emotions and oils...the start to my journey

I recently spoke at a doTerra Oil Club meeting.  The main purpose was to get the word out there about how essential oils can help and impact our emotions.  I, of course, could only speak from my experience because I am no expert.  Meaning that I have not taken educational classes or training on the oils that help our emotions.  I have read a bunch and experienced a bunch.  And, I do know a bit about the brain with trauma and development.  

(That is my disclaimer.)

I received much praise and feedback after speaking and thought it would help to blog the information I spoke about in the meeting.

I started with doTerra essential oils when I wanted something to help me as a runner and possibly diffuse the air in my home to smell good.  I started with a very simple kit, Peace, and Whisper.  I wanted Peace to help with chaos that had started within the home.  I wanted Whisper to treat myself with something nice.  With these purchases, I qualified for the free Frankincense that month.  Bonus! I had read in the "big oil bible" that Frankincense is good for Autism.  I thought...hmmm...I have a boy in my room who is on the Spectrum...maybe this will help when he is overwhelmed.  These oils lasted me a month or two.

I attended an "oil celebration" that my then "oil lady" was having for all of her people.  While there, I used the zyto oil scan to see what oils my body needs.  (To be honest, I was not really in on this type of hokey-pokey thing, but I will try anything that wants to tell me about myself.)  In this moment of my life, the home chaos had not gotten better.  Actually, it got worse.  In retrospect, it was the beginnings of abusive alcoholic patterns.  I was consumed with what I was doing wrong, how to do things better, and many more hyper-sensitive feelings.  So, I do this zyto thing.  I place my hand on the scanner that is connected to a computer that somehow can tell what oils my body needs.  Others had their palms read (so to speak) before me.  Their lists were long (5-12 oils long) based on health concerns.  My reading came out.  One.  One oil.  That was it.  Coriander.  My oil lady, who is now becoming my good friend, hands me a book: Emotions and Essential Oils A Modern Resource for Healing (Fourth Edition, 2015).  I will type word-for-word what is says about Coriander, because it gave me chills and I became an instant believer.

Coriander is the oil of integrity, specifically integrity with one's self.  The person in need of Coriander oil may be trapped in a cycle of serving others while neglecting their own needs.  They may also have a strong need to do what is right or correct.  Often the mind's perspective of the "right" way is too limited and seen from only one perspective.  Coriander reminds individuals that there is more than one way to do something, and that fitting in often requires betraying the True Self.

Coriander moves the individual from doing things for the acceptance of others to honoring and living from the True Self.  There are as many ways of being as there are people in the world.  Each soul must learn its own way of living and being.  Coriander gives courage to step out of "the box" and risk being who one really is.

Coriander teaches that each individual is a gift to the world with something unique, which no one else has to offer.  Only we can be and express our uniqueness.  Integrity with one's self means living in connections with what one's spirit urges and directs.  Coriander shifts individuals from needing others' acceptance to honoring and living from the True Self.

So, from that day forward, I put a drop of Coriander on the back of my neck EVERY day.  And, I eventually moved my kids and I out of the house.  Through that transition, I lost a lot of hair.  I had significant patches of hair loss.  I ask my oil friend what oils are good for replenishing hair loss.  She sends me some recipes.  In these recipes are Grapefruit, Rosemary, and Cypress.  Unbeknownst to me, I was rubbing into my scalp every other day or so oils that help with patterns of mistreatment, difficulty transitioning, mental clarity, and emotional growth.

A few months after I moved out, I had some close friends over for an oil party.  I am hooked on the zyto reading my palm now.  My oil friend pulls it out, I place my hand on it, and believe it or not I need only one oil again.  This time my body needs Jasmine.  I had already purchased Jasmine because I love the smell.  The relevance to Jasmine in my life is that I was struggling with the intimate parts of my relationship with my husband.  Jasmine is the oil of sexual purity and balance.  I also had a new girl in my class that has a very sexually traumatic past.  I would not have ever known about Jasmine helping with sexual trauma or boundaries if I had not needed it myself and had my palm read.  God definitely knows how to get my attention and tell me where I need to focus in my life!

Since these eye-opening life experiences, I have used more oils just for the emotional balance I long for and need.  Here are a few oils I use during various times in my daily life:

Arguments-- Bergamot is good for feelings of hopelessness and low self-esteem.  It encourages self-acceptance.
BIG discussions-- Juniper Berry helps with irrational fears and promotes courageous feelings.
Co-dependent tendencies-- Clove and OnGuard help with clear boundaries and feeling empowered to help when I feel like a victim or dominated.

At times I will have my own children smell different oils to see which ones they are drawn to and like.  When we were going through the moving transition my daughter was drawn to Roman Chamomile, Spearmint, and Wintergreen.  These three assist with (in order) unsettling feelings, nervous feelings, and letting go.  My son was drawn to Cedarwood, Douglas Fir, and Sandalwood.  These oils target feelings (in order) loneliness, repeating mistakes, and distraction.

I have found that oils help with positive emotions as well.  I have the children in my class sometimes smell and choose which oils they are drawn to.  I had one boy who always liked the Wild Orange or Citrus Bliss.  I was always hesitant to diffuse these with him because he was already high-spirited and ready to go go go.  Which is what Wild Orange and Citrus Bliss are supposed to help with if a person is feeling unmotivated.  Wild Orange is the oil of abundance and inspires creativity.  Citrus Bliss is the oil of creativity and gives motivation.  These are characteristics he seemed to have PLENTY of naturally!  Upon reflection, this child always seemed to mellow out when we diffused these oils.  It was almost as if it worked with his body chemistry to balance him when he was hyperactive.

Again, I am not an expert.  I am convinced that essential oils target emotional needs and assist in the balance our mind and body long for every day.  Every day holds new experiences, feelings, and amazingness.  Our mind, body, and well-being is worth the self-care and preservation we can give it!