What is Subtle Aromatherapy?
‘CULTURES THAT ARE VERY MUCH IN TOUCH WITH THE EARTH AND ALL THAT GROWS IN IT, BELIEVE UNRESERVEDLY THAT PLANTS HAVE A SPIRIT.’
- Valerie Ann Worwood
OBVIOUSLY A PLANT IS UNABLE TO SPEAK, SO TO COMMUNICATE WITH IT WE HAVE TO GET INTO THE SPIRITUAL ‘SPACE’ WE SHARE WITH IT.
Clarity on definitions before we get started:
AROMATHERAPY
is a holistic healing treatment that uses natural plant extracts to promote health and well-being. Sometimes it's called essential oil therapy. Aromatherapy uses aromatic essential oils medicinally to improve the health of the body, mind, and spirit. It enhances both physical and emotional health
SUBTLE AROMATHERAPY
is the use of essential oils in non-physical ways, it can be described as a form of vibrational healing, by drawing on the subtle, energetic or vibrational qualities of essential oils.
let’s break it down even further - shall we?
SUBTLE
means: (especially of a change or distinction) so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyse or describe.
therefore: a subtle body is one of a series of psycho-spiritual constituents of living beings, according to various esoteric and mystical teachings. According to such beliefs each subtle body corresponds to a subtle plane of existence, in a hierarchy or great chain of being that culminates in the physical form.
AROMA
distinctive, typically pleasant smell (eg: "the tantalizing aroma of fresh coffee")
subtle, pervasive quality or atmosphere. (eg: “the aroma of officialdom")
THERAPY
treatment intended to relieve or heal a disorder.
YOU HAVE TO GET BEYOND THOUGHT, INTO EMPATHY AND FEELING, THROUGH FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION.
What is remarkable about essential oils & subtle aromatherapy practices is that they influence the whole being. Just as they are the catalyst that can make a wound heal, or a mind relax, so they can transport a soul.
I know of little to no other substances that can do that. They are flexible, adaptable, multifaceted, deep, complex, light, subtle, etheric, and magical, all in a positive and miraculous way.
“If molecules could be angels, they would surely be essential oils”.
Valerine Ann Worwood
ESSENTIAL OILS HAVE BEEN USED AND REVERED ALL THROUGHOUT HISTORY. THE BIBLE HAS OVER 300 REFERENCES TO ESSENTIAL OILS WITHIN IT.
Essential oils were also used in Chinese and Egyptian Medicine. In fact, they found several hundred litres of partly empty alabaster jars of essential oils in King Tut's tomb when it was opened - And Cleopatra was known to use essential oils in her beauty spa. Essential oils were and are still used to inaugurate kings and queens.
The reason that essential oils were used so widely in Egyptian medicine? Because essential oils were quite simple to extract from plants by what's called distillation or cold pressing.
Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, is famous for saying, "Let food be thy medicine." He prescribed essential oils for healing over 2,000 years ago.
EXAMPLES OF WAYS TO INCORPORATE SUBTLE AROMATHERAPY INTO ENERGY MEDICINE & HEALING PROTOCOLS:
~ Acupressure
~ Reiki (learn more here)
~ Breathwork aka pranayama
~ Chromotherapy (light and colour therapy)
~ Crystal healing
~ Flower remedy therapy (learn more here)
~ Bodywork including yoga
~ Meditation & visualisation
~ Sound healing
FAQ’s
ARE ESSENTIAL OILS SAFE?
Essential oils, properly used, are safe and effective for many routine practices. Because the industry as a whole has no governing body, it’s critical for consumers to go with a trusted brand. There is always a concern that unlisted or hidden ingredients, or dangerous processing techniques leading to contamination, could be lurking. Study up on the different oils, their risks and benefits; consult with a trusted advisor and always read the fine print on the bottle or pamphlet about how to use them.
DO THE OILS CONNECT YOU TO A HIGHER SOURCE?
When people use stones, sound, dance and plants, they are seeking to make the connection with something they already know is there. These things are not the reason for spirituality, but a means to spirituality. People want to reconnect, and they feel they need help. Essential oils can and do provide an effective conduit to help transport the soul.
DO THE OILS CARRY VIBRATION?
Essential oils are crystalline structures that carry light. They vibrate, and cause selective synchronous vibration; they are electromagnetic, as we are ourselves. They are thought to travel through the interstitial fluid and the extra-cellular spaces in our bodies – the space between the cells, where the molecules of emotion may also travel, as described by psycho-immunologist Candace Pert in Molecules of Emotions. It’s no wonder that fragrance has been used since the beginning of time to connect people with the divine, lifting us to finer, higher vibrations, in touch with wider consciousness.
THE MOST IMPORTANT COMMENT ABOUT SOURCING OILS?
Sourcing ingredients is far more complex than it has ever been, and this is especially the case when it comes to essential oils. Any essential oil distilled from a plant lovingly grown in unsullied soil, under an unpolluted sky, by caring people, and distributed by a company working with integrity and respect, is going to have a good energy. Nature vibrates with its own joy of life in which we can share and, indeed, essential oils produced under such favourable conditions appear to have a more beneficial affect on the sick or wounded than those distilled from plants subjected to polluted growing conditions, chemical adulteration or negative thought-forms. When considering using essential oils for subtle healing and spiritual purposes, the energetic aspects of production are equally important. The first step, then, is to consider the question of supply. Do your homework. Ask questions and be open as you journey through your findings. Some practical tips to look out for - Does the label include the plant’s botanical name, plant part, country of origin, distillation date and/or expiration date? regarding the cost: If it's too good to be true, it probably is. Has the oils undergone sufficient testing? Especially GC/MS testing.
WHICH OIL BRAND IS THE BEST?
Ultimately, after the various mechanical means of purity analysis, there is one judge of aroma: the nose, the most direct pathway to the mind and spirit. This might be obvious, but a good way to know if you're oil is pure is how it smells! The way to train a nose is by comparison – opening the tester bottles of the various brand-named essential oils and taking a sniff. If your chosen oil doesn't really deliver in the aroma department like you thought it would, it's worth considering it may not be as pure as you wanted it to be. Essential oils are highly distilled and concentrated and are powerful. After a while, you’ll find outlets that carry oils with a purity, clarity and energy that stand out. Take your time though, make it a mission, it’s worth the effort. Talk to the shopkeepers and find out about their sources. That won’t tell you the whole story, but it might give you a clue here and there. Seek, as they say, and you shall find. In saying all of this, I use and advocate for doTERRA essential oils, and am a proud affiliate for their quality and efficacy. I trust their sourcing methods and their purity, and have been using them since 2016.
HOW TO CHOOSE ESSENTIAL OILS FOR SUBTLE HEALING?
When choosing an essential oil for subtle healing or spiritual connection, the chemical constituents are less important because they are not being required to act on the physical, chemical matter of the human body. What is most important is the energy of the essential oil, its vibrational note, which interacts with our own spiritual harmonic note as part of the universal symphony. You may choose to include the colour of plant part used or of the essential oil, and connect it to the colour of the chakra / energy centre you’d like to harmonise. You could also look at the part of the plant, and what it’s used for medicinally / therapeutically, and tie it to the organ or system in the body which then will ultimately relate to an energy centre or layer. The plant’s shape will have an affect on our energy, as will it’s temperament (eg: it’s preferred climate and conditions, geography and optimal growing preferences. I also love connecting the folklore of the plant (how it was used historically) to determine the best way it can support energetic healing.
HOW TO CHOOSE OILS FOR THERAPEUTIC SUPPORT?
When working with essential oils for first aid, or for physical ailments, although the energetic aspects of essential oils are important, they are not as important as choosing an essential oil with the chemical properties to do the job then required of it. Resource links which I’ve found helpful are: AROMATICA VOLUME 1 & AROMATICA VOLUME 2 ; www.aromaticscience.com ; THE HEALING INTELLIGENCE OF ESSENTIAL OILS
HOW TO USE ESSENTIAL OILS?
3 Ways to use essential oils
Topically (applying to your skin) - eg: acu-point therapy.
Most essential oils are a concentration of about 10 to 70 times what you would find in the normal plants. For instance one drop of pure essential peppermint oil is the equivalent to over 20 cups of peppermint tea. So a little goes a long, long way. Dilute then with a carrier oil at first, to test whether you have any sensitivity to the oils.
Aromatic (inhaling from your hands or using a diffuser) - eg: aromatherapy massage and or emotional healing techniques.
When the oils are diffused the aromatic molecules are released into the air and inhaled. They interact with the body's olfactory nerves and the limbic system. The limbic system is connected to parts of the brain which can control blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, memory, stress levels and emotions.
Internal (a drop or two in your mouth, or put in a vegetable capsule).
ONLY USE OILS INTERNALLY THAT HAVE A “SUPPLEMENT” LABEL ON THE BOTTLE.
HOW TO DIFFUSE ESSENTIAL OILS?
I usually add 3 to 8 drops to a diffuser, depending on how many oils I’m combining, the size of the room, and how strong I want the aroma / scent.
WHAT IS AROMATHERAPY USED FOR?
Aromatherapy may promote relaxation and help relieve stress. It has also been used to help treat a wide range of physical, spiritual, emotional and mental conditions.
HOW TO USE ESSENTIAL OILS TO CHANGE YOUR MOOD?
The easiest way to get the aromatic benefits of an essential oil is by simply taking a few drops from the bottle into the palm of your hands. Cup your hands around your mouth and nose and inhale, breathing deeply for as long as needed.
WHERE TO BUY REPUTABLE ESSENTIAL OILS?
SHOP DIRECT FROM doTERRA THROUGH ARIANNA AS YOUR GUIDE AND MENTOR (click JOIN AND SAVE & follow the prompts) or
FILL THIS FORM IN AND ARIANNA WILL CREATE A CUSTOM KIT FOR YOU CONSIDERING YOUR UNIQUE WELLNESS NEEDS
WHICH ESSENTIAL OILS TO USE FOR WHAT?
You can read and research via the doTERRA website here
or alternatively you can apply now to have your own bespoke kit curated for your unique energy
HOW TO SELECT QUALITY ESSENTIAL OILS?
If you are looking for quality essential oils that are vital and of the grade that one would use therapeutically, there are a few points to keep in mind. This list below was adapted from Aroma Web ~ online essential oil educators and providers of helpful resources, written by my AromaPoint teacher, Tiffany Carole. download the article here