by Jacquie Schmall

Created on: March 03, 2010

Before manufacturing, before technology, before encyclopedias, essential oils were available, and are as magical today, as they were then. Essential oils are mentioned hundreds of times in the Bible, and among a myriad of adaptations, were used in ancient Egypt to embalm the dead. One of the major ingredients of that solution was the essential oil of Myrrh, because it was already known to inhibit spoilage, in fact, an inhibition of bacteria.

Essential oils, are not oils in the strict sense, but are processed from the fluid part of plants, and are water soluble. Early civilizations knew about their value, and used them for medicinal purposes. Somewhere in the early nineteenth century, a document known as the Ebers papyrus was discovered. It was a record of more than 800 prescriptions and remedies. Other scrolls have indicated the Egyptians treated more than eighty diseases with essential oil preparations.

A major quality of essential oils is the very small size of their molecular structure. They are small enough to pass through the blood/brain barrier, and thereby more effectively treat the whole body, including the brain. This is not the case in many of the elements used in Allopathic medicine, where the molecular size of the makeup, prevents them from getting through the blood/brain barrier, thus inhibiting the efficacy of certain treatments. 

Essential oils are magical. They can be useful through aromatic use, or direct application on the skin. Since they are water soluble, when applied to the skin, they are quickly absorbed. Lavender oil is extremely soothing, and is the primary reason many commercial products enhance relaxation and/or sleep. Dabbed on the wrist, the Lavender fragrance will perform through a stressful incident, decreasing anxiety. Dabbed on the wrist, and behind the ear, will significantly help soothe a person to relax into sleep.

A note of warning with essential oils. They are magical to be sure, but if left on a finger that then rubs an eye, the eye will feel burning hot. After applying an essential oil, be sure hands are washed.

There are a significant number of essential oils, and it isn't necessary to own all of them. Some of them are effective through Aromatherapy, where the oil is placed in a special dispenser that keeps it flowing into the air. It can also be dabbed on a light bulb, which when turned on will emit that fragrance into the air. So it can be used merely as a room freshener, or as a remedy for a health condition.

In order to get the most out of their potential magic, It is important for the user to have some knowledge about these oils. Among others, Young Living is a reliable source of these oils, and one that publishes a book on their appropriate usage. The efficacy of many oils is increased by combining them with others. That does require specific knowledge about the reputation of the oils involved.

There is some interesting diversity. Boswellia can be obtained in a capsule, and is good as an aid to stomach problems. When it is in essential oil form, it is called Frankincense, and applied on various growths will help diminish the blood flow to them, therefore reducing their size. In the case of essential oils, magic is as magic does.

They are incredible remedies. However, researching the specifics  needed from an essential oil, is essential too.

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