Use Aromatherapy to Banish Stress

Our society is plagued with an over-abundance of stress---especially in today’s world.

“But we can use ancient techniques to relax and heal our lives and souls,” states Carly Wall, Aromatherapist and author of The Scented Veil: Using Scent of Uncover Soul, A.R.E. Press 2002. “Essential oils of certain plants can affect centers in our brains to help induce relaxation responses. You can use scent to help deepen meditations and to help balance your body.”

Aromatherapists have long known that using thyme or eucalyptus, for example, cuts short the effects of cold and flu by up to 50 percent because of their antibacterial and antiseptic qualities. A few drops of lavender wiped on a burn will almost by magic stop the pain and completely heal within days. Researchers have found that fragrance has a positive effect on our alertness, and concentration, and studies are being done on ways to include scent in the workplace to improve job performance.

AND HERE’S where it gets real interesting. Studies reveal that meditation practice results in increased EEG coherence, blood flow to the brain, muscle relaxation, and a decrease in stress hormones. Scent too can affect the brain helping to induce relaxation. There are many that are researching the effect of scent on the mind today, along with them, Australian scientist Dr. Michael Stoddard. It’s his belief that ancient man understood that scent could awaken sexual energy, but he suspects ancient man knew also that scent could do much more, opening the doorways to higher states of consciousness. So it can be used as a tool to help deepen meditation, ease stress and awaken spiritual energies.

“One way to use scent to deepen your meditation experience,” adds Wall, “is to burn incense during your practice. Incense comes in many forms; cones, sticks and powders. All have one purpose, to burn and send the scented smoke into the air. This is perhaps the oldest and easiest method, used for thousands of years in many religious rituals. A better method is to use a diffuser, which can be hooked up to a timer. This is the best way I’ve found, because you can set up the diffuser to mist out the essential oils in timed sequence during your meditation. Plus it gives you a maximum exposure to the essential oils. You can make sure you are using pure and natural essential oils and you can blend your own to create a personal, powerful scent, according to your preferences.”

The best essential oils for meditation? Wall answers that her book has a chapter devoted not only to meditation techniques, but also to the essential oils most conducive to the meditative state. Frankincense and Patchouli are the most favored. Other chapters within the book describe ways to use essential oils to enhance your own natural psychic abilities such as lucid dreaming, astral travel and telepathy.

Carly Wall, http://www.authorsden.com/carlyjwall (source: naturalhealthweb)

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