Essential Oils

Essential Oils are a growing part of the healing practices we enjoy here at Mandala and MAHA.

Essential oils are plant-derived oils used in aromatherapy, warm oil treatments, and massage to help bring the body into balance. By using the olfactory glands, essential oils access the most direct pathway to the brain.

Some tried and true uses of Essential Oils include emotional and spiritual rejuvenation, easing respiratory discomfort, anti-aging and skin care, and insect repellant. Depending on the properties of the oil oils can be used in a diffuser, rubbed on palms and directly inhaled, some can be ingested in a bit of agave or honey or mixed with oil and taken in a capsule, some are best when put directly on the skin or mixed with a carrier oil, or mixed with sea salts and mixed into a bath.

To learn more about Essential Oils, you can:

• Set up an Ayurvedic Consultation with Jolie Parcher which includes guidance on specific oils to benefit you.
• Come to our Essential Oils Group (email Jolie to join)
• Join Jolie's Essential Oils email list (email Jolie to join)
• Ask your yoga teacher. Many of our teachers use Essential Oils in their classes.
• Check out our book store at Mandala for books on Essential Oils
• Look into some of our favorite Essential Oils distributors: Young Living or Floracopeia for more information or to purchase.
• Purchase a diffuser, a variety of oils, or some of the Thieves cleaning products at Mandala.

Beginning your exploration of Essential Oils

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) has a fresh, sweet, floral, herbaceous aroma that is soothing and refreshing. Because it is the most versatile of all essential oils, no home should be without it. Lavender is an adaptogen, and therefore can assist the body when adapting to stress or imbalances. It is a great aid for relaxing and winding down before bedtime, yet has balancing properties that can also boost stamina and energy. Therapeutic-grade lavender is highly regarded for skin and beauty. It may be used to soothe and cleanse common cuts, burns including sun burn, bruises, and skin irritations.
Ways to use:

• Inhale deeply to inspire calming and focus before a challenging situation or test.
• Rub directly onto a sunburn. Can follow with unrefined organic coconut oil.
• Place 3 drops into ½ teaspoon of olive oil and dip in a cotton ball to place into the ears to sooth an earache. Can add one drop of peppermint oil if there is congestion in the ears as well.
• Drip directly onto a burn.
• Rub a few drops onto you palms and rub onto tender throat and face to tighten aging skin. Follow with simple raw oil like almond or coconut.
• Drip onto a cut for anti-bacterial wash and soothing.
• Inhale lavender deeply to help relieve hayfever.
• Drip lavender on itchy skin or bug bites.
• Use lavender on itchy eczema or psoriasis. (Gentle Baby blend is great for eczema and psoriasis relief as well) follow with raw oil like coconut to moisturize.

Peace and Calming is a gentle, fragrant blend. Helps calm tensions and uplifts the spirit, promoting relaxation and a deep sense of peace. Peace & Calming may be especially calming and comforting to young children after an overactive and stressful day.
Ways to use:

• Massage onto the bottoms of the feet to support a peaceful night's rest.
• Massage onto the bottoms of the feet in the morning to help with ADD or focusing challenges.
• Diffuse into a room where there is irritability or tension.
• Drip a couple of drops into a bathtub after a stressful day.

Peppermint (Mentha piperita) is one of the oldest and most highly regarded herbs for soothing digestion, it may also restore digestive efficiency. Dr. William N. Dember of the University of Cincinnati studied peppermint's ability to improve concentration and mental sharpness. Alan Hirsch MD studied peppermint's ability to directly affect the brain's satiety center, which triggers a sensation of fullness after meals. Peppermint is also known to be a strong anti-inflammatory and pain relieving analgesic. This powerful essential oil is often diluted in a base oil before topical application. And should not be used directly on infants or young children.
Ways to use:

• Put a teaspoon of a base oil like organic almond or coconut or castor oil in a bowl and add 6 drops or so of peppermint oil to rub onto inflamed, painful, even arthritic area.
• A couple of drops in the laundry wash cycle
• A drop or two in a bottle of water for a fresh taste.

Clarity: promotes a clear mind and alertness. It contains stimulating oils including peppermint and rosemary, which have been used for many years to promote mental sharpness. A study found that inhaling peppermint oil increased the mental accuracy of students by 28 percent. Clarity can also be used to help restore mental alertness or wakefulness when you are experiencing fatigue or drowsiness.
Ways to use:

• Rub on your big toe and the brain reflexology for focus and concentration.
• Rub in palms and breath in deeply to help wake up on a heavy morning.
• Use in diffuser to help with mental focus when working on a project or homework.
• Inhale deeply to help relieve a headache.
• A couple of drops in the bath tub for waking up.

Pan-Away: Containing wintergreen essential oil, which is often used for massage, PanAway is soothing to the skin while providing comforting warmth to muscles after exercise.
Ways to use:

• Rub directly onto arthritic fingers or toes or any inflamed swollen area. Can follow with Ortho-sport massage oil for deeply relieving treatment.
• Rub were there is a tendonitis or bursitis or achy muscles after physical exertion.

Thieves: essential oil blend was university tested for its cleansing abilities. It is highly effective in supporting the immune system and good health. Contains oils known to have analgesic, anti-bacterial and anti-viral qualities.
Ways to use:

• Place on drop in the back of your tongue as soon as you feel flu or cold or sore throat coming on. Repeat throughout the day.
• Place one drop into a teaspoon of honey and take at least 3 times a day for strep throat.
• Place a drop on the bottom of your feet or top of your head before getting onto a plane or bus or area where there is stagnant air.
• Place a drop on your head when entering a hospital.
• Place a drop on children's clothes in the flu season at school.