Magical Essential Oils

Rosetta E. Clarkson, Magic Gardens

Aromatherapists use a variety of aromatic substances to facilitate healing, reduce stress, and promote a sense of well-being in their clients. Aromatherapists may employ essential oils along with aromatic fresh or dried plant material into their healing practices.

Essential Oils
Essential oils are the volatile aromatic oils of plants, leaves, and flowers. Essential oils are very potent and usually need to be diluted before being used. Never use an essential oil in its undiluted state unless otherwise noted as they may cause skin irritation if used directly on the skin.

Do not confuse essential oils with fragrance oils. Essential oils are 100% pure plant oils with no added ingredients. Fragrance oils are blends of synthetic compounds to be used for aromatic purposes only. Essential oils can be used both for medicinal and aromatic purposes. The fragrance oils are only used to scent items such as potpourris, candles and soaps.

It is beyond the scope of most herbalists and gardeners to make their own essential oils as large quantities of raw plant material are required to produce even a tiny amount of oil. High quality essential oils can be purchased at health food stores and select grocery stores. Most grocery stores and health food stores sell the oils in ¼ ounce or ½ ounce size bottles.

One of my herbal supply catalogs lists over 50 essential oils in their current catalog. Most of them are available in ¼ ounce, ½ ounce, 1 ounce, 4 ounce, 8 ounce and 16 ounce bottles. Essential oils are very concentrated, a little goes a long way. Unless you are contemplating opening your own store I would not recommend buying anything larger than a ¼ ounce or ½ ounce bottle of essential oil at a time.

Methods for using essential oils:
Here are some methods you may utilize in order to enjoy the healing and aromatic properties of essential oils:

Place two to four drops of essential oil into a large bowl full of hot, steaming water. Place a towel over your head and lower your face to within a few inches of the water. Let the aromatic steam waft over your skin until the water has cooled down and is no longer steaming. Lemon is a balancing essential oil that can used for both dry and oily skin types. After you have completed your aromatic facial treatment splash your face with cool water and pat dry with a soft towel.

Mix one cup of Epsom salts with six to eight drops of essential oil and blend together. Place this mixture into an airtight glass jar until ready to use. For a soothing and aromatic bath add ¼ cup of the scented Epsom salts to a bathtub full of warm water and enjoy a nice relaxing herb infused bath.

Place a few drops of the essential oil onto a diffuser ring that is meant to be placed over a light bulb. An alternative is to use a diffuser that is placed in a container over a tea light (small candle). The heat from the light bulb or candle will cause the essential oil to slowly vaporize while releasing the scent of the oil throughout the room.

Place a few drops of your favorite essential oil onto a cotton ball and put it in your vacuum cleaner bag or canister. The scent of the oil will be released throughout your home as you vacuum your carpets.

Place a drop or two of essential oil onto a candle before lighting it. Make sure not to get any of the oil onto the wick as this will prevent the candle from lighting properly. As the candle burns the scent of the essential oil will be released into the surrounding air.

You may combine essential oils to make your own unique blend of scented oils. A few of my favorite combinations include lemon blended with clove, rosemary blended with patchouli, and sweet basil blended with rose geranium. Experiment with different combinations of essential oils to come up with your own unique combinations.

Magical associations of essential oils:
Essential oils can be used in your magical spells and rituals. Here are a few of my favorite essential oils.

Sweet basil - Ocimum basilicum - sweet basil is an energizing and uplifting oil with a very refreshing, clean scent. Basil essential oil can be used to help relieve mild depression and fatigue. This oil blends well with lavender, rose geranium, and thyme. I like to use this oil in my essential oil diffuser to scent my home office.

Planet=sun, element=fire, magical uses=mood elevator, leadership, prosperity, protection.

Bay - Laurus nobilis - this oil is calming and grounding and blends well with all citrus based oils, lavender and rosemary

Planet=sun, element=fire, magical uses=divination, meditation, purification.

German chamomile - Matricaria recutita - this is a calming and relaxing oil. Be careful when using this dark blue colored oil it as it can stain any object it comes into contact with. This essential oil is a terrific one to use as a facial steam treatment for your skin. German chamomile can also be used to help relieve mild depression, insomnia and a variety of digestive complaints. This oil blends well with lavender, marjoram and ylang ylang

Planet=Venus, element=water, magical uses=dream work, meditation.

Clove bud - Eugenia caryophyllata - this oil is energizing and stimulating. It also smells wonderful when mixed with a bit of lavender, lemon or ylang ylang essential oil. Clove bud oil can also be used to help treat acne, athlete's foot, and the pain associated with a toothache

Planet.=Jupiter, element=fire, magical uses=courage, healing, memory enhancement, protection.

Lavender - Lavandula angustifolia - this is a harmonizing, soothing, and rejuvenating oil. It can be used to help relieve mild depression and insomnia. Lavender blends well with most citrus and floral scents in addition to clover, patchouli, and rosemary. This is a great oil to use to help relieve a tension headache. I like to rub a few drops of the oil into my temples before lying down in a quiet, dark room to recuperate.

Planet=Mercury, element=air, magical uses=dream work, healing, love.

Lemon Citrus - limonum - this is a energizing and refreshing oil which blends well with lavender, tea tree, and ylang ylang. This essential oil can be used to help relieve tension headaches and sooth insect bites and is a fantastic treatment for both dry and oily skin types.

Planet.=sun, element=fire, magical uses=healing, leadership, mood elevator, prosperity, purification.

Lemon grass - Cymbopogon citratus - this essential oil blends well with lavender, tea tree and ylang ylang.

Planet=Mercury, element=air, magical uses=mood elevator, prosperity, purification.

Marjoram - Origanum marjoram - this oil blends well with a variety of scents including basil, chamomile, lavender, orange, tea tree, and thyme

Planet.=Mercury, element=air, magical uses=immortality, dream work, leadership.

Patchouli - Pogostemon cablin - this is an earthy, musky and slightly herbal scented oil. It can be used as a fixative to extend the life of other scents. It is an aphrodisiac and can be used in love magic. Patchouli blends well with citrus scents and clove oil

Planet.=Saturn, element=earth, magical uses=aphrodisiac, love, prosperity.

Peppermint - Mentha piperita - this oil blends well with all citrus scented oils in addition to lavender and marjoram. This is another one of my favorite oils to use in my essential oil diffuser. Peppermint oil helps to get rid of excess gas and is a useful herb to use in cases of insomnia, stress, and mental fatigue. A steam inhalation of this essential oil will bring relief to colds, bronchitis, coughs, and asthma.

Planet=Mercury, element=air, magical uses=healing, protection, purification.

Rose geranium - Pelargonium graveolens x asperium - balancing and refreshing. This oil has a light mint-rose scent and it is a cleansing and emollient herb which can be used as a facial steam. Rose geranium can also be used to help relieve mild depression, premenstrual syndrome, and for its antiseptic and relaxant properties. The rose-mint scent of this essential oil makes it a terrific addition to your homemade cosmetics such as salves, lotions, and scented oils. It is also a fantastic oil to use in your essential oil diffuser. Blends wells with basil, chamomile, clove, lavender, peppermint, rosemary and thyme.

Planet=Venus, element=water, magical uses=love magic, protection.

Rosemary - Rosmarinus officinalis - this is an invigorating and stimulating essential oil. It can be used to help improve your memory and as an aid to hair growth. Rosemary can also be an aid to respiratory problems, fatigue, stress related headaches, and digestive disorders. This oil blends well with lavender, oregano, thyme, basil, peppermint, and clove essential oils. Rosemary essential oil should be avoided by anyone suffering from high blood pressure.

Planet=Sun, element=fire, magical uses=immortality, love, memory enhancer.

Orange - Citrus sinensis - sweet orange essential oil can be used to help relieve mild depression and insomnia. And thanks to its relaxing qualities it is also a great herb to choose if you are feeling stressed out. It can also be used to help treat oily skin. There are a variety of orange essential oils available in the marketplace. Sweet orange oil comes from the peel of sweet oranges while bitter orange oil is produced form the peel of bitter oranges. Petitgrain is distilled from the leaves and twigs of the orange tree while neroli, one of the more expensive varieties of essential oil, is produced from orange blossoms.

Planet=Sun, element=fire, magical uses=magical ability, purification.

Tea tree - Melaleuca alternifolia - this is a healing and purifying oil. It blends well with clove, lavender, marjoram, rosemary and thyme. Tea tree has a myriad of uses and will help to eliminate a variety of bacteria, fungi, and viruses. It can be applied directly to the skin to help get rid of acne and athletes foot and it can also help heal minor cuts and scrapes

Planet.=Mercury, element=air, magical uses=healing, protection, purification.

White thyme - Thymus vulgaris - courage. Blends well with lavender, lemon, rosemary and marjoram

Planet=Venus, element=water, magical uses=courage, healing.

Ylang ylang - Cananga odorata - this is a relaxing and stress reducing oil. It has a heavy, jasmine-like odor so use it sparingly so as not to overpower your senses. This oil is an aphrodisiac and can be blended with citrus scents, clove, lavender and rose

Planet=Venus, element=water, magical uses=aphrodisiac, love magic, mood elevator.

Essential Oil Suppliers
www.aromatherapy.com
www.essentialoil.com
www.newdirectionsaromatics.com

Resources
Cunningham, Scott. Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Pubications, 2002.

Cunningham, Scott. The Complete Book of Incense, Oils and Brews. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1989.

Lawless, Julia. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils. London: Element, 1995.

Woorwood, Valerie Ann. The Complete Book of Essential OIls & Aromatherapy. San Rafael, CA: New World Library, 1991.