The Witch's Book of Self-Care: Magical Ways to Pamper, Soothe, and Care for Your Body and Spirit - Arin Murphy-Hiscock 2018
Aromatherapy
Household Self-Care
As a way to control stress and uplift mood, aromatherapy is a terrific tool in your self-care arsenal. Spellcraft often pulls aromatherapy in as a secondary element; the primary use of oils and herbs is for their energies, of course. But it’s a pleasant bonus when your blends smell good as well.
Scent is one of the strongest memory triggers. No wonder; despite its apparent intangibility, scent is inescapable and deeply tied to emotion. The scent receptors (on the olfactory nerve) are positioned right next to the amygdala and the hippocampus, the emotional centers of the brain.
Aromatherapy uses plants, flowers, or the extracted oils to positively affect your physiological or physical state. The gist of the science is that certain compounds stimulate different areas of the brain or the production of mood-affecting neurotransmitters. It’s generally safe, although care should be taken when working with essential oils to not allow them to touch your eyes or the inside of the nose, and certain oils (such as cinnamon) shouldn’t be applied directly to the skin because of the potential for irritation. Essential oils generally shouldn’t be taken orally, either; drinking them can damage your liver or kidneys. Only do so if a qualified medical professional approves it after reviewing your current state of health, prescriptions, and over-the-counter medications. Ingesting them can be especially dangerous because essential oils aren’t regulated the way medicine is; there is no way to confirm if the oil is what it says it is on the label, with no additives. Consult a reliable guide to educate yourself on the guidelines and handling of specific essential oils, such as Roberta Wilson’s Aromatherapy: Essential Oils for Vibrant Health and Beauty.
Store your essential oils and oil blends in a dark place to keep the components from breaking down or going bad.
Common applications of essential oils include diluting them in water and heating them in a diffuser or spraying the diluted solution in the air, and diluting the essential oil in a carrier oil such as sweet almond, jojoba, or grapeseed oil and rubbing it on the skin. A simple, efficient method is to place a drop of oil on a cotton ball and place it in a zip-top bag. Carry it with you through the day, unzipping the bag to breathe in the scent when you need it.
Here are a few essential oils that are particularly useful in the practice of self-care. The magical and physical benefits are rolled into one.
♦ Clary Sage: Clary sage essential oil is used for optimism, happiness, relaxation, antianxiety, and confidence.
♦ Frankincense: Frankincense essential oil is used for meditation, clarity, and purification. The woody scent is slightly spicy.
♦ Jasmine: Jasmine essential oil is used for meditation, clarity, and self-love. The scent is floral but clean; it has a green undertone.
♦ Lavender: As detailed in earlier chapters, lavender is a wonderful self-care oil and herb. It’s used for relaxation with a sedative effect, for calm and sleep.
♦ Lemon: Lemon essential oil is used for happiness, clarity, joy, and purification.
♦ Sandalwood: A sweet woody scent, sandalwood is often used in spiritual traditions. Sandalwood essential oil is used for meditation, relaxation without a sedative effect, purification, calm, and clarity.
♦ Ylang-Ylang: A sweet floral oil, ylang-ylang is used for relaxation and serenity.
Aromatherapy Blends for Self-Care
There are a variety of ways to incorporate aromatherapy into your self-care. The quickest and easiest way is to directly apply a dot of the blended oil onto your inner wrist so that the scent and any physical benefits of the oils are immediately available to you. There are various forms of jewelry that carry scent, such as locket-type pendants or bracelets made of lava stone, a porous substance that absorbs drops of oil placed on it and slowly releases the scent through the day.
Essential oils are very concentrated, which is why they’re usually diluted in a carrier oil such as sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, or grapeseed oil if you’re going to be using them on the skin. Diffusion doesn’t always require a carrier oil, so if you’re mixing a blend for this kind of diffusion (in other words, if you’re not going to be applying it to the skin) then you can omit the carrier oil in whatever recipe you’re following. Make sure you label your blend and note if it includes a carrier oil!
Diffusion is the process by which an oil is dispersed throughout an area. There are several ways to do this.
♦ Putting drops on a cotton ball and tucking it into a tiny zip-top bag allows you to carry it with you. Open the bag and bring it to your face, inhaling deeply. This is a great method to bring a blend with you on a plane or to work.
♦ You can add drops of oil to a small bottle of distilled water. Shake it, then spray it on sofas, beds, carpets, or just into the air to add fragrance to the room.
♦ Diffusion via steam is another simple method. Boil 1—2 cups water, transfer it to a bowl, and add drops of the oil to the water. The heat of the water will disperse the aroma through the area. (You may be familiar with this method if you’ve ever draped a towel over your head and a bowl of steaming water—with or without a drop or two of eucalyptus oil—to help loosen congestion; boiled cinnamon sticks, cloves, and orange peel at Christmas will make the house smell cozy.)
♦ A candle diffuser is a small dish on top of a candleholder. Place a tablespoon or two of water into the dish and add drops of oil to it. The candle heats the water and oils, and the scent is released into the air. An electric diffuser does the same thing, only it uses electricity to heat the dish.
♦ A nebulizer breaks down the oils into smaller particles and diffuses them into the air. Nebulizers are also powered by an electric pump.
♦ A lovely, relaxing way to enjoy aromatherapy is in a bath. You can add a few drops of your chosen blend directly to the water after you have filled your bath, or mix them into a larger amount of carrier oil to make a bath oil. (See Chapter 3 for bath oil recipes.)
Here are some magical blends that you can use in a diffuser, aromatherapy jewelry, or to dab on squares of cloth and tuck in various places.
Some of these blends call for oils that weren’t previously listed. If so, the associated magical properties are mentioned in the recipe.
Gentle Sleep Oil
Place a dot of this blend on each temple and underside of the wrist before bed, or dab a bit on the edge of your bed near your pillow. Makes about 1 ounce.
What You Need:
♦ 1 tablespoon carrier oil
♦ 10 drops lavender essential oil
♦ 8 drops sandalwood essential oil
♦ 5 drops ylang-ylang essential oil
♦ 1-ounce glass bottle with cap
♦ Label and pen or marker
What to Do:
1. Center and ground.
2. Mix the carrier oil and the other oil drops together in a small bottle, focusing on the goal of peaceful sleep as you do. Cap the bottle and hold it between your hands, saying, “I charge you to bring restful sleep. May rest be deep, may I wake refreshed. So may it be.”
3. Label the bottle.
Happy House Oil
This is a terrific blend to use in a diffuser. Sweet orange and bergamot essential oils carry energies associated with happiness and health. This blend also vibrates with energies associated with purification. Makes about 1 ounce.
What You Need:
♦ 1 tablespoon carrier oil
♦ 8 drops lemon essential oil
♦ 8 drops sweet orange essential oil
♦ 8 drops bergamot essential oil
♦ 8 drops sandalwood or frankincense essential oil
♦ 1-ounce glass bottle with cap
♦ Label and pen or marker
What to Do:
1. Center and ground.
2. Mix the carrier oil and other oil drops together in a small bottle, focusing on the goal of a happy house as you do. Cap the bottle and hold it between your hands, saying, “I charge you to bring joyful vibrations to this home, that all who live and visit may be happy. So may it be.”
3. Label the bottle.
Mindfulness Oil Blend
This helps you focus on the immediate moment instead of getting your head stuck in the past or worrying about the future. Makes 1 ounce.
What You Need:
♦ 1 tablespoon carrier oil
♦ 10 drops frankincense essential oil
♦ 10 drops sandalwood essential oil
♦ 5 drops jasmine essential oil
♦ 5 drops clary sage essential oil
♦ 1-ounce glass bottle with cap
♦ Label and pen or marker
What to Do:
1. Center and ground.
2. Mix the carrier oil and other oil drops together in a small bottle, focusing on the goal of mindfulness as you do. Cap the bottle and hold it between your hands, saying, “I charge you to help keep my mind in the present, focused on the here and now. So may it be.”
3. Label the bottle.