Aromatherapy for the Holiday Spirit

The holiday season stirs up some of our most basic joys in life. The friendship and camaraderie we find at holiday parties and other social engagements is one of the highlights of the season. So is the fulfillment we gain through our special efforts to please our loved ones as we shop to find items that will make them smile. Moreover, since this is the season of giving, I encourage you to donate your time or money to those who lack of the warmth of a home, family and friends, or to children who won't enjoy the delight of opening their gifts.

While the holidays are about giving, loving and joyous celebration, many consider this time of year to be stressful, lonely and expensive. If you're feeling more like Scrooge than Santa, I offer the following aromatic blends to help you get into the holiday spirit, become more sociable, and open your heart to others who are unable to enjoy the holidays the way we do. Be ready to fully enjoy, laugh, socialize and share this holiday season by experimenting with these wonderful aromatic blends!

To create each of these blends, pour the essential oils into a 10-ml bottle and add organic vegetable oil to fill.
Enhance Playfulness
Remember how magical the holidays were as a child? This aromatic blend rekindles your childhood spirit, making you feel more daring, innocent and lighthearted!

-6 drops Orange
-3 drops Bergamot
-3 drops Basil

Massage your abdomen, solar plexus, neck and shoulders. Pour a few drops into the palm of your hands and inhale it deeply. Pour 20 drops of the blend into your warm bathwater and soak for at least 15 minutes.

Increase Laughter

Finding a way to bring more laughter into your life will ensure a longer, happier existence. This aromatic blend makes you more open to humor, and lightens your heart and mind. Enjoy the beauty of life!

-5 drops Orange
-5 drops Grapefruit
-1 drop Lemon Verbena

Massage your abdomen, solar plexus, neck and shoulders. Pour a few drops into the palm of your hands and inhale it deeply. Pour 20 drops of the blend into your warm bathwater and soak for at least 15 minutes.

Improve Your Social Abilities

Dread those social gatherings and holiday parties? This aromatic blend enlivens even the shyest souls.

-3 drops Basil
-3 drops Peppermint
-6 drops Grapefruit

Massage your abdomen, solar plexus, neck and shoulders. Pour a few drops into the palm of your hands and inhale it deeply. Pour 20 drops of the blend into your warm bathwater and soak for at least 15 minutes.

Encourage Giving to Others

This aromatic blend opens the heart and reminds us that the most valuable gift we hold within is sharing and giving to those in need.

-1 drop Rose
-2 drops Ginger
-4 drops Grapefruit
-3 drops Frankincense

Massage your heart chakra, solar plexus, neck and shoulders. Dare to wear it like a perfume! Pour a few drops into the palm of your hands and inhale it deeply. Pour 20 drops of the blend into your warm bathwater and soak for at least 15 minutes.

(c) Francoise Rapp, 2001. Discover the life-transforming power of aromatherapy! Internationally renowned aromatherapist and alchemist, Francoise Rapp, shares her expertise through aromatherapy classes designed for working adults and in her free weekly ezine, The Arom'Alchemy Newsletter. All this and more can be found at http://www.aromalchemy.com

Internationally renowned aromatherapist and alchemist Franoise Rapp was trained in the sacred ancient arts of anointing and practicing alchemy by priests and alchemists in France more than 10 years ago. She now lives in San Diego where she holds an International License in Aromatherapy. Her talents have been featured in RedBook Magazine, New Age Journal, Self.Com, and the nationally televised program "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus." Visit her on the web at www.aromalchemy.com.

Aromatherapy For Children' s Common Ailments

Aromatherapy for Children, Part 1 Although the use of aromatherapy is typically associated with adults, children can also
benefit from the healing and soothing powers of aromatherapy. They are very attracted
to different scents and love to experience it through diffusion, baths, massage,
inhalation, and even topically.

Children particularly enjoy creating aromatic blends for their own use. Whether creating
a blend to help calm themselves at night, or helping to identify the essential oils or
blends to use on burns or wounds, aromatherapy can be a fun way for children to
participate in their healing through an effective natural therapy.

There are few rules of thumb when it comes to aromatherapy for children. First of all,
since children are much more sensitive than adults, the concentration of essential oils in
their blends should be at least three times less than adult blends. I also recommend that
children under the age of 5 should not use aromatherapy directly (bath or massage).
Instead, use the essential oils in a nebulizer and run it for just 10 minutes in the room.
The other option is to use hydrosols or floral waters instead of essential oils in their
bath.

Children can safely use the following essential oils: Lavender, Roman Chamomile,
Orange, Lemon, Neroli, Rosemary, Eucalyptus, Grapefruit, Marjoram, Dill, Cardamom,
Rose, Basil and Melissa.

So what are the most common childhood ailments, and how can you safely use aromatic
blends on your children? Try creating the following recipes at home for a natural healing
alternative. In future Health and Beauty editions, you will learn more about the holistic
aspects of aromatherapy for children and teenagers.

To create these blends, pour your essential oils into a 10-ml bottle, and fill will organic
vegetable oil.

Colds and Flu
2 drops Rosemary 1,8 cineole 2 drops Eucalyptus

Rub blend on the chest and middle back. Add a few drops of the aromatic blend to your
child's warm bath water and let him/her soak for at least 15 minutes. Pour 4 drops of the
aromatic blend on a tissue and have your child breathe it in deeply.

Wounds and Burns
Dab 1 drop of pure, undiluted Lavender essential oil on the afflicted area. Do it just once.
Immune System Booster
2 drops Rosemary 1,8 cineole 3 drops Ravensara

Massage the solar plexus and lower back, chest and middle back. Add a few drops of the
aromatic blend to your child's warm bath water and let him/her soak for at least 15
minutes. Pour 4 drops of the aromatic blend on a tissue and have your child breathe it in
deeply.

Sweet Dreams
1 drop Roman Chamomile
2 drops Lavender
2 drops Orange

This is a wonderful blend for story time! Massage the forehead and temples, neck and
back. Add a few drops of the aromatic blend to your child's warm bath water and let
him/her soak for at least 15 minutes.

Toothaches
2 drops Roman Chamomile

Rub the essential oil directly on the cheek.

Joy and Laughter
3 drops Orange
2 drops Lemon

Massage the solar plexus and abdomen, friction the back. Pour 4 drops of the aromatic
blend on a tissue and have your child breathe it in deeply.

Tummy Aches
2 drops Basil
2 drops Dill

Massage the tummy clockwise with the blend as needed.

Lack of Appetite
2 drops Cardamom
2 drops Dill

Massage the solar plexus and abdomen. Pour 4 drops of the aromatic blend on a tissue
and have your child breathe it in deeply.

Motion Sickness
4 drops Lemon
1 drop Ginger

Massage the solar plexus. Pour 4 drops of the aromatic blend on a tissue and have your
child breathe it in deeply.

To read more or purchase the essential oils necessary to create the aromatic blends above, please
visit: http://www.aromalchemy.com

Franoise's talents in aromatherapy originated in France more than 10 years ago. There she was trained by priests and alchemists who taught her the sacred ancient art of anointing.
Franoise is renowned in the U.S. and in France for leading dynamic workshops and classes about
aromatherapy.
Francoise received national recognition in numerous magazine and TV shows. Media testimonials: