Essential Oils & Aromatherapy
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Clary Sage Oil
This hormone-balancing oil acts as a powerful aphrodisiac. It can clear any fears and negativity that may have affected a relationship. With its captivating fragrance, this oil can help set the mood for an improved and revitalized relationship.
Geranium Oil
This oil helps to harmonize the emotions and it opens the heart chakra, enabling you to receive love. Pour three or four drops of essential oil in a little water in a perfume burner to have a flow filling the air.
Tip
The chakras are an ancient system of sensitive points on the body that play a part in our health, psychology, feelings, and spirituality.
Jasmine Oil
One of the most expensive essences, jasmine oil is floral, exquisitely rich, and intoxicating. It stimulates the spirit as well as the physical senses. Working on an emotional level, this oil relaxes frayed nerves, calming the emotions so that desire will begin to flow.
Neroli Oil
This heady orange blossom perfume creates a warm and romantic atmosphere conducive to love and seduction. It has been used for centuries as a natural aphrodisiac.
Patchouli Oil
During the flower-power era of the 1960s, “Make Love Not War” was the hippies’ mantra. Embracing a natural lifestyle, hippies dropped out of mainstream society and created “free love.” This arousing oil was one they used lavishly. Patchouli has a relaxing, sensual, exotic aroma with romantic overtones. It can evoke past memories that are shared by lovers, and its relaxing properties will get you and your partner in the right mood for love. It has a relaxing effect on the central nervous system, helping you to unwind.
Rose Otto Oil
The queen of essential oils is the archetypal fragrance of love. This is the most romantic of all oils, as it stirs desire and sets the tone for a romantic encounter, preparing the heart chakra to receive love. This erotic fragrance has been used by lovers for millennia.
Vanilla Oil
A fragranced aphrodisiac used in burners and diffusers, vanilla oil will release its aroma to create a romantic atmosphere when you and your partner wish to enjoy passionate moments together.
Ylang-Ylang Oil
This oil stimulates the passions of love and desire. Its floral essence will get you in the mood for love, working to arouse positive emotions and creating the right emotional and mental state for a passionate encounter.
Aromatherapy massage is perfect for a sensual experience. A massage indulges two of our most important senses at the same time, these being touch and smell. Prepare blended massage oil from fragrant essential oils of your choice. I have only given some suggestions that will meet your wishes to create a sensual love potion, because everyone has different ideas about what smells good.
The feminine fragrances of rose, neroli, ylang-ylang, and jasmine are beautiful aromas for women, but men must not be left out. Masculine essential oils are cypress, sandalwood, vetiver, clary sage, and ylang-ylang. Any of these lovely, sensual, perfumed aromatherapy oils can be used to blend into love potions. Be as adventurous and daring as you want to be!
Love Potions
Using a carrier oil to create a sensual massage oil to use as a love potion, using a carrier oil, is an art in itself. Rose, a deeply feminine aroma, is a universal symbol of true love. This sweet and heady fragrance is certainly one to be used in any romantic blend. Vanilla is said to have aphrodisiac qualities and is wonderfully relaxing when used in a burner or diffuser; this oil has a lovely balsamic fragrance that will perfume the air and help a flagging libido!
Using an aroma-touch massage technique that relaxes the whole body will help to create the right mood. Experiment with different combinations, using these voluptuous oils in blends. You can also use any oil with aphrodisiac properties to make a luxurious bath.
We all have different tastes when it comes to aromas, so go ahead and experiment, and when you have found your favorite scent, use it to create love potions of your own. Then see if they work!
Love Potion No.1
For a sensual bath before a romantic tryst, use one drop each of rose, jasmine, and neroli, blended in 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of apricot-kernel oil. Let the oils seep into your skin to stimulate and restore your emotions. An erotic massage blend made with the oils of rosewood, energizing pine, and warming, relaxing clary sage is ideal to use when energy blocks have dampened emotions. This could be because of stress and anxiety. The combination of an uplifting fragrance with a therapeutic massage may help to stimulate desire.
Love Potion No.2
For a relaxing massage blend using aphrodisiac oils, you can try a combination of two drops of sensual ylang-ylang and one drop of restorative and relaxing sandalwood in 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of a base oil of your choice. This potion is a good choice if you want to stimulate a male partner’s interest, as sandalwood’s aphrodisiac qualities can help to increase libido in men. A massage with these fragrant oils not only will stir your emotions but you will also have wonderfully soft skin after this massage, and so will your partner. You can use a blend made up of 3 tablespoons (45 ml) carrier oil with two drops of sandalwood if you prefer.
Love Potion No.3
For a sensual blend, use the pure essential oils of patchouli, an oil that is known to increase libido; and sweet, musky ylang-ylang; and neroli, with its warm, floral undertones, in a sweet almond and vitamin E base oil. Let the aromas of this pleasurable blend waft around you as you enjoy its scented fragrance. This blend is ultra-relaxing and its sensual properties will work their magic, bringing a feeling of peace and balance, and putting you in a romantic mood. Bergamot, although less sensual, can also be used in a blend for an amorous meeting, as its deliciously orange-scented mood-enhancing fragrance stirs the senses.
Nights of Passion Blend
Mix this wonderful aphrodisiac blend for you and your partner:
• 1 drop of rose, with its warm, floral fragrance, to uplift the spirits.
• 1 drop of jasmine’s exquisitely heady, sensuous fragrance to help create a spellbinding blend.
• 1 drop of sandalwood, with its distinctive, seductive tones, to set the mood.
Blend them in a suitable carrier of your choice that will create the atmosphere … and let the magic begin!
“Wind-Bit thyme that smells like the perfume of the dawn in Paradise.”
Rudyard Kipling
Blending essential oils is a fine art in which you can become an expert, helped by regular use of a variety of mixtures. I suggest the following oils for room fragrancing and general mood uplift. You can use other oils—be as creative as you wish. The oils are blended in a carrier.
When oils are blended in the correct ratio, each oil’s power is intensified and all the constituents of the oils work together. The outcome is a blend that is greater than the sum of its parts. This results in a synergistic effect whereby the whole mixture works together harmoniously.
You can also use a hot diffuser or an ultrasonic diffuser when creating your blends, making your own air freshener and room fragrance. With the help of some well-chosen oils, you will be able to achieve the right mood, reduce stress, and enjoy the fragrant ambience of your choice.
When vaporized, essential oils flow through the air and stimulate the odor receptors located at the base of the nose. These receptors are directly connected to the limbic system, the area responsible for emotions, memory, and mood. In this way, the essential oils have the power to affect our moods and emotions, as well as evoking fond memories.
Eastern Magic
Blend aromatics from the East in a carrier of your choice, using warming sandalwood, mystic and captivating patchouli, and exotic ylang-ylang to create a seductive mixture. You can sweeten the mix with a splash of luxurious jasmine instead of one of the three oils mentioned if you wish to further enhance, exhilarate, and seduce the senses.
Fruity Refresher
As always, use a carrier of your choice to create this uplifting blend of delicious citrus fruits th
at smells like a garden orchard. Use a twist of orange and lemon mixed with grapefruit to lift your spirits and refresh you. Alternatively, go further and add a dash of spice to the mixture by enhancing the blend with energizing cinnamon oil. A tantalizing creation!
Country Harvest
Make up a rich blend of this medley of flowery oils: geranium, marjoram, and chamomile. It will create a warm pungent aroma, redolent of a warm, sultry summer’s day in the countryside. Enjoy this rural creation when you feel the need for therapeutic relaxation.
Mindfulness
To get into a meditative mood, create a blend of bergamot, jasmine, and frankincense. This will put you in a relaxed mental state, ready for your session. Frankincense calms and uplifts simultaneously and it helps concentration. This oil has been used since biblical times to promote clarity of mind and spiritual growth.
Serenity Moments
When your nerves are frazzled and your energies are low, regain tranquility and equilibrium with a blend of clary sage, ylang-ylang, and vetiver. The sedating and relaxing aromas of these oils will put you into a deeply peaceful mood.
Spice Islands
With a blend of ginger, cinnamon, and sandalwood, this spicy mix evokes the heady mental image of a tropical island. It will elevate the senses with its penetrating warmth. Enjoy its alluring spicy sweetness whenever you are in a sensual mood.
Heavenly Haven
When you want to get away from it all, to enjoy some peace and quiet undisturbed by the sights and sounds of everyday living, visit your own personal sanctuary. Use the comforting fragrance of lavender, orange, and geranium, three oils that work well together, soothing your soul and restoring your energies.
Mind Enhancer
If you need to focus on mental work such as writing, studying, or preparing to take an exam, an inspirational composition of stimulating rosemary, purifying peppermint, and bracing pine will help to lift mental fatigue, improve concentration, and clear your thinking.
Green Magic
Frankincense and vetiver create a lush and verdant mixture. This resin and grass blend creates an uplifting aroma suitable for any occasion. Add a drop of thyme oil—fresh, green, and herbaceous—to the blend and enjoy the perfumed mist released from your diffuser.
GLOSSARY
Absolute an oil obtained by solvent extraction
Adaptogen promotes homeostasis
Analgesic pain relieving
Antibacterial eliminates bacterial infections
Antidepressant relieves low mood
Antifungal eliminates fungal infections
Anti-inflammatory reduces redness and swelling
Antiseptic infection-fighting substance found in most essential oils
Antispasmodic relieves cramps and spasms
Antiviral stimulates the immune system, helping to eliminate viruses
Astringent tightens tissue
Bactericidal helps to kill bacteria
Carrier oil (base oil) oils made from vegetables, seeds, and nuts that are used to dilute (carry) essential oils
Decongestant relieves congestion
Detoxifying cleanses the system of toxins
Digestive tonic improves digestion
Diuretic increases urinary flow, reducing puffiness caused by fluid retention
Expectorant helps expel phlegm
Febrifuge reduces fever
Hemostatic stems the flow of blood
Homeostasis ability to maintain a state of balance and equilibrium
Hypertensive raises lowered blood pressure
Hypnotic helps induce sleep
Nervine strengthens the nervous system
Sedative calms the nervous system
Stimulant increases activity of the body
Tonic strengthens the body
Toxic poisonous
Vasodilator causes capillaries to expand
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marlene Houghton, PhD (Holistic Nutrition)
Marlene Houghton has always been interested in natural health therapies. She has studied herbal healing, holistic nutrition, and related natural therapies, and has learned how they help to keep the body in balance. Marlene has over twenty years’ experience working in orthodox medical settings as a medical personal assistant, working with medical doctors in top London teaching hospitals. She is an astrologer, tarot consultant, and tutor. She is also a nutritional therapist and a traditional herbalist.
Marlene is a Consultant Member for the British Astrological and Psychic Society, and, as one of its tutors, she teaches and lectures on various forms of astrology (not all associated with health). She is also a regular contributor of articles on natural health, traditional herbalism, and the way these disciplines link with esoteric traditions for Mercury magazine, produced by the British Astrological and Psychic Society. Marlene is a published author. Her first book, An Astrological Apothecary, outlines which complementary health methods and natural remedies are compatible with each Sun Sign, and her second, Herbs for Health, covers herbalism in a clear and easy manner for a beginner to understand and use.
IMAGE CREDITS
Cover illustrations: frame © painterr/Shutterstock.com, floral wreath © aniok/Shutterstock, background herbs and oil burner © nadiinko/Shutterstock, foreground herbs © aninata/Shutterstock
t (top), c (center), b (bottom), l (left), r (right)
All interior illustrations by Terry Marks, except pages:
1, 3 © nadiinko/Shutterstock; 10, 11 courtesy of the Wellcome Collection; 12 © Sketch Master/Shutterstock; 13 © AlexHliv/Shutterstock; 14, 15 wreath © Channarong Pherngjanda/Shutterstock; 52 © geraria/Shutterstock; 62 © ArtColibris/Shutterstock; 65 © Liron Peer/Shutterstock; 66 © vicgmyr/Shutterstock; 78 © Macrovector/Shutterstock; 80 © chelovector/Shutterstock; 86 © Olga_C/Shutterstock; 103 © Irina Strelnikova/Shutterstock; 105 © mayrum/Shutterstock; 107 b, 116 b, 124 t © Pensiri/Shutterstock; 107 t, 142 c © Maisei Raman/Shutterstock; 109 © ksenia_bravo/Shutterstock; 111 b © fire_fly/Shutterstock; 112 © olllikeballoon/Shutterstock; 114 t © MoreVector/Shutterstock; 115 © Maxim Gaigul/Shutterstock; 121 b, 122 © alex74/Shutterstock; 121 t © dkvektor/Shutterstock; 125 © Wondervendy/Shutterstock; 127 b © Martial Red/Shutterstock; 132 © Zvereva Iana/Shutterstock; 136 © MorePics/Shutterstock; 140 b © Pushkareva Svetlana/Shutterstock; 140 t © fajarrabadi/Shutterstock; 141 b © Vectorgoods studio/Shutterstock; 141 c © Annykos/Shutterstock; 141 t © aninata/Shutterstock; 142 b © MoreVector/Shutterstock; 142 t © grop/Shutterstock; 15 book © tokuze/Shutterstock; 21 b © Olga_Serova/Shutterstock; 22 b, 24 b, 85, 100, 116 t, 140 c © Morphart Creation/Shutterstock; 22 t, 23, 24 t, 26 b, 55 c, 57 t c, 58 br, 114 b © Epine/Shutterstock; 26 t, 32, 42 b, 45, 55 b l, 56 c l, 56 b l c, 57 t l, 57 c l, 58 c l, 58 c c, 58 b l, 58 b c l, 59 b r, 63, 64, 104, 110 row 1, 110 row 4, 113 row 2, 128 row 1, 128 row 5, 129 row 4 © Bodor Tivadar/Shutterstock; 27 b, 28, 29, 30, 31 b, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 t, 38, 39 b, 40 t, 41, 42 t, 43, 44, 46, 49 b, 50 c, 50 b, 51 c, 51 b, 52 t, 52 c, 53 t, 55 c, 55 r, 56, 57, 58 t l, 58 row 1, 58 c l, 58 row 3, 59 t l, 59 c r, 59 b l, 110, 111 t, 113 c b, 114 c, 120, 128 row 3, 128 row 4, 129 row 1, 129 row 2, 129 row 3, 133 b, 134 b, 135 t, 135 c © Foxyliam/Shutterstock; 39 t © Lina Keil/Shutterstock; 50 t, 116 c © AVA Bitter/Shutterstock; 53 b © Solomatina Julia/Shutterstock; 67 b © Sudowoodo/Shutterstock; 67 b © Nazmul0/Shutterstock; icons on 72 © Panptys/Shutterstock; 72 t, 73 t, 92, 124 b © N_Melanchenko/Shutterstock; 83 b © alex74/Shutterstock; 89 b © nikiteev_konstantin/Shutterstock; 9, 17, 25, 27 t, 31 t, 47, 49, 55 r, 57 br, 61, 71 t, 77 t, 83 t, 89 t, 99, 113 t, 113 b, 127 t, 133 t, 134 t, 135 b, 139 t © Volkova Anna/Shutterstock
INDEX
Note: Page numbers in bold indicate essential oil and carrier oil general information. Page numbers in parentheses indicate non-contiguous references.
Abscesses and boils, 104
Absolute oils, 19
Aches and pains, muscular, 116
Acne, 102
Activity injuries, 116
Aftershave balm, 84
Ageing, reversing effects. See Skin care
Allergies, 112
Almond oil, 49, 55, 56, 58, 59, (64), 80, 81, 83, 85, 87, 136, 137
Antidepressants, 114
Apricot-seed oil, 50
Argan oil, 50, 85
Aroma helpers
antidepressants, 114
balancing, 106, 122
cleansing, 124
energizing, 111
immune-boosting, 113
pain relieving, 120
sedating, 102, 111, 117, 123
soothing, 108, 119
stimulating, 102, 115
toning, 125
Aromatherapy
benefits overview, 7
historical perspective, 9
resurgence of, 14
Arthritis and joint pain, 117
Autumn, tips for, 94
Avocado oil, 50, 50, 78, 81, 106
Back pain, 116
Balancing, aroma helpers for, 106, 122
Basil oil, 21, 58, 110, 117, 124
Bathing
about: daily regimen, 71; for health, beauty, and relaxation, 62