Essential Oils: Q and A

lavender, essential oils, lavender oil,

lavender fields

Questions and Answers about Essential Oils:

I was delighted to discover on your website that you’re an essential oil practitioner because I have a couple of questions. :)  How many times must one apply an essential oil before experiencing its affect?

It varies – there is generally an immediate effect, especially on the emotional level (i.e. Peace and Calming can immediately help to relieve tension and stress just by breathing it.) For longer-standing issues, it can take longer to have an effect, and for acute issues it can work right away (like Purification on a bug bite for example, and peppermint can often relieve a headache quickly)

 Also, I find that I don’t always enjoy the scent of an essential oil prescribed for a symptom that I’m experiencing.  Should I just follow my nose?

I’d talk to whoever has prescribed it first.  And, it makes sense that you might not enjoy the scent of one that is actually needed. Funny, but we don’t always like/enjoy what is needed for healing and transformation! If it’s not specified where on your body to place it, one way to deal with this is to put it on the bottoms of your feet. An excellent way to absorb the benefits, without needing to smell it.

  For years I’ve found myself standing in front of the essential oils at Sprouts and Whole Foods but, not sure what to do with them.

essential oils, EOs, Young Living,

a few of my favorite Essential Oils!

You might want to take a class (a lot of people who sell Young Living or doTerra offer free classes to introduce people to their products, and there are reputable aromatherapy classes online if you’re interested in learning more), or get a book or two to start.  If you start looking at bookstores or online, you’ll find dozens of great essential oils books, both reference books and more in depth books about aromatherapy.  I also have a blog post with some basics to help you get started, here.

That said, I do own a few bottles of essential oils and I use two of them (lavender and orange) together for a bath soak.  The other oil I have is grapefruit, I just LOVE this fresh scent!  Is it okay to just wear?

Lavender is fine to wear – safe for skin even for children. Citrus oils need caution on the skin. They can cause a sensitivity/reaction, so you can either dilute with some  vegetable oil, like almond or jojoba oil, or diffuse in a room, which is very beneficial as well. If you’re fine with it in your bath, it’s probably spread out on the water enough to be fine. Water doesn’t dilute EOs though, only regular oils, like almond, olive, coconut oils do. If you need to remove an EO, use a vegetable oil. Citrus are generally uplifting and wonderful to use in your home.

  And, can I apply it anywhere on my body or, must it be worn on a certain part(s) of the body?

If it’s safe for the skin, which most EOs are, it’s fine to put anywhere (not eyes or other tender skin), and remember a drop goes a long way! You can always dilute with a vegetable oil if you’re not sure, and watch for any reaction. There are a few (bergamot for one) that create sun sensitivity, so you need to be sure to put those somewhere covered.

I hope this is helpful. Please write me if you have other questions about essential oils, Reiki, or any other healing modalities that you are curious about, and I’ll do my best to answer!

First Aid with Reiki and Remedies that Work

Healing an Injured Knee

This weekend I had a couple of small “accidents” that made me so grateful for my home first aid kit and Reiki!  Saturday, while walking my dog Tilly, I tripped and landed with full force on my left knee.  I knew it could be serious, as I felt it swelling quickly. I sat down immediately and applied Reiki directly for about 5 minutes, until I could feel the pain and inflammation recede. My sweet little dog was confused, but after a minute lay down in front of me and waited.  We were able to continue our walk, though I made it a short one.  I mostly rested it that day, and took Arnica homeopathic remedy as soon as I got home to help relieve the swelling and bruising.  I also took Rescue Remedy, a flower essence that is excellent for any physical or emotional trauma or stress.  It helped my body release the trauma quickly, so the healing can begin quickly.

I continued to give Reiki to my knee off and on all day, iced it, and took Arnica 30C a few more times before bed. When I woke the next morning, I had no pain at all!  I could see and feel a bruise where I’d landed, but I could tell it was mostly healed already and that it would continue to resolve easily.

Remedies to Keep on Hand

  • Rescue Remedy – I carry a bottle of drops in my purse, have one in my medicine cabinet, and always travel with it as well. It is invaluable for any situation where you have a physical trauma (accident, cut, burn, fall…) and for an emotional stress or trauma as well (frightening news, an accident, any kind of shock, etc) Costs about $10-15/bottle.
  • Arnica 30c Homeopathic Remedy – this is excellent for anything involving bruising or swelling, especially if you start when you first become aware of it.  It can be taken if you sprain or strain a muscle, fall or have an accident with any force, before and after many medical or dental procedures (surgery, tooth removal, etc.)  Costs about $10-15/bottle.
  • Flexible frozen ice pack – you can reuse these flexible ice packs endlessly. It helps when you need to apply ice to a curved part of the body, which applies to most parts! If you don’t have one in the freezer, frozen vegetables work well too (peas, corn…) Costs about $5-10 for a reusable ice pack.
  • Reiki! Once you have taken a Reiki class and are attuned, you have the healing energies of Reiki available to you forever.  This universal healing force is available at all times, at no cost and has amazing abilities to bring healing on the emotional, physical and spiritual levels.  The sooner a trauma is addressed, the easier and faster it is to heal.  See here for more about learning Reiki to use for healing yourself and others.
  • Lavender Essential Oil – this is an all around fabulous healing oil for so many things! It is excellent applied directly to the skin for burns, small scrapes and bug bites.  It also helps to relax, can be used at bedtime to calm and create a relaxed environment for sleep. It’s an adaptogen, meaning it will give you what you need, so if you need to wake up and have more energy, it can help with that as well. Therapeutic grade, organic essential oils are important – Young Living is one brand I use and recommend.  See here for more about using Essential Oils. To order Young Living brand essential oils, sign up as a member and use my member number: 553228.
  • Coconut Oil – this is excellent for the skin, for soothing and moisturizing dry skin.  It’s a good soothing, healing oil, useful for burns and small cuts and I’ve known people to use it for healing tattoos too. I also use it for cooking and put a big spoonful in my morning smoothie, as it has so many health benefits I can’t list them all here.  I like to use organic, raw and unrefined coconut oil. If you don’t  like the coconut smell and taste, you can use the refined coconut oil on your skin or in cooking.

Healing a Burn

The next evening, I was hungry and in a hurry, and reached in to the (hot!) toaster to retrieve a small piece of delicious nut/seed bread. Somehow my thumb pressed onto a burning hot piece of metal, and I leapt back quickly. I immediately stuck it under running cold water, as my thumb had searing pain. i could tell right away this was a worse burn than I’ve had before from just quickly touching a rack in the oven, as the cold water didn’t begin to take away the burning sensation.

Next, I got an ice cube wrapped in a clean paper towel and applied that, while I went to get my Lavender Essential Oil. I applied a couple drops of Lavender Oil directly to the area – I could see the skin raised and red about a half inch long.  It started to cool and the pain started to subside.  Again, I took Rescue Remedy, as when we have physical pain, our body registers it as trauma and shock.  I gave Reiki around my thumb, without touching the skin since it was tender, and continued off and on whenever it started to heat up. About an hour later it was much better, but still burning when I took off the ice, and I was concerned about being able to sleep comfortably.  I put another drop of Lavender EO on it, and also some pure coconut oil, which brought some soothing relief.

I gave Reiki to my thumb and did a full Reiki treatment on myself before going to sleep.  I do this most days anyway, but felt it was especially important after these two separate accidents! I clearly wasn’t being very present and aware in my movement, and an overall Reiki treatment helps me get more grounded, more relaxed, and more “in” my body.

When I woke the next morning, I had NO pain, and it was still a tiny bit red and raised, but MUCH less than the night before.  Today, the second day, it looks like this, and it’s hard to see.

healing, Reiki, essential oils, home remedies,

One day later, the burn is almost completely healed!

I hope these simple remedies are helpful to you! They’ve been my daily companions for many years and I am so grateful to have them. I’d love to hear if you would share your own remedies that you find especially helpful.

Gratitude for 7 Years of Oneness Blessing Circles in Tucson

I am delighted to be moving to Makawao, on Maui in just a few short weeks, on March 1, so I had our last Oneness Blessing Circle in our home in Tucson, Arizona 2 nights ago.  It was filled with love, gratitude, tears, joy, laughter, sweet friendships and connections, and so many blessings… the same as every other Weekly Wednesday Oneness Circle has been for nearly 7 years!  There are wonderful memories to carry us forward, and the divine grace of the Oneness Blessing will stay with each of us, no matter where we are. I am forever blessed and grateful for this community.

Oneness Blessing Givers,

Long-time Oneness Blessing Givers: Carla, Lucia, Breeze, Cindy, Angel and Walid

Here are some long-time Deeksha Givers who have all brought so much to this circle (Kat and Jon Michael were missing from the photo, and as dedicated Oneness Trainers have each done so much as well) – there are so many more of you, and I thank you all!  Notice the purple light/orb right above our heads!

 

 

 

 

Deeksha, Oneness Blessing

Deeksha Circle, 2013

Deeksha, Oneness Blessing

Deeksha Circle, 2013

Deeksha, Oneness Blessing

Deeksha Circle, 2013

Fortunately, there are several options to continue to receive Deeksha in Tucson: If you’d like to be updated about other Oneness Events in Tucson, please join the Facebook Group Oneness Tucson for the most accurate and current updates.  You can also join this Meetup: Awaken Tucson Into Oneness   and you can email Kat Reinhardt (also currently in India!) to be put on the email list to receive updates about Tucson Oneness Events!

If you are on Maui, I will be coordinating with others who offer the Oneness Blessing on Maui and plan to offer a weekly circle in our home there, starting mid-March! I look forward to meeting you there. Please sign up for my newsletter for the day, time and address.

I will be expanding my hours available for Distant Reiki Transformational Healing Sessions once I’m on Maui, beginning the first week of March!  I’ll be offering a special rate for anyone who books a Distant Healing session for the first time and will continue to offer my monthly Free Distant Healing sessions by phone every 3rd Tuesday. The next one is Feb. 18!

Zelie and I will be offering more Spiritual Retreats in Hawaii, and will be sending out an update soon but we do have spaces available for our May and August dates – please let us know asap if you are interested in either of those, or our June 7/8 Seattle workshop. Thank you!

A hui hou – until we meet again…
love and blessings,
Lucia