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Use Aromatherapy to Banish
Stress
By: Carly Wall
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.
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Bio:
The Scented Veil: Using Scent to Awaken the Soul by Carly Wall
2002 A.R.E. Press $12.95
Carly Wall, is the author of five books on the topics of herbs, natural healing
and aromatherapy. Contact Carly at
www.authorsden.com/carlyjwall
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