| Essential oils can help alleviate mild to moderate | | | | Essential oils have a direct and profound effect on |
| depression by helping bring one back into the balance | | | | the deepest levels of the body, emotions, and |
| of natute. Here are some great recipes to try for | | | | psyche. Through inhalation, essential oils have a |
| uplifting the spirit. The Wonderous Creations of Plants | | | | strong and immediate influence. Passing through the |
| A fantastic and mysterious relationship is continuously | | | | capillary beds of the sinuses and activating the |
| unfolding between plants and their surroundings. | | | | olfactory nerves, volatile plant oils enter the brain, |
| These organic green machines are ceaselessly | | | | producing direct and powerful systemic effects |
| performing a glorious alchemy with water, soil, air and | | | | — the most immediate being on the emotions. |
| sunlight. The nearly infinite possible combinations of | | | | Our emotions and our sense of smell have very |
| plant genetics and environmental conditions on the | | | | strong ties — perhaps more than with any |
| face of the earth have allowed for an almost | | | | other of the other four senses. |
| immeasurable diversity of alchemal floral expression, | | | | Oils in Traditional Medicine SystemsIn both |
| resulting in a vast array of natural botanical materials. | | | | Naturopathy and Ayurvedic Medicine (The Science of |
| These range from simple staple foodstuffs to | | | | Life), essential oils are considered to enhance the |
| gourmet fruits and vegetables, from rich exotic | | | | flow of prana (essential life force), enhance and |
| spices to effective medicinal herbs, and from | | | | nourish ojas (sustaining energy and immunological |
| enchanting natural perfumes to complex therapeutic | | | | essence), and brighten tejas (clarity and mental |
| essential oils. Mankind is reaching ever further into the | | | | luminosity). In Traditional Chinese Medicine, essential |
| jungles and rainforests, knowing that nature is the | | | | oils in general are medicines for the Shen, the spiritual |
| true master of creation in these fields. | | | | essence that resides in the heart and guides and |
| Plants as Medicines The line between food-plants and | | | | governs consciousness. Used consciously, essential oils |
| medicinal herbs is a fuzzy one. Science regularly | | | | powerfully enhance positive mental and emotional |
| reports newfound medicinal effects in plants once | | | | states. Further, the medicinal properties of essential |
| taken for granted; many fruits once thought quite | | | | oils, through their ability to support physiological |
| plain contain some of the world's most potent | | | | healing, can also be of great benefit to the heart and |
| anti-cancer agents. The same goes for teas - green | | | | mind. A Korean study on the effect of aromatherapy |
| tea is one of the most potent anti-oxidants known - | | | | on pain in patients with arthritis found that receiving |
| and spices - cinnamon may prevent the onset of | | | | massage with lavender, marjoram, eucalyptus, |
| debilitating diabetes - and this list continues to grow. | | | | rosemary, and peppermint oils significantly decreased |
| This same lack of distinction exists between natural | | | | both the pain AND mental depression levels. |
| fragrances and therapeutic essential oils. The oil of a | | | | Essential Oils for Uplifting the Spirit Following are |
| rose, laden with Citronellol, does triple duty as a | | | | some oils that have a reputation for up-lifting Shen, |
| perfume, an effective agent against the herpes | | | | enhancing prana, nourishing ojas, and brightening tejas |
| simplex virus, and an uplifting aromatic that can help | | | | - combinations that may have marked effects on |
| one open emotionally after a traumatizing experience. | | | | symptoms of depression. These oils can be used |
| Alternative Therapies The use of so-called | | | | alone or in combination in a nebulizing diffuser |
| 'alternative' therapies is on the rise; more individuals | | | | (producing a fine mist of oils for inhalation), or in |
| are turning to the wisdom of nature for assistance | | | | aromatherapy massage, thereby inhaled and |
| for all types of ailments, both physical and | | | | absorbed through the skin concurrently. |
| psychological. Interestingly, the source of most ills, | | | | Bergamot (pressed from the peels of bitter oranges) |
| from a naturopathic point of view, is being | | | | has a strong reputation for its ability to gently uplift. |
| out-of-balance with nature. Eating unnatural things, | | | | In terms of Chinese medicine, this is a direct result of |
| following unnatural cycles,and living in unnatural | | | | its smoothing the flow of Liver-Qi ('Chi' or Life Force), |
| environments. Lack of balance with the earth, from | | | | the liver being thought of as the seat of the eternal |
| which we are made and upon which we live, leads to | | | | soul. Bergamot combines the ability to both relax the |
| 'dis-ease' in our bodies and minds. As plants have | | | | nerves and refresh the Spirit; it is suitable for many |
| created their wondrous botanical materials in a | | | | types of depressive states. |
| process guided by the rhythms of the heavens and | | | | Neroli (from the flower of bitter oranges), like |
| earth, we may look to 'plant wisdom' to lead our | | | | Bergamot, regulates the Qi - and like Jasmine flower |
| way back into balance. | | | | oil, comforts the mind and heart. Neroli is called for at |
| Depression and Balance A depressed emotional state | | | | a core level, for the type of depression that comes |
| is a common reasons for using complementary and | | | | from nervous and emotional exhaustion. Neroli uplifts |
| alternative therapies today. A wide range of | | | | the mind and Spirit with its potential to nourish and |
| psychological, physical, and energetic issues can lead | | | | unify. Neroli assists in retrieving and releasing |
| to feelings of depression and a pervasive outlook of | | | | repressed emotions, with potential to nourish and |
| negativity. Moreover, once in a state of depression, | | | | unify a fragmented psyche. Neroli is specifically |
| patterns can arise that make relief all the more | | | | indicated for individuals who, in order to escape from |
| difficult to find. The use of essential oils for uplifting | | | | emotional pain and suffering, cut themselves off |
| the psyche and spirit is becoming more widespread | | | | from their feelings and senses. The Chamomiles |
| because of the oils' broad and dramatic effects. While | | | | (German and Roman) are wonderful oils to use when |
| the oils themselves may not directly affect the | | | | the depression manifests in a moody, irritable, |
| underlying cause of depression, they may help | | | | dissatisfied outward expression associated with |
| individuals break free from depressive cycles | | | | stagnant Liver-Qi. These flower oils are earthy, rich, |
| — they may provide the impetus to 'get off | | | | and grounding with subtle uplifting qualities. |
| the couch', so to speak, and begin creating long | | | | When depression is of a Fire (overly aggressive) |
| lasting change. Many natural healers believe | | | | nature, it often involves an imbalance of joy and love |
| depression to be a result of, like many other ills, of | | | | - the root emotions of the heart and mind. Joy is an |
| being out of balance; being unable to 'synch up' with | | | | extension of Shen’s (spiritual essence's) innate |
| the natural state of harmony that permeates the | | | | sense of harmony and perfection, an experience of |
| universe. For relieving this is-harmony, aromatherapy | | | | emotional and spiritual well-being. The depression that |
| can be a very powerful means to infuse one's body | | | | afflicts the heart and Shen involves a loss of |
| and mind with the most concentrated, sublime | | | | one’s natural sense of joy. There is often an |
| botanicals nature has to offer. | | | | accompanied lack of enthusiasm and interest as well |
| The Magnificent Olfactory Sense In humans, the | | | | as an inability to become inspired. |
| olfactory (sense of smell) region is an area of about | | | | Rose otto — steam distilled rose essential oil |
| 2 and a half square centimeters, and is located in | | | | — or Rose Absolute may have a profound |
| each of the two nasal cavities between and below | | | | effect on this state. Rose is thought the premier |
| the eyes. Containing approximately fifty million | | | | heart opening aromatic, bringing joy, uplifting and |
| primary sensory receptor cells, this region is highly | | | | restoring balance. |
| intricate, being 10,000 times more perceptive than | | | | What follows are a few recipes for uplifting and |
| the sense of taste. When compared to sight, we find | | | | releasing depressed emotional states — use |
| that olfaction is more complex — it is able to | | | | your intuition to find the right one. Often, the single |
| distinguish a nearly infinite number of element | | | | essential oil or blend you find most attractive will be |
| compounds at very low concentrations. In order to | | | | the one that serves you best. Experiment, explore, |
| perceive the visible spectrum, humans use only three | | | | and have fun with these fantastic gifts of nature. |
| types of photoreceptors; in contrast, the sense of | | | | These blends may be used in a diffuser or candle |
| smell relies on several hundred distinct classes of | | | | lamp, unless where a carrier oil is indicated — |
| receptors. | | | | blends with carriers are intended specifically for |
| The Direct Effect on the Brain Modern research has | | | | aromatherapy massage (self-massage is very |
| shown natural plant oils stimulate multiple regions in | | | | effective, as well as a simple massage from a friend |
| the brain, including those controlling endocrine, | | | | or loved one). |
| immune, and limbic (emotional center) functions. | | | | |