tired because you can definitely have trouble getting to sleep during these low times too.

It. Feels. Like. You. Just. Can’t. Do. Stuff.

I’ve been feeling a bit like that lately as our late summer in Sydney has been a hot, wet, heavy earth summer. Not much sun, but loads of humidity. Some of my friends have been complaining about having no energy, and I suppose as we count down to the equinox (Autumn equinox for the southern hemisphere and spring equinox for the north), we can take time to adjust.

bounce on trampoline - pic via herweightlossdiary.blogspot.com

bounce on trampoline – pic via herweightlossdiary.blogspot.com

All the obvious regimes apply here like making sure you have good nutrition, good sleep and make yourself get out and exercise. A daily routine can help get you back on track and by this I mean waking at the same time, eating dinner and breakfast at the same time, going to bed at the same time. Use your alarm and plan ahead. It may only take you a week to reclaim your energy. But what if you are doing all that and still feel blah? Cutting down on stress in all forms will help but sometimes we need a bit of nature’s medicine. Cue essential oils.

Try these oils and recipes –

1. Open The Bottle and Take a Huge Whiff

This is the easiest and fastest way to wake up your brain which can be enough to then stimulate your body into action. The oils with strong aromas will automatically wake you up.

Rosemary – stimulates your mind, particular to helping you remember

Basil – energetically open upper chakras to the universe and is stimulating to your brain

Eucalyptus – wake up, deconstruct over thinking

Lemongrass – gently helps your mind fall into action

Tea Tree – release negative thinking

A drop of oil can be essential

A drop of oil can be essential

2. Put A few Drops Of Oil into the bottom of the Shower

This works in a similar way to just taking a whiff but if you’ve got an extra minute, it will give you a completely different experience. Your whole body will have an essential oil steam.

Use any of the oils above plus –

Palmarosa – gentle hint at being more flexible in your daily life

Lime – a zesty zingy way to wake up

Thyme – could blow your head off with its strength but great for a complete mind cleanse

Cypress, Pine, Black Spruce, Juniper – like waking up in a beautiful forest, clean, fresh, inspiring

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

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

3. Nourishing Body Oil Blend

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

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

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

If you’ve got a couple of extra minutes up your sleeve THE BEST way to wake you body up and get energy flow going is to make an oil blend for your body. By massaging the oil into your skin you are physically creating warmth and energy directly, then the oils will go to work silently and softly. Get up, shower, oil yourself, put on a robe for 5 minutes to let the oil soak in. Get dressed. Go!

“I am A Robot”

When you need to get gong and do loads of things without  having to think about it –

Rosemary   2 drops

Lavender     1 drop

Cardamom   1 drop

Lemon        4 drops

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

“Ok That’s It I’m Going For a Walk”

Get vibed up for some exercise –

Orange           4 drops

Black pepper  2 drops

Juniper           2 drops

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

“Anything is Possible”

The universe rewards action –

Tea Tree     3 drops

Mandarin    3 drops

Ginger       2 drops

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

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

copyright suzanne

 

 

 

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

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 adds ome essential oils - pic via mossymossy.com

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

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

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.

copyright suzannerbanks 2013

The 12 Days of Christmas – Essential Oil Recipes for Your Home Part 2

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The 12 Days of Christmas – Essential Oil Recipes for Your Home Part 2

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

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

We’ve covered the first 6 days of Christmas so strap yourself in for the last 6 days! And I’ve just realised that I haven’t used the classic Christmas oils of frankincense and myrrh. As with part one 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!

The song continues …..

7 Swans swimming by Tracy Watt - pic via www.redbubble.com

7 Swans swimming by Tracy Watt – pic via http://www.redbubble.com

7. On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me seven swans-a-swimming serenely in a lake. I’ve always imagined the swans to be black, regal, beautiful.

“Seven Swans a-Swimming”

Inspiration – serenity, flow, calm

Frankincense       12 drops

Lavender               6 drops

Clary Sage            3 drops

Bergamot             4 drops

8 maids milking - pic via staceyreid.com

8 maids milking – pic via staceyreid.com

8. Then on day eight the maids finally got some fresh milk so we could all have coffee and hot chocolate and make cakes and Christmassy things. These gifts from my true love just keep getting better!

“8 Maids-a-Milking”

Inspiration – nurturing, warmth, sustenance, compassion for our animal friends

Fennel          7 drops

Myrrh           4 drops

Nutmeg        4 drops

Rosewood   10 drops

Ok this is where it gets tricky. Some versions say its 9 drummers drumming, others say its 9 ladies dancing so I’m going to go with the majority of all the English versions and say it’s the drummers. Most of the American versions seem to have the drummers up last but it makes sense because the drummers are starting to call the tribe to dance. From verses 9 – 12 it’s all quite different. My Mum also thought it was 9 drummers drumming but my Dad didn’t know. As Janet Jackson says in Nasty Boys – “Give me a beat”. The party has started!

Wikipedia says

The gifts associated with the final four days are often reordered. Most often, this involves placing the ladies and lords earlier (on days nine and ten), and the musicians later (on days eleven and twelve).

So I reckon the music must come first!

The Drummer - was there 9 or 12? pic via www.krinklesonline.com

The Drummer – was there 9 or 12? pic via http://www.krinklesonline.com

9. Clearly my true love wanted to dance because the drummers came along to start the party

“9 Drummers Drumming”

Inspiration – rhythm of life, coming together as one

Tea Tree                      6 drops

Clove                          6 drops

Cedarwood Virginian   6 drops

Mandarin                    7 drops

Pipers are piping - pic via stmatthewsyear5.wordpress.com

Pipers are piping – pic via stmatthewsyear5.wordpress.com

10. And now that the drummers have given us a beat, come in pipers! (Even though the American version says it’s 11 pipers piping, I’m sticking with the English version).

“10 Pipers Piping”

Inspiration – harmony, party, fun

Lemon         15 drops

Geranium        6 drops

Peppermint    4 drops

11 ladies dancing - pic via www.ffmcontheweb.com

11 ladies dancing – pic via http://www.ffmcontheweb.com

11. Ok it’s all gone haywire now. The ladies have hit the dance floor (or is it the drummers or the pipers or the lords?)

“11 Ladies Dancing”

Inspiration – femininity, celebrating the sisterhood, release of the old

Petitgrain       15 drops

Spikenard       4 drops

Thyme            2 drops

Rosemary       4 drops

Lords are leaping -but how many? pic via www.neatoshop.com

Lords are leaping – but how many? pic via http://www.neatoshop.com

12. And once again it could be 10 lords that are leaping, but I’m going with 12 this time around. At any rate – let them leap! Let’s all leap into a wonderful end of year celebration, so whether you’re into Christmas or not, please be thankful for this interesting life. Bring on 2014 (sounds SO futuristic).

“12 Lords-a-leaping”

Inspiration – carefreeness, freedom, comradeship

Basil            8 drops

Citronella     8 drops

Lime            9 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.

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

copyright suzannerbanks 2013