Kathleen Petrides

Always Know your botanical name, so you know what your buying.  Why is this so important? Because there are many types of Lavender and it’s also easy to confuse Lavendin with Lavender etc.  Also if your supplier doesn't have the botanical name on the bottle,  I highly recommend finding a new supplier.

While this IS a Magical Essential Oil course, it WILL incorporate some of the Practical Aromatherapy constituents.

Our first oil to get to know is Lavender.  If you own a bottle (better if you own two or three of different brands), pour a drop onto a Q-tip or a tissue, and smell.

Which reminds me, DON’T smell directly from the bottle.  One reason is because you could blow out your sinus’ with the stronger smelling oils such as Eucalyptus.  Another reason is the smell is so strong straight from the bottle that one cannot appreciate the full range.

So ... back to our lavender Q-tip.  Smell it.  How does it smell?  Is it weak, or strong?  Does it smell sweet or musty, like alcohol or off?  How does it make you feel?  Are you a happy Lavender person, or are you one that really dislikes it.  If you own more than one brand, try  smelling the difference between the two. Which one do you like more and why?

One reason I ask you to do this is that the more you get to know your oils, the more you will be able to discern what a good oil smells like, whether it’s off, or not quite right.  Also, shop around and find out what other oils of different brands smell like.

Now to the ritual uses of Lavender oil:

Parts used in ritual: Flower tops, dried and fresh, and the Essential Oil

Use Lavender for healing work especially when doing Long distance Reiki, drawing love to you (not passionate love, but love of friends), for one on one talks with your Gods, when working on acceptance in your life, when looking for inner peace, for trying to over come addiction, for fighting depression, when working to overcome trauma such as physical or sexual abuse, mental abuse, nightmares and pyschc attacks.

For pracitical uses around the houses Lavender is invaluable!  I personally, find the smell of Lavender very heavy and off putting, but I cannot deny it’s therapeutic effects.  It is a wonderfully soothing oil for children who have fallen down and hurt themselves as it is ANALGESIC, and ANTISEPTIC.

Lavender is also invaluable for burns of all types, from sunburns to burns from spitting grease.  It helps to ease the pain and anecdotal evidence say’s that it helps to prevent scarring.  It is also one of  TWO oils that can be used undiluted on the skin (the other being tea-tree).  That doesn’t mean you should habitually use it undiluted, as there is risk for sensitization (in other words, you CAN become allergic to it).

Whether using it for spell work or practical Aromatherapy, in the bath, the do NOT use more than seven drops.  That's seven drops in the tub, or in a tablespoon of a carrier oil (a carrier oil being a base oils such as Sweet Almond Oil, Olive oil, Grapeseed oil, Peach kernel oil, etc)

If you are using Lavender to fight depression, use no more than 4 drops!

Try making a small Lavender pillow, with fresh Lavender flowers under your pillow to help fight nightmares and sleeplessness.  Once the fragrance has dissipated, freshen it up with three drops of your essential oil.

Or, if you wear an amulet bag, add some Lavender to battle, depression and anxiety.

And this is the end of lesson two. I hope you have enjoyed it.

Bright Blessing

Kathleen Petrides
(GreenLady)
 

© 2001 Kathleen E. Petrides, SmeLLeNNium
 
 

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