Natural Bug Repellent: No Skeeto

June 27th, 2010

I hate getting ants in my kitchen because they are so hard to get rid of.  It’s not like you can talk to them, like you would mice.  They have that “hive” mentality and it’s really difficult to get them to leave easily.  So  in the past I’ve resorted to using  a blue liquid version of sweetened boric acid that usually works really well.  So a few weeks ago, when these teeny tiny ants began pilgrimaging to a watermelon rind that had not yet made it to the compost heap, I reached for my trusty blue liquid.

Well when one ant  put her big toe in it and backed away, I could hear her saying, “That’s the stuff Aunt Hilda told us never to eat”.  Then of course each ant in turn, was notified, and they all totally avoided it.

Most people love the scent of No Skeeto, but because of my extremely, sensitive, sense of smell, it’s usually a little intense for me to deal with.  But now, I had no choice, but to use what I’ve been selling and telling everyone else to use.  So I put a towel over my nose and mouth and reached for my No Skeeto spray!  With three squirts of NoSkeeto on the wooden counter top, there was a plumb of bug repellent in the room.  I quickly left and went into another part of the house, and then returned about 15 minutes later.

There wasn’t an ant in the entire kitchen! I was amazed by my own product.  And the best part is that they got the message.  They left and have not come back, even after my test of leaving another watermelon rind out on the counter.

So if you have ant problems in your home, it would be a good idea to have some No Skeeto on hand to get those critters running!

This month (July 2010) the Spray is on Sale.  Just visit the link I just provided and at the checkout provide the code name Spray, in the coupon box.  You will receive 10% off for the Spray bottle of No Skeeto.   Sale begins July 1 and ends July 31, 2010.

Want to find out about more product specials?    Sign up for my Aromatherapy Newsletter at http://www.AromatherapyCelebrations.com. You’ll be glad you did!

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Subtle Aromatherapy & Flower Essences

April 4th, 2010

There’s a rumor out there that flower essences and aromatherapy don’t mix well together.  They say that somehow the aromatherapy scents will destroy the delicate vibrational remedies.  Maybe  this happens with people who believe it, but it’s never happened to any blend I’ve created, using both modalities at he same time.  My guidance in the matter, has always been to blend the essential oils first, then add the carrier oil or water, and then add the flower essences.  After which, I allow everything to intermingle for several hours and become one.

Some of you may be wondering what the dickens is a flower essence?? In short, this is a vibrational remedy.  It is created by picking the organic flower of  your choice, putting it in a bowl of water and then setting the bowl of water out in the sunlight for several hours.  The sun, with it’s life giving energies, infuses the flower’s essence or vibration in the water.  We then call this the Mother Essence.  Stock bottles are made in homeopathic style, by taking 3-7 drops of the Mother Essence, and dropping them into a 1 oz. bottle, and adding distilled water.  Dosage bottles are made in the same fashion, by dropping 3-7 drops of the stock essence into another bottle (1 oz. – 1/3 oz.), and filling the bottle with distilled water.  Some companies you can experiment with are:  Bach Flower Remedies, Flower Essence Society, Desert Essence, Perelandra, Pegasus, and Green Hope Farms.

Flower essences work under the guises of the Doctrine of Signatures.  Meaning that each flower resonates to a different emotional issue that we may have.  In the beginning, flower essences were only made to help us heal emotional distress, in it’s many forms.  However, as flower essences became more popular, many remedies were created to help with our spiritual awakening, as well.

I’ve been working with flower essences for over 20 years and have accumulated over 200 bottles in the interim.  And I do use them whenever I blend a subtle aromatherapy formula.  I have always found this double wammy of potency, makes a far superior product.

You may have noticed, however, for pets I only use flower essences in a number of products. This is because flower essences, unlike essential oils, can be used with  all animals without side effects.  Essential oil blends can be toxic to cats, and a little over powering to birds as well.  Much of my research on this subject has also revealed that it is always wise to let your pet smell the essential oil blend first to see if they like it.  We must remember and honor that animals are way more sensitive about scents than we are.

What have your experiences been, with combining aromatherapy & flower essences?

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Subtle Aromatherapy and Meditation

March 20th, 2010

The hook for most of us to meditate, is that it can help us to reduce the stress that we create in our hectic day to day lives.  And if this is your primary focus for meditation, aromatherapy can certainly help with calming essential oils like  lavender, rose, or chamomile.  As we breathe these oils in we can feel ourselves relax, and move into a better mood.

That’s great!, but how does it work? When we inhale essential oils, whether by diffuser, or in a blend, we trigger thousands of olfactory nerve cells in our nose, that carries the scent directly to our olfactory bulb, located to the back of our nose.  The nerve endings of the olfactory bulb, then send the scent directly to our limbic brain, that houses such instincts as our memories, emotions, sex drive, hunger, and pleasure.  That is why some scents  can remind us of  long ago memories, shift our moods, or be considered aphrodisiacs.

However, relaxation is only a side-effect of meditation.  The true reason to meditate is to gain a higher consciousness.  And if this is your goal,  Subtle Aromatherapy is a great way to access and enhance your deeper meditation skills.  Sandalwood for instance, has a long history in India, Tibet and China of bringing one into higher states of consciousness, by stilling the mind of it’s incessant chatter, while calming and toning the nervous system.  Sandalwood also has a subtle grounding affect , so it is related to the crown and base chakras.  Unfortunately, these days, we cannot work with the infamous Mysore Sandalwood, since the tree is almost extinct.  Due to unsustainable harvesting practices in India, obtaining Mysore Sandalwood legally, is nearly impossible.  However, Australian Sandalwood is a good substitute.

Known since ancient times, Frankincense has been used spiritually in the Middle East, Greek, and Roman civilizations.  Egyptians, Jews, and Romans alike have burned it in their ceremonies and rituals.  Frankincense is known to  profoundly affect us spiritually and psychologically, by stilling the mind, calming our central nervous systems, and helping us to break free from mundane attachment.  Frankincense is also subtly grounding.  It opens the crown chakra, balances the third eye, and connects us to the earth through our base chakra.

Another excellent aid in reaching higher consciousness in meditation is Lotus Attar. Seen as a sacred flower for millenia, it has been put on Hindu, Buddhist and Egyptian alters as offerings to the Gods.   Opening our Crown chakra, Lotus attar will help us to transcend our earthly bonds and experience our Divinity.  It has beeen seen as a symbol for spiritual enlightenment, and it’s purpose is to accelerate our spiritual evolvement.  Relaxing and euphoric, it’s a must for anyone wanting to enhance their meditations.  There are three different colors of Lotus, pink, white and blue;  each containing it’s own subtlety of scent and function.  When Attars are made, the essential oils are infused in odorless sandalwood during or directly after the distillation process. As a fixative, sandalwood helps to expand the bouquet and creates a long lasting scent.  So whether you inhale or anoint, you can benefit from the affects of lotus and sandalwood, in Lotus Attar.

Tell us about your experiences with Subtle Aromatherapy and Meditation!

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Subtle Aromatherapy: Our Hidden Anatomy

March 11th, 2010

For the person who is mainly physically oriented, subtle aromatherapy may be hard to grasp, because it is dealing with parts of ourselves that most of us cannot touch or see.  Although this category can include working with our mental and emotional aspects of life, it also includes affecting our energetic system, that is hidden from normal eyesight and our other senses.   Our energetic system is comprised of the Auric fields, chakras, and meridians, and these in turn interface with our endocrine system, and organs.  What happens to our energetic system affects our physical systems and vise versa. Everything is interrelated.

The auric field is a complex network of energy threads, like fibers of a feather, that forms a luminous egg around each of us.   And this auric field is composed of different layers that correspond to our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual bodies.  So that when we work with subtle aromatherapy within the auric field, it can affect us on all of these levels.

The auric field is connected to our chakras.  These are spinning vortexes of energy; each one spinning at a different frequency.  They are places where prana (life force) can easily enter or leave our bodies.  The upper ones (5-7) work with regulating cosmic energies and the lower ones (1-3),  regulate how we work with the earth energies, or grounding.  The Heart Chakra or midpoint of the two, is the place where earth and spirit come together through emotion, love, and compassion.  Each chakra is directly affiliated with a specific endocrine gland and organ.

Our meridians run vertically (top to bottom) and also interface with the chakras.  They are like energetic veins and arteries.  Instead of carrying blood, they allow our life force energy to flow and circulate within the entire energetic system.  All of which is vital to our health.  This is why acupuncture is such a dynamic and important therapy; it works with the meridians to maintain balance and harmony in our bodies.

When we work with our energetic system through subtle aromatherapy, we have the capability of dynamically shifting our moods, perceptions and consciousness.  I am continually amazed at how quickly someone’s chakra energy responds when I manually massage it with an essential oil. Typically,  when there is a blockage in the heart chakra, I put a very small amount of rose essential oil, (1 drop), on a finger, rub my fingers together, then let the person smell the rose essential oil, and finally cup my hands over the heart chakra.  Immediately, I sense a release of old, stuck, energy.  Formulas can also be blended specifically to do many things with our chakras, including opening and balancing them.  And I have done just that with my Aromatherapy Celebrations! Chakra Oil Set.

Still confused?  Or want more information?  Just drop me a comment.   I’ll be happy to fill in the details!

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Subtle Aromatherapay: An Overview

March 8th, 2010

Other than being an aromatherapist, I also have an 18 year old spiritual healing practice, where I use aromatherapy and other vibrational therapies with my clients.  In the previous entries, I have mostly focused on the physical properties of carrier and essential oils and how to use them.  In this next category, we will go beyond the physical and delve into our “hidden anatomy” and how we can work with aromatherapy to heal it.

Essential oils are very complex Beings.  Each is composed of  200-500 different chemical components.  And it’s this complexity, that allows  them to work with the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual dimensions.  However, you can only find this complexity with top notch essential oils.  That is why it is imperative in subtle aromatherapy that you only work with high quality oils.

Most of the information about subtle aromatherapy comes from the ancient past, through the writings of mystics, alchemists, fables, folklore, legend and myth.   However, like the shaman, we too can glean information about subtle aromatherapy by getting in touch with the plant’s essence or spirit.  In this way, the plant itself, can tell us what the best uses of it’s essential oil can be.  It is through our own experimentation and experience, however, that we truly learn about the gift of subtle aromatherapy.

There are many facets of subtle aromatherapy.  The most common being, how essential  oils affect our subtle bodies, and help in our meditations, that  includes affirmations, visualizations, and other transformative techniques for inner work.  Subtle aromatherapy can also be applied when doing planetary healing, absent healing, ceremony and ritual.  And we can combine this technique with other vibrational therapies, such as color, flower essences and sound.

So, join me as we take a left hand turn from the physical attributes of carrier oils, to learn some unique ways of working with essential oils through subtle aromatherapy.

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Aromatherapy Carrier Oil: Camellia

February 24th, 2010

Camellia Seed Oil is sometimes called “Tea Seed Oil” because it comes from the same plant that gives us Green, White and Black teas.  Green tea, touted for it’s high anti-oxidant content, is simply a mirror for the Camellia plant’s, remarkable seed oil, that has huge quantities of Vitamin E, and high quantities of Omega’s 3, 6, and 9.   In aromatherapy, these anti-oxidants revitalize and rejuvenate the hair and skin.

Native to Japan and China, Tea Seed Oil, is used extensively in cooking, especially in China’s southern provinces.  Because it has a rather high smoke point, it has been traditionally used in sauteing and frying, as well as non-cooked food, such as salad dressings, dips, marinades and sauces.  Having a molecular composition  similar to that of olive oil, it is also very healthy to eat.  Diverse in it’s applications, Camellia oil can also protect wood working tools from rusting.  It’s color ranges from pale amber green to a pale or golden yellow.  Camellia oil is usually cold pressed, and it’s scent is mildly sweet and herbal.  It will keep fresh for 1-2 years properly stored in the refrigerator.

As an aromatherapy carrier oil, camellia is prized for it’s moisturizing and rejuvenating properties.  Commercially, you can find it in facial creams and serums to diminish fine lines and wrinkles, and improve acne, cosmetics, sun care, after-shave and baby products, and hair conditioners.  Penetrating easily and deeply, Camellia seed oil will protect your skin from the sun’s UV rays, maintain a healthy Ph, reduce and heal scars, promote hair growth and condition your scalp.   If you are working with it, the standard dilution is 2-10%.

I look forward to creating a sunblock product in the future made with Camellia Seed and Meadowfoam  Oils.

Let us know about your experiences with Aromatherapy Carrier Oil:  Camellia!

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Aromatherapy Carrier Oil: Meadowfoam

February 19th, 2010

Meadowfoam is one of those lesser known carrier oils that I’ve been hearing about for quite some time, but haven’t had the time or money to check out.  Now that I’ve done further research on it, this carrier oil will surely be placed in my refrigerator soon.

Meadowfoam’s name is derived by the way it looks on the ground when blooming.  It is native to the coastal regions of western North America, and grows in it’s marshy landscapes.  Like Golden Jojoba, it became popular in the 1970′s, after sperm whaling was banned, because it can be chemically transformed into a liquid wax ester that many industry’s can use.  Most of the Meadowfoam available is solvent extracted from crushed seeds or “nutlets”.  However, I found a company, Natural Plant Products, Inc, that sells a cold pressed Meadowfoam oil.  They simply crush the seeds and filter them.  Although, they only sell to distributers, those of us in the US who need small quantities, can buy it from Essential Wholesale.com. This cold pressed product meets the standards for EcoCert, non-organic certification.

Meadowfoam is structured differently than other carrier oils in that it has 98% fatty acid composition and lacks many of the polyunsaturated fatty acids that can oxidized easily.  It also has a very high Vitamin E content, and  because of this, Meadowfoam aromatherapy carrier oil has a long shelf life of 2-3 years.  Although you can store this oil at room temperature, refrigeration will keep it freshest.

In aromatherapy, we can use this versatile oil in all of our skincare, cosmetic, and haircare products.  Because it adheres easily to the skin and hair, Meadowfoam is a great moisturizer for dry skin and dry or damaged hair.  This oil also penetrates the skin easily, leaving a smooth silky feel.  Incredibly, Meadowfoam also will give you UV protection too!  Aside from these factors, I would welcome Meadowfoam in any of my skincare formulas, as it blends well with other carriers, will extend the shelf life of the product, and will help retain the product’s scent.

Tell us about your experiences with Aromatherapy Carrier Oil:  Meadowfoam!

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Aromatherapy Carrier Oil: Sea Buckthorn

February 12th, 2010

Although Sea Buckthorn’s use dates back thousands of years to the indiginous people’s of Siberia and China, it has  only recently been discovered by modern man.  Historically it was taken internally for nourishment and used externally to treat burns, circulation, wounds, and skin issues.  This yellow colored berry is jammed packed with nutrients.  Not only does it contain a perfect ratio of Omega 3 and 6,  it also composed of 35% Omega 7, and large amounts of Vitamins  C, A, E, B2, B1, F, K and P.  Thanks to the huge amount of Vitamin E, Sea Buckthorn aromatherapy carrier oil has an extra long shelf life of five years.

This plant survives well in extreme cold and recently companies in Canada have begun to grow it as a cash crop.  These days, you need to make sure that your Sea Buckthorn is not a product of China, for these plants will not contain much Vitamin E or C.  Although the seeds and pulp both have nutrients, they are of a different quality and quantity.  If you are using this aromatherapy carrier oil for skin care, make sure it has been extracted from the pulp.

For those of you who like to put more of everything in your blends, take warning!  Only use a 1% dilution of Sea Buckthorn, Carrier Oil in your formulas.  The high beta carotene content will turn your skin a bronze color. With this  dilution, you can Sea Buckthorn aromatherapy carrier oil as an anti-inflammatory to reduce swelling, and flush wounds.   It can also be used in skin rejuvenation and accelerated healing for eczema, acne, rosacea, acne scars, stretch marks, bedsores, heat or radiation burns, sunburn, skin ulcers, wrinkles and dry skin.   When taken internally as a food supplement, it has been known to strengthen blood vessels and cell walls and improve circulation.

Aromatherapy Celebrations! Neroli Facial Cream contains Sea Buckthorn.

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Aromatherapy Carrier Oil: Avocado

February 6th, 2010

I’ve always enjoyed taking guacamole (avocado dip) to summer parties.  You can make it easily by mashing the yellow green pulp and putting additives in such as garlic, salsa, curry, or tamari.  Everyone loves the rich, creamy texture, and the way it adheres to their chips.  What I didn’t know is that the common, egg shaped, avocado is a power house of vitamins and minerals, and similar to olive oil in it’s ratio of saturated and unsaturated fats. Did you know that an avocado is 60% richer in potassium than a banana, and has a high quantity of  the B vitamins, vitamin E and K?  It is also blessed with Vitamin C, calcium, magnesium phosphorus,  zinc and a high fiber content.

Avocados are also popular because you can use them as a science project for your kids.  Just put  an avocado pit in a glass of water and watch it grow!  However, you want to make sure your pets don’t get curious about why this plant is getting all the attention.  Avocado plants; their leaves, bark, skin and pits are toxic to animals.  Although the avocado is easily grown from seed, commercial growers do not propagate their trees in this manner.  Instead, they use grafting and rootstocks, because this way yields a clone of it’s parent and produces fruit much faster.

The avocado appears to be very ancient.  The oldest remnants, dated at 10,000 years, have been traced to a cave in Coxcaltan, Mexico.  The Aztecs called it the “fertility fruit”, and it’s name in Nahuatl means testicle.  This unusual plant has flowers that bloom in the morning as one sex, close and then later in the day they open as the opposite sex.  And their crop bearing seems to run with the same theme of yin and yang.  (One year is bountiful and the next year is scanty)  Perhaps the Indians used the avocado in some way during their fertility rituals.

Native to the warm, humid climates of the Caribbean, Mexico, South and Central America, the Avocado is now also grown in drier climates of California and New Mexico.  Although Mexico is the largest producer of avocados, most of the ones we eat in the US, are grown in our own country.

Avocado as an aromatherapy carrier oil is noted for its regeneration and rejuvenation properties of the skin.  High in sterolins, it will heal age spots, sun damage and diminish scaring.  Avocado oil has also been shown to increase the skin’s collagen, making it a great oil for mature skin.  It is easily deeply absorbed  and has excellent emollient properties.  Use this aromatherapy carrier oil as a moisturizer to diminish wrinkles and heal, eczema, psoriasis, dry, dehydrated or undernourished skin.

Try Aromatherapy Celebrations! Neroli Facial Cream.  It contains Avocado oil!

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Aromatherapy Carrier Oil: Borage

January 30th, 2010

Several years ago I grew Borage in my vegetable garden.  I was amazed at how fast and large the plant became in just a short amount of time.  I enjoyed eating the lovely, small, blue Borage flowers in my salads all summer, and watching the bees drink its precious nectar.  To my dismay, however,  my wonderful salad plant was also an enormous water guzzler.  And because of that,  I would never grow it again.

Borage oil, officially called Borago Officinalis, has the highest amount of (GLA) Gamma Linolenic Acid (Omega 6) of any other oil, usually around 25%.  Other fatty acids include, 15% omega 9, 38% other omega 6′s, and less than 1% Omega 3.  Because this is a fairly expensive oil, and it leaves a somewhat oily feel on the skin, it is recommended that it be used in a 10% dilution with other aromatherapy carrier oils.  Cold pressed from seeds, Borage oil’s aroma is sweet and light, and is light yellow in color.  Although Borage oil’s texture is thin to medium, it penetrates the skin easily.  It needs to be refrigerated and kept away from light, as this aromatherapy carrier oil, will go rancid easily.  With proper storage however, it should keep from 6-12 months.

Borage Oil can be taken internally for a number of maladies.  However, for aromatherapy purposes, it is usually used for it’s anti-inflammatory properties.  External application works well for swollen and painful joints, and atopic dermatitis, such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, rosacea, and wrinkles.

Let us know about your experiences with Borage Oil!

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