Essential Oils for what’s ailing YOU!

I’ve been toying with the idea of incorporating essential oils into my acupuncture practice for years. However, I found the idea daunting and a little scary to be honest. Why scary? Because I’ve actually had patients come into my office with second degree burns on their skin from improperly applying the oils! One patient even ended up in the hospital for two weeks because of her injuries from an oil called Helichrysm. Needless to say I was not about to dive into this without some serious education. Low and behold a seminar opened up in NYC several weekends ago which taught us how to incorporate essential oils into our acupuncture practice! Finally a class like this was being offered!! So I signed up, took it and learned more than I ever thought I could about the ins and outs of essential oil use. So today I’m going to share with you some of the most effective and delightedly smelling oils I learned about.

Bergamot is one of the most widely used oils for calming a stressed out or hyperactive person. Bergamot is a mixture of bitter melon and Italian mandarin and has one of the most delicious smells. It’s ideal for someone who is foggy headed and in need of any negative energy being cleared. In Chinese medicine a single drop of the oil would be placed on an acupuncture point called Shen Men for around 40 seconds at the very beginning of an acupuncture treatment. This allows the patient to transition from a worked up, fight or flight mode to a euphoric and peaceful state.

Geranium is what I like to consider one of the most deeply emotionally calming and physically supporting oils out there. It is used by applying a single drop to a tiny piece of cotton and placing it in the navel (Ren 8) for the entirety of the acupuncture session. What does this do exactly? In Chinese medical terms we say that it regulates and harmonizes the qi and reduces anxiety. In lay mans terms we say that it helps the patient regain their ability to trust and let go of whatever that is not serving them in a positive way anymore. This allows for more positive energy to infuse into them and the anxiety and worry to dissipate. My teacher likens the feeling this oil produces to a warm hug from someone you love.

The last group of oils I want to cover is what I like to call “an alternative to a cup of coffee.” They are specifically for fatigue and lethargy, and can be used at the start of the day to really give the patient a pick me up. They are Geranium( as previously mentioned), Rosemary and Cajeput. When placed on three specific acupuncture points ( Geranium on Liver 8, Rosemary on Spleen 3 and Cajeput on Du 20,) the patients energy is immediately boosted. The yang qi is pulled upwards and the qi and blood are nourished. This protocol helps those who have difficulty rising in the morning, have intermittent fatigue throughout the day, and those who are weak willed and lack purpose.

These are just a few of the MANY oils I learned about in my course, and I can truly say that the effect you will feel once these oils are applied to you is immediate and intense. Now that I have learned so many different oil techniques to help my patients in restoring their health, I will begin to incorporate their use into my acupuncture practice. If you have any interest in essential oils please feel free to mention it during your next acupuncture session with me! There are so many ways to begin the healing process, and I’m beyond excited to have had the opportunity to learn about the amazing healing benefits of essential oils.