“If you are searching for sacred knowledge and not just a palliative for your fears, then you will train yourself to be a good skeptic.”
OK, so maybe "magic" is the wrong word, since there's a lot of science backing up what I'm about to tell you, and I personally feel repelled by folks that make unfounded or illegitimate claims about their products, but still, these essential oil blends are pretty fantastic, just like reality!
EXHIBIT A:
WIZARD'S OIL
The Shaolin fighting schools have, for centuries, made and used many different kinds of dit da jow (with several different names/spellings, depending who you ask... usually "die da jiu" or "dit dar jiao;" it means "fall punch solution"), which is a general term for the various herbal liniments/soaks that might be used in specific instances, say a bad bruise or spasm versus a broken bone versus a sprained or torn ligament. One of the most widely used of these solutions is a multi-purpose trauma liniment, and it's good stuff. Its full breakdown is in a great book called A Tooth From the Tiger's Mouth, by Tom Bisio, and there has been some controversy surrounding the publication of that book, because it contains several recipes (including the trauma liniment, which takes a full YEAR to properly prepare) that are considered to be centuries-old "secrets." Naturally, I got the book as soon as I learned about it!
There are many traditional DDJ formulae, but the trauma liniment in that book is formulated specifically for joint injuries on the extremities: it works by alleviating inflammation, but still promotes flow of fresh blood to the area (particularly important for ligaments, which do not have their own vasculature and thus are among the slowest tissues to heal) without allowing it to pool (which would cause swelling and stagnation). These same properties, however, make the trauma liniment risky (in some cases, outright dangerous) to use on the torso: in excess, or improperly applied, it can actually cause internal organ hemorrhaging, as well as miscarriages in pregnant women, and so it is ONLY safe for use on the extremities.
That's all well and good, and I make and use it as well, but many of my clients have issues with tissues in their necks and shoulders, or similar issues with their hips, and so I needed a formula that was safer to use in these sensitive areas. It is effective against inflammation from arthritis, joint injuries, edema, bruises, skin ailments, and many, many other things (including chemotherapy and cancer!).* The result is what I jokingly call "Wizard's Oil," though that's probably a working title (Wiseman's Oil, maybe? I'm open to suggestions. Runner-up so far: "The Standard"). It is a blend of therapeutic grade essential oils which I developed over a period of about eight months, and it has been amazingly well-received by my clients and other therapists alike. It's not cheap to make, but each bottle contains enough for over 200 applications!
The key players in this potion are Frankincense (Boswellia serrata), Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha), Helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum), and Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) essential oils, all therapeutic grade. These are all amazing, awesome oils on their own (click the links and read for yourself). Their use goes back literally thousands of years, but only recently are we starting to see real research into their amazing and diverse biochemical effects, and I can only hope we see more! I'm now accepting research funding to this end, if anybody has any to share (just kidding... but seriously, I'd gladly do the clinical trials)!
I only use pure, therapeutic grade essential oils to make this blend, for as we often said in the analytical chemistry lab, "Garbage in, garbage out!" Not all oils are created equal: I look for brands that voluntarily standardize their products, and do not use "cosmetic" or "aromatherapy" grade oils: standardized extractions are important, verified by a third party if possible. Many of these are too strong to use directly on sensitive skin, so I use organic jojoba oil as a carrier, but this blend is still quite strong: a little goes a long way! One or two drops is sufficient for the neck, elbow, or wrist, three drops for a shoulder, knee, or hip.* Start with less and build up if needed. External, topical use only, keep out of mucous membranes, and do not use if pregnant or nursing. For safety, I've removed the recipe from this posting, and must not formally encourage attempts to recreate this product without first consulting me. In other words, since it is impossible for me to guarantee the quality of any oil other than the ones I use, please, "don't try this at home."
*Safety Disclaimer: the FDA would rather see pharmaceutical companies make money than confirm or deny the efficacy of natural products, so use of this formula is "at your own risk," and these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA ...but my mom LOVES it.
EXHIBIT B:
LOVING THE LAVENDER
This one is a bit more straightforward. Lavender's therapeutic properties are well-known, and it is one of the more commonly available (and popular) essential oils on the market. I've gone a step further by creating a specific blend of two species of lavender (Lavandula dentata and L. angustifolia), as well as a touch of frankincense, vetiver, and clary sage. Vetiver is a powerful anti-inflammatory oil with distinctly calming properties, but it also improves focus and alertness, making it a good fit for this blend. Clary sage has been shown to regulate hormone balance, relieve menstrual cramps, and it boasts a myriad of mental health benefits, so don't leave it out if you want to experience the full effect of this awesome topical! The resulting oil is not only wonderfully effective, but, at least to me, it doesn't smell like soap, as so many people feel lavender does (probably because it's in a lot of soaps!). This blend isn't based on any ancient recipes (that I know of), but it's great for relieving muscle spasms, headaches, TMJ disorder, and insomnia, among other things.* I use it to calm and clear my mind for meditations, and my grandma claims that when applied early and supplemented with adequate hydration, it will stop a migraine from reaching it full potential. Some clients tell me they have added a few drops to coconut oil and used it at home as a moisturizer or massage oil: I say see for yourself, just avoid contact with mucous membranes and eyes!
The differences between species of lavender are highly debated. For the most part, the desired therapeutic component of lavender essential oil is linalool, which is more readily absorbed through the lungs than through the skin (hence, it is highly aromatherapeutic). Linalool is present in many plants (and therefore many essential oils), and if there is a risk of allergic reaction to lavender oil, linalool is likely the culprit. That said, it is also the main reason for the anti-inflammatory and sedative properties of lavender, as well as the antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, so in very small amounts (Loving the Lavender is effective with just one or two drops) in the majority of cases the damage done is not to the user, but to their ailments. In fact, there's a good chance that linalool boosts immune system activity.* Not only do I prefer it scent to the French variety, but Kashmir lavender typically expresses higher concentrations of the linalool molecule (probably because it is grown at the foot of the Himalayas and thus it receives very mineral-rich water), which is why I use it in this blend.
That concludes today's lesson. For more information on either of these blends, or to request a specific essential oil formulation/suggestion, please feel free to contact me.
Wishing Wellness! -A
*Safety Disclaimer: Use of this formula is "at your own risk," and these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA ...but for whatever it's worth, my grandma swears by it!