The information presented here is culled from various sources and is public knowledge, but the presentation and format is specific to this page. This textfile is copyright (c) 2001 Pwyll. All rights reserved. This work may not be edited or altered in any way, and may not be distributed in any form other than electronic transmission. Used with permission.
Aromatherapy Oils and Fragrances Aromatherapy is the modern name given to the practice of using essential oils and fragrances to cause a change in yourself or someone else--whether it be to heal an illness or wound or to improve your mood or relax at the end of the day. While the practice of using oils and fragrances is an ancient one, it was shared by many cultures--and none seems to have viewed it as a practice in and of itself. That makes aromatherapy truly a modern art based on ancient wisdom.
When aromatherapy was first developed the essential oils were kept in small vials which were uncapped and held under the nose for a short while to gain the reputed benefits of that oil. Incense and/or scented candles are more common today for that sort of "environmental" therapy, but essential oils have found a couple of other uses for which they are more suited: massaging gently into pulse-points like a perfume, or soaking small pieces of cotton or paper that is kept inside jewelry made especially for the purpose.
Disclaimer:
The information contained on this page is not meant to replace diagnosis and treatment by a qualified medical practitioner.
All information listed is derived from legend, lore and myth.
Some substances, like citrus and pine may cause irritation to sensitive skin when used in a concentrated form. Likewise, some natural substances are toxic when taken internally. It is up to the reader to determine the correct use for any substance with regards to it's healing or curative properties.
Amber
Transforms negative energy into positive. Calming. Opens the crown chakra and aligns the etheric bodies with the physical. Attracts prosperity.
Bay
Psychic purifier. Activates the throat chakra and facilitates expression. Opens the bronchial passages and helps breathing. Decongestive on all levels. Heals the heart. Good for colds, flu, rheumatism and sprains.
Benzoin
Opens higher consciousness. Instills confidence. Empowering. Calms mind and emotions. Relieves dry skin, coughs, and arthritis. Natural deodorant and preservative.
Carrot Seed
Relieves and renews dry skin. Helps to reduce wrinkles and restore elasticity. Stimulates endocrine function. **Recommend avoiding use during pregnancy**.
Cedar
Attracts prosperity. Encourages flow by eliminating physical, mental, and emotional blockages. Cleanses and purifies stagnation and negativity from the body and the environment. Offers relief for bronchitis, colds and arthritis. Can act as a diuretic. Repels insects. **Recommend avoiding use during pregnancy**.
Chamomile
Calms the nervous and digestive systems. Anti-inflammatory. Offers help for rheumatism, burns, asthma, and depression. Protects and heals dry hair and skin conditions. Very gentle healing oil. Disolves negativity.
Cinnamon
Promotes psychic awareness and protection. Blends with and emphasizes all other essences. Attracts prosperity. Often acts as an aphrodesiac. Good for colds, flu, headache, toothache, and sore muscles. Helps to heal the heart and kidneys. Can burn if used directly on skin.
Citronella
Cleanses and clears the aura. Activates the throat chakra and acts as a tonic for all throat ailments. Promotes self-expression and creativity. Helps with mental clarity, promotes inner vision. Attracts prosperity. Repels insects. Deodorizer.
Clary Sage
Calms the body and soothes emotions. Helps regulate hormonal balance. Relieves muscle aches and menstrual cramps when used in massage. Can act as an aphrodisiac. Antiseptic for oily skin and dandruff. **Recommend avoiding use during pregnancy. Do not drink alcohol or drive when under it's influence.**
Clove
Cleanses the body and aura. Balances sacral and heart chakras. Calms emotions. Strengthens eyesight and offers protection from disease and infection. Antiseptic; especially good for oral infections and toothache pain. Assists digestion and helps with muscular and bronchial ailments.
Dragon's Blood
Energizing. Good for inspiration, success, protection, virility, strength and passion. Attracts male energies. Purifies. Helps heal bones, teeth, blood disorders, and reproductive organs.
Eucalyptus
Strong antiseptic and expectorant; good for fevers, sore throats, and colds. Blend oil in chest rubs, add to vaporizer and bath, and use for massage during the cold season. Blends well with Lavender and Pine. Can be burned for healing and protection. Good for all problems with sinuses and lungs, including colds, flu, bronchitis, and asthma.
Evening Primrose
Use in face and body massage to combat dry skin. Nerve tonic. Helps balance hormones. Good for menstrual problems and the effects of menopause.
Frankincense
Cleanses the body, aura and environment of negative influences. Opens the crown chakra. Clears the mind and aids in meditation. Helps heal infections.
Geranium
Balances the mind and body, calms and stabilizes emotions. Astringent. Good healing oil for all skin types and conditions. Repels insects. Diuretic. Helps with cellulite when used as a massage oil.
Grapefruit
Energizing. Antiseptic to the skin. Tones all bodily tissues and helps with cellulite. Antidepressant.
Honeysuckle
Strengthens the mind, especially memory, and balances the right and left brain functions. Awakens the crown and brow chakras. Promotes psychic awareness and helps induce prophetic dreams. Promotes strength and flexibility of the body. Helps heal sore throats, headaches and asthma.
Jasmine
Promotes love and wealth. Opens the heart chakra. Can act as an aphrodisiac. Alleviates depression and tension, and stimulates clarity of thought. Helps with lucid dreaming. Promotes ease during childbirth. Rejuvenates the skin.
Juniper Berries
Protects against negative influences. Transforms negative emotions into positive. Purifies the aura and the subtle body. Diuretic, tonic, astringent, and antiseptic. Reduces swelling, relieves arthritis, and is believed to boost the immune system. **Recommend avoiding use during pregnancy**.
Lavender
Traditional and ancient; used for protection, relaxation, and healing. Activates the crown chakra. Scent has analgesic properties and is good for headaches, insomnia, pain, arthritis, and depression. Antiseptic and astringent; good for burns, insect bites, acne and eczema. Helps reduce scarring when used on healing wounds.
Lemon
Clears and stimulates the mind, calms muscles and relieves stress. Attunes to the third chakra. Antibacterial and antiseptic. Tonic to the lymphatic and digestive system. Bleaches hair and fabrics. Conditions skin and nails--should be diluted when used directly on skin.
Mandarin
Calms mind and helps digestive system.
Mugwort
Promotes psychic awareness and facilitates astral travel and dream interpretation. Opens and purifies circulatory channels. Strengthens the uterus and eases painful menstrual cramping. **Recommend avoiding use during pregnancy**.
Musk
Stimulates root and sacral chakras. Tonic for cardio-pulmonary system. Promotes self-esteem and desirability.
Myrrh
Powerful purifier. Aids healing of all infections. Anti-inflammatory. Replenishes dry skin. **Recommend avoiding use during pregnancy**.
Nag Champa
Soothes, and calms. Clears and purifies all chakras. Sacred incense of India--excellent for meditation and prayer.
Neroli
Soothes, relaxes, and uplifts the spirit. Relieves stress and tension. Aphrodisiac. Good for dry sensitive skin, scars and stretch marks. Stimulates circulation.
Niaouli
Good for protection. Antiseptic. Helps heal cuts and wounds, infections and skin irritations. Used in a vaporizer or as a chest rub it is good for sore throats and respiratory problems.
Nutmeg
Calms the mind and body. Brings visions. Attracts wealth and health. Good for the intestinal tract and reproductive organs. **Psychoactive and dangerous in high doses, but is fine as a seasoning.**
Olive
Calming to heart and mind. Attracts money. Revitalizes mental and physical systems.
Orange
Purification on levels. Helps with gentle healing and restructuring of emotional memories. Attracts abundance and happiness. Tonic to the digestive system. Antiseptic. Good for oily skin when diluted.
Orris
Aphrodisiac. Attracts love and romance. Good for treating acne, insect bites, coughs, colds and bronchitis. Diuretic. Helps ease upset stomach and toothache. Root can be used as teething rings for infants. Scent improves with age.
Palmarosa
Attracts Love. Regenerates body. Clears mind. Antiseptic. Helps heal skin conditions such as acne, eczema and dry skin. Helps regulate thyroid.
Parsley
Purification on all levels. Diuretic. Helps with urinary tract infection and kidney problems. Rich in vitamin B and potassium. Good for the gall bladder. Good breath deodorant. Stimulates pituitary. Mild sedative.
Patchouli
Stimulates and balances the yin energies. Clears and aligns root and spleen chakras. Aphrodisiac. Attracts prosperity. Dispels negativity. Clears complexion and helps heal skin conditions.
Pennyroyal
Protection. Fortifies sacral and solar plexus chakras. Repels negativity. Energizes body and calms mind and nerves. Diuretic. Good for colds, bronchitis, nausea, intestinal cramps, ulcers, headache and fever. Tonic for the reproductive system. Deodorant and insecticide. **Recommend avoiding use during pregnancy as it stimulates menstruation and uterine contractions.**
Peppermint
Purifies. Attracts positive energies. Clears mind and aura. Clears respiratory passages. Revitalizes mind and body. Relieves depression. Helps to alleviate bronchial spasms, asthma, fever, nausea and inflammation. Digestive tonic.
Pettigraine
Relieves stress and anxiety. Clears the mind. Helps relieve insomnia. Good for hair. Antiseptic. Deodorizing and insecticide. Relieves sunburn and itchy skin.
Pine
Cleansing and rejuvenating. Good for colds, bronchitis, and asthma. Antiseptic and deodorizing. Repels insects. Harmonizes environment.
Poppy Seed
Quiets the mind and promotes visions. Induces calm and restful sleep. Tonic for digestive, respiratory, and circulatory system. Pain reliever.
Rose
Activates yin energies. Calms emotions. Soothes and heals female reproductive organs. Help heal sore throats and cold sores. Very good for rejuvenating the skin. Promotes sensuality.
Rosemary
Clears the mind and opens blockages. Promotes contact with the universal mind. Facilitates inner peace and contentment. Attracts love. Stimulates and rejuvenates muscles. Diuretic. Restores healthy hair.
Rosewood
Uplifting. Relaxes sore muscles and nerves. Helps headaches and beginning phases of cold and flu. Antiseptic. Deodorant.
Sage
Clears negativity. Protection. Attracts prosperity. Astringent. Good for sores, bacterial infections, bronchitis, rheumatism, arthritis, catarrh, sprains and aching muscles. Helpful relieve depression, anxiety and exhaustion. Calms digestion and eases menstrual cramping. **Recommend avoiding use during pregnancy**.
Sandalwood
Aligns all chakras. Sedative. Good for meditation, healing, and manifestation practices. Aphrodisiac. Awakens sacred sensuality. Facilitates concentration. Regenerates dry/aging hair and skin.
Sassafras
Attracts prosperity. Use externally and for aromatic purposes. May be made into a light tea. Great for skin conditions like eczema, poison ivy and acne. Anti-inflammatory. Good for sore, swollen gums when used as a mouth rinse. Calms and balances the mind. **Not for internal use during pregnancy as it stimulates menstrual flow.**
Spearmint
Stimulant. Restores energy and balance to the system. Strengthens the nerves and muscles. Calms nervous stomach rapidly when taken as a tea. Deodorant and insect repellant. Relieves insomnia. Antiseptic. Helps headaches, fever, indigestion, intestinal cramps, and colic. Helps alleviate depression.
Tangerine
Purification. Brings joy, dissolves negativity. Antiseptic and antispasmodic. Assists in lymph drainage. Balances dry scalp and dandruff conditions, moisturizes hair and skin. Sedative.
Tarragon
Protection. Helps prevent fatigue. Stimulates appetite and relieves gastrointestinal disorders, colic and rheumatism. Anesthetic. Good for toothaches. Calms nervous stomach. Antioxidant and antifungal. **Can stimulate menstruation when taken internally in large quantities so it is not recommended for use during pregnancy.**
Tea Tree
Antiseptic. Good for wounds, burns, insect bites, scratches, rashes, and cold sores. Itch reliever. Good for dandruff, athlete's foot, acne, ringworm, candida and warts. Antifungal and anti-viral.
Thyme
Promotes courage and confidence. Calms and balances brow and crown chakras. Helps relieve insomnia and depression. Accelerates healing and strengthens immune system. Antibiotic, antiseptic and diuretic. Good for lung ailments, viruses and infections. Relieves bladder infections. Revives the liver and circulatory system. Regulates digestion and eases indigestion. Disinfectant and insect repellent. **Recommend avoiding use during pregnancy or in cases of high blood pressure.**
Tuberose
Enhances emotions. Opens the crown chakra. Promotes romance. Calms mind and heart. Assists psychic development and inspiration. Tonic for the reproductive system.
Vervain
Purifies physical and spiritual body. Attracts love and prosperity. Calms body and nerves while stimulating the mind. Promotes lucid dreams and OOBE. Astringent and antispasmodic. Stimulates blood flow. May cause nausea when taken internally. **Recommend avoiding use during pregnancy**.
Vetivert
Protection. Awakens sensuality. Repels negativity. Stimulates circulation and helps relieve arthritis and joint pain. Relaxing.
Yarrow
Calming. Instills self confidence and courage. Soothes emotions. Can stimulate hair growth and alleviate dandruff when used as shampoo. Astringent and anti-inflammatory. Helps to stop bleeding by thickening blood. Helps heal mucous membranes. Calms digestive tract. Relieves toothache.
Ylang Ylang
Aphrodisiac. Opens sacral chakra. Calms and relaxes. Helps relieve anxiety and depression. Good for insomnia and meditation. Lowers blood pressure. Restores health to skin and hair.