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Lesson Nine

Aromatherapy Lesson Nine

Hello everyone. How are your terms coming along? Do you know what "emmenagogue " means? How about cicatrizant? Neural toxin? Anaphrodisiac? Abortifacient? I hope you are learning them. It’s extremely helpful if you decide to go onto learning more than just the basics in Aromatherapy.

This week's oil is one of my personal favorites. Black Pepper. I love the spicy sweetness of it. I also love what it can do for a person. Okay, you know the routine. Get your Q-tips out and do your sniffing. What do you think? Is it a heavy smell? Light? Earthy? Does it smell like mangoes? How about a little bit citrusy? And of course, where does it ring the inner bell of totalness? At the top, middle or bottom? How does it make you FEEL? Happy? Depressed? Giddy or sneezy? Do you LIKE it?

Black Pepper (Piper nigrum) SD (Steam Distilled). Black Pepper, just it’s name alone, tells you that it is a warming oil. It improves blood flow to the area that it is applied, helps to ease soreness and stiffness. And if you are feeling really cold, a bath in black pepper can really warm you up.

Safety information : There seems to be little irritation associated to this oil, although there have been a few reported cases of dermatitis caused Black Pepper. According to Martin Watt in his publication ‘Plant Aromatics,’ "Due to it’s highly variable chemical composition, this oil should be used with care when it is applied to the skin in massage or bath preparations."

Main Chemical Composition: Sesquiterpenes and phenol ethers .

Black Pepper is used for arthritis, sore Muscles, stiffness, rheumatism, tendonitis, neuralgia, sprains, a mental stimulant, frigidity, impotence, catarrh, chronic bronchitis, laryngitis, warms chills, increases local circulation, tonsillitis, possible aid to a weight loss diet, stimulates appetite, colic, constipation, nausea, vomiting.

Uses and actions: analgesic, antiemetic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antitoxic, aphrodisiac, carminative, diaphoretic, expectorant, febrifuge, laxative, rubefacient, stimulant, tonic for the nervous system

Now, how are you doing with your drop guesstamation? Why is it important that you learn to do this? Because if you go on learning about oils that aren’t introduced in this course (and there are SO many out there worth knowing), you need to be able to gauge how much of these oils to use. So keep learning, and trying.

Drops for 1 tablespoon or 15 mls is three. Why Three and not six? It’s not a heavy smelling oil; it fact, as far as odors go, it’s a bit of a lightweight. Sso why only three? Can you reason it out?

Think about it’s main properties/use. It’s a warming oil. There’s your hint, and I know you can figure it out.

This is where I want to mention again about the amount one uses on young children. For Children two and over it’s one half the amount one would use on a normal healthy adult. Under two, I prefer to use a quarter of the amount one would use on a normal health adult.

What about the elderly? I can’t remember if I have mentioned this before or not, but if I have, it bears repeating. When using essential oils on the elderly, use the same amount you would on a child. Their skin is thinner and more delicate, so when giving a massage, only a light pressure is necessary.

All of these suggestions are just that: suggestions. This is just a general rule of thumb, and does not apply to every child, to everyone over 65, or to every adult. Always take into consideration, size, weight, general state of health, allergies etc.

And that’s lesson nine.

Final exam question: What is an Aromatherapist? Easy Question? We'll see. Remember, I would like
to see your answer at the END of the course.

Sources of Information: Besides my own course notes, and things I’ve learned along the way, for
this course I also use:

The Aromatherapy Practitioner Reference Manual By Sylla Sheppard-Hangar

Plant Aromatics A Data & Reference Manual on Essential Oils and Aromatic Plant Extracts By
Martin Watt

Advanced Aromatherapy by Kurt Schnaublet

The Aromatherapy Work Book by Shirley Price

Aromatherapy for Health Professionals by Shirley Price and Len Price.