Aromatherapy 101: bring joy to your heart - Examiner.com

[MassageNews]

Everyone is talking about spreading holiday cheer, buying gifts, giving to charity and what they're wearing to holiday parties. But, what if you're just not feeling it this year? The stress and exhaustion of the holiday season can make you ill. Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa and New Year's celebrations are all about light, but can leave you feeling down right blue! So, how can you restore your vim, vigor and vitality this holiday season? The essential healing power of Aromatherapy 101 is your answer.

Essential oils work their physical, emotional and psychological wonders by interacting with the olfactory nerves, or entering through the skin; thus, affecting the limbic system in the brain. Aromatherapy is both an art and a science rooted in the healing practices of ancient Egyptian and Asian civilizations.

Fragrance is processed in the area of the brain that also processes memory and emotion. A good deal of perfumed products claim aromatherapy and the benefits of essential oils, but if they're made with synthetic fragrance, they're fake. To boost your mood and revitalize your energy this holiday season, try these essential oils.

Re-store Your Vim, Vigor & Vitality With:

• Cinnamon: Warming and spicy; this essential oil is used to attract wealth and abundance. Cinnamon is also used to restore low energy. A spicy holiday tip: add 3 drops of cinnamon essential oil to 2 quarts of water in a saucepan and simmer low to allow the fragrance to diffuse through your home.
• Rose: Rose oil sparks romantic passion and opens the heart to forgiveness and unconditional love. Add 2-3 drops in a carrier oil, like jojoba oil or grapeseed oil, and apply as an anti-aging skin elixir.
• Peppermint: Ease anxiety and heartache and boost a depressed mood with peppermint! This stimulating tongue-tingling holiday favorite is also a great remedy for stomach upset and nausea.
• Lavender: Lavender essential oil is a one-stop shop! Deeply relaxing, calming and earthy; lavender is centering and anti-anxiety. Lavender can create a sense of security and grounding. And it is often used to treat PTSD survivors.

Aromatherapy can help you restore your inner peace and balance. By combining this practice with your faith; when life totally spins out of control, you can remember to exhale! And remember, the reason for this season is to bring joy to your heart!