Essential Oils and Aromatherapy

My sister gave me an aromatherapy diffuser from Christmas and I've been obsessed!  My recent favorite essential oil combination is frankincense with sweet orange oil.  My friend Andrea Giordano specializes in essential oils and aromatherapy, so I interviewed her about them!

AC:  What brought you to study essential oils?

AG:  I have always had a great love for plants and their healing properties.  Essential oils are just one area of study for me. While studying feng shui and my background of study in ornamental horticulture I thought it would be SO great to put the two together. And I have! The aromas and energetics of essential oils are very powerful.

Can you tell us about the powers of essential oils?

The energetics of the plant are present in all forms of plant medicine - flower essences, herbal tinctures, dried herbs, essential oils, etc. Depending on what you are treating - physical vs. emotional, internal or external and the potency you want to use, you have all of these different choices of preparation. The human sense of smell is very powerful.   We relate happy, sad, and different periods in our lives with smell. Just think what you could do to change that with different aromas.

What essential oil do you recommend for space clearing, and why?

I find White Sage to be very powerful in clearing all negative forces followed by some Orange to brighten and lighten (uplifting) the area.

What essential oil do you recommend for relaxation and bedrooms, and why?

There are many essential oils to chose from depending on what mood you want to achieve. For relaxation I recommend Lavender mixed with some Sandalwood and a bit of Orange.  For a romantic bedroom, try Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Neroli or Rose mixed with some Sandalwood. Sandalwood grounds the spirit.

What essential oil do you recommend for focus, such as at the desk and workspace, and why?

For me, I love Rosemary, Basil (for getting my brain working) Clary Sage (calms the nerves) and a touch of Peppermint (uplifting) 

What essential oil do you recommend for entertaining, such as at the living room area, and why?

Once again I love Orange (lifts the sprits) refreshes and relaxes.  I call Orange “The happy oil"!

OOh!  I can't wait to try these different combinations throughout my home to create a truly holistic space that supports my needs!  Thanks Andrea.

Are there any special essential oil combinations you want to share with us?

by Anjie Cho

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Aroma - The Scent     Thera - The Healing     Chi - The Energy

AromatheraChi was created from a lifetime interest in plants combined with a devotion to natural and organic products.  These interests led AromatheraChi owner, Andrea Giordano, to pursue a degree in Ornamental Horticulture and begin exploring natural applications for health and beauty.  Ten years ago, she began making and selling all-natural soaps.  It is important to her to make sure that she always delivers the highest quality products.

While there is much to love about the essential oils themselves, the true passion and focus of AromatheraChi is the science behind the oils.  Scientific studies have shown that different scents have positive impacts on well being.

Aromatherachi was born out of the desire to wish for everyone to have access to fantastic essential oils, GC/MS tested, at a fraction of the price typically found elsewhere. 

You can read Andrea's AromatheraChi blog here!

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com

Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui for an Office with No Windows

What are some feng shui considerations for a psychotherapist’s office with no windows?

Erin H., Mountainview, CA

Hi Erin, 

Thank you for your question: what some feng shui considerations are for your office, since it has no windows. I think the answer for this question may be helpful to many people in windowless offices. 

It's ideal to have at least one window in any space, as having natural light and fresh air is vital to human beings. Everything living grows towards the light. When I work with my private architecture and feng shui clients, one of the main desires across the board is maximizing light. Light is so important, and without it, we can feel claustrophobic, suffer from health issues and even become depressed. As an architect, for any habitable space, there are actually light and air requirements. We need air circulation and light, and it's difficult if we don't have them both.

In feng shui, the windows represent the eyes of the inhabitants and can symbolize how we see the world around us. If it's not possible to change offices, I recommend including some artwork that feels like a window. This doesn't mean finding pictures of windows. Instead, look for images of landscapes or other settings where you're bringing the outdoors in. Hanging this kind of art on the wall can give the impression of having a window, even when there isn't physically one there. 

There are also seasonal affective disorder lamps, which simulate natural daylight, that may help. These can be used in any space, especially one without sufficient natural light, to counteract the negative effects of lack of sunlight. They are often recommended by therapists during the colder, darker seasons. In fact, as a psychotherapist, you may already be familiar with them!

Finally, you could also bring nature into your space with fresh flowers or green plants. It's true that most plants need natural sunlight to grow, but you can opt for a low-light plant or even add a fake plant to your space. If possible, aim for a real plant, as this can help out with indoor air quality as well. Fresh flowers are also an incredible way to bring in nature energy and connect you with the outdoors. Take a look at some of our posts on flowers for ideas on which blooms to select for your space!

by Anjie Cho

Thanks for reading our "Q&A Sunday".  We will be answering questions submitted by our readers. Click here to submit any Feng Shui or Green Design questions!

Recipe: Fire Water from Stiggly Holistics

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The charming Sacha Jones of Stiggly Holistics shares her recipe for Fire Water.  This is a savory cleansing concoction that Sacha drinks every morning. I highly recommend this drink-- it's a wonderfully warming broth.

It’s also a huge part of the menu for the group cleanses that she organizes. If you are interested in a guided cleanse, Sacha organizes cleanses at least once every season.  She welcomes participants at ALL levels and it's international!

Sacha recommends drinking Fire Water every morning.  After you wake up and have a full glass of water, then move onto your Fire Water.  It is a great "zingy", super cleansing kickstarter and the perfect replacement for coffee.  Sacha explains, “it’s very cleansing, has anti-inflammatory properties, good for digestion and blood sugar balance.  It’s pretty awesome!”

Fire Water - The Basics:

  • Boiled water, enough for your mug
  • Fresh squeezed juice from a half or full lemon
  • Cayenne pepper, to taste
  • Cinnamon, Ginger Powder & Turmeric, approximately ¼ teaspoon each
  • Pink Himalayan Salt (or other high quality sea salt) & fresh cracked Black Pepper, a pinch of each
  • Virgin coconut oil, 1 teaspoon 
  1. Boil the water.  Sacha reminds us “remember not to watch your kettle - you know what they say!”
  2. Squeeze the lemon juice into “your biggest, most favourite, chunky ceramic mug."
  3. Add the cayenne pepper to taste, as well as the other spices, salt and pepper. The above measurements are general guidelines.  Sacha recommends you “play with the quantities, start with smaller pinches of each if you prefer."
  4. Then top off the Fire Water with virgin coconut oil
  5. Finally, Sacha instructs us to “stir, sit down, breathe, smile, and when it's cool enough, sip.  And enjoy.  You will likely want to stir it as you go, to keep all the lovely ingredients from settling to the bottom”.

Finally, a lovely video of Sacha making Fire Water

Stiggly shows how to make her famous Fire Water.