Soul Connection

A Simple Guide to Aromatherapy

The word aromatherapy often appears in my articles,  so I would like to share some simple  tips on how you can use it to enhance the quality of your environment and to help improve your mood.  First, go to your local health food store and check the lovely assortment of flora and fauna sitting there on the shelf!  Always make sure it says 100% pure on the label.  This means exactly what it says without that marker you may be purchasing artificial oil which will not have the same healing value.  You can, of course, purchase essential oil online but going to the store allows you to sample scents prior to buying.

If  you or anyone you live with has allergies, be very mindful when making your selection.  Avoid the strong scents at first such as eucalyptus or tea tree.  Though they have great therapeutic value, they can be very overpowering when introducing aromatherapy for the first time in your home.  Try the more simple and equally beneficial scents of citruses!  Grapefruit, sweet orange and even lemon are fantastic!  Bergamot, a citrus fruit similar to grapefruit and the main ingredient in Earl Grey tea, is one of my favorites.   Most people will not have a problem with these scents (unless they have a food allergy to them).  In addition, they have the familiarity factor which make people feel comfortable and welcome.  Citrus scents are great to use in those dark winter months to bring a little sunshine in your home and combat depression.

Lavender is known as “the mother of all aromatherapy scents.”  It blends beautifully with almost everything including the essential oils I have mentioned so far.  It is known to have an adaptable quality because it has a dual effect, in that if you are feeling down it can be very uplifting.  If you are feeling restless or hyper, on the other hand, it has a calming and soothing effect.  It is also very effective when you are itchy from a mosquito bite!  It is safe to put on undiluted and directly on the skin.  With most aromatherapy oils, however, it is recommended to mix/dilute prior to application.

I have always enjoyed the ceramic or glass type diffusers, which use a tea candle beneath them (see photo).  They are very inexpensive, attractive and easy to clean.  Always place water in the bowl almost to the top before the oil (seven to ten drops is usually sufficient).  Do not put the oil by itself as it will burn up.   To clean them (about once a week ) put some rubbing alcohol in the bowl for a few hours and then take a scouring pad and it should clean up well.

Imagine the home where you grew up or your local garden.  What kind of flowers and trees were there?  Did you have rose bushes?  How about Geranium (aka the poor man’s rose?)  Both of these scents can be very curative and are great for issues of the heart.  We had lilac trees around the house where I grew up.  To this day it is one of my favorite scents and always brings me back to the beauty of springtime.  There were cedar trees around too.  Cedar is a very grounding scent.  All of the “tree” scents are grounding.

The use of aromatherapy is amazing on an airplane, but remember to be mindful of the other passengers of course!  If you open the bottle quickly and sniff you will get the benefit without disturbing others.  You may be surprised they may get a whiff and enjoy it!   Why use it on an airplane?  For several reasons: the air can be very stale and the right scent such as a citrus, lemongrass or peppermint can really help you feel more refreshed.  Cedar, as mentioned, is very “grounding.”  If you are nervous about flying and not being connected to the earth what a great way to trick your mind into feeling a bit more grounded and have a restful flight.  Speaking of rest, lavender has a relaxing quality that can help you sleep on the plane.

Lastly, be aware that essential oils, therapeutic as they are, can be harmful in certain situations.  For details visit: http://www.naturesgift.com/warnings.htm

The Bach Flower Essences-A Useful Self-help Tool

The Bach Flower Essences are a great tool for self improvement.  Dr. Richard Bach (1886-1936), a British doctor, devoted the latter part of his life to discovering and cultivating  the hidden healing properties within the trees and flowers.  The Bach flower essences can be an aid in a range of emotional issues such as  indecision, irrational fear and anxiety.  There are a multitude of Bach flower essences-38 in all.  The Bach flower essences are not meant as a substitute for medical attention or true chronic depression and anxiety disorders.  For acute or chronic issues  seek professional medical advise.  The Bach flower essences are, however, an excellent tool for someone in need of a shift in life.  I have heard them affectionately called, “Psychotherapy in a bottle.”  If one is tired of a particular pattern of behavior they find themselves doing and wants to change it, the Bach flower essences are an excellent tool.

For example, when I was in my early to mid twenties I found that whenever I had a decision to make I would consult several key friends and family members on what they would do.  While some advice is helpful it can often leave one feeling back to where they were in the first place.  All the input in the world really won’t change the final decision which in the end I found usually comes from within.  I tried the essence of Cerato, which is useful if someone does not have confidence in their own decisions.  For me at that time it came from (I believe) a fear of making a mistake or of trying to make the “right” decision.  While I’m all for research, at times opinions can really be just that-opinions.  The only truth is within especially on matters of our own choice.  I can honestly say that I did have a major shift in my ability to handle decisions and finally achieve the autonomy I needed.  This website is an extension of that principle in that I hope it helps people to tune into themselves through sensibility.

The Bach flower essences fall under the category of vibrational energy or vibrational medicine.  This is exactly what it sounds like.  Imagine what it feels like to sit near a tree or hold a flower in your hand.  There is a connectedness and a grace about their two energies.  They give off a certain vibration.  When one uses the Bach flower essences one is literally ingesting that essence into their being.  Sounds quite powerful and it is.  Trees and flowers have the dualistic properties of having roots reaching downward, connecting to the earth and the branches and petals reaching upward in search of sunlight and nourishment and as a catalyst for photosynthesis.  In yoga practice as in Tai qi and Qi gong practices it is these images in nature one is often striving for.  We need our connectedness as well as our ascendant qualities to thrive.  Dr. Bach understood this and as a result we now have his remedies.

Another interesting way of understanding how the Bach flower essences work is by  looking at a principle in homeopathy that is known as, “like cures like.”  If, for example, a person feels very weepy they would try the essence of weeping willow.  Another example is the Holly essence for anger issues.  The Holly leaf is very spiky as an angry or disgruntle person can appear.  I have heard of the Holly Essence being successfully used with angry teenagers.

Use of the Bach flower essences requires some self reflection.  There is an excellent remedy finder quiz on the official site that can help with this.  A word of warning is that one often feels they need most of them.  I never tell anyone to ingest anything but I know from my own experience that I have used many of them at different points in my life and they have been extremely helpful.  The Bach flower essences are in a base of alcohol if that is of any concern.

Below is an excerpt from an article by Don Hanson CPDT, BFRP, CDBC that illustrates how useful anecdotal evidence can be.

“Because it is not based upon statistical research and the scientific method, anecdotal evidence is often dismissed by the scientific community, yet the following is a prime example of the role and importance that it plays. As early as the 1700′s, sailors were fed limes as a way of preventing scurvy. This practice was based strictly on anecdotal evidence. It wasn’t until 1932 and the discovery of vitamin C that the scientific method was able to prove why limes and other citrus fruits helped prevent and cure scurvy. Fortunately, no one stopped sailors from eating limes because scientists had not completed a study demonstrating that eating limes cures scurvy. Anecdotal evidence is often the first step in the discovery of new methods and ways of thinking.“

Help your child mentally recover from minor injuries

On the playground there can unfortunately be many accidents both big and small.  Often there is no ice or first aid immediately available.  This is a simple first aid visualization one can use to help soothe a child until (you) can get home.  Of course for major injuries call 911 or go to the hospital or call your pediatrician.  This is for minor injuries that require TLC (Tender loving care) and a band aid (aka boo-boo’s and ouchies:)

When there is an accident often for moments long after the actual incident took place, people are coming up to you with concern asking what happened?  Then you are forced along with your child to go over it again and again for them.  This keeps the child returning to that painful or scary incident and not moving forward into the healing.  I have personally observed this and actually heard one dad shout out ‘hey, call a plastic surgeon”.  He was of course using humor to alleviate the situation but it was a little brash for a three year old and her mom.

For an excellent explanation of why we instinctively rub on an injury(not an open wound) see below:

“In 1965 the “Gate Control Theory” was proposed by Melzack and Wall.  It explained the relationship between pain and emotion.  According to this theory, there is a hypothetical gating mechanism occurring at the level of the spinal chord- a “gate” through which pain impulses reach the lateral spinothalmic system.  Painful impulses are transmitted by large-diameter and small diameter nerve fibers.  Stimulation of large-diameter fibers prevents the small-diameter fibers from transmitting signals.  Stimulating (rubbing, massaging) these fibers helps to suppress the sensation of pain, especially sharp pain.  Many parents and small children seem to know this instinctively.  They rub the injured spot, thus activating large-diameter fibers.  These fibers also carry a faster signal.  In essence, massage sensations win the race to the brain, and the pain sensations are blocked out because the gate is closed.” Source:  Mosby’s Fundamentals of Therapeutic Massage by Sandy Fritz

Here’s a technique to use when you want to help your child move past the accident and feel empowered that they are on their way to feeling better.  Explain to them that they have teeny tiny microscopic helpers inside their bodies that are working right now to help them feel better.  Explain ‘microscopic” as so tiny that you can’t see them (it is very cute to hear them pronounce microscopic).  There are thousands even millions of them.  This gives them a positive image to hang on to if they are still replaying the initial injury and pain in their minds over and over.  This constant replaying of the accident can also be a reaction from well meaning people asking what happened and then having to explain it as your child relives “the spill”.  Now they can respond how they have microscopic helpers and feel more empowered.  It also gives them something positive to focus on rather than the accident itself.

Using our imagination to call upon imagery for healing is very powerful.  Remember that this is scientific.  Leukocytes (white blood cells) rush to an injured area to help heal it.  These microscopic helpers are in fact helping us on a consistent basis (unless there is a pathology wherein they are compromised).  In healthy functioning blood they are essential in recovering from injury.  This is a great first Biology lesson and may help them in connecting scientific principles to every day life.  Using this knowledge empowers the child by being able to answer back to concerned adults-”I have microscopic helpers helping me and I am feeling better and better.”  “Better and better” is a phrase used in the Silva Method of Mind Techniques.  This technique is extremely useful in helping to have tools to use our minds in positive and powerful ways.  See website for more info www.silvamethod.com.

Staying in the present moment is useful for anyone recovering from injury and replacing a negative experience with a positive image is very useful in returning to a stronger , more well-functioning place both physically and mentally.

Article for Parents

As new parents, there is this feeling of constant momentum inherent in taking care of a baby.  A feeling of always having to do something:  to prepare something, to do research on something, and of course to clean up something!  This article for parents is helpful in reminding us all to re-charge.  We get so used to going and going, it is often very hard to find discipline in letting ourselves rest and decompress.  Somehow we get addicted to this feeling of constantly moving and we feel we are being more productive if we keep up this momentum but it is not the case.  This last part is true for many people, not only new parents.

So, what can we do?  First make a choice to not run in that impossible race that does not exist.  Remember there is always going to be something else to do.  The house may not look close to perfect for a while and even if it does it will only last a day!   Make a conscious effort to force oneself to do nothing and to rest at times or reconnect to something that rejuvenates you.  Your vitality and good mood are equally and probably more important to the health and well being of your little bean than most of the “Tasks” we need to do.  Burnout is not something that benefits anyone at any time especially not as a new parent.  Please use this article for parents as a reminder.  There is of course true postpartum depression which is not what I’m speaking about.  If there are symptoms of depression seek professional help immediately.

We can start by giving ourselves permission to be still!  To consciously recharge our batteries.  It may be helpful to make a list of things that help with the recharging process.  Examples can be a bath, meditation, a pilates/yoga c.d., and  reading a book.  Think of an activity that helped pre-baby.  There are activities that can discharge our energy for example, watching a lot of t.v. etc.  A favorite t.v. show is one thing but constant numbing in front of it can be very draining.

I began looking at my catalog for massage therapy tools and I saw an eye pillow and it reminded me that it has been over a year since I had used my eye pillow.  It had completely fallen out of my routine.  If something so simple can bring me such relief-why not take 10-15 minutes while my baby is napping and enjoy it?

Learning to get off the constant motion of the mind is a daily and hourly practice.  Making the choice to stay well-balanced rather than being a victim to our monkey minds-swinging from thought to thought is the shift we need to slow down.  We will be more effective in our other endeavors and the moments with our kids.  It seems like such obvious advice doesn’t it?  The pattern of momentum of getting things done is a powerful pattern to overcome however.

Tuning into the body, mind, and emotions really is a lifelong practice and something that is so often overlooked in our society.  We are constantly trying to “keep up”  and seemingly running in that race that is impossible to win.  Once I heard the Dalai Llama say, “The better you take care of yourself, the better you will take care of others.”  This quote always stayed with me and helped me as a health care professional. I often told this quote to mother-clients during treatments.  They always appreciated it and it seems to resonate on a deep human level for us all. There are feelings of guilt inherent in being a mom (parent).  I begin to understand my grandparents and parents much better now.  We really need remember to take the time we need to rejuvenate our bodies and minds.

I write this to remind myself not because I am so good at it, but because we all need reminders.  Having worked for over ten years with clients and seeing the results of constant stress, I do have an awareness of the importance of slowing down and resting or pausing to re-connect.  Many people go and go until they basically collapse into sleep or dull themselves with tv etc.  This is about taking conscious time to be still to recharge and why I felt it necessary to write this article for parents.  For further reading on recharging and re-connecting please see the article, Dynamic Stillness.