


Trends
Essential Oils: How to use them
There are three ways to use essential oils, the most common are inhalation and topical application .
It is possible to ingest essential oils, but only recommended if you are suffering from a viral infection. Please do not ingest essential oils without previously consulting an aromatherapist. Dosage is EVERYTHING! Many essential oils are DANGEROUS to ingest.
INHALATION
Indirect Inhalation: Drop 1 drop of essential oil on your pillow and enjoy a soothing aroma all night. We recommend doing this when needing deeper, more nourishing sleep. Use lavender angustifolia or lemon balm (dilution 20%). It's also a great way to help sleep when we are congested with mucus in the nose or lungs. Use cypress, inula graveolens dilution 20% or rosemary cineoil. This method is very safe for children. Aromas such as rosemary or peppermint are not so relaxing, although they will help to decongest. If you are working through an emotional process and using an essential oil such as everlasting or laurel, this method is also wonderful to continue the 'work' while you sleep.
Direct Inhalation: Meditate with an essential oil or eo blend by applying a dilution to the back or palm of your hand or directly to an aroma stick or soft tissue.
Diffusing: Add between 6 and 20 drops of essential oil(s) into a diffuser, depending on the size of the room and length of time you will be there. There are also car diffusers now on the market. We recommend our ultra sound diffuser next to your computer, in your bedroom or living area. If congested with mucus, put up to 6 drops in a bowl of hot water. Put a towel over your head and slowly inhale the steaming vapors that rise from it.
TOPICAL APPLICATION
Please ALWAYS dilute an essential oil with a carrier vegetable oil (almond, olive, wheat germ or grape seed oils etc. Many carrier oils or macerated carrier oils will also complement the work of the essential oil due to their curative properties). Olive oil is easily accessible and is quite thick, which gives a long absorption time for the skin. However, it can also make the skin feel sticky. We use almond oil in our Essence blends as it has a smooth, soft feeling on the skin. Use dilutions of 3 to 50%. Please check maximum dilution before applying.
EssencesCat provides ready made diluted blends (see Essence 1-6) and Roll-ons to apply safely from one to four times a day as needed on different locations on your body. Allow the oil to absorb for 2-3 minutes before getting dressed to avoid staining clothing.
Dilute two or more drops of oil with your chosen carrier oil and rub on your chest (for heart, lungs, anxiety etc) or neck and temples (stress, head ache) upper sternum, wrist, ears or pressure points. Application to soles of feet at night before bed is a very effective treatment.
Massage: Apply the blend on the skin and massage in. Use a warm compress (a cloth soaked in hot water, covered with dry cloth to seal the heat) after applying essential oils for deeper penetration. Leave the cloth on for 15-30 minutes. Remove immediately if uncomfortable. Apply a cold pack after essential oils when treating inflamed or swollen tissues. Before applying oils, wash your hands with soap and water.
INGESTION: It is possible to ingest 1 or 2 drops of essential oils on a spoonful of honey. As mentioned previously, this should only be done on recommendation by an aromatherapist. See Recipes with essential oils and hydrolates.
Please consult an aromatherapist. NOT ALL ESSENTIAL OILS ARE SAFE TO INGEST.
There are many creative ways of using essential oils. Enjoy finding the ones that suit you and your family!

Trends
Nou Hidrolate / New Hidrolate
Rose water as it's more commonly referred to is perhaps the most famous and magical of all the plant hydrolates. "Goddess Medicine" (Elizabeth Ashley), Cleopatra's favorite flower, and associated with Ishtar, Aphrodite, Venus and Isis. Rosewater was distilled as early as the 9th century by Al Kindi, 'Philosopher of the Arabs', writer of medicine and astrology and throughout the Arabic world to southern Asia in 10th -12th centuries.
We highly recommend reading 'Rose Goddess Medicine' by Elizabeth Ashley for in depth information on the history, Ayurvedic, Chinese, and Aromatherapy uses and MUCH more of rose essential oil and hydrolate.
Damascus Rose was discovered in Europe during the crusades, is considered to be the most beautiful and the most subtle. The hydrolate has so many active components, that its healing field is unlimited! Our Roses are of the damscena variety grown in the unique climate of Teruel, eastern Spain.
Here is a terribly brief summary of some key points:
Rose water can be used to heal skin conditions, from acne and dry skin to sunburn.
It is 'heart medicine', from emotional pain to heart palpitations and irregularities.
Rose water is refreshing and helps to increase our energy when it has been depleted.
Use to balance hormones
Awaken sensuality and desire, self confidence, ability to feel fulfillment.
Treat psychosomaic illness with rose water.
Here is more extensive information taken from 'Hydrolate Therapy, Floral Water Therapy' by Lydia Bosson:
Therapeutic Properties:
Refreshing / Refreshing
Antiseptic & antispasmodic
Appetite regulator / Appetite regulator
Psycho-emotional regulator
Anxiolytic, relief
Neurotonic
Traditional Uses:
Chronic bronchitis
Excessive appetite
Abuse of coffee, alcohol and sugar
Frigidity or impotence
Insomnia and nerves
Hepatic congestion
Cardiovascular conditions, arrhythmias and hemorrhoids
Migraines caused by hepatic congestion
Therapeutic indications for skin
Calms blemishes and rosacea
Astringent and tonic for dry skin
Calms allergic skin reactions
Eczema / Eczema
Irritation and sore eyes
Baby care
Energetic and psychoemotional indications
Pain and stress from a romantic relationship
Anger, irritation and aggression
The dying
Psychoemotional torment
depression
Chronic bronchitis caused by emotional frustration
Perfectionism in everything and lack of deep satisfaction
Argumentative
Neediness of someone else to feel secure (parents, guru)
Selfishness
Heart chakra and coronal block
Useful tip: For those of us who spend a lot of time in front of a screen working, spray some hydrolate over yourself as it regenerates and purifies the aura, it's refreshing and can be sprayed directly into tired eyes!
Final tips: Use in direct application to the skin. Ritualize the way you apply rose water. Take your time to receive her gifts. Add to your bath or diffuser. Or dap onto your wrists or face with our delicate roll on during your day.

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hydrolates

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planter

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Factory

Trends
Mundis Imaginalis of Essential oils: Experiencing Mysteries of the Divine.
Mundis Imaginalis of Essential oils: Experiencing mysteries of the divine.
Essential oils are one of the most mysterious natural substances known to us on planet Earth.
Produced by a simple chemical process, the 'essence', 'memory' or 'mystery' of a plant is captured, bottled and used by us.
Used by humans throughout millennia, in Ancient Chinese, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Medieval Arab and Modern cultures.
Essences have been reserved only for Pharoahs, Emperors, Royal Indian castes, anointing of Prophets, as gifts to Jesus, purification and burial ceremonies of human and religious deities.
Now, 5,000 years on, they are available for our everyday use. The very same oils of the anointed few - Pachuli, Myrrh, Frankinsence, Labdanum, Rose, we find in our cosmetics, living room diffusers and handbags.
Let's unpack this phenomenon.
Water contains memory, muscles hold emotional memory and our subconscious holds collective memories.
Plants also hold 'information', through a complex system of liquids and chemicals.
Plants have consciousness - a landscape of sensations, imprints, suggestions and symbols that stirs us. When we enter into a relationship with plants, our consciousness is transformed.
Now let's add the factor of time here.
Plants have been used for at least 45,000 years by humans in many spiritual and physical practices. From simply eating them and using them for fuel, to more spiritual practices of purification by their smoke and ingesting to cure or to enter into alternative consciousness.
If plants carry the memory of these ancient spiritual and physical uses in (a collective consciousness) that exists without time and space, or isn't limited by time and space, then when we come into relationship with them we experience a host of ancient information.
Places, people and substances become sacred when we make that our intention.
There is no need to 'believe' in the myths as we have been led to understand the concept of 'belief' as being dogmatic and limiting. Rather, we hold the myths and symbols lightly, use them as guides, lights and mirrors.
A game of presence, imagination and creative participation begins. We step into the story or 'energy' of an essence and allow it to permeate our being.
Just as when listening to a child, we don't look at our mobile, but give our son or daughter the attention she deserves, eye contact and time. Or when watching a film or book, we engage in the story in order to enjoy it; believing in the characters and feeling their emotions as 'real'.
This is what we can describe as active imagination with an essential oil, it's myth and symbols. Sharon Blackie describes this as listening to the dreaming land. Myth is the power of the land speaking. Myth is co-creation: “When we learn to listen to the land, the world of imagination is part of the fabric of reality. As we engage in myth and places (and plants - added by me) we engage in a process of becoming. We build a belonging and mythical resistance to the disenchantment of the world.” Sharon Blackie
So, let's be aware of how we consume essential oils, remembering who and how they have been used before us.
Perhaps we can re-encounter the gods of Apollo or Isis and create holy temples of our own with Laurel or Rose. Let's remember how Jesus was anointed with a holy oil blend by Mary Magdalene and reprimanded by the disciples for wasting money on something so precious instead of spending on the poor. In connecting to these ancient myths with essential oils, we encounter our deeper truths that rise to the surface of our consciousness.
We create our own myths, rituals and sacred spaces in our psyche and homes.
So, how do we do this?
Choose an oil. Perhaps one of your favorite oils to start with. Most often, we are attracted to an oil quite naturally, just because we adore that scent or how it makes us feel.
Read up about the legends and myths surrounding that oil. They might trace back to Ancient Greece or be from local folklore. Lydia Bosson's book 'Energetic Aromatherapy' includes a fantastic selection of oils and Elizabeth Ashley, 'The Secret Healer' has a host of in depth information in her books and blogs.
When you use an oil, do it consciously, mindfully, aware of the information encoded and held by this essence. Open yourself to observing how the oil makes you feel or what you do as you are in the presence of the oil.
Intention: You might create an intention as you engage with an oil. eg "I intend to create a calm home when I burn Lavender", or "I intend to connect to my root chakra with Cade or another tree essence."
Explore: Research essential oils from the plants that you might find living near you or in your garden. Perhaps flowers like Chamomile, Rosemary, the mints, different coniferous trees. As you use their essences, make time to go for a walk where they grow, observe the plants in their 'natural habitat' or plant some in your garden or balcony. You might like to invent a personal ceremony with one of them at a time. Get playful and personal. Plants and their essences love that!
Give the essence your time. Meditate with one oil of your choice. As you inhale the aroma, observe how it first affects your body, then your mental state - do any memories, thoughts, references come to mind? How do you engage emotions with the essence?
Any feedback or questions, please write to us at info@essenciescat.cat
Frances Bartlett, EssencesCat. June 2021