The Pagan Heart
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Scents of Pleasure and Healing: Aromatherapy
By Maureen Kinkaid, LMT & Callum Mostyn
Index of Aromatherapies:
Relaxing mind and body, and freeing the libido Scent - the evocative, powerful, and healing nature of this sense is beyond complete description. The scent of something once cherished years ago will recall the memories in full force. The strong stench of putrification will make the stomach churn. The delicate aroma of lavendar will relax the body and mind instincively. Scent - the most basic and instinctual aspect of humanity. Our ancestors used essential oils in religion and medicine, as well as to increase sexual pleasure, bolster or reduce the appetite, and to mask less appealing odours. The people of Mesopotamia used aromatic plants and potions, with written records reporting their use in matters both religious and sexual. Since then, we have faithfully continued our love affair with the art of aromatherapy with great joy. This month, in honour of the Great Goddesses Aset, Isis and Juno - and all other deities of love, fertility and desire - we are focusing upon the erotic nature of oil... Oils that will relax the mind and body, releasing the tensions that supress our libidos:
Blends to create a state of sensuous relaxation:
Blends to reduce tension and increase happiness:
Oils to be used in Early Spring Oils that will bring the scents and themes of early spring to your home:
Suggestions of Oils to Cleanse and Purify:
Oils that bring to mind the evocative nature of Spring:
Oils to awaken passion after the long Winter:
Ratios of essential oil in preparations:
Scents of Pleasure and Healing Spring is firmly entrenched in the soil of the northern hemisphere now, sending forth tendrils and shoots, and heating the blood. All about us the sign of new and renewed life reminds us of the significance of this month. March. The month of the vernal equinox, midway between winter and summer. This is a time of balance as the world turns from death and slumber to life and activity. In earlier months we have started the cycle of awakening our senses, and cleansing our space, through the use of essential oils. Now it is time to bring balance into the mix. Lunar and Solar. Female and Male. Death and Life. Youth and Age. This month, in honour of the Great Goddesses Ostara and Asherah, and the Great Gods that accompany them, as well as all other deities of balance and continuation along the wheel - we look at oils that harmonise and bring balance into our lives, as well as passion. Oils that will restore balance to the mind and body:
These oils all work to alleviate mental states of imbalance (such as phobias, exhaustion, anxiety, depression) and in doing so, help restore the mind to a balanced condition. Using them in oil burners, baths, and massages all work equally well - pick whichever best suits your needs and convenience. Blends to alleviate bodily aches and pains while uplifting the mind:
Oils to relax the body and reduce tension:
Scents of Family and Communication The last month of spring lies before us. In past months we have felt the renewel of life thundering through our veins. We have celebrated the gods of passion, life, and sexuality. But they are not the only gods we honour at this time of year. The balance they bring of life and death, male and female is intricately woven through with the concept of relationships. Marriage, fidelity, and communication. So this month I am exploring oils whose scents enhance those attributes within the heart and home. Oils that strengthen the bonds of soul-marriage, fidelity, love, and communication:
These oils all encourage emotional interaction and honesty, while helping to strengthen the inner self. The underlying eroticism of most of them bolsters the physical nature of the relationship, while at the same time releasing the mind from such physicality - the focus turns to expression and openness. Blends to relax the body and mind and open the channels of communication:
Oils to rejuvenate and restore:
If you intend to create a perfume for personal use, consider blending your essential oils with Jojoba - a natural wax, Jojoba doesn't go "off" as oils can, and this will increase the life of your scent. To create a blend to scent your sheets, pillows, rooms, etc, blend the oils with pure grain alcohol or 100 proof vodka. Alcohol-infused oils mature, so mix it up, seal and leave in a dark room for a couple of weeks prior to using. You could also experiemnt with using actual spices rather than oils - a cheaper and just as effective way to create the ideal room-deodoriser! Place a 3-inch stick of cinnamon and a cracked vanilla bean in one pint of alcohol, shake and leave to cure. Or 2 tablespoons of various "cooking" spices (such as allspice, ginger, nutmeg, or cloves).
With midsummer here and the high passion of summer in full swing, it's only appropriate that we consider scents that suit both the Sun King and his lover the Earth Goddess this issue. This is a time to celebrate unions and the creations that result from them, while also remembering that there is a cycle to life. Savor the moment. Oils that will suit the King in your life:
These oils all work to help purify the spirit, elevating the spirits and energising the mind. Their clear strong scents help to bring fresh life to the weary, and restore balance to a mind and body suffering from depression or exhaustion. Their masculine quality works well for both men and women. Blends to pamper the masculine:
Birthing Blend - in honor of the Earth Mother and her newborn son:
Even though it is just past midsummer, we are already heading towards autumn and the end of the Summer King's rule. His is in his prime, bathing us in his heat. Passion runs hot, stirred up by the encroaching winter but languidly confident in the familiarity of ancient love. There is another aspect to this time of year - that of wisdom. The Summer King is past his youth and approaching death - he is moving from the youth through the warrior-lover and on toward the seer. In Northern Traditions, Odin is facing his ordeal. In Celtic, Lugh the victorious is facing the reality of mortality in the death of his mother. In the Greco-Roman paths, Ceres, Goddess of Thresholds, draws near - waiting for us to move from one station in life to another. This is a time to let wisdom grow and flower. Oils of wisdom and transition:
These oils all work to help increase wisdom. They are also sacred and blessing oils, used in anointing, protecting, cleansing, and purifing acts. Blends suitable to the First Harvest - both of these make potent ritual oils:
Blends for the Harvest Gods - these make a good personal annointing oil, as well as one suitable to consecrate offerings and tools:
A time for balance, reflection, and a bit of pampering is what the equinox brings to us all. Neroli: this oil, made from the flowers of the bitter orange, is a heady and sweet oil. It is used heavily in perfumes and is floral, but somehow manages to avoid being too flowery. In aromatherapy, it is used to help calm the nerves and relive stress. It combines well with chamomile, lavender, and sandalwood. When using Neroli for magical purposes, remember that it is primarily an oil of relaxation in both body and mind. It will aid in most ritual work designed to access higher levels of mental clarity, prayer, and the relief of depression. It also turns up in many blends dedicated to the Egyptian pantheon. Lavender: most of us are familiar with lavender. It has pine, herb and floral notes, and is relaxing and sleep inducing. It is one of the few oils that is safe for use with small children (in a 1/10 essential to carrier ratio) and even pets seem to like it. It combines well with neroli, clary sage, frankincense, and geranium. Lavender will prove useful in meditations and dream work because of it's natural hypnotic (sleep inducing) qualities. My favorite use is as a bath oil, and I will tend to add this and clary sage (about 3/1 lavender to clary sage) to my bath before doing dream work or to help me sleep. Bay laurel: a fresh, fruity, herby, camphorus oil. Go into your kitchen and find the jar labeled "Bay leaf," open the jar and take a long sniff. Bay leaf is the same as bay laurel. It is a confidence booster, and crowns of bay laurel were given to heroes and athletes in both ancient Greece and Rome. It combines well with rose, lemon, grapefruit, and bergamot. Magically, bay laurel can be used in rituals which will bolster your confidence or give your courage. The Delphi oracle was said to have chewed the leaves, or inhaled to incense in preparation for her vision quests. It is also an oil that will be helpful in spell working that relates to Greek or Roman deities. Clove: a spicy sweet oil made from the buds of a tropical evergreen. This is another herb you should be able to find in your kitchen. It will combine well with most any spice oil, as well as neroli, ylang ylang, and rose. In aromatherapy it is used to uplift the spirits, and often finds it's way into oils designed to relive mild Seasonal Affective Disorder. Be careful when using this on the skin, as it can be irritating even in small quantities. As an added bonus, bugs like mosquitoes don't like it, so adding this to candle wax and burning them outdoors will act as a wonderful bug repellant. This oil is also a good addition to any Autumnal Equinox oil. It's scent reminds me of warmth and home, and will add these properties to most blends. Clove is also a powerful antiseptic and lends healing qualities to spell work. Cinnamon leaf: mmmmm...cinnamon. Hot, spicy, sweet, woody and oh so yummy. This is easily one of my favorite oils. It has uplifting qualities, relaxes the mind and body, and makes one feel a little sexy. Be sure to buy the leaf oil, and not the bark oil as the leaf has more scent and stronger properties. It combines well with cedar, spices, neroli and lavender. It is also a very masculine and solar oil and thus combines well with oils and spells designed to balance masculine energy. For many, the equinox is a time to say good bye to the Solar deities, and cinnamon will lend a last "Huzza!" to your celebration.
Winter is fully upon us now, and for many this means chilly, overcast days, cold rains, biting winds, and maybe even snow. The world around us changes, losing much of its vibrancy, as it burrows deep and waits out the season. Even those plants that remain green and leafy are in a state of dormancy, conserving energy and resting before the growth of spring. Those animals that don't hibernate become less active, sleeping more to conserve their energy. however we humans, unnatural creatures that we are, tend to fling ourselves into flurries of activity at this time, shopping and cooking, decorating and wrapping, and gearing up for the holiday season. We get restless and tense with the darker days, the longer hours of night, the way our very bodies seem to betray us into curling up in a blanket with a good book and some cocoa - or the telly. The reality is of course that we are just as enslaved to the earth's cycles as the smallest mouse. The combination of frenetic activity and decreased light can lead to SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), ruining our holiday cheer and leaving us depressed and lethargic. This is where aromatherapy can come into its own - the subtle blend of various scents will lift spirits, chase away the blues, and increase energy. And these mood changes will enhance the immune system - making us more resistant to that other winter issue, the common cold. My favourite oil to use for this is that made from the juniper berry. Its refreshingly bracing scent is reminiscent of the woods, and very "wintery" in quality - it blends well with the other winter scents such as cedar, fir, and bergamot. Take care to obtain the oil from berries used purely to create juniper oil. Many versions of the essential oil available are created by distilled used "gin" berries - and this leaves the end result less fragrant and more strident in aroma. It is still effective, but not as pleasant. Alongside juniper I strongly advise fir oil for both its refreshing and clean scent as well as its classic "Solstice Season" smell. Especially for those people who don't use fresh cut trees. If blended with cypress and juniper, the result is an aroma that simply sings "Solstice Tree" while fighting off the stale odours of shut-up, overheated, winter homes. Add a few drops of tea tree oil to help kill off any nasty germs in the air and you've created a nice seasonal oil base that will help your home smell delightful. These four oils will blend well with most other seasonal scents - speaking of which, I also love using tangerine oil (or indeed any citrus) as the citrus oils are both uplifting and energising in action. They add a sweet and tangy note to the blend. Below I've listed a number of suggestions for some blends that will enhance your home this season. The amounts listed will mix up a small portion, suitable for 10-15 uses. I suggest 5-8 drops in an oil diffuser such as one heated by a tea candle. I know that a major part of this season for many Pagans is the spiritual aspect - I have deliberately avoided discussing sacred oils in this issue as I feel those are fairly easy to track down. We've covered a number in previous issues, including our June-July issue which discussed blends suitable for the Sun King. It's too easy to get caught up in the sacred and forget the simple humanity. What good the ritual being all arranged and perfect if your spirits are low, your energy lost, and you yourself battling a cold? The next month is one filled with potential for illness what with all the family and friends, the multitudes in the stores, the heated, stale air, and so on. I'd much rather focus upon keeping your body hale and let you work out the spiritual details! May you have a blessed Solstice - or whatever the festival is that you are observing. Da boch, my friends, and bi bheannaithe! It has uplifting qualities, relaxes the mind and body, and makes one feel a little sexy. Be sure to buy the leaf oil, and not the bark oil as the leaf has more scent and stronger properties. It combines well with cedar, spices, neroli and lavender. It is also a very masculine and solar oil and thus combines well with oils and spells designed to balance masculine energy. For many, the equinox is a time to say good bye to the Solar deities, and cinnamon will lend a last "Huzza!" to your celebration.
Spring is on the way - for some it's already here while for others (such as myself) there's little to show the coming warmth yet. But we know it's coming. February, the month of lovers and purification (an interesting combination I must say), is all about flowers as people succumb to Valentine's day pressures. Personally I like the idea of bringing vibrant colour into the home when it's so gloomy out and about. I see this time (when it's chilly and grey but the first shoots are appearing) as a difficult in-between time. A liminal boundary between winter and summer that must be endured. Endless days of sticky cold mud, leaded clouds, freezing rain...sometimes it seems like spring will never really reappear. So to remind myself that it is nearing I fill my home with the smell of spring. Scent plays such a crucial role in helping our mood lighten. And when you're happy, the day seems brighter even if it's sleeting down. Personally I'm not interested in having my place smell like some light and summery perfume. Floral, as in fresh picked flowers, is one thing. Floral, as in women's scents, is a completely different matter that this man does not enjoy. So the oils I am recommending are ones that will suit both men and women - strong and complex with sweet overtones that don't cloy or simper. The staple spring scent for me is that of violets. Now, you could go out and pick up some violet water or fragrance, but instead I'm recommending violet leaf. It's a lovely earthy scent with hints of floral notes, but lacks the sweetness of violet fragrance that can seem a little too girlish. It makes a wonderfulhealing addition too with its ability to help combat bronchial issues, sore throats, and sluggish circulations - all common end of winter complaints. It also helps alleviate headache and insomnia which I tend to suffer from at the tail end of winter. Too much time cooped up in stuffy environs. Alongside violet you should invest in some lavendin. It's more herbaceous smelling than lavender while still being sweet and light. Bracing at times, the herbaceous quality is what makes it more asexual as a scent I feel. Like lavender it will brighten your mood and help keep your lungs working. It also combats depression and insomnia. Vanilla bean is a scent I love to employ when the house gets stuffy or odourous. It seems to freshen and cleanse the air, blends well with many other scents, and adds a rich and warm touch. I like this because, although the goal is to bring in the smell of spring, it is still chilly and dark. Warm scents help on a psychological level to convince us that we too are warm and toasty. And that helps to lift moods. Boronia is another floral scent I like - it avoids being too sweet with a complex richness of aroma, and is often considered a masculine floral. Made from an Australian plant, boronia is making itself felt around the world these days. The standards for producing it are similar to those for fine rose oil, so the product itself is exisite and high quality. The intense scent means that at most 2 drops is sufficient, but less is often more. Then there's simple geranium, which is not the same as rose geranium. Well, it's of the same family and all, but scent-wise they are different. Geranium has a lovely fresh floral quality with hints of fruit but it's not always easy to get ahold of. Many stockers of essential oil favour rose geranium. Others don't realise that there are different types of geranium oil and consider all geranium oil to be rose oil. But if you can obtain it, it's worth having. Geranium's fresh quality saves it from being too insipid in my book - and the fruity scent is not sickly or overbearing. Geranium is a wonderful oil to use to help freshen up dull winter skin. It helps with mood swings too. Da boch, my friends, and bi bheannaithe!
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