Romancing the Divine

Aromatherapy; Scent and Selling

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Aromatherapy; Scent and Selling

Most of you have probably had the experience of walking into a store, a hotel lobby or a spa, and being intoxicated with fragrance, enticing you to relax, unwind and settle in. The first place those aromas go to work is through the sense of smell, the limbic system, which is the access system for the emotional and behavioral centers of the brain.

What you may not realize is that some of those fragrances are working on a much more subliminal level to get you to open your wallet and spend a bit more than you might have had you not been enticed with the fragrance. The more subtle or not so subtle affects of aromatherapy are gaining a great deal of respect in regards to human behavior and psychology.

The olfactory sense, or the sense of smell, turns out to have much more of an effect on your emotions than the sight, hearing or touch do. Fragrance directly impacts the center of the brain that controls the emotions and our sense of reasoning, whether or not we want to make a purchase, feeling relaxed to want to make a purchase and in general, just feeling better and happier, which often times is the only encouragement we need to make a purchase.

Using aromatherapy to fragrance a store has been widely used as a means to increase sales, and research done on the effects of aroma to induce sales has found to increase sales by as much as 50%. So the next time you wander into a store and are overwhelmed with an enticing fragrance and find your self wanting to buy, buy, buy, ask your self, do you really love what you are buying, or is it the general overall feeling of well-being that is prompting the purchase.

Happy New Year 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:22:00 +0000

Happy New Year and welcome 2012!

I am feeling a wonderful sense of excitement about 2012, and while I expect there to be many big changes coming for humanity, I believe with great clarity that we are all headed into a much more conscious and heart based experience in life.

On December 30th, I had the blessed fortune of co-facilitating a workshop called In Vision, in which we all created vision boards, and while preparing for the class, I struggled greatly trying to envision my desire to create something new. So I let go and decided that the class would inspire me and something would reveal itself in the moment.

I led everyone in a meditation, invoking the diamond light of vision into our crown chakra, and allowing it to melt down through the body like golden amrita. It was a powerful gathering of women and the energy was palpable, and lo and behold when it came time to In Vision the New Year and create my vision board, like the diamond light filled with the rainbow spectrum of possibility, my greatest heart desire came flooding into me, BALANCE!!!

More than anything else this year, BALANCE is the theme. A balance between service and being served, work and play, excitement and stillness. Wishing you all a year filled with wonder, excitement, and the fragrance of BALANCE!!!!

An Elixir for Immortality

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 20:30:00 +0000

"Subatomic particles apparently de- and re-materialize fairly routinely. . .some of them actually can be in two places at once. Their freedom from the normal confines of the space time continuum is thought to be the result of a weird electricity, an intelligent, creative, playful, and unpredictable interaction among oppositely charged entities in motion."

"When interrogated about how they can walk through flames without being burned, 'primitives' have conveyed to anthropologists that they raise the vibratory level of their flesh to equal that of the fire. In like manner, then, an adept might raise-or lower- his or her vibratory rate to match that of another dimension, thereby disappearing from our customary universe and popping up in the other: de-materialization."
Tom Robbins

The journey continues with Jitterbug Perfume, and what a wild journey it has been, spending months and months harvesting beet pollen.

Now for those of you who have not experienced the smell of beet flowers, it is not a particularly lovely smell, but rather a musky, goaty, smell that on occasion gave off the odor of old dirty socks. Lovely you say, no, not lovely, but very earthy, primal.

The beet flowers instructed me in how to harvest, I was never in charge, they were the teacher all along. I spent the next 5 months visiting the farm twice weekly, spending hours harvesting beet pollen and flowers to make the fabled Jitterbug Perfume.

If you have not read the book, you might consider picking up a copy, it is a marvelous read, and in it you will learn that it is a book about immortality and time travel, with Jitterbug Perfume being the main ingredient for both of those adventures.

I was driven to make this perfume and contacted Tom Robbins, after sleuthing out his address, and told him, that as eccentric as I might be, I believed with all of my heart, that Jitterbug Perfume was true, it was real, and that I was endeavoring to make the perfume, as I was, and am now even more so, convinced it was a tool for time travel, an elixir of immortality, and would love to be able to call the resultant perfume, Jitterbug.

Much to my delight and surprise he wrote me back saying that even though the events in the book didn't actually happen it was indeed a true story and that I had his full permission to use the name Jitterbug Perfume if I was successful in my endeavor. Well, successful I was and then some!!

And so, under the dark of a New Moon in August, the first bottle was done. I shipped the first bottle to Mr. Robbins, and he was delighted and thrilled with it, telling me that I have indeed made he and his book proud!!

Jitterbug has given me very specific instructions in how it is to be used, and I have obeyed its every request. The experiences people are having continue to make me shake my head in absolute wonder and amazement.

It is definitely amrita for the olfactory system and an elixir of immortality. I will be reporting more as time goes along, but one thing Jitterbug has told me that it is not to be offered commercially, and it is my duty to prepare people to experience the perfume. So I will only be sharing it in person, at workshops or during anointing ceremonies. There are a limited amount of bottles that will be for sale, but only after training in how to respect it fully.

I am the humble servant of Jitterbug Perfume and feel honored to be so. Hopefully you can catch me at one of the workshops and you too, can journey with the elixir!!!

Jitterbug Perfume

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 22:41:00 +0000

It began 17 years ago, when I first read Jitterbug Perfume, the quirky and amazing novel by the talented writer Tom Robbins. I read the book and most all of his other books when I was young and impressionable, but Jitterbug stayed with me, not so much in the sense of understanding or even at the time of entirely relating to the book, but it stayed with me.

Then last year, I got a call from my twin soul who has traveled through this Earth walk with me throughout the many dimensions of time. He told me that I needed to pick up the book and read it again, it was our story. Coming from him, I was more than intrigued.

So I bought the book and loaded it into my backpack as I traveled off to Santa Fe, NM for a frankincense distillation with one of the world's leading distillers.

While sitting in class, with Jitterbug in my pack, the distiller starting talking about distillation and before long said, "If you never read another book about perfume, read Jitterbug Perfume."

I sat up and took notice, with the book rattling beside me!

I never did get a moment to read while in Santa Fe, but dove head first into the prose on the plane ride home, and was engulfed with the overwhelming notion of truth, truth in Mr. Robbins words, and truth that it was indeed part of my own story.

When I arrived at home, I went directly to one of my dear friends, an organic farmer here in Ojai, and said, "I need beet pollen."

He looked up at me and said, "Jitterbug Pefume."

Obviously, something was happening, some wild, exotic synchronicity was taking a hold, and an adventure was unfolding that I could have never have dreamed up, not in a million years, or at the very least, a few hundred lifetimes.

My friend the farmer said that he would set aside one of the rows of beets he had just planted, serendipitously I might add. It turns out that in order to set flowers, beets must first vernalize (having been a gardener my whole life, I never knew this, we learn something new everyday!)

And so in early March, the first flowers began to form, and I began to get excited.

At about the same time, I began a hunt for Mr. Robbins, and eventually found an address for him up in Washington state. I wrote him a long letter, pleading eccentricity, but with a knowing that I was in the pursuit of something so extraordinary and so wild, but something in the very core of my being told me that the alchemy of time travel is more than just possible, and Jitterbug Perfume was a key for conscious time travelers.

Much to my delighted surprise, a letter came back from Tom Robbins, saying that while the events in Jitterbug Perfume didn't actually happen, it was indeed a true story.

And so for the last 5 months, I have been collecting beet pollen and flowers and am happy to now report, the alchemy has begun, the New Moon is creating the nest for magic, and the perfume has been formulated. The resultant perfume, is resting on the altar, having had the sacred tones infused within it, and the crystals activating the essence. This perfume is made from exotic oils, which give the beet pollen a wild and symphonic orchestra in which to play it's harmonious song.

The first bottle of perfume is earmarked for Tom Robbins, (of course it is, you say) and will be on its way once the perfume has told me just how it is to be used. Once the alchemical elixir has shared that with me, I shall share it with you, until then. . .

"Every step of that upward climb to a sophisticated way of life has been paralleled by a corresponding advance in the art of perfumery." Eric Maple

Heart as Wide as the World

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 01:12:00 +0000

A friend once said to me, “If you want to hear God laugh, just make a plan!” How true that is! My afternoon at Prototypes was another prime example of just how true that would turn out to be, and provided an opportunity to crack my heart open, even more than it already was!

I had planned the Aroma Blue class with detail to the sequence of oils we would smell and why. We began with the inhalation of eucalyptus and peppermint, a very strong combination of oils that can be used to open up the respiratory system. A potent combination to be sure, but it offered a dramatic difference in everyone’s ability to take a much deeper breath upon finishing the inhalation of both oils.

From there we proceeded to just breathe, long, slow, deep and with intention and awareness. The difference from that simple practice was palpable, and allowed us to settle in to massage a little lavender on the back of our necks to continue the process of relaxing the central nervous system. This oil is indispensible in relieving the anxiety producing effects of detoxifying, which all of the women at Prototypes suffer from, to one degree or another.

We then moved onto the delicious sweet aroma of sweet orange, a well-known anti-depressant. All of the women like sweet orange and for some interesting reason, this oil seems to bring up more old memories of happy times more than almost any other oil we smell. No wonder it is considered one of the top anti-depressants of all the essential oils. I always laugh inside as I watch the faces of people who inhale this sweet oil, as most people can’t help but get a huge smile on their face when inhaling.

We smelled cedarwood next, an oil that is used for grounding, centering and to bring strength and courage to the emotions. I asked them to anoint their solar plexus, (the energy center of the body that sits about 1 inch above the navel), which is home to our power center, and the place where we feel empowerment as well as the place we tend to weaken when we give our power away. This oil brings fortitude to the emotional and physical body, and empowers strength and courage, as well as bringing balance and harmony to this center, all qualities that are needed in abundance for people in any kind of recovery.

The director came in shortly after anointing our bellies and asked if she could hijack the class to do something special for one of the ladies as she was having a particularly difficult day. I am always game for God’s plan and will happily interrupt whatever I think is supposed to happen for a higher calling. Little did I know just how powerful God’s plan would turn out to be.

It turns out that one of women there had lost her father and this was the anniversary of his passing. We listened as Barbarella crooned a potent version of a song about the connection of love and how we never lose that. That in and of its self was spine tingling, but then we all took a moment and went deep into meditation, reflecting on how we could best support our sister who was mourning the loss of her father.

I then passed out a drop of frankincense to everyone in the room and asked them to anoint their third eye and the crown of their heads with the frankincense , the heavy hitter of anointing and an oil used for thousands of years for consecration and blessing. And then we got to share.

It turns out that everyone there had words of support, words of encouragement, and stories of losing someone and how strong the connection of love remains. By the time everyone had shared, there was not a dry eye in the house, and it turns out, that I got so much more out of the class than I could have imagined. These women are brave, honest, real and totally present with their journeys of coming back into the world from suffering and struggle, dependency, abuse, addiction and more. They share a common bond and through that bond share a love that most people never get to see or experience. On this day, we all stood there, arms wrapped around our sister, tears in our eyes, with our hearts cracked open as wide as the world.

It was one of those exquisite moments in time that you could never plan for, one in which you just have to show up and get real, honest and brave, be open to the changes that are presented, and the reward is awe inspiring gratitude in abundance. What a gift from heaven!!

Essential Oils and Pets

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:49:00 +0000

My dog Sophie asked me to write a column about essential oils and the impending flea and tick season. She is particularly fond of oils, not all pets are, but she certainly is.

Springtime means the onset of a new battle for our pets with those dreaded pests called fleas and ticks, and this season promises to be an especially powerful one with all the rain we have seen.

The adult female flea is known to lay up to 30 eggs each time she lays, and over 400 in her life cycle. The fleas feed on the blood of the host, namely our dog or cat, which not only cause our pets extreme discomfort, but can also spread diseases and other parasites.

The flea does not limit its habitation to the pet it has fed upon, and can last for up to two months from a single feeding on our pets. They can exist for the remainder of the life cycle in our backyard on the grass, or on our pet's bedding, or even our own bedding, (a ghastly thought)!

Wherever our dog and cat roam, there too, go the fleas. So it is important to wash the bedding on a regular basis, theirs, and ours. If our pet has fleas, chances are our home environment has them as well.

There are many treatments on the market for pets and the home, but unfortunately, most of them are full of harmful toxins. Not only are essential oils a wonderful alternative, in addition, our homes smell delightful when we use essential oils instead of, or in addition to, the toxic solutions available today.

To help rid our home of fleas, try sprinkling powder (talc or baking) containing orange essential oil, which is a very effective anti-flea substitute.

Lavender is another very effective essential oil that will not only repel fleas and ticks, but also soothe the wounds these pests leave behind on our pets. I like to take 3-4 drops of lavender and rub my palms together and then coat my dog’s coat, especially the underbelly and legs of my dog before we go out on a walk as a preventative measure.

When I find a fleabite, or my dog has licked or chewed a bite, I take a couple drops of lavender essential oil, and massage it directly onto the bite. Not only will the pet stop chewing immediately, but the lavender also will heal the wound and reduce the inflammation immediately.

You can also put about 15-20 drops of oil into a spray bottle filled with water, shake well, and spray the oil mixture onto the coats as well, mindful to cover their eyes and ears. You can also put 25 drops in one ounce of jojoba oil and mix up and use as a massage oil for your pets skin.

The stronger oils of eucalyptus, cedarwood and tea tree are even more effective in keeping fleas away. In fact the insect repelling qualities of eucalyptus are the reason for eucalyptus being first distilled back in the late 1800's.

You can also put a few drops of these potent oils on your pet's bedding periodically to repel flea infestation, particularly after laundering.

You can spray the oils on your carpet, (using a weak dilution in water) and your lawn. While all of these methods may not prevent fleas entirely, you can bet that you will be quite successful in deterring a large infestation, and lessen the amount of toxins your animal receives.

Always be mindful to keep in consideration that our animals have an incredibly powerful sense of smell, dogs 500 x stronger than our own, so they probably aren't going to be particularly fond of the smell, but they hate the smell of Advantage and Frontline even more.

Cats also do not like oils, and too much exposure to essential oils can be harmful to their livers. So less is more is always the rule!

All in all, essential oils are a tremendous help in reducing the population of fleas and ticks, and while they may not get them all, oils can certainly have an impact on the dreaded pests.

Aromatherapy and Pets

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:08:00 +0000

My dog Sophie asked me to write a little about essential oils and pets. She is particularly fond of oils, not all pets are, but she certainly is.
Sophie thought that our readers might enjoy learning about what oils to use to combat fleas and ticks, so in honor of Sophie, and of course, our other dog Cricket, and our cat Mr. Wiskers, here is a column devoted to our pets.

Spring-time means the onset of a new battle for our pets with those dreaded pests called fleas and ticks, and this season promises to be an especially powerful one with all the rain we have seen.

Wherever our dog and cat may roam, there too, go fleas. So it is important to wash the bedding on a regular basis, theirs and ours. If our pet has fleas, chances are our home environment has them as well.

There are many treatments on the market for pets and the home,

unfortunately, most of them are full of harmful toxins.

To rid our home of fleas, try sprinkling powder (talc or baking) containing orange essential oil, which is a very effective anti-flea substitute.

Lavender is another very effective essential oil that will not only repel fleas and ticks, but soothe the wounds these pests leave behind on our pets. I like to take 3-4 drops of lavender and rub my palms together and then coat my dog's coat, especially the underbelly and legs of my dogs before we go out on a walk as a preventative measure.

You can also put about 15-20 drops of essential oil into a spray bottle filled with water, shake well and spray the oil mixture onto the coats as well, mindful to cover their eyes and ears. Or if you prefer massaging the oils onto your pet, you can put 25 drops in one ounce of jojoba oil and mix it thoroughly, apply a small amount to your hands and use as a massage oil for your pets skin.

The stronger oils of eucalyptus, cedarwood and tea tree are even more

effective in keeping fleas away. In fact, the insect repelling qualities of eucalyptus are the reason for eucalyptus first being distilled back in the late 1800's.

You can also put a few drops of these potent oils on your pet's bedding periodically to repel flea infestation.

Always be mindful and consider that our animals have an incredibly powerful sense of smell, dogs 500 x stronger than our own, so they probably aren't going to be particularly fond of the smell, but they hate the smell of Advantage and Frontline, and at least essential oils will fragrance your house with delicious smells instead of toxic ones.

Cats also do not like oils, and too much exposure to essential oils can be harmful to their livers. So less is more is always the rule!

All in all, essential oils are a tremendous help in reducing the population of fleas and ticks, and while oils may rid all of the fleas and ticks, but it is an incredible tool to have in the arsenal of tricks for our little babies.

The Beneficial Effects of Mentha Suaveolens

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:51:00 +0000

Mentha Suaveolens, aka Apple Mint is not one of the mints that most people are familiar with, but was just named in a study done addressing candida in women.
Below is the study that just surfaced, and was well worth copying:

Vaginal candidiasis is a frequent and common distressing disease affecting up to 75% of the women of fertile age; most of these women have recurrent episodes. Essential oils from aromatic plants have been shown to have antimicrobial and antifungal activities.

This study was aimed at assessing the anti-fungal activity of essential oil from Mentha suaveolens (EOMS) in an experimental infection of vaginal candidiasis.

Methods: The in vitro and in vivo activity of EOMS was assessed. The in vitro activity was evaluated under standard NCLI methods, and the in vivo analysis was carried out by exploiting a novel, non-invasive model of vaginal candidiasis in mice based on an in vivo imaging technique.Differences between essential oil treated and saline treated mice were evaluated by the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test.

Viable count data from a time kill assay and yeast and hyphae survival test were compared using the Student's t-test (two-tailed).

Results: Our main findings were: i) EOMS shows potent candidastatic and candidacidal activity in an in vitro experimental system; ii) EOMS gives a degree of protection against vaginal candidiasis in an in vivo experimental system.

Conclusions: This study shows for the first time that the essential oil of a Moroccan plant Mentha suaveolens is candidastatic and candidacidal in vitro, and has a degree of anticandidal activity in a model of vaginal infection, as demonstrated in an in vivo monitoring imaging system. We conclude that our findings lay the ground for further, more extensive investigations to identify the active EOMS component(s), promising in the therapeutically problematic setting of chronic vaginal candidiasis in humans.

Author: Donatella PietrellaLetizia AngiolellaElisabetta VavalaAnna RachiniFrancesca MondelloRino RagnoFrancesco BistoniAnna Vecchiarelli

While there is no prescribed methodology at this point in time for addressing this common female complaint, the good news is that more research will be done, and there is more credence continuing to shine a light on the world of essential oils.

The Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 03:36:00 +0000

What a beautiful time of year, good cheer, happy families, and decorations galore.
I am always moved by this season, and I think the spirit of the season is so loving, and so reverent that it warms my heart, and I am always uplifted by Christmas. The spirit of this holiday is all about love, joy and the Divine.

My greatest gift this year, is all of the love that surrounds me, the love I receive everyday from my family, my friends, my tribe, and I am left wondering, how in the world can we keep this spirit alive all year long.
How do we keep the spirit of Christmas alive in our hearts and present in every day? Let's practice Christmas every day. . .

I am grateful for the holidays and the grand reminder of the true spirit of Christmas, the spirit of Love!
Happy Holy Days and may the spirit of LOVE grace you this holiday and every other day!

Anointing for the Journey

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 19:14:00 +0000

How essential oils can be used to assist in Conscious Dying

Last rites have been performed as a ceremony of anointing for thousands of years, and as a method of preparing one to let go of the body and transcend the human experience. There is an inherent remembrance in our soul of the fragrances that have been used to assist us in preparing for this sacred journey, and the mere aroma of some of the ancient sacred oils, can help the body relax and bring peace to the body, mind and soul.

The traditional oils used for Last Rites, sometimes called Extreme Unction, are frankincense and myrrh, with frankincense being used because of its ability to help us transcend our consciousness and reach into altered states of perception, or higher states of awareness. I have witnessed many loved ones as they begin to experience the presence of angels, or other loved ones who have passed on, standing by their sides awaiting the time when their escort is required for the journey. The essential oils help bring an awareness of this rarified consciousness to the departing soul.

On the 11^th of November, an auspicious date for many, I had the honor and privilege of assisting my dear sweet Aunt in leaving her body. Not only am I a licensed minister, but a loving niece and so the perfect person to assist in her labor of dying.

I got the call from hospice in the morning that she was entering into a state of transition, so I prepared a blend of frankincense, myrrh and spikenard and hurried to her side. Frankincense has the psychoactive properties necessary to help and assist the mind in opening up to other states of awareness, the ability to see beyond the grave so to speak. Myrrh has traditionally been used to preserve the body in preparation for burial, and spikenard has been used in a similar manner as frankincense and in fact, has been written about extensively in the Bible, and was used most notably by Mary Magdalene to anoint the feet of Jesus.

So anointing blend in hand, I arrived to find my Aunt in a labored stage of breathing. Death comes like birth, through labor. Having attended both birth and death before, I have found the two so similar, it’s almost uncanny. My Aunt seemed to be struggling with her breath, so I immediately anointed her head, her third eye, her heart, her palms and the soles of her feet, and softly began to chant the primal sound of OM, breathing deeply and loudly. I held the oils in front of her nose and watched as her body began to soften and relax.

My family of love was there with me, holding space and energy to assist my Aunt in her letting go, giving her permission to leave, and thanking her for all she had been to us, and the magnificence of who she was on this Earth. For the one making their transition out of the body, it is extremely helpful to be surrounded with loved ones who have reconciled the departing and give the soul permission to leave. When we release our loved ones in such a loving and forgiving manner, the soul feels freed to make the journey without attachment.

While my Aunt appeared to be unconscious, her breath began to regulate it’s self to mine, mimicking the deep rhythmic pattern I set for her. I focused attention on my exhale, knowing that with an exhalation, the soul begins its journey out of the body, just as a newborn begins its journey into the body with an inhalation.

For hours, I sat with her, massaging the oils into her spine and allowing the central nervous system to relax, to become more rhythmic and balanced. The labor softened, and she made her release at 12:12 AM. I am eternally grateful that I could be by her side, and prepare her, aid and assist in helping her body to pass gracefully and peacefully.

The art of conscious dying is greatly enhanced using the ancient oils that have been traditionally used for thousands of years for great reason. I am astonished each time I have the privilege of attending a passing and get to use essential oils to anoint the body, how powerful the affects can be on the body and soul of the dying. Anointing with essential oils is truly one of the most powerful tools we can have in our tool kit for consciously assisting our loved ones in all manners and rites of passage.

Swimming in Love

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 00:08:00 +0000

Once again, I have returned from Swimming in Love with my beloved dolphins and I feel as if life will never be the same again.
Swimming with dolphins is an incredible mind, body and soul altering experience, not only because it happens to the be the most fun you can have in a body, but because your cells and every other part of you gets to be in the presence of great masters.
The dolphins are a highly advanced and evolved species, offering lessons for all of humanity.
I am always humbled by their graciousness and generosity in allowing us to share their watery home, showing us nothing but love, fun and joy!
They have relatively the same size brain as a human, with a major glaring difference.
Dolphin brains have been evolved for over 5 million years, with the human brain, still evolving after a mere 250,000 years. When we talk about the superior species, there is even more evidence of their mastery.
Dolphins have an intuitive knowing that when their environment can no longer sustain growth, they stop reproducing until the environment can feed and care for the pod.
We humans have a lot to learn from our watery brothers and sisters!
But more than that, they care for each other, play, eat, rest and have sex, that's their lives. No wars, no greed, no hatred, no toxic pollution destroying their environment, just eat, play, sex and fun!
Seems to me, we humans have a long way to go before claiming ourselves the superior species!!!

Lemongrass

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 23:12:00 +0000

Lemongrass is an amazing essential oil distilled from fragrant perennial grasses that grow to almost 5 feet in tropical regions around the world. We are all familiar with the lemongrass that is used in cooking Asian foods, but the essential oil has many attributes that some may not be familiar with.
The big news in the world of essential oils has found that lemongrass has a high amount of the chemical constituent citral, which has been found to create cell death or apoptosis to cancer cells.
Most people in the world of aromatherapy have known about frankincense and its anti-tumoral effects, and now its found that lemongrass has similar impact on the DNA of cancer cells as well.
Which is great news as lemongrass is widely available, and relatively inexpensive to produce.
In addition, lemongrass is also an excellent essential oil to use when seeking to reduce fevers and flus, and has been called fever grass due to its ability to alleviate fevers.
It is also an incredible insect repellent and a very grounding oil as well.
Lemongrass has a sweet, earthy, lemony fragrance and is a light green to soft brown color, depending on the varieties and the harvesting and drying of the grass before distilling.

Anointing and Bliss

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 19:36:00 +0000

I spent the entire weekend anointing with essential oils. On Saturday I hosted a workshop here in my home with 12 incredible folks coming to learn about oils and the power of anointing.
We quickly paired off and began a beautiful afternoon anointing with special blends created for each chakra, to align, balance and activate the body, mind and spirit.
It was remarkable to witness everyone getting deeper and more connected with each application, surrendering pain, sadness and moving into joy, laughter and inspiration.
By the end of the 4 hours, everyone was so blissed out, I made them all walk on the earth before driving off into their lives in their newly expanded states.
The power of anointing with pure essential oils that have been blessed and consecrated is not to be underestimated, it is truly one of the most amazing tools for reconnecting with our Divinity!

The Sacred Art of Anointing

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Wed, 26 May 2010 17:46:00 +0000

I will be writing a monthly blog on Touchstones of the Sacred, check out my first blog about anointing!
http://touchstonesofthesacred.com/sacred-art-anointing-essential-oils/

Neroli, Smells like Heaven to Me

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:35:00 +0000

It is springtime in the Ojai Valley, and the smell of neroli intoxicates me where ever I wander. The entire valley is perfumed with the light, sweet floral blossoms of the orange trees that grow throughout this exquisite valley that I am lucky enough to call home.

The essential oil of neroli is obtained from the flowers of the bitter orange, and is most often produced through a process called enfleurage, to create an absolute. If you are lucky enough to find a steam distilled neroli, it will usually be quite thick and a deep brown in color.

The scent of neroli essential oil is not quite the same as the sweet fragrance emitted by the flowers, but takes dilution in order for the soft floral notes to come through, but once they do, its pure heaven. It takes one ton of hand picked flowers to produce 2 pounds of essential oil, making neroli one of the more expensive oils to procure, but well worth the price.

The hypnotic essential oil is anti-viral, antibacterial, antispasmodic, a general nerve tonic, antidepressant, (has been called the number one oil for depression in fact) and is an excellent oil to induce sleep and relaxation. Neroli is a balm to the anxiety ridden emotions, and greatly reduces stress to the central nervous system.

Citrus Aurantium, or neroli, is grown around the world in most climates resembling the Mediterranean. Neroli is used prolifically in the perfume industry and gains great notoriety for its aphrodisiac properties, particulary when combined with rose and jasmine.

The combination of these extraordinary florals is true heaven!

Flowers of the Soul

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 23:31:00 +0000

I feel that all the stars shine in me,

The world breaks into my life like a flood,

The flowers blossom in my body.

All the youthfulness of land and waters smoke

Like an incense in my heart;

And the breath plays on my thoughts as on a flute.

Rabindranath Tagore

Sacred Frankincense Trees

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 16:41:00 +0000

If I only had to have one essential oil in my collection (heaven forbid that should ever come to be!), it would have to be the sacred frankincense oil. Boswellia sacra, sometimes called carterii, is one of the most ancient and widely used essential oils and fragrances for thousands of years. While there seems to be quite a debate raging about the sacra and carterii botanical monikers, each being used to identify the same tree, sacra seems to be winning out now as the name of choice. This is a new debate, and before now, frankincense has most widely been known as Boswellia carterii, and I have referred to frankincense as Boswellia carterii in my book, “The Sacred Art of Anointing”.

Frankincense grows well in only 3 places in the world, Oman, Yemen and now Somalia. As has been referred to in Biblical literature, frankincense was one of the gifts brought to Jesus by the Three Wise Kings. Indeed, how wise they were.

Not only does frankincense contain all the anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties of many essential oils, it is also the only known anti-tumoral oil. In other words, it shrinks cysts, fibroids and tumors. I will never forget the client that came to me with a cyst on her wrist. I held frankincense on her wrist for 10 minutes and she called me 3 days later to tell me that the cyst had completely disappeared.

But for me, frankincense has ranked the highest for its spiritual properties. It contains psychotropic properties that induce visionary states of awareness. The Three Wise Kings must have known this and given it Jesus as a means to have direct communication with God. It brings such an awareness of the Divine, and in fact, has been used in the Catholic Church as an fragrance to sanctify the Church before services.

Anointing with Palo Santo

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:45:00 +0000

Yesterday, the first day of Spring arrived, and with it, a room full of Goddesses intent on learning about anointing with essential oils. We spent the afternoon, immersing ourselves into different oils, frankincense, sandalwood, lavender, geranium, rosemary, eucalyptus, and palo santo. It was amazing to watch the reactions of all the women when it came time to explore palo santo. Everyone fell into a deep, reverent space, almost as if they slipped deep into meditation.

Palo santo is a relatively new essential oil in the world, and it is a most welcome addition I might add, and as it is proving to be one of the most popular essential oils we sampled yesterday. The resinous, heady, deep aroma seemed to transport people into another time and space, the room growing quiet, and the energy getting very thick and deep. The room stayed quiet as everyone took the aromas deep into their souls. Everyone was transformed and touched by the fragrance, and when we later anointed ourselves with a meditation blend that also include palo santo, again, there was a palpable change within the room.

Palo santo has been regarded as a sacred plant for centuries by the indigenous people of So. America, particularly from the Amazonian regions. It is still used by Peruvian shamans and curanderos throughout the Amazon. The name palo santo, literally means, holy wood.

Just recently the properties of palo santo are beginning to be researched, and it will not surprise me to hear that palo santo has powerful healing effects, much like frankincense. It has been revered much the way frankincense has in the Middle East, and white sage has here in the Americas by the Indigenous peoples.

It is a bright, golden clear oil, and the fragrance is like no other, it has quickly become one of my favorite oils to use before meditation, or dream work, and it is quite visionary in its capabilities. When combined with frankincense, there is nothing more powerful to induce visionary states in meditation. Just a drop of each in the palm of your hand, and then dip a finger into the oils and anoint the third eye and crown of the head, close your eyes, and inhale the alchemical combination and drift into the Divine!

Patchouli, A Treasured Friend

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 17:35:00 +0000

Patchouli, Pogostemon cablin, is a rich, earthy, woody, and quite heady oil, that varies from light amber-colored, to a deep rich brown oil. The older and more aged the oil, the deeper and richer the fragrance becomes. Patchouli is one of a few essential oils, like sandalwood, that actually ages quite well, and in fact gets better with age. Patchouli has a very strong, spicy, earthy fragrance that is very distinctive, and I have never met anyone who has been indifferent to its smell, they either love it, or can’t stand it!

Patchouli is actually in the mint family, a 3 foot variety that grows well in the tropics. The leaves of the plant are dried before being steam distilled to create the essential oil. Fresh patchouli oil has a green, somewhat sharp fragrance to it, and really does best to be aged, until it turns a deep rich brown color. The sharpness then disappears and the oil has a sweet, rich aroma that has long been used in love potions as an aphrodisiac. The more aged it is, the thicker it will become with the oil developing into a deep, viscous resin that more resembles myrrh, or vanilla.

Patchouli has also been used as an oil for attracting abundance, as it helps ground us in the body, which then empowers us when working to manifest abundance in our lives. It resonates with the first chakra, which is the seat of our survival needs, and the place we inspire passion, not only for sensual, sexual desires, but also for manifesting on the physical plane.
It has long been used to repel insects and a base oil for perfumes, and as a fixative for fragrances. Patchouli is well-known for its relaxing properties, as it helps to reduce anxiety, tension and nervousness. It has also been used to alleviate skin conditions such as psoriasis and other kinds of dermatitis. Patchouli has also been used for spiritual ceremony as an incense to help induce states of meditation.

It blends beautifully with frankincense, myrrh, cedarwood, vetiver, rose, jasmine, and citrus oils. These might all produce a lovely meditation blend which could be anointed on the third eye or crown of the head before any ceremony, meditation or prayer work.

I remember back when I was an adventurous teen traveling through Mexico and Guatemala, a hippie backpacking through the countries, on a big adventure, camping, staying in small little inns, patchouli was my defense for lack of showers. It camouflaged all manners of sin with its sweet, heady aroma. It still reminds me of my adventurous youth, and of course it would, as the smell ignites the memory stored deep in the amygdala, which is only accessed through the limbic system.
Patchouli is one of my favorite oils, and when mixed with florals like rose, jasmine, neroli, becomes a heady, romantic and spicy blend that just sends me!

The Remembrance of Rosemary

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:17:00 +0000

Spent the day yesterday planting rosemary bushes in my front yard. Here in California, with the long-standing lack of water we have experienced, (although this year's weather would beg to differ) it is a good idea to think about planting more drought tolerant plants.

Rosemary is one of those drought tolerant plants, and is a beautiful addition to anyone's garden. Rosemary is a wonderful herb to cook with, we lay it on top of fresh salmon and grill it, I put it on top of fresh roasted potatoes, and in all of my soups. It is full of oil and provides a rich source of nectar for the bees. But the real reason I have planted so much of it my garden is for the harvest of essential oil that will come this Fall, when the plant is redolent with its pungent essential oil.

Rosemary is an essential oil that I use frequently, for all manner of reasons. It is an incredible digestive aid, a powerful muscle relaxant, has anti-viral, anti-bacterial properties, and is a wonderful aid for all types of respiratory conditions. In addition, it has been known for centuries for its ability to enhance memory!! Couldn't we all use a little more of that?

Restoring Forests with Essential Oil Production

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:52:00 +0000

I just read a wonderful article about lemongrass production in Nepal, and how it is restoring a forest that was once denuded by logging. The project was funded by US Aid from the American People, and aims at restoring the forest and bettering the lives of those who live there.

Not only does it create a beautiful essential oil through the efforts, but helps to restore the forest. It also enables local Nepalese to earn a living creating a beautiful product for the world to enjoy.

Lemongrass is a wonderful oil to use when looking for grounding and emotional stability, it is also a great digestive oil and can be rubbed onto the body, directly over the stomach to help bring relief to the digestive track. Once massaged into the belly, hold the hand over the stomach and help the oil to penetrate into the stomach for relief.

The oil can also be used to massage the reflex points of the feet, which correspond to the stomach, found in the arch of the feet.

The Power of Palo Santo

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:57:00 +0000

I have fallen in love with Palo Santo, an essential oil from deep in the heart of South America. It is equivalent to Frankincense in terms of its potent spiritual affects, and has been revered and used in ceremony for years.

The trees are quite endangered and oil should only be purchased from sources who support sustainability, as it would be a crime to lose this potent friend. It has an aroma that at once settles the soul and brings a grounded pure essence into my awareness.

It feels protective and grounding, and great research is being conducted to study the healing properties of Palo Santo.

I smell it even while it sits inside the bottle, inviting me to come and open the cap and anoint myself with its heady alchemy!

An Evening of Sound and Singing

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:57:00 +0000

What a beautiful evening with Leigh Ann Philips, a master of sound and singing. She gave a concert last night with singing bowls made of emerald, ruby, gold, silver, carnelian, pink quartz and so many more.

It was a harmonic of sound that resonated throughout all the energy centers of my body, taking me deep into theta states of relaxation and altered states of reality.

I am always amazed working with sound, at the parallels of sound and smell to induce deep states of relaxation and meditation. In combination together the power of smell and sound can induce profound changes within the body, mind and soul.

A Love Poem

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:54:00 +0000

I feel that all the stars shine in me,
The world breaks into my life like a flood,
The flowers blossom in my body.
All the youthfulness of land and waters smoke
Like an incense in my heart;
And the breath plays on my thoughts as on a flute.
Rabinidranath Tagore

Beautiful Morning

noreply@blogger.com (Romancing the Divine) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 23:59:00 +0000

The sun is shining, the birds are singing so sweetly, and the clouds are dancing in the sky.
I walked early this morning amongst the wild mustard that is in full profusion. The bright yellow blossoms emit the most delicate fragrance, a sweet mustard-y aroma that enveloped me as I walked through the meadow, what a great way to wake up!

Welcome to my new blog, where we will discover fragrant musings to delight the curious scent seekers!