The Root to Healing
As far back as records have been found, essential oils have been mentioned as a valued resource; Frankincense and Myrrh were gifted to the Christ child, along with 188 other references to essential oils in the bible. Essential oils are the extremely concentrated life essence of select aromatic plants. These highly volatile substances contain unique therapeutic properties and are utilized in the practice of Aromatherapy. “Aromatherapy is defined most simply as “the ancient art of healing by scent”. However, behind this simple phrase is a complex system in which essential oils are extracted from plants and used to heal and maintain the human body and mind.” (NAHA Women of Aromatherapy, 1996.) Utilizing knowledge of the chakras can aid in choosing essential oils that can be used to release stored emotions that have manifested into symptoms and to promote overall balance and well being.
If you have ever walked into a kitchen while cookies are baking, you understand how scent can instantly affect your mood. The scent travels through your nostrils, up into your olfactory receptors which allows you to identify aroma and relay information directly to the limbic system of the brain where memories are stored and emotions are processed. Essential oils are no different, once they are inhaled they can access the limbic system of the brain. “More recently, studies at New York University proved that the amygdala gland (the gland in the limbic system of the brain that stores and releases trauma in the body) does not respond to sound or sight or touch, but only releases emotional trauma through the sense of smell.” (Mein, 2020).
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Fight or flight, a response that has kept our species alive for many years is triggered by the emotion of fear. “Emotions are bioregulatory reactions that aim at promoting, directly or indirectly, the sort of psychological states that secure not just survival but survival regulated into the range that we, conscious and thinking creatures, identify with well-being.” (Manstead et al., 2004). Simply put, emotions are chemical responses to stimuli: energy that enters into the limbic system of the brain to be processed. Our brain then sends out signals to the body to have physical or emotional sensations, which are feelings.
Every feeling, every thought - every emotion we experience sends a message to each cell in our body. The depth and strength of the message each cell receives is determined by the intensity of the response to the message, and the intensity of the feeling that is connected with it. This message is then imprinted in the memory of each cell and creates an identity and an energy all on it’s own (Truman, 2003).
These imprints can have a negative effect on our lives if they are not processed fully and can lead to difficulties that can take an immense amount of time to uncover later on.
Unaddressed emotions can manifest in our body in a way of symptoms:
When negative feelings are not resolved as they occur, these feelings remain very much alive in your physical energy field (body) and these feelings affect each day of your life. These buried feelings are very real. They are energies in and of themselves. They are alive, living, and constantly affecting you. These buried feelings have a personality, and these feelings that have been buried alive will, of necessity, have to manifest themselves sooner or later (Truman, 2003).
This process can lead to feeling out of control or suppressing the emotions completely. These emotions are stored in the body until pain or disease is present.
Trauma is usually perceived as a very extreme experience of emotional distress, but it can be explained in much simpler terms. Trauma is emotional energy that is stuck and needs to be released. It can be a terrible incident that someone has experienced like being inside of a burning home, but it can also be a more simple story. I was chatting with my friend who is a full time nanny. She told me a story about a child she was caring for. The little girl had fallen asleep in the car on the way home. Once they were home, the nanny had taken the other children out of the car to play while leaving her with the windows down to continue to sleep. When the little girl woke up without anyone around, still strapped into her car seat, she had to use the bathroom. She couldn't get out, panicked and screamed and no one heard her. She had wet herself in the car seat. A few minutes later, the nanny had come back but the little girl was frantic. Weeks later, the little girl still had a terrible fear of being left alone and screams loudly if everyone is out of sight. While this may not seem like a traumatic experience, it has left this little girl with trauma. “Trauma is any event that we had the experience of too much too soon, our nervous system went into a state of overwhelm and we were unable to resolve the event. We are unable to understand and process the event - part of us becomes stuck in that trauma and unable to move on.” (Shetty, 2021)
Chakras, or the 7 major power centers in the body are constantly filtering through the energy that is encountered, either storing it or releasing it. Gaining knowledge and understanding of these chakras may create a valuable link between certain symptoms within the body to what area of the life may be out of balance:
Emotions themselves are stored in the body in its organs, glands, and systems. Feelings are taken in through the chakras, or energy centers along the midline of the body and then fed into the meridian system which consists of energy channels that run over and through the body. Since each organ has a vibrational frequency, as do emotions, the emotions will settle in an area with a corresponding frequency. Disease occurs when the body’s frequency drops below a certain point. Essential oils can raise the body’s frequency, (Mein, 2020).
The location of the symptom will be associated with a chakra, which will then connect with an area needing emotional release.
The first chakra, at the base of the spine, is the root chakra. It holds the connection to the earth and promotes grounding and safety. Organs included in this chakra are the base of spine, legs, bones, feet, rectum, and immune system. This is the foundation of one’s being and the connection to identity, family beliefs and traditions. Emotions that can manifest symptoms in this area could be related to those foundations being unstable. To support this area during an imbalance, essential oils that come from roots would be very beneficial to use. “The roots of a plant anchor it to the soil and absorb water and nutrients vital to the plant’s growth. Oils extracted from roots can support us through times of high anxiety, fear, and instability. They support feeling grounded, settled, and calm. Anchoring and strengthening, they help us to absorb what we need and provide a sense of stability and balance.” (Aromahead, 2021). Following a reiki training course, which provided an immense amount of information on the chakras, I began utilizing vetiver, Vetiveria zizanioides at a time in my life that felt very unstable. It provides an almost instant sense of calm within just a few deep inhales.
The sacral chakra is the second chakra and holds the power of experiencing pleasure and indulgence along with finding balance in emotions. Located below the belly button and above the pubic bone, it includes the sexual organs, large intestine, lower vertebrae, pelvis, appendix, bladder and hip area. In this chakra there is a need for emotional intelligence and play, valued relationships, and to be in the flow with life. Creativity also plays a crucial role with femininity. “ The womb is the place of ultimate creation. This is where the link to creativity comes through in the sacral chakra.” (Uhl, 2020). Feeling out of control, detached or unable to find balance are indicators that there is an imbalance in this area and floral oils are a great option to provide support. “Flowers are abundant in the springtime and represent new growth. Flowers are beautiful, colorful and gentle. They produce aromas to attract insects for pollination. The oils made from flowers are often used for emotional support. Giving flowers, or blends made from flowers, is about supporting love, friendship, forgiveness and soothing the heart and mind. Flowers are associated with the head, good for facial skincare, and to calm the mind.” (Aromahead, 2021). I utilize clary sage, Salvia sclarea and ylang ylang, Cananga odorata var. Genuina essential oils when I need to find balance in overwhelming emotions during menstruation.
In the area above your belly button, but below the sternum is the solar plexus chakra. It includes the digestive organs, liver, gallbladder, kidneys, pancreas, adrenal glands, spleen, and middle spine. The development of self-esteem and personality/identity come from the third chakra. This chakra requires a deep sense of self and any lack in self-esteem, self-confidence, self-respect or trust in self may lead to an imbalance. Essential oils from wood will provide much support to this area. “The
wood or trunk of a tree conducts water and nutrients to its leaves, stems, and flowers. If our energy is dispersed then the oils extracted from wood can help us feel more center. The trunk looks like the spine and these oils can often be used for our skeletal and muscular systems to reduce pain.” (Aromahead, 2021). The wood is the center of a tree, it allows it to stand strong and by choosing essential oils from this plant part those characteristics will provide great support.
The heart chakra contains the organs in the center of the chest - heart, lung, shoulders, arms, hands, ribs, breasts, diaphragm and thymus gland. It is the powerhouse of human energy and represents balance in love and acceptance. When there is an imbalance of love, there is jealousy, bitterness, betrayal, hopelessness, anger and a lack of trust. Because of its emotional qualities, Rose, Rosa x damascena is one of the best choices to support the heart chakra. Rose, Rosa x damascena “eases shock, grief, and depression, soothes anger, heals deep despair and anxiety, soothes and heals the heart, and brings a feeling of love.” (Aromahead, 2021).
The fifth chakra is found in the throat and represents the expression of truth. It includes the thyroid, the throat, neck, mouth, teeth, jaw, and hypothalamus. Issues within this chakra can include emotions such as fear of self expression, criticism, not following one’s dreams, addiction and judgment can point to an imbalance. A few great choices for support in this area would be Sandalwood, Santalum album - it encourages acceptances, peppermint, Mentha × piperita supports self confidence, and Jasmine, Jasminum grandiflorum supports comfort with one’s self.
The third eye allows you to see and understand the world around you. It is placed in the center of the brow bone, and is the energy center of intuition, intellect and reasoning. “The energy of the third eye chakra will enable you to focus more intently in all areas of your life. As your understanding and clarity of mind continue to expand, you may also find that the visions in your dreams intensify.” (Uhl, 2020). Issues from an imbalance in this chakra may include feeling inadequate, inability to learn from experience, and being closed off to ideas of others. Essential oils can be used to calm the mind and support sleep like cedarwood, Juniperus virginiana and lavender, Lavandula angustifolia which both have sedative properties.
The brain, nervous system, eyes, ears, nose, pineal gland and pituitary gland are all included in this chakra. Combining all the energy of the previous chakras is the crown chakra, located at the very top of the head. It includes the muscular system, skeletal system and skin. A connection with the divine is in the crown chakra. Issues become present when there is a lack of spirituality and devotion to a higher power, or overall trust in humanitarianism. An essential oil to support this area would be Myrrh, Commiphora myrrha. Some of its emotional qualities include “Calms the mind, brings tranquility, grounding, soothes those who are prone to overthinking and distraction, brings inner stillness and a sense of peace, used in meditations to connect physical and spiritual”. (Aromahead, 2021) Knowing that different areas of the body can correspond to specific emotions allow us to have a better understanding of what is going on inside of our bodies.
Since my initial introduction with essential oils, I have become increasingly aware of the positive impact they can have with my supporting emotions. I personally have noticed that when overwhelming emotions build up, I need to release them before physical symptoms manifest in my body. I utilize essential oils to support these emotions.
To access a stored emotion I bring the past experience into my awareness and the subconscious mind and allow myself to deeply feel the emotion. If I'm not sure what has caused the emotion, I allow myself to fully feel it until the root cause has come into my awareness. I then smell the essential oil straight from the bottle, take a deep breath and allow myself to feel release.
When inhaling an essential oil, the scent molecules are received immediately within the brain via the smell receptors of olfactory nerves at the back of the nasal cavity. The scent is then registered within the limbic system, the most primitive part of the brain. Here lies the seat of our emotions, our memory, the base of our learning ability and the regulator or sensory motor activities. (NAHA Women of Aromatherapy, 1996).
My favorite choices are frankincense, Boswellia carterii and vetiver, Vetiveria zizanioides.
I will repeat this process as many times as needed.
Healing can become a lifelong process. What may start as a resolution to one symptom can become a journey of self discovery. Chakras combined with essential oils can become valuable tools to utilize in the release of emotions. Life can truly feel like a balancing act. The root to healing is balance: living intentionally with increased awareness, recognizing and understanding the lesson/pattern, identifying and feeling feelings and Clearing emotional patterns by accessing the cellular memory stored in the body.
Sources
Aromahead. (2021), Blending According to Plant Part.
https://course.aromahead.com/online-course/aromatherapy-certification-program/refere nce/general-reference/blending-according-to-plant-part.
Manstead, A et al. (2004), Feelings and Emotions. UK: Cambridge University Press.
Mein, C. (2020), Releasing Emotional Patterns with Essential Oils. CA: VisionWare Press
NAHA Women of Aromatherapy. (1996), The World of Aromatherapy. CA: Frog, Ltd.
Shetty, Jay. “4 Signs You’re Struggling With Hidden Trauma and 6 Powerful Steps to Start Healing Yourself Naturally.” On Purpose with Jay Shetty, April 23, 2021, https://on-purpose-with-jay-shetty.simplecast.com/episodes/4-signs-youre-struggling-wit h-hidden-trauma-and-6-powerful-steps-to-start-healing-yourself-naturally-dlRLA2Sv
Truman, K. (2003), Feelings Buried Alive Never Die. Utah: Olympus Distributing. Uhl, C. (2020), Understanding Chakras. NY: Rock Point.