"How I Use Essential Oils"... This post would be a whole lot shorter if it was titled, "How I Don't Use Essential Oils." :-)

Conventional Uses

The conventional uses of essential oils are aromatic and topical. I make good use of them.

Aromatic

This is purely about the aroma of the oils. I may dispense a drop or two into my hands, cup my hands close to my face, and then inhale deeply and repeatedly, or I may add eight or nine drops to my diffuser and let the aroma fill the room.

In either case, it's all about the aroma of the essential oils, and the response it triggers in me. For example:

• Lavender evokes a contented sigh and a smile. For me, it's equally calming and uplifting.

• Lemon evokes a brightening and heightening sensation. For me, it's a great wake-up call.

• Peppermint evokes a tingling and happy sensation. For me, it evokes candy canes (Christmas) and childhood.

Topical

This is about applying the oils to the skin. I may add a few drops to a carrier oil for massage purposes. I may combine a drop with a moisturizer for my face. I may apply a specific oil blend to a sore muscle.

This usage is mostly about physical response. For example:

• A drop of frankincense added to a few drops of vitamin E oil makes an awesome face moisturizer.

• A drop or two of PanAway added to a tablespoon of coconut oil and rubbed into a sore shoulder is wonderfully warming. (Not to mention, it smells fantastic!) Supersize the effect by layering a warm grain sack over the oiled-up shoulder.

• A few drops of Peace & Calming, or Peace & Calming II, added to a couple tablespoons of jojoba oil or sweet almond oil can make a relaxing therapeutic massage transformative... Heavenly.

Unconventional (Traditional?) Uses

The unconventional (traditional?) uses of essential oils are: meditational and energetic. Those uses can be interchangeable. I'm a huge fan of both.

Meditational

This is about using oils in an aromatic fashion to specifically support the meditation experience.

• Apply a drop or two of essential oil to your palms, and bring them loosely together, prayer-hand style, at your heart center. As you breathe in, the aroma of the oil will be present.

• Add eight or nine drops of essential oil to your diffuser, and allow the aroma to envelop you during your meditation session.

Oils that I love for meditation:

Awaken, Clarity, Envision, Highest Potential, Inspiration, Magnify Your Purpose, Present Time, Sacred Mountain, Surrender, Transformation, and White Angelica

They're all essential-oil blends - synergies.

Energetic

This is about using oils as and/or with energy work. This usage is the one I consider my wheelhouse and is a constant source of surprise and appreciation.

• Apply one-half drop or so of essential oil to each of your seven chakra points. For me, it sometimes happens that I'll apply one oil to all chakra points. It also sometimes happens that I'll apply as many as five.

• Follow a protocol, like the Raindrop Technique, or Egyptian Emotional Clearing Technique. For me, I experienced the Egyptian protocol about 18 months ago, and it still blows me away to remember it. I've also been guided to develop protocols, which I plan to offer up here on my site in the very near future.

• While in practice offering Reiki or Master Energy or other energy-healing work, allow yourself to be guided to the oils your client needs. For me, I've used as few as three and as many as 11 essential oils in the scope of a single session on a single person. Think: amplification and magnification and, "Holy crap." :-)

A word of caution when using oils with other people: You must consider contraindications. Is the person pregnant? Is there a diagnosis of epilepsy or something similar? Ask.

So...

That's how I use essential oils. In effect, overall, it's pretty much a no-usage-left-behind approach.