When I first heard of essential oils a decade or more ago, I just didn't get it. How, I wondered, could a fragranced oil have health benefits? What possible good could sniffing it do?

I get it now.

First, essential oils aren't fragranced. They're fragrant. When something is fragranced, an aroma has been added to it so it will smell a certain way. When something is fragrant, it's emitting an aroma that's native to it. That's a big difference.

Second, while the aroma itself can elicit a beneficial response, the true benefits lie in the vibration of the oils.

Really Good Vibrations

By vibration, I'm talking about energy, which is the gateway to quantum physics. Everything is energy, and energy impacts energy. That being the case, the energy (vibration) of essential oils impacts the energy of the person sniffing it, or applying it, or ingesting it.

If you're a person who likes or needs proof, consider how you react when you sniff a pleasant fragrance (chocolate, lemon, peppermint, vanilla, etc.) as opposed to when you sniff an unpleasant fragrance (bad breath, excrement, smelly feet, etc.).

Now, imagine choosing the fragrance with clear intention. You're layering energy upon energy upon energy, and there will be an effect. That effect will, for the most part, be different to a person, although some essential oils and blends have been shown to affect many people similarly.

Essential Oils Aren't Created Equal

This was a big "ah-ha" moment for me. Right up through early fall of this year, I might have scoffed at the notion that one brand of essential oils could be better than another.

I mean, lavender essential oil is lavender essential oil. Right?

Not right.

Until very recently, I was using a brand of essential oil that was very economical. While mostly that was due to me honoring my uber tight budget, it was also due to my ignorance about the quality of essential oils.

When I was guided to become a Young Living Essential Oils distributor, and I received my starter kit with its 10 everyday oils, I couldn't wait to sniff them all.

One by one, I opened the bottles, sniffed, and paused to appreciate its fragrance and notice its effect. When I got to the lavender oil, I was startled.

I sniffed the lavender essential oil, twice. Something about it was different. My Spidey senses were pinging, big-time.

I pulled out the economical lavender oil, and sniffed it. While at first it smelled similar to the Young Living oil, there was an after-smell that was sharp and dark; distinctly unpleasant; clearly not lavender; possibly chemical.

I sniffed it again, and had the same response, and then sniffed the Young Living oil. Lavender... and then more lavender. There was no unpleasant after-smell from Young Living's lavender.

Even though I knew, right then, that there was a big difference between the two brands of oil, I took it to Spirit:

"Is this brand of essential oil equal in quality to Young Living?"

The answer was swift and clear: "No."

To be clear, this isn't a post intended to sell you on Young Living, even though I'm an appreciative consumer.

Its intent is to inform you that there's definitely something to the vibrational benefits of essential oils, and also to urge you to consider the source if and when you seek out essential oils for your own use.

In fact, it would be to your benefit to consider the source of all products you're using to support your health and wellbeing.

And to be clear about one more thing, while Young Living's oils are far more expensive than that economical brand, I've made another interesting discovery:

I use far less of the Young Living oils to elicit the same effect I was receiving from the economical brand. Turns out, those expensive oils are economical, too.