Aroma Wisdom - The Canadian Aromatherapy Journal Spring 2020

Aroma Wisdom The Canadian Aromatherapy Journal

Spring 2020 The Blossoming Edition

Mar-May 2020

education, innovation, growth, support

British Columbia Alliance Of Aromatherapy ISSN 2562-2218 $7.99 CND

Aroma Wisdom

The Canadian Aromatherapy Journal

Celebrating our second year in print

BCAOA 3928 Michigan Rd, Port Alberni, BC, V9Y 5Z6

Supporting aromatherapists everywhere The Spring Edition ~ March 2020 Cover Photo by ira_evva from Shutterstock

Created and printed in the Greater Vancouver Area of BC Sustainably printed on Sugar Sheet paper ISSN 2562-220X (Print)

ISSN 2562-2218 (Online)

Lilliane Graie Editor & Design, Advertising editor@bcaoa.org

Social Media Melissa Housser media@bcaoa.org

Secretary Kathleen Jaggassar secretary@bcaoa.org

Continuing Education Events Betsy De Lucca cecoord@bcaoa.org

Treasurer Louise Dawson treasurer@bcaoa.org

Registrar Leah Ursic registrar@bcaoa.org

President Colleen Thompson president@bcaoa.org

Website website@bcaoa.org

Vice President: Drena Drenic

Directors at Large: Michelle Beukers, Leah Burns, Wendie MacQuarrie

vicepresident@bcaoa.org

Past President: Pat Antoniak

Aroma Wisdom is an educational resource published by the British Columbia Alliance Of Aromatherapy (BCAOA). It focuses on issues important to the alternative health care community with an emphasis on aromatherapy. Published in the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, Aroma Wisdom is available digitally to our membership for free and to the global public for purchase as a single issue or subscription. To purchase, please see our web store at https://bcaoa.org/store/ or a local bookstore.

For our full submission guidelines, go to https://bcaoa.org/membership/submissions/. For other forms of material submission, or if you have questions, please contact the Editor editor@bcaoa.org before submitting.

Inclusion of an advertisement does not indicate endorsement of the company, person(s), service(s) or product(s) by the BCAOA, its Directors, members, or Editor. The BCAOA, its Directors, members, and Editor are not responsible for the claims of advertisers appearing in these pages. Advertising guidelines are at https://bcaoa.org/membership/submissions/, or e-mail the Editor for an Advertisers Agreement. Formats, size specifications, and deadlines for ad submissions are found within the Agreement.

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Contents 5 Our Contributors 7 President’s Message 12 Spring 2020 CE Event Information 13 Announcements 15 Featured Writer: Saving Cedar Dr. Kelly Ablard discusses alternatives to at-risk plants

25 Guest Writers: Essential Dreaming: Using Essential Oils for Dreams Part 1 of 3 - Melissa Housser, Toby Johnson and Krista Lee experiment

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Student Case Study: Insominia, Headaches & Stress - Mary Monteiro discusses her findings

33 BCAOA Educational Offerings 37 Spring In To You! - Nutritionist Sherry Akef R.H.N tells us why spring is the best time to cleanse our systems

40 Book Review: “Veterans With PTSD: How to use essential oils for Combat Stress” - Anita Kalnay reviews the only book on this subject

45 The Classifieds DISCLAIMER: THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED HEREIN DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THOSE OF THE BCAOA, ITS DIRECTORS, THE EDITOR, OR ITS MEMBERS. INFORMATION PROVIDED IS NOT INTENDED TO REPLACE PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE. THE BCAOA, ITS DIRECTORS, MEMBERS, AND EDITOR CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MISUSE OF ESSENTIAL OILS OR ANY OTHER THERAPEUTIC METHODS PRESENTED HEREIN. THE BCAOA RESERVES THE RIGHT TO ACCEPT OR REJECT ANY ARTICLE OR ADVERTISEMENT SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION AND DOES NOT NECESSARILY ENDORSE ANY PERSON, PRODUCT, COMPANY, COURSE, OR SCHOOL MENTIONED HEREIN.

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Contributors Thank you to all our wonderful contributors for sharing their knowledge, wisdom, experience and creativity with our community through this journal.

Dr. Kelly Ablard RA®, EOT®, PhD – is a conservation biologist, certified aromatherapist and educator who helps students understand the science of essential oils and how to protect threatened aromatic plant species.

Kelly believes that in order to work with aromatic plant medicine, you must have a deep respect for, and understanding of its scientific and spiritual applications. Before starting as Co-partner of Essence of Thyme and as Executive Director of Airmid Institute, Kelly worked over 15 years as a scientific researcher both in the field and in the lab. Kelly also is Co-chair for the International Committee on Sustainability of Aromatic Plants and Essential Oils Used in Aromatherapy and Natural Perfumery and sits on the board of the United Plant Savers. She has been honoured with the BCAOA 2016 Achievement of Excellence Award and voted one of the top 5 aromatherapists in Vancouver, BC. She holds an MSc in Conservation and a PhD in Biology.

Airmid Institute Essence of Thyme Website: www.airmidinstitute.com Website: www.essenceofthyme.com Email: info@airmidinstitute.com Email: support@essenceofthyme.com Sherry Afek R.H.N. - Sherry works on the body-mind-spirit level. The foundation of her practice is a powerful and effective technique called Elemental Bioenergy, a non-invasive technique using the feed-back system of the body and the radial pulse while the auricle of the external ear is stimulated. It clears, releases and heals blockages that manifest as physical illness, emotional and spiritual disturbances.

Melissa Housser RA®, EOT® – Melissa first discovered the powerful, healing properties of essential oils while having her aura read at a festival. She was given a blend that resonated so strongly with her that she felt compelled to learn more. Since that time, Melissa has earned a Certificate in Holistic Aromatherapy, created a line of holistic aromatherapy products, and started teaching workshops about simple and natural self-care. More than ever Melissa believes that connecting the mind and body is essential in building a balanced lifestyle. Outside of Aromatherapy, she enjoys hiking, foraging, singing, guitar, yoga, and hopes to receive her horticulture certificate in the near future.

Toby Johnson – Toby is an artist, gardener, bee enthusiast and cosmic stardust. Be it first aid, mental health or energy work, they have found grounding through the use of essential oils with aromatherapy training through Langara, under the instruction of Lynne Edel.

Anita Kalnay is a Registered Aromatherapist, Essential Oil Therapist and Holistic Health Practitioner. Her blending process is based on ‘storytelling’ and selection of essential oils are ‘intuitive’. She has over 3200 hours of training in Natural Health Modalities and is currently involved in co-ordinating the COMOX Valley Chapter group of the BCAOA. You can find her at www.genieinabottle.ca and also follow her comments on her FragrantYOGI page on Facebook Colleen Thompson RA®, EOT®, CAHP – Colleen has worked in the field of Aromatherapy since 1995. She completed her Provincial Instructor’s Diploma Program in 1997 and now teaches a 600-hour aromatherapy certification program through her school Essence of Thyme College of Holistic Studies. She was an Aromatherapy Instructor at West Coast College of Massage Therapy from 2006-2012 and Spa Program Coordinator at West Coast College of Massage Therapy for 3 years. Colleen has written aromatherapy articles for a number of publications and conducted talks, workshops and seminars for a variety of organizations. She was named one of the five top aromatherapists in BC in 2015 and 2016. Colleen is currently the President of the BCAOA Board of Directors, is a Director of the AIA Board of Directors, and sits on the Education Committee of the AIA. Her Titles include: Certified Reflexologist, Reiki Practitioner, Lymphatic Drainage Massage Instructor, Master Formulator, Diploma in Adult Education. Colleen can be reached at info@essenceofthyme.com Mary Monteiro - Mary is a graduate of Essence of Thyme College of Holistic Studies.

EOT (Essential Oil Therapist) and RA (Registered Aromatherapist) are Trademarked Occupational Titles of the British Columbia Alliance of Aromatherapy (BCAOA)

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President’s Message Spring 2020

Dear Members, It doesn’t seem a year ago that I wrote the Spring 2019 President’s message! As I was a year ago, I am writing this message from Arizona and again its been a very chilly February (jackets needed!)

I’ve been excited to be a part of some ground-breaking work in the US, specifically with the Alliance of International Aromatherapists (AIA) in terms of clinical research in a hospital setting. More and more hospitals in the US are accepting aromatherapy as an approved treatment protocol – something I wish we could implement in Canada. I don’t think we are ready quite yet, but at some point, Canada is going to have to follow the many countries who are embracing the use of essential oils in a clinical or hospital setting. One of the ways to navigate this is to get nurse-aromatherapists on board. If you know of anyone who is a nurse-aromatherapist, please ask them if they would be interested in striking a Clinical Committee.

Pat Antoniak fits the bill but she has already dedicated more than her share of volunteer hours and so it would be wonderful if others stepped up.

The CE Event taking place April 21st to 23rd with Peter Holms has been very well received. In fact, we have a waiting list for the full weekend workshop. There are still spots available for the theoretical portion of the workshop on the 21st – if you are interested, please register asap.

The AGM will be held immediately after the theoretical portion of the workshop on Friday the 21st. This will leave Saturday evening open for those who would like to get together for dinner or drinks, or for those who just want to relax and get an early night’s sleep.

We’ve had some new people put their name forward for a position on the Board – thank you ladies! Note: I said ladies – we’ve had none of our male members step up to the plate. Some of us on the Board are becoming what technically could be referred to as elderly (I will be 69 years old in May; although I DON’T consider myself elderly, I am always surprised when I realize how old I actually am!!) and we desperately need younger people on the Board. Younger people tend to be much more tech and social media savvy than most of the “older” people. Plus, they will be the ones carrying the torch into the future.

There are still quite a few positions open and, in order to run a functioning Board, these must be filled. Please consider putting your name forward so that the BCAOA can continue to grow and thrive. According to the BCAOA by-laws and the BC Registrar, we can operate the Board with fewer Board members, however many things would have to be eliminated or pared down. With a skeleton Board we may not be able to offer the caliber of CE Events you’ve enjoyed over the last 12 years or so. The journal may need to be cut back to a newsletter and our social media could be limited. We have received requests from members for additional opportunities such as webinars, but we already have our hands full and none of us can take on any more projects. These ideas are wonderful but instead of asking us to take on one more thing, why not ask if it can be done and volunteer to take it on yourself?

We are in the process of hiring an administrative assistant to help with the heavy workload required for some of the positions. Also, to be respectful of each Board member’s time, we are trying to keep our monthly meetings to one hour. In order to achieve this each Board member submits their report in google docs one week before the meeting.

We have been in discussions with aromatherapists in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba who are interested in joining the 7

BCAOA. We would need a representative from each province on the Board to make sure their needs were being met – particularly in terms of CE Events. This would help to increase our membership and give us more exposure throughout Canada.

The Education Committee, consisting of Lynne Edel, Kim Gale Gotoweic, Sandra Stavely and me, have continued to meet and work on various aspects related to aromatherapy education.

Lastly, I want to thank the dedicated members of the Board…

Drena Drenic, Vice-President has brought some insights into setting up an aromatherapy college and potentially collaborating with other professions, such as naturopaths. Drena will be stepping down in April and we will miss her!

Kat Jaggassar, Secretary extraordinaire! Kat keeps us on track for meetings and is an ace at completing the minutes of the meetings. In addition, Kat responds to the many emails sent her way and sends emails to the members on behalf of the Board members – thank you for all of your hard work, Kat! Kat is an example of someone who could say “I don’t have time”.

In addition to her full-time job and family commitments, she is also going to school all the while serving on the BCAOA Board.

Louise Dawson, Treasurer. Louise has been on the board for many years but is leaving us this April. The BCAOA has been the recipient of Louise’s experience and expertise as a professional accountant. This has kept our books in perfect order and has also saved the BCAOA money because we haven’t had to outsource the books for the year-end process. In addition, Louise is a voice of reason on the Board and helps to keep us focused. Louise will be truly missed. Thank you, Louise!

Leah Ursic, Registrar. Leah transitioned from the BCAPA Registrar to the BCAOA Registrar after the amalgamation. This is a huge job which Leah has been doing for many years all the while streamlining the process for future Registrars. Leah is another of our Board members who juggles family, a full-time job and her duties on the BCAOA Board. I’ve often called Leah “the vault” because she has the capacity to remember things that most of us have long forgotten. I am happy to report that Leah will be remaining on the Board as Registrar. Thank you so much, Leah!

Editor, Lilliane Graie. What can I say about this wonder woman! She continues to improve on a journal that we think cannot be any more perfect. The time commitment for this position is also huge and while we have sent out emails requesting someone to help Lilliane, no one has stepped up. Lilliane seeks out advertising, articles from various experts in the aromatherapy field, puts the journal together, sends it for print and then sends it out to the membership and advertisers. It is amazing to me that she has been able to do this on her own but she does need help. Working with Lilliane would be a great opportunity for someone to learn the ropes of producing a professional journal. Lilliane has also agreed to stay on but if she doesn’t receive the help she needs, we may need to look at a way to pare the journal down. The journal has elevated each one of you because our journal has put the BCAOA on the map and created credibility for its members. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Lilliane. I know you struggled with your decision to remain on the Board in the Editor’s position and that staying on is coming at personal expense.

Betsy DeLucca, CE Coordinator. This is really a three to four-person job and we are hopeful that we will have 3-4 people step up to fill these big shoes. Unless you have held this position, you would have no idea of the time commitment involved.

In addition to securing a speaker, including negotiating the price and topic — which often involves some back and forth with the speaker — and signing the contract, there is negotiating a price with the venue, including working out the appropriate space, selecting meal components, booking meeting room equipment; securing door prizes; compiling the workshop packages, creating the agenda, and preparing certificates, seminar documents, name tags and more; and then missing half the workshop/seminar to make sure everything is running smoothly for the speaker and the attendees. This is somewhat of a thankless task which could be made so much easier with 3-4 people sharing the load. In addition to this, Betsy works full time. I’m sad to say that Betsy is stepping down this year and without having this position filled, we will have to go back to a much simpler event with local speakers. Thank you for all the work you have done to create some amazing CE Events for our members Betsy – each year you surpass yourself!

Michelle Beukers, Director at Large and CE Coordinator Assistant. Although Michelle stepped down from the CE 8

Coordinator’s position, she was a tremendous help to Betsy in preparing for CE Events. I think they would consider themselves Co-CE Coordinators. With both Betsy and Michelle working tirelessly to organize the CE Events it was still too big a job for just two people. Michelle works full time and has two little ones at home who need her attention. Her commitment meant that some of her personal time suffered which should never happen. We are in the business of health and wellness and it is unfair that people are putting their own time and well-being on hold for the benefit of others who consider themselves “too busy” to step up to the plate. Michelle is also stepping down in April and will be dearly missed, not only for her dedication to the CE Events but for her contribution to the Board in general. Thank you, Michelle!

Melissa Housser, Social Media Coordinator. Melissa has been hard at work building our reach on social media and has done an outstanding job. In addition to Facebook and other social media posts, Melissa manages the member’s FB group and has taken it upon herself to interview experts in the field of aromatherapy. Her initiative and social media savvy has been a real boost to the BCAOA. Melissa is an active Board member and contributes to the Board meetings in a meaningful way. I am happy to report that Melissa is remaining in this position for 2020 and has also put her name forward for the VicePresident’s position.

Wendie MacQuarrie, Director at Large. Wendie has been so much more than a Director at Large. She provides valuable feedback and has assisted others with their workload. Wendie was in IT as a business systems analyst and has a degree in botany, and just like Louise, is a voice of reason which often results in us looking at an issue or an opportunity in a much more succinct way. Wendie is remaining on the Board and I am very appreciative – her experience, calm manner and initiative makes us a better functioning Board.

Past President. And last, but definitely not least, is our past leader and keeper of BCAOA history, Pat Antoniak. We are so fortunate to have someone on the Board with the history and experience of Pat. She has definitely made my job easier and I value her commitment to the association. Pat will often refer to herself as a dinosaur but if you look at a definition of a dinosaur, “A dinosaur is something that is old and that has not been able to change when conditions have changed and is therefore no longer useful” nothing could be further from the truth. As the association evolved so did Pat, all the while respecting the past and the people who made the BCAOA what it is today. Thank you for all your years of dedication and experience, Pat! Warmly,

Image by Silvio zimmermann from Pixabay

Colleen BCAOA President

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Spring's greatest joy beyond a doubt is when it brings the children out. ~ Edgar Guest

NEW R O F FOR NEW Continuing Education Credit (CEC) Guidelines 2020 020!! !!

2 24 CECs need to be accumulated by Professional and Associate Members over each two-year cycle and cannot be carried over.

A minimum of 16 CECs need to be obtained from activities within the *“Aromatherapy” category, and up to 8 CECs can be obtained from activities within the “Non-aromatherapy” category. CECs are to be provided upon the member’s renewal anniversary.

*Credits will not be given for workshops that predominantly include material a Professional member (PA) or Registered Aromatherapist member (RA) received as part of their formal training. Topics NOT eligible for CECs may include but are not limited to the following: aromatherapy: a review of essential oil Latin names, chemistry, anatomy and physiology, pathologies, conventional blending techniques, essential oil safety, history of aromatherapy, ethics, business and marketing, and overall benefits of essential oils.

With each annual membership renewal package, members will be asked to submit a CEC activity form that lists their CEC activities, the number of CECs claimed, and copies of the required paperwork as evidence of their attendance. Each activity/course will be reviewed by the Board to ensure you receive the correct amount of CECs.

CATEGORY: AROMATHERAPY (16 CECs)

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CATEGORY: NON-AROMATHERAPY (8 CECs)

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Announcing the BCAOA’s 2 & ½-day Spring CE Event April 24, 25, 26 2020 on Aroma Acupoint TherapyTM, Level 1!

The British Columbia Alliance Of Aromatherapy Welcomes Back Peter Holmes

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for April 24-26, 2020 at the

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Coast Tsawwassen Inn 1665 56 St,

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Delta, BC

Phone: (604) 943-8221

Harness the Power of Essential Oils to Boost Your Practice!

In this completely updated and expanded workshop you will discover…

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An innovative, gentle hands-on method of treatment that allies the potency of essential oils with acupuncture, bodywork to dramatically enhance your practice — with practicum breakouts to practice and experience this work

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How to select the oils and match them accurately to specific acupoints

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How to get transformative results treating the basic energetic imbalances that lead to common conditions such as muscle tension and pain, anxiety, overactive mind, depression, insomnia, fatigue, headaches, etc.

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How to perform hands-on the clinically valuable Six-Condition Assessment on a new client

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Learning the specific actions of the top 20 essential oils to correct a client’s energetic imbalances

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Practicing the detailed protocols for applying the oils selected onto the points

Registration for the full 2 & ½ days is currently Sold Out. You can put your name on a waiting list and if a cancellations occurs, you will be contacted for payment.

Registration for the Theory-only portion on friday is still Open.

The BCAOA members-only Annual General Meeting will take place directly after Friday’s class. https://bcaoa.org/bcaoa-events/spring-2020-bcaoa-ce-event/ Contact Betsy at cecoord@bcaoa.org for any questions.

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Announcements Welcome to our Announcements page for notices of upcoming events and general interest to the community. Members can send personal brags/achievements or special shout-outs to other members (congratulations, celebrations, births, milestones etc.), just be sure to have permission to share any personal information with the community! To send in your announcement request, email the information to the editor with “Announcement Page” in the subject line. Let’s celebrate!!

BCAOA Sponsored Events

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CE credits are granted for attendees of events

The BCAOA is proud to host Peter Holmes for a 2 ½-day workshop this Spring on April 24, 25 & 26, 2020. Peter will be

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teaching his Aroma Acupoint Therapy and this will include a HANDS-ON portion of the class. Wear comfortable clothing and come prepared to work. Further details and registration information on the following pages.

Location: Coast Tsawwassen Inn 1665 56 Street, Delta, BC V4L 2B2 Ph: 604.943.8221

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Dates: April 24, 25, 26 2020

Contact: Betsy De Lucca cecoord@bcaoa.org Web: https://bcaoa.org/bcaoa-events/spring-2020-bcaoa-ce-event/ For non-BCAOA sponsored events: According to BCAOA Guidelines, every full day of attendance at a recognised seminar, workshop, or webinar is equivalent to 4 CE Credits. Please contact the registrar at registrar@bcaoa.org if you are unsure of an event’s status.

Continuing Education Credits: Please refer to the above CE Activity guidelines. Proof of attendance can be sent via hardcopy or email. Please make sure to include the title of the specific event along with your name and address.

The following are for information purposes only. Inclusion DOES NOT imply BCAOA recognition. Be sure any course/workshop/seminar etc., qualifies for credits before taking it.

Sedona Aromatics - Sharon Falsetto: Offers various types of courses and workshops. Ongoing.

Information and Registration: https://sedonaaromatics.com/botanical-aromatherapy-programs/ Pacific Institute of Aromatherapy: Essential Oils for Herpes and Shingles - a downloadable short, easy introduction to the treatment of Herpes, Shingles and Genital Herpes with Essential Oils. 24-page pdf for printing and onscreen viewing.

Information and Registration: https://www.pacificinstituteofaromatherapy.com/ Other links to explore for upcoming events: Alliance of International Aromatherapists - https://www.alliance-aromatherapists.org/ The Canadian Herbalist Association of British Columbia - https://www.chaofbc.ca/

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Dr. Kelly Ablard looks at the conservation status of the Atlas Cedar and explores alternatives for its essential oil use.

The majority of essential oil-based literature published prior to 2013 include a profile on Atlas cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica G. Manetti) essential oil. The conservation status of Atlas cedar (C. atlantica) is never noted in these profiles, because there was no conservation status for this species until 1998, when it was then categorized as a species of Least Concern, meaning the risk of its extinction was low (IUCN, 2017). Unfortunately, in 2013, just 15 years later, new data revealed that it is endangered (Thomas, 2013; IUCN, 2017). A species is deemed endangered when natural population numbers decrease ≼50% over 10 years or 3 generations; assessments of wild and mature adults total less than 2500 and the numbers are declining; and there is a 20% probability of its extinction within 20 years or 5 generations (IUCN, 2017).

To the best of my knowledge, much of the essential oil-based literature published after 2014 still includes a profile on Atlas cedarwood (C. atlantica). However, it is rarely acknowledged that Atlas cedar (C. atlantica) is now facing the threat of extinction. If it is mentioned, suggestions of essential oils which could be used in lieu of Atlas cedarwood (C. atlantica), that aren’t sourced from a threatened plant(s) and that have similar therapeutic properties and/or chemical compositions, are not made.

Consequently, to explore alternatives to Atlas cedarwood (C. atlantica) essential oil which meet these criteria, this report highlights differences and similarities among the conservation statuses, chemical profiles, physical-therapeutic properties, and contraindications/hazards of eight cedars and their wood/leaf essential oils. The eight cedars are: 1) Atlas cedar (C. atlantica), 2) Himalayan cedar (C. deodara Roxb. Ex D. Don), 3) Port Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (Andr. Murray) Parl.), 4) Chinese cedar (C. funebris (Endl.) Franco), 5) Texas cedar (Juniperus ashei [syn. mexicana] Buchholz), 6) Virginian cedar (J. virginiana), 7) Western red cedar (Thuja plicata Donn), and 8) Eastern white cedar (T. occidentalis L.).

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First off, when it comes to cedar, Latin names are key to quickly and correctly discerning among them. This is because unlike a Latin name, there are multiple common names per cedar which are easy to confuse with common names of different cedar species.

silos, and toys. Japan prefers the wood for their homes and temples as a substitute to their native and also nearthreatened hinoki (C. obtusa) tree (cited in IUCN, 2017).

Essential oils sourced from Near Threatened species should be avoided if possible.

For example, Virginian cedar is also known as red cedar and eastern red cedar, Thuja is also known as eastern white cedar, and Pacific thuja is also known as western red cedar, yet their Latin names are simply J. virginiana, T. occidentalis, and T. plicata, respectively (see Table 1).

Five of these species are classified as ‘Least Concern’ (see Table 2). They are 1) Himalayan cedar (C. deodara), distributed in Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, Kashmir, and Nepal; 2) Texas cedar (J. ashei), distributed in central USA and Mexico; 3) Virginian cedar (J. virginiana), distributed in central and eastern USA; 4) Western red cedar (T. plicata), distributed in western USA and Canada; and 5) Eastern white cedar (T. occidentalis) distributed in eastern USA and Canada.

Species that are categorized by the IUCN as ‘Least Concern’ have a very low risk of extinction, but should still be sustainably managed. Speaking from a conservation standpoint, I recommend using oils and extracts from these plants whenever possible.

Chinese cedar (C. funebris), distributed in southwestern and central China, is categorized as ‘Not Evaluated’ (see Table 2). Not Evaluated means that these species have not yet been evaluated against the IUCN criteria. Caution should be taken when purchasing essential oils sourced from this species until an assessment on population numbers has been accepted by the IUCN.

Table 1. The Latin name and common names of eight cedar trees. Common names in bold text are the ones used throughout this report. ©Dr. Kelly Ablard

Conservation statuses Atlas cedar (C. atlantica) is distributed in Morocco and Algeria, and is categorized as ‘Endangered’ as a result of increased exploitation over the last ~60 years, in part for its essential oil (see Table 2). Unfortunately, drought, overgrazing, fire, pests, and diseases have exacerbated this serious problem (as cited in IUCN, 2017). Essential oils sourced from threatened species should be avoided unless you are certain they are ethically sourced and legally traded.

Port Orford cedar (C. lawsoniana) is distributed along the west coast of California and Oregon, and is categorized as ‘Near Threatened’ (see Table 2). Near Threatened species are close to being classified as a threatened species if not for ongoing conservation programs. Port Orford cedarwood has fluctuated in demand throughout the USA and Japan for nearly a century. It is used for constructing many things such as houses, furniture, boats, airplanes,

And finally, although adulteration of essential oils from threatened plants is common, most cedarwood oils are adulterated regardless of their conservation status. This is because of their similar chemical profiles and low cost to acquire. Adulteration is rarely done with synthetic oils, but rather with a blend of multiple cedarwood/leaf oils (LisBalchin, 2006). For example, Virginian cedarwood (J. virginiana) and Texas cedarwood (J. ashei) essential oils may be adulterated with the addition of Chinese cedarwood (C. funebris) oil (Tisserand & Young, 2014).

Table 2. Cedar common name, family, genus, and conservation status (i.e.

Endangered, Near Threatened, Least Concern, and Not Evaluated) of eight cedar trees. An (x) in red font indicates a recommendation to avoid purchasing its essential oil. ©Dr. Kelly Ablard

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Family Pinaceae

Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara Roxb. Ex D. Don)

Two of these eight species, belong to the family Pinaceae: Atlas cedar (C. atlantica) (Image 1), and Himalayan cedar (C. deodara) (Image 2). Interestingly, the genus name Cedrus is derived from the word ‘kedron’, which translates to ‘power’ in Arabic (Mojay, 1997). The genus name, Mojay explains, is in alignment with the fortifying and strengthening properties of these essential oils.

Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica G. Manetti)

Image 2. Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara)

Himalayan cedarwood (C. deodara) essential oil is steam distilled from the wood. Similar to C. atlantica essential oil, its key chemical constituents are β-Himachalene, αHimachalene, and γ-Himachalene (Gupta et al. (2011); as cited in Tisserand & Young, 2014, p. 238) (see Table 3).

Image 1. Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica)

Atlas cedarwood (C. atlantica) essential oil is steam or hydro distilled from wood chips, preferably from the heartwood. Key chemical constituents include βHimachalene, α-Himachalene, (E)-α-Atlantone, and γHimachalene (Aberchane & Fechtal 2004) (see Table 3); the himachalenes and their derivatives are heavily sought after by the pharmaceutical and perfume industries.

Further, C. atlantica essential oil has insecticide properties, and many therapeutic properties such as: antiseptic, antiseborrheic, astringent, antiacne, diuretic, lipolytic, pectoral, restorative, tonic, decongestant, depurative, expectorant, sedative, antibacterial, antiinflammatory, antifungal, and anticatarrhal (see Table 4) (Mojay, 1997; von Marksfeld-Fuhrherr, 2004; Gray, 2006; Lis-Balchin 2006; Farrer-Halls 2009; Guba, 2012; Price et al., 2012; Martins et al., 2015; Worwood, 2016; Orchard & van Vuuren 2017).

Contraindications and hazards: none (Tisserand & Young, 2014).

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However, amounts of the same key constituents vary between reports by Gupta et al., and Lawrence; this variation could be because of climate and soil conditions, and/or the distillation method, which are known to affect the chemical composition of its close relative C. atlantica (Aberchane & Fechtal 2004). Himachalenes and atlantones are the major constituents likely linked to its insecticide properties which are active against the termite (Odontotermes obesus) (Chaudhar et al., 2011; Gupta et al., 2011).

Therefore one could posit these constituents also play a role in the insecticide properties of C. atlantica essential oil.

Also similar to C. atlantica essential oil, C. deodara has grounding properties (Mojay 1997; Price et al., 2012).

Contraindications and hazards: none and mildly toxic, respectively (Tisserand & Young, 2014).

Family Cupressaceae Six of these eight species belong to the family Cupressaceae including Port Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (Andr. Murray) Parl.) (Image 3), Chinese cedar (C. funebris (Endl.) Franco), Texas cedar (Juniperus ashei Buchholz), and Virginian cedar (J. virginiana) (Image 4). The genus Juniperus, has approximately 68 species worldwide, of which many are recognized for their medicinal properties, but only two species, J. ashei and J. virginiana, are the

primary sources of cedarwood essential oil for North America (Adams et al., 1988; Tumen et al., 2013). In addition to therapeutic value, their essential oils have strong repellent and larvicidal properties known to affect many mosquito species (Giatropoulos et al., 2013).

Port Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (Andr. Murray) Parl.)

Longifolene (as cited in Tisserand and Young, 2014, p. 238) (see Table 3). Contradictory to Adam’s findings, (1991) Chinese cedarwood (C. funebris) oil is not almost identical in composition to the essential oils of Virginia cedarwood (J. virginiana) and Texas cedarwood (J. ashei) (see Table 3).

Contraindications and hazards: none (Tisserand & Young, 2014).

Texas cedar (Juniperus ashei Buchholz) Texas cedarwood (J. ashei) essential oil is steam distilled from the wood. Key chemical constituents are Thujopsene, α-Cedrene, Cedrol, and β-cedrene (as cited in Tisserand & Young, 2014, p. 239) (see Table 3). Texas cedarwood (J. ashei) oil is frequently used in perfumery and has many therapeutic properties. Its antibacterial properties inhibit Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains. Additional properties include antifungal, astringent, emmenagogue, and expectorant (von Marksfeld-Fuhrherr, 2004; LisBalchin, 2006; Wanner et al., 2010) (see Table 4).

Virginian cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

Image 3. Port Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana)

Port Orford cedarwood (C. lawsoniana) essential oil is steam distilled from the wood. Key chemical constituents are αTerpineol, δ-Cadinene, α-pinene, Camphor, and α-Fenchol (as cited in Tisserand & Young, 2014, p. 239) (Table 3). It is active against the mosquito Aedes aegypti (L.), and against the Asian tiger mosquito (A. albopictus), which has been coined one of the most invasive mosquito species in the world because it is a vector of 22 arboviruses including Dengue virus (Dolan et al., 2007; Enserink, 2008; Giatropoulos et al., 2012).

Interestingly, essential oil extracts from the cones inhibit the growth of the fungi Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma spp (Sivrikaya et al., 2014). Contraindications and hazards: none (Tisserand & Young, 2014).

Chinese cedar (Chamaecyparis funebris (Endl.)

Franco) Chinese cedarwood (C. funebris) essential oil is steam distilled from the wood. Key chemical constituents are Isoα-cedrene, Thujopsene, Cedrenol, Cuparene, and

Image 4. Virginian cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

Virginian cedarwood (J. virginiana) essential oil is steam distilled from the wood. Key chemical constituents are the same as those found in Texas cedarwood (J. ashei) essential oil which are Thujopsene, α-Cedrene, Cedrol, and βcedrene (as cited in Tisserand & Young, 2014, p. 240) (see Table 3).

Although Virginian cedarwood (J. virginiana) and Texas cedarwood (J. ashei) oil have many of the same therapeutic properties, literature shows that Virginian cedarwood (J. virginiana) oil shares more therapeutic properties with Atlas cedarwood (C. atlantica) than with Texan cedarwood 18

(J. ashei) essential oil. Said properties are antiseptic, antiseborrheic, astringent, decongestant, antiacne, diuretic, lipolytic, pectoral, tonic, depurative, expectorant, sedative, antibacterial, and anticatarrhal (see Table 4) (Mojay, 1997; Bowles, 2003; von Marksfeld-Fuhrherr, 2004; Gray, 2006; Lis-Balchin 2006; Farrer-Halls 2009; Guba, 2012; Price et al., 2012; Martins et al., 2015; Worwood, 2016; Orchard & van Vuuren 2017).

Lautrec (Image 6), Edgar Allen Poe, and Marcel Proust were some of the Green Fairy’s addicted admirers, and unfortunately are believed to have suffered greatly as a result.

Further, compared to Virginian cedarwood (J. virginiana), Texas cedarwood (J. ashei), Himalayan cedarwood (C. deodara), and Atlas cedarwood (C. atlantica) essential oils also have insecticide properties (Gawde, 2009) (Table 4).

Contraindications and hazards: none (Tisserand & Young, 2014).

The Thujas

Image 5. The Absinthe Drinker by Viktor Oliva

None of the cedars should be confused with the remaining two species in this family – Western cedar (Thuja plicata) and Eastern white cedar (T. occidentalis). Although the essential oils from these cedars are incredibly therapeutic and have multiple applications, they are used with caution in aromatherapy. This is because if they aren’t used properly, they may have a neurotoxic effect which is caused by the chemical constituent thujone (Lis-Balchin, 2006; Tisserand & Young, 2014). Please refer to (Tisserand & Young, 2014) for dermal use levels and additional safety advice when using these therapeutic oils.

Thujone is a common name for two naturally occurring monoterpene diastereomeric ketones (-)-α-thujone and (+)β-thujone. Although T. plicata and T. occidentalis essential oils are rarely used by certified aromatherapy practitioners, (Price et al., 2012), they are frequently utilized and studied by other professionals including medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, naturopaths, herbalists, chemists, and biologists.

Image 6. Painter, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was known to fill his walking canes with absinthe.

Western red cedar (Thuja plicata) Further, they are included in this report to reiterate the importance of relying on Latin names for cedarwood/leaf identification, as some of their common names can be misleading and confusing. And it never hurts to stress the potential side-effects of thujone, even though they are well documented, in both medical and historical contexts.

For example, thujone is the chemical in the spirit absinthe, notable for its toxic, and potential psychoactive and hallucinogenic effects. Absinthe, also known as the Green Fairy (Image 5) was the popular drink of choice among many of the artists and writers of the early 20th century.

Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-

Western red cedarleaf (T. plicata) (Image 7) essential oil is steam distilled from its needles. Key chemical constituents are α-Thujone, β-Thujone, Sabinene, and Terpinen-4-ol (as cited in Tisserand and Young, 2014, p. 468) (see Table 3).

The essential oil is active against Gram-(-)-bacterium Proteus vulgaris and Gram-(-)-bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Jirovetz et al., 2006). Contraindications (all routes): pregnancy, breastfeeding, and should not be taken orally. Hazards: “Expected to be neurotoxic based on thujone content” (Tisserand & Young, 2014).

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A painting by Robi Smith of T. plicata which was inspired by our collaboration can be seen here http://robismith.indiemade.com/gallery/image/protector.

Image 7. Western red cedar (Thuja plicata)

Eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) Eastern white cedarleaf/wood (T. occidentalis) essential oil is steam distilled from its needles and branches. Key chemical constituents of the leaf (needle) oil are Fenchone, αThujone, β-Thujone, and Sabinene (as cited in Tisserand & Young, 2014, p. 448) (Table 3). Like T. plicata, T. occidentalis has antibacterial properties; it is active against Gram-(+)bacterium Staphyllococcus aureus and bacterium Enterococcus faecalis. It also strongly inhibits Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Erwinia carotovora var. carotovora, and is mildly active against the fungus Fusarium solani (Badawy & Abdelgaleil, 2014).

Extracts are reported to increase circulation, stimulate hormone, enzyme, and gastric secretions, and to affect parasites (Cummings et al., 1991). There is also evidence that it can be used for the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (POS) (Akkol et al., 2015). Contraindications (all routes): pregnancy, breastfeeding, and should not be taken orally. Hazards: Neurotoxicity

Exploring alternatives Although the essential oil of Himalayan cedar (C. deodara) is chemically more similar to Atlas cedar (C. atlantica) than to Virginian cedar (J. virginiana) or to Texas cedar (J. ashei), Virginian cedarwood (J. virginiana) essential oil is reported to have numerous, and Texas cedarwood oil to a lesser amount, therapeutic properties that mirror those of Atlas cedarwood (C. atlantica) essential oil.

Further, therapeutic uses of Virginian cedarwood (J. virginiana) and Atlas cedarwood (C. atlantica) essential oils are uniquely similar. Consequently, Virginian cedarwood (J. virginiana) essential oil would be a candidate alternative 21

to Atlas cedarwood (C. atlantica) essential oil. Texas cedarwood (J. ashei) essential oil might also be worth further exploring given its similar chemical composition to Virginian cedarwood (J. virginiana) essential oil.

Using Virginian cedarwood (J. virginiana) essential oil in lieu of Atlas cedarwood (C. atlantica) oil would likely support healing in a similar way, positively impact the preservation and protection of Atlas cedar (C. atlantica), and help to control the Virginian cedar (J. virginiana) population numbers. According to Tumen et al. (2013) Virginian cedar (J. virginiana) [and Texas (J. ashei)] cedar are so abundant, they are considered pest species, which is one reason the IUCN has categorized them as ‘Least Concern’.

An additional benefit is that also similar to Atlas Cedarwood (C. atlantica) essential oil, both Virginian cedarwood (J. virginiana) and Texan cedarwood (J. ashei) essential oils have no contraindications or hazards.

And from a chemical, rather than a therapeutic standpoint, Himalayan cedarwood (C. deodara) essential oil could be a promising alternative to Atlas cedarwood (C. atlantica) essential oil. These essential oils are significantly and similarly unique in their chemical composition compared to cedars in the family Cupressaceae. This is predominantly because of the himachalenes and atlantones (i.e. β-Himachalene, α-Himachalene, γ-Himachalene, and (E)-α-Atlantone), which likely are linked to insecticide properties. However, more research is needed on the therapeutic and non-therapeutic properties of Himalayan cedarwood (C. deodara). Further, Himalayan cedar (C. deodara) is classified as ‘Least Concern’.

If Viriginian cedarwood (J. virginiana), Texas cedarwood (J. ashei), and/or Himalayan cedarwood (C. deodara) essential oils aren’t ideal alternatives to Atlas cedarwood (C. atlantica) essential oils for you to explore, there are plenty of other essential oils with the same therapeutic properties, therapeutic uses, and maybe similar chemical profiles, that are sourced from non-threatened or non-near threatened essential oil-bearing plants.

Alternatives to Port Orford cedarwood (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) and Chinese cedarwood (C. funebris) essential oils are still being investigated. This is because there is modicum of research and literature available on the therapeutic properties and uses of these essential oils, which is likely one reason they aren’t used as frequently in aromatherapy. Regardless, it is important to be aware of their conservation statuses, which are Near Threatened (Port Orford cedar), and Not Evaluated (Chinese cedar).

Purchasing these essential oils should be avoided if possible.

I encourage you to share, and integrate into literature, presentations, and curricula, this information as one way to bring awareness to the conservation status of Atlas cedar (C. atlantica). Contributions of this nature will help to protect and preserve this endangered species. And if you choose to continue to use Atlas cedarwood (C. atlantica) essential oil, please do so responsibly by ensuring that your oil is ethically sourced, but please keep in mind that there is always a ‘greener’ alternative.

Table 4. Most common therapeutic properties for Atlas cedarwood, Virginian cedarwood and Texas cedarwood essential oils. ‘X’ indicates properties are present. Red font indicates an endangered species. ©Dr. Kelly Ablard

Prayer of the woods “I am the heart of your hearth on the cold winter nights, the friendly shade screening you from the summer sun, and my fruits are refreshing draughts quenching your thirst as you journey on. I am the beam that holds your house, the board of your table, the bed on which you lie, and the timber that builds your boat. I am the handle of your hoe, the door of your homestead, the wood of your cradle, and the shell of your coffin. I am the bread of kindness and the flower of beauty. Ye who pass by, listen to my prayer: Harm me not.” – Author unknown

References

Table 3. Percentages of key chemical constituents of each cedarwood/leaf essential oil. Although all chemical constituents play an important role in the activity of the oil, only those ≥ 2% were included, with exceptions made to highlight further similarities between chemical profiles. The essential oil source is denoted within ( ) under the common name of each cedar. Constituents highlighted in green are cedars in family Pinaceae, and those in orange are in family Cupressaceae.

1 Gupta et al., 2011. ©Dr. Kelly Ablard

Aberchane, M. and Fechtal, M. 2004. Analysis of Moroccan Atlas Cedarwood Oil (Cedrus atlantica Manetti). Journal of Essential Oil Research. 16 pp. 542-547.

Akkol, E.K., Ilhan, M., Demirel, M.A., Keles, H., Tumen, I. and Suntar, I. 2015. Thuja occidentalis L. and its active compound αthujone: Promising effects in treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome without inducing osteoporosis. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 168 pp. 25-30.

Bowles, E.J. 2003. The A to Z of Essential Oils: What they are, where they come from, how they work. London, UK: Quarto Publishing.

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Badawy, M.E.I. and Abdelgaleil, S.A.M. 2014. Composition and antimicrobial activity of essential oils isolated from Egyptian plants against plant pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Industrial Crops and Products. 52 pp. 776-782.

Piovezan, A.P., dos Antos, A.R. 2015. Inhalation of Cedrus atlantica essential oil alleviates pain behavior though activation of descending pain modulation pathways in a mouse model of postoperative pain.

Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 175 pp. 30-38.

Chaudhar, A., Sharma, P., Nadda, G., Tewary, D.K., Singh, B. 2011.

Chemical composition and larvicidal activities of the Himalayan cedar, Cedrus deodara essential oil and its fractions against the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. Journal of Insect Science. 157 pp. 1-10.

Mojay, G. 1997. Aromatherapy for the Spirit: Restoring Emotional and Mental Balance with Essential Oils. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press.

Orchard, A., and van Vuuren, S. 2017. Commercial Essential Oils as Potential Antimicrobials to Treat Skin Diseases. Hindawi. 2017 pp. 192.

Cummings, M.P.H., Stephen, M.D., Ullman, D. 1991. Everybody’s Guide to Homeopathic Medicines. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

Revised Ed.

Price, P., Price, S., and Kellett, J. 2012. Pregnancy and Childbirth. In Aromatherapy for Health Professionals (Eds. Price, S. and Price, L.).

Churchill Livingstone.4th Ed.

Dolan, M.C., Dietrich, G., Panella, N.A., Montenieri, J.A., and Karchesy, J.J. 2007. Biocidal Activity of Three Wood Essential Oils Against Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae), Xenopsylla cheopis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae), and Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culcidae).

Journal of Economic Entomology. 100 pp. 622-625.

Thomas, P. 2013. Cedrus atlantica. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T42303A2970716. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T42303A2970716.en.

Downloaded on 30 October 2017.

Enserink, M. 2008. A mosquito goes global. Science 320 pp. 864-866.

Farrer-Halls, G. 2009. The Aromatherapy Bible: The definitive guide to using essential oils. London, UK: Godsfield Press.

Gawde, A.J., Cantrell, C.L., Zhelijazkov, V.D. 2009. Dual extraction of essential oil and podophyllotoxin from Juniperus virginiana.

Industrial Crops and Products. 30 pp. 276-280.

Giatropoulos, A., Pitarokili, D., Papaioannou, F., Papachristos, P., Koliopoulos, G., Emmanouel, N., Tzakou, O., and Michaelakis, A. 2013. Essential oil composition, adult repellency and larvicidal activity of eight Cupressaceae species from Greece against Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae). Parasitology Research. 112 pp. 11131123.

Gray, B. 2006. Essential oils for meditation. Holistic Healing. May, 2006 pp. 72-73.

Guba, R. 2012. Aromatherapy Worldwide. In Aromatherapy for Health Professionals (Eds. Price, S. and Price, L.). Churchill Livingstone.4th Ed. Gupta, A., Sharma, S., and Naik, S.N. 2011. Biopesticidal value of selected essential oils against pathogenic fungus, termites, and nematodes. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation. 65 pp.

703-707.

IUCN. 2017. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2013.1).

Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 4 Oct. 2017).

Jirovetz, L., Buchbauer, G., Denkova, Z., Slavchev, A., Stoyanova, A., and Schmidt, E. 2006. Chemical composition, antimicrobial activities and odor descriptions of various Salvia sp. and Thuja sp. essential oils. Wissenschaft. 30 pp.152-159.

Lis-Balchin, M. 2006. Aromatherapy Science: A guide for healthcare professionals. London, UK: Pharmaceutical Press.

Martins, D.F., Emer, A.A., Batisti, A.P., Donatello, N., Carlesso, M.G., Mazzardo-Martins, L., Venzke, D., Micke, G.A., Pizzolatti, M.G.,

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Tisserand, R. and Young, R. 2013. Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals. Churchill Livingstone; 2nd Ed. Tumen, I., Suntar, I., Eller, F.J., Keles, H., Akkol, E.K. 2013. Topical Wound-Healing Effects and Phytochemical Composition of Heartwood Essential Oils of Juniperus virginiana L., Juniperus occidentalis Hook., and Juniperus ashei J. Buchholz. Journal of Medicinal Food. 16 pp. 48.55. von Marksfeld-Fuhrherr, B. 2004. Aromatherapy 201. Vancouver, B.C.: West Coast Institute of Aromatherapy.

Wanner J., Schmidt, E., Bail, S., Jirovetz, L., Buchbauer, G., Gochev, V., Girova, T., Atanasova, T., Stoyanova, A. 2010. Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of selected essential oils and some of their main compounds. Natural Production Communications; 5 pp.1359-64.

Worwood, V. A. 2016. The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy. Novato, CA: New World Library; 2nd Ed.

Dr. Kelly Ablard is a conservation biologist, certified aromatherapist and educator who helps students understand the science of essential oils and how to protect threatened aromatic plant species.

Kelly believes that in order to work with aromatic plant medicine, you must have a deep respect for, and understanding of its scientific and spiritual applications. Before starting as Co-partner of Essence of Thyme and as Executive Director of Airmid Institute, Kelly worked over 15 years as a scientific researcher both in the field and in the lab. Kelly also is Cochair for the International Committee on Sustainability of Aromatic Plants and Essential Oils Used in Aromatherapy and Natural Perfumery and sits on the board of the United Plant Savers. She has been honoured with the BCAOA 2016 Achievement of Excellence Award and voted one of the top 5 aromatherapists in Vancouver, BC. She holds an MSc in Conservation and a PhD in Biology.

Airmid Institute Website: www.airmidinstitute.com Email: info@airmidinstitute.com Essence of Thyme Website: www.essenceofthyme.com Email: support@essenceofthyme.com

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Essential Dreams Dream a little dream with me…

In this first part on essential oils and dreams, writers Toby Johnson, Melissa Housser, and Krista Lee discuss lucid dreaming and their experimentation with essential oils A certain fragrance can evoke memories and emotions before we are even consciously aware of it. Essential oils enable us to access stored or forgotten memories and suppressed emotions so that we can acknowledge and integrate or release them.

Similarly, this is one of the theories of the function of dreaming; building the net of the mind within dreaming, a safe space to explore these stored, forgotten memories, access them and create bridges and connections to other experiences. In doing so, when we are faced again with these situations, be they traumatic ones filtered through nightmares, or decision-making ones within our metaphoric sleeping adventures, we have already integrated them.

The emotional brain responds to smell because the limbic system is directly connected to those parts of the brain that control heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, memory, stress levels and hormone balance. This is why essential oils can have drastic effects on emotional states and behaviors. The olfactory nerves respond to the essential oils’ odor which then triggers the brain to stimulate the release of hormones and neurochemicals that will alter the body’s behavioral response. This is as true in sleep, as it is in everyday waking life.

A dream can be defined as a succession of images, ideas, emotions and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind. You may or may not remember dreaming, but everyone dreams. When we are sleeping, we enter five stages of sleep. The first four are considered NREM, or ‘no rapid eye movement’, the kind of sleep where less vivid dreams occur, and thinking takes place.

In stage one, you produce alpha brainwaves. This type of sleep doesn’t restore or rest your body, but the heart rate slows and muscles relax. Stage two slips you deeper than stage one, where short-wave brain pulses occur, and lead you into stage three, where the heartbeat drops further, along with blood pressure and temperature. The fourth stage occurs when delta brainwaves are produced and the body is immobile. REM, or ‘rapid eye movement’, is the fifth stage of sleep and where the most vivid dreams take place.

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REM is also known as paradoxical sleep because while the brainwaves indicate alertness and the adrenal glands produce adrenaline, the body remains limp and oblivious to external stimuli (Beare). Approximately 60% of the sleep of newborns is REM sleep, which is over three times that of an adult (Fontana, 116).

Blend #1 for Lucid Dreaming

No doubt, for these newborns, the increased amount of REM sleep helps them begin to decipher the major conundrum that is human life. For most people, REM sleep happens every 90 minutes. At first, it lasts for 5 minutes, and increases throughout the night. By the 5th cycle, most people can dream for up to 30 minutes.

Deprivation of REM sleep can lead to irritability, fatigue, memory loss, and poor concentration (Fontana, 41).

The term ‘lucid dreaming’ was first coined by Dutch author and psychiatrist Frederik van Eeden in his 1913 article A Study of Dreams.

Historical documents shows that philosopher Aristotle wrote, “often when one is asleep, there is something in consciousness which declares that what then presents itself is but a dream”. Galen, a physician, surgeon and philosopher in the Roman Empire, used lucid dreaming as a form of therapy.

Another theory on the function of dreaming is that the brain is firing signals as it organizes the previous day's thoughts and experiences that might end up as memories.

With nightmares, the dreaming involves the making of broad connections, far more so than waking life allows.

Lucid dreaming is defined as ‘a dream during which the dreamer is aware of dreaming’. During lucid dreaming, the dreamer should be able to exert some degree of control over the dream characters, narrative, and environment.

A great way to induce lucid dreaming is to fall asleep with the intention of being ‘lucid’. Repeating a mantra can help. Something as simple as, “I will lucid dream tonight” works, so that your brain is aware during the process of falling asleep.

Lucid Blend:

The most popular theory is that these connections are made through the use of pictured metaphors as the brain sorts the information from the trauma by attempting to create connections to memories and emotions. With the end goal being to weave the trauma into the sleeper’s mind, these new connections and contexts can then be used for future functioning.

This results in new trauma being less serious and producing fewer storms (nightmares, emotional effects, etc) since the appropriate connections already exist and can be accessed to cope with it. Overall, they are turning memories of traumatic events into experience.

For this experiment, our group focused on the effects of essential oils blended with intention toward three types of dreaming: lucid, night terrors, and prophetic.

The blends were each used for one week. Each blend was 10ml in size, diluted with jojoba oil. The blends were diffused every night, accompanied by a mantra-based meditation before bed for the first half of the week, and a roll on application to the feet for the second half.

Frankincense (Boswellia carteri) – 5 drops • Useful in attracting angels and dispelling evil • Recommended to smooth the free flow of Qi • Aids in meditation, clearing mental chatter and calming the mind Clary sage (Salvia sclerea) – 5 drops • Has the ability to probe deep into the psyche • Opens a path to the unknown, unusual, creative, & intuitive • Brings us more closely in touch with the dream world • Encourages vivid dreams and dream recall • Strengthens third eye, helping one see more clearly Patchouli (Pogostemom cablin) – 5 drops • Connects one to the body and its sensuality • Heals negative detachment from body and environment • Recommended for the “dreamer” type personalities • Liberates one from boundaries

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Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) – 2 drops • Aids in reaching a deeper state of meditation due to its calming and relaxing qualities • Connects all Chakras into harmony, allowing for an integration of spirituality and self • Eases fear by creating strength, calming the mind, and soothing the heart No specific Mantra was chosen for this blend as it was decided that this was a profoundly personal type of dreaming, and as such the Mantra’s should be personalized to the individual.

Some of the participants’ responses have been edited for brevity.

marijuana which can make you fall into a deep sleep.

Being in a deep sleep makes you rested but with the potential to create mental fog and wake up groggy. You also miss out on REM sleep, which gives your body time to restore itself.

I do this because I have a lot of stress in my life and it helps to quiet my mind and effectively help me sleep.

During my week of using my lucid dreaming blend, I did use marijuana which could have inhibited some of my results.

Over all, I enjoyed the smell of my blend and learning more about my own sleep habits.

Toby's experience:

Krista’s Experience: I applied the blend to my wrists, chest, and bottoms of feet every night. I also diffused that combination of oils, but every night I just put one drop of each into my diffuser. I always made sure during my week to try not to go to sleep too late, and make sure I was comfortable when lying down.

My expectations weren't very high for this week. While I do experience dreaming, the dreams I'm able to recall are of a negative nature. To me, lucid dreaming promotes a vivid interactive field. This sounds pleasant, except for the negative realm to which my dreams tend to stick. This, however, isn't the best head-space to be in for lucid dreaming and was a task in itself to move past.

During the week of using the oils, I got almost no results.

Every night I would adhere to the rules I set for myself of going to sleep early and getting comfy, but I still wouldn’t remember anything. One night, I remembered having a dream where I was talking to someone and saying, “I can’t work without a smoothie”, which I recorded immediately in my dream journal.

I found this blend to be very calming, as well as extremely sedating. It would warm my chest and neck, and promoted a soft transfer into sleep which took many of my worries away. I'd like to note that both my cats also enjoyed this blend, as it diffused in my bedroom. They were found nuzzling the diffuser and during the course of the project, this was the only time they slept at the end of bed, or stayed in the room while the diffuser was on.

Even though it’s something small and random, I’m glad I remembered it since I haven’t remembered my dreams for a long time now. I thought maybe trying to lucid dream would be too hard since I can’t even remember a regular dream, and I was right. I still wanted to give it a try to challenge myself, and I did learn something.

By the middle of the week my dreams were vivid. I experienced a clear sense of the dream world and could recall small details hours after waking. I began to realize I was actively in a dream state, though I was unable to control or change paths.

While searching different websites trying to figure out why I don’t remember my dreams anymore, I found something interesting. I don’t remember my dreams because at night before I go to bed I usually smoke 27

These dreams were, however, of a more pleasant nature. I was a main character interacting with others. Each dream I recalled was a quest, an adventure. I was working with others to reach a goal. Many did have horrid imagery that my regular dreams portrayed but these images didn't

startle or worry me.

While I was unable to achieve a lucid dreaming state, the dreams I did have were more active and less negative than normal.

The meditation part of the week did improve the clarity with which I was able to recall, however I was still unable to control the dream state.

Melissa's experience: At first, this blend seemed to knock me into such a deep, sedated sleep that I didn't recall any dreams. Ordinarily my dreams are extremely vivid and I have no issues remembering them upon waking. This was off-putting and immediately made me dislike the blend, however nice it smelled.

Things did change, however, when I started to adopt the phrase “wake back to bed” as a sort of mantra. My dreams became dramatic once again. I only had one truly lucid dream where I acknowledged that I was dreaming. It was three days into this blend during one of the foot roll-on nights. I was walking along a giant plant frond, which lead me to a flower pedestal full of people from my past that either no longer served me, or had abused my nicety in some way.

Once I acknowledged my dream, the plant frond whipped me around to a room where my dream journal was waiting and I started to write my experience down but what I wrote wasn't about my dream, it was about how I should move forward and focus on the things that deserve my energy.

I believe I had a few more lucid dreams during the week but would immediately forget them upon waking.

The experience was slightly tiring because I feel like the constant lucid state was taking away from my deeper, REM sleep.

In the end, lucid dreaming has proven to be quite the fickle friend. Achieving a true lucid state seems to be quite difficult, with the dreams themselves being hard to remember for most participants and is something that requires time, patience, and determination to truly master.

Outside influences must be factored in as well, as the lucid state appears to be extremely susceptible to conditions such as drug use, anxiety, or the ever prevalent busy

mind. While the blend induced vivid dreams in all participants – even Krista, who stated she never remembers having dreamt, had one memorable moment – there was a commonality of the blend being highly sedating to begin with, and only bringing on dreams after an adjustment period.

Having a mantra may be the key to lucid dreaming, since the only true “success” occurred once Melissa started using her mantra. Further study would need to be done to support or disprove this, as at this point it cannot be ruled out as a possible coincidence. The preferred method of application differed across participants as well, as Toby mentioned their diffuser being the best option, while Melissa had success with the foot roll-on.

When we consider the profoundly personal connection an individual can have with both dreams and essential oils, however, this is not a startling discovery. Going to bed is a ritual we all perform; it only makes sense that a method that resonates with one person might appear tedious to another.

Ultimately, lucid dreaming seems to provide intuitive understanding into the self as opposed to specific answers to questions we may have but one thing appears certain: lucid dreaming prevents the body from resting properly due to the lack of REM sleep the dreamer experiences while in this state. This potential for exhaustion is something to consider when pursuing the lucid dream.

To all the lucid dreamers out there: your hard work has not gone unnoticed. Stay tuned for the next segment where our participants tackle night terrors with an entirely new blend of essential oils.

Resources and References Fontana, David; 1000 Dreams; Watkins Publishing; London; 2013 Hall, Judy; The Crystal Bible, Godsfield Press; Great Britain; 2003 Corbett, Tomietal; The Dreamers Dictionary; Grand Central Publishing; NY; 1994 Beare, Emma; The Dream Deck; Octopus Publishing Group; London; 2006 Edel, Lynne; Aromatherapy Practitioner Program; Langara College; Vancouver; 2017 Aristotle; On Dreams; Translated by J. I. Beare; 350 B.C.E. Battaglia, Salvatore; The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy; The International Centre of Holistic Aromatherapy; Australia; 2003 Jenifer Parker PHD Dreams & Nightmares; Apple Press; 2010 Ernest Hartmann MD Dreams and Nightmares: The new theory on the origin and meaning; Basic Books; 1998 Science.Howstuffworks.com Biospiritual-energy-healing.com Experience-essential-oils.com Thebluebuddha.com.au/ Essentialoilbenefits.com healergirl.com Oil-Testimonials.com Nobullying.com visiblemantra.org; Jayarava; 2011

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Aromatherapy Student: Mary Monteiro Insomnia, Headaches & Stress Essence of Thyme College of Holistic Studies

Student writer Mary Monteiro discusses her case study for a client suffering from severe sleep issues and job-related stress.

Case Description My client is a 48 year old IT professional. For the past 4 months my client has had a lot of difficulty falling asleep and remaining asleep throughout the night and it is progressively deteriorating. He wakes up multiple times during the night and then has difficulty falling back to sleep. My client sleeps anywhere from 5-6hrs on a good night. He feels that the severity of his condition is 7 out of 10.

For the past 2 months he has been taking 10mg of time-released melatonin nightly which helps him fall asleep. What it does not help is keep him asleep and he thinks that the melatonin triggers an onset of bad dreams. He is under a lot of stress at work and finds it difficult to quieten his mind at night.

My client is fairly active and likes to run to release the daily stress build-up. He has a Fitbit and has been monitoring his sleep patterns. On average he may wake up anywhere from 10-20 times a night. He was concerned with the amount of times he wakes up during the night and therefore talked to his family physician about it. He was reassured that physically he is healthy.

My client does experience tension headaches throughout the week and believes that they are mostly related to his lack of sleep. He is hopeful that once his sleep patterns improve that his headaches will dissipate.

To help understand the Fitbit stats reported in this case study, the following describes light, deep and REM sleep: Light – On average, light sleep makes up 50-60% of one’s sleep at night. Whether one gets less or more it will not have an impact on how one feels because it represents the sleep left that is not spend in deep or REM sleep.1 Deep – On average, deep sleep makes up 10-25%. Our bodies know how much deep sleep it needs. Individuals tend to get less deep sleep as one ages.2 “According to New Health Advisor, adults 18 and older need anywhere from 1.5-1.8 hours of deep sleep per night, which 30

is about 20% of your overall sleep. Some people, however, may find they need more in order to feel fully rested. There’s no such thing as too much deep sleep.”3 REM – On average, REM makes up 20-25% and takes place in the 2nd half of the night. If one cuts their sleep short, part of the REM sleep is what is cut out.4 The three conditions that will be addressed are: • Insomnia, • Headaches and • Stress.

Treatment Protocol The goal for this treatment is to ease the symptoms in the above categories, in order to help my client feel well. Initially the treatment length was set for 4 weeks, however since my client was willing to share his Fitbit statistics I was intrigued to be able to quantify the case study results and followed up with him at the 8 week mark.

Table 1: 30ml, 2.5% blend for insomnia, headaches, stress

Table 2: Personal Inhaler for insomnia, headaches, stress

A blend with the same proportions will be added to a personal inhaler. Rose hydrosol is misted at night.

Mode of Application The synergy blend is to be used at night for sleep. Use 2-3 drops and massage the temples, bottoms of feet or pulse points.

It can also be used throughout the day as needed for headaches. Use 2-3 drops and massage temples or back of the neck.

The inhaler is to be used as needed during the day when he feels stressed.

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Client Response to Treatment 2018/03/20 Completed intake form & cross reference chart & provided her with a synergy blend and an inhaler.

2018/03/22 My client has used both the synergy blend as well as the inhaler and has not experienced any issues.

2018/03/30 My client has been applying the synergy blend to the bottoms of his feet at night and so far does not feel like there has been any improvement with his sleep and he has continued to take his nightly dose of melatonin. He did confirm that by using the blend on his temples that it has alleviated his headaches. Also the inhaler has been effective to reduce his stress.

I gave my client a 120ml spray mist bottle of rose hydrosol and recommended that he spray his bed linens specifically his pillow just before bedtime. He agreed to continue with the treatment protocol and to keep his Fitbit on at night for statistical purposes.

My client is still averaging 5-6 hours of sleep per night and is still waking up multiple times throughout the night. His REM, light and deep sleep is well below the percentages required/recommended.

2018/04/16 My client confirmed that just after week two he began to see improvements in his sleep. He felt more refreshed and revitalized in the morning. Throughout the day he continued to use his inhaler and did not feel the need to use the blend on his temples for the headaches as the inhaler seemed to be effective for this condition as well. He was very happy with the progress.

Intrigued I asked if he could continue with the same treatment protocol for the next 4 weeks and he agreed.

My client’s weekly average sleep has increased and is now over 6hrs. Most nights he gets over 6 hours of sleep. He is still 32

Edu

cati

on O

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Explore our new educational products then buy and download to watch or listen at your own pace.

Presenter: Patricia Antoniak Date: September 10, 2017 Length: 4 hours, 44 minutes (In 2 parts) Description: The Dynamics of Addiction This 2-part webinar discusses the use of aromatherapy with addiction, addictive personalities, and some of the causes and expressions of this difficult and damaging disease.

Presenter: Peter Holmes L.Ac., M.H. Date: April 2018 Length: 9 hours, 53 minutes (In 8 parts) Description: Day 1 Topics - Aromatherapy and Essential Oil Medicine: Exploring the psychological and physiological functions of essential oils.

Fragrance Qualities and Pharmacology: The psychosensory approach to using essential oils as remedies Day 2 Topics - Essential Oils as Bioactive Remedies: Evaluating the integrity of essential oil production and identity. Symptom Versus Terrain: Differentiating treatment priorities with the six diagnostic conditions 33

Presenter: Dr. Timothy Miller ND. MAc, LAc, RA Date: April 2019 Length: 9 hours, 53 minutes (In 7 parts) Description: Day 1 - AromaChemistry: Get ready to see chemistry in a whole new light! Dr. Tim is going to show you how fascinating AromaChemistry is and how you can use it in a profound and impactful way. Some of the basics of chemistry is revisited, as well as explore functional groups and their generalized therapeutic indications. This will help enhance and deepen your understanding of chemistry and AromaChemistry.

Day 2 - Pharmacokinetics: Pharmacokinetics is how the body interacts with essential oil components and how these compounds are metabolized and excreted from the body. A vital aspect of aromatherapy and can enable practitioners to maximize the effects of their treatments, and can guide the oil(s) and interface(s) which they might use.

Presenting The BCAPA Proceedings Manuals 2001-2014 Between the years 2000 and 2014, the BCAPA published the presenters’ notes from Continuing Education Events and meeting notes of Chapter Group forums in a bound format as their annual Proceedings Manual. The hard copies of the Proceeding Manuals were discontinued in 2015 but the they contain such a wealth of information that, now that the BCAPA and BCAOA have amalgamated, we are able to sell them at a very affordable price online in digital format.

These wonderfully informative manuals are available singly or buy the whole collection for an amazingly discounted deal!

Journal Update: We only have a few of our Summer and Fall issues left, but all previous editions are available online at Issuu. Thank you all for your support!

Essential Oil Safety Booklets: These lovely and profitable publications are always available in print to order or online at Issuu.

34

waking up multiple times throughout the night but his deep sleep has increased. His REM sleep is now the normal percentages range and his REM sleep has increased and closer to the required range.

2018/05/11 My client has reported that there has been a significant improvement to his overall mental health. He is sleeping really well, has not had to take melatonin for 8 days now. He still experiences headaches but not as intense as before and the inhaler has worked wonders to manage his stress levels.

My client’s weekly average sleep has increased by 8 minutes from the last time we met. There is no improvement to the number of times he wakes up, however there is an improvement with his ability to fall back asleep. His REM sleep at times surpasses the normal range of 20-25% and his REM sleep is nearing the 20% mark.

35

Evaluation Client’s Perspective My client’s initial response was that he seemed somewhat disappointed as he had not gotten the results that he had hoped for quickly within 1 weeks’ time. As he progressed with his treatment protocol he was then very pleased with the results.

He began to sleep better, felt less stressed, was feeling good overall and he had proof that his sleep had improved through his Fitbit weekly stats.

He is going to continue to use all of the application methods as he does not want his sleep patterns to revert back to what they were. Overall, my client is very happy with the results.

My Perspective I am in agreement with my client in that I feel that overall the treatment protocol was very successful. The use of the blend and the inhaler helped to improve his sleep, reduce his tension headaches and alleviate stress levels. He did not mind the floral aroma and found it to be quite calming. The fact that I was able to quantify this case study results with actual statistical data was quite impressive. I am going to continue to make use of technology tools when possible.

Recommendations • Continue to use the inhaler to manage his stress and help with his headaches as needed.

• Continue to use the rose hydrosol mist nightly on his bed linen and pillow.

• Continue to use the synergy blend as needed at nigh time and during the day if desired.

References THOMPSON, C. (2012) Aromatherapy Certification Course Level 1 Revised 02.2014 TISSERAND, T. & YOUNG, R. (2013) Essential Oil Safety 2nd Edition WORWOOD, V.A. (2016) The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy, 25th Anniversary Edition

Mary Monteiro is a student of Essence of Thyme College of Holistic Studies.

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Nutritionist Sherry Akef R.H.N talks about why spring is the best time for cleansing our systems

Spring in to you!

There’s something so exciting and comforting about the fresh crisp air this time of year, and the sweet notes of a soft fragrant breeze that pleasantly reminds me of awakening, cleansing, and the warm sun that is soon to come. This is the time of year that makes us want to stretch and straighten out those old logs of wood we call bones; wakeup, rise, and breathe deep. A time where we look out the window in anticipation of a warmer sun, lush bounty of greenery, fruits and veggies that will be sure to keep us nourished for months to come: a gift. It is the season that represents love, hope, struggle, and triumph. This is a time where we are gently reminded that we are fragile humans but we can overcome anything, no, every thing!

Spring is the season for our hardest working organ, our liver. And if you know me, you know that I’m all about the liver.

It is in spring that our relentless liver works the hardest. If there’s any time to support this glorious organ and the detoxification process of your body, it’s now! I’m always the one reminding everyone not to detox in January when the body is in a state of rest. Well friends, our body is waking up, slowly stretching out kinks and reaching for the sun, rising to the occasion. Now is the time to listen closely to your body’s cues. It’s now time to gently and respectfully honour our selves, and our magnificent eliminatory organs (liver, kidneys, intestines, and lungs).

Every single day, our bodies are working so hard to filter out the excessive toxicity we are constantly exposed to in our food systems, agriculture, water, air, products we put on our bodies, etc…

I invite you to consider supporting your body’s own natural cleansing program every spring, and even taking small steps every day. I encourage you to forget quick fixes, in my experience they are not sustainable and they put incredible pressure on the already over-burdened immune system, liver, kidneys, and digestive system, creating even more congestion. “Detoxifying” is one of the most basic and automatic functions of our body that occurs every single second of 37

every day. Toxins are constantly eliminated and neutralized through the liver, colon, kidneys, lymphatic system, lungs, and skin.

more viruses within us than we do cells. Isn’t that crazy?

Without our bugs, we would fall to our demise in just a few days. Bugs are compulsory to our survival and so it is crucial to have a healthy and balanced microbiome. Why are they so important? To put it simply, our microbiome is what determines how our body responds.

The best way to help the right bugs to flourish and get rid of the bugs that are not helping you, is to support the natural detoxification process of your body by following and supporting the natural cycles of your body, taking human strain probiotics daily, drinking plenty of filtered water, eating whole unprocessed foods at every meal, resting, limiting intake of antibiotics (this includes factory farmed meat), limiting sweeteners/sugars, and limiting toxicity as much as possible.

Unfortunately, in our current state of living, our bodies have a hard time keeping up with their own normal detoxifying process as we are constantly exposing them to toxins. Our body systems are so overwhelmed that these toxins are no longer eliminating and neutralizing properly; instead some are remaining inside our bodies and going into our cells.

In the past I’ve looked at toxicity being the cause of many illnesses and symptoms we experience, and even though that may be technically true, I’ve learned to go even deeper to ask why. Through that process, I’ve come to learn to not be so angry at the world. I am now in the process of learning to trust that our bodies are capable of overcoming anything. They are made to survive, adapt, self-heal, and auto-regulate! Instead of feeling powerless with what is happening with our world, we are power-full with what we can do and the choices we can make. Our bodies just need extra support and love, to do their jobs effectively. The best way to do this is to have a very simple and easy daily program and limit your exposure to toxins as much as you can.

Our gut is one of the key organ systems in detoxification.

It is what allows the break down and absorption of food, it is the main part of our immune system (80% of our immune system is in our gut), and it houses 100,000 billion viable microbes. Our microbiome (friendly and much needed bacteria) plays a huge role in our health.

The billions of microbes that live in our intestines count for approximately 3.5 pounds of our total weight.

One of the best foods for detoxification is broth. It is one of the most healing, nutritious, and cheapest foods in the world. You just can’t go wrong with broth. It can be packed with high-dense nutrients including a range of minerals, collagen, and amino acids: the foundation of our building blocks, helping us heal on all levels. Eating this on a regular basis may help in reducing inflammation, healing mucous membranes in the gut, boosting immune system, and helping your body in its natural detoxification process. Make sure you’re using high quality pasture-raised bones and/or vegetables (organic, to limit intake of toxins like pesticides, herbicides and insecticides).

Remember, every step counts. I hope I’ve inspired you to listen deeply this spring. If there’s one thing you can do right now, it is take a moment to allow yourself a self-care and self-love routine, without judgements, even if it means 3 minutes of sitting in your closet with your hand on your heart, acknowledging and thanking yourself and your incredible hard-working liver!

Just as the seeds in the garden are now struggling to break free and grow into beautiful green plants and bear fruit; with just a little water, some nutrients and a little love, you, too, can overcome everything, rise above and flourish.

Happy Spring!

New research is now showing that we have microbes in every single part of our body, not just the gut! We have ten times more bacteria in our body than we do cells, and we are now discovering that we have one hundred times 38

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More than an association

Book Review

Veterans With PTSD: Survival Guide 101 How To Use Essential Oils for Combat Stress Author: Unknown Review by Anita Kalnay Title: Veterans With PTSD, 2nd ed.

Author: Unknown (Pseudonym Oils4Warriors) Publisher: self-published under GodsOils, USA (2015) Pages: 126 “For anyone who has trauma, it’s not a matter of ‘getting back to normal’ but ‘finding your new normal’. Oils will greatly support your journey to find this!”

“This coping too (essential oils) did not come from the mind of big government, but the mind of Creation itself, in plant-form and has been used for many thousands of years…”

The book is written from the perspective of a caring mom whose 20-year old daughter returned injured and with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) after her vehicle was hit while she was serving in Iraq. While being treated for severe wounds and spinal injuries, the daughter wanted real answers to her health issues, not to get hooked on 40

pain medications and prescriptions. Intuitively, the daughter began to seek out and purchase essential oils online from India and the Middle East.

frankincense, lavender and peppermint. The frankincense was given as 2 drops under the tongue, often taken every 2 hours throughout the day!

After 3 years the daughter began to experience terrors, reliving the explosion that had caused her injuries. These terrors were highly physical and heartwrenching. The family felt desperate and helpless watching her live a hell on earth, day after day. The entire family was sliding into a black hole, expecting and fearing suicide, while feeling powerless and blaming themselves for not being able to help her.

Digestible capsules were created using a blend of peppermint, ginger and caraway seed. These were taken upon rising and before bed. There is a mention that essential oils should be diluted at least 2:1 as a general rule – 2 drops carrier to 1 drop essential oil – which was a somewhat reassuring safety measure.

The author – who remains anonymous as does her daughter – started her own journey into essential oils at a “party” to which she was invited. Although she expected it to be a candle-and-soap type of event, she was quite surprised to be introduced to essential oils, and immediately noticed that they made her feel differently – and in a very good way.

“Together we sniffed and cried and smiled. Finally, a tiny bright spot light had shone on us.”

My guess is at this point, she became a distributor for DoTerra, although the book itself does not focus on that at all. Even the pictures attempt to keep the focus on essential oils themselves and not on selling them.

As a reader and aromatherapist with my own personal journey of using the oils, I respect her journey. She was a lay person with no prior knowledge or professional training in essential oils or their use. So she really did have to rely on the blends that were available from the supplier that she knew.

• • • • • •

She found the benefits of using essential oils in the following ways: physically - especially in calming down opening the heart assisting in changing beliefs helping to reconnect to spirituality and a ‘personal’ authority helping to inspire life’s true purpose

Although, to be honest, as a Practitioner I am shocked at the dosage levels used but no side effects were mentioned or addiction to ongoing use. As well, very good results with severe symptoms and disturbances were noticed.

Her main go-to oils were a trinity consisting of 41

During the initial use of essential oils for the daughter’s PTSD, a diffuser was used with one or two blends and it ran 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Personally, in my experiences with using essential oils for emotional issues, I have found that 10 minutes of diffusion was all it took to turn the tide. I can’t imagine diffusing 24-7.

Oils technique on a massage table, also known as Raindrop Therapy was used as well. Although the name was not directly mentioned, it is one of the Young Living techniques for oil application. The principal oils used include: valour (a blend of rosewood, blue tansy, frankincense and spruce), thyme, oregano, wintergreen, cypress, peppermint, basil, marjoram and lavender.

The idea is to help the body relax and remain calm. 5 drops of each oil are applied separately along the spine and lightly massaged along the lymphatic line on either side. It’s not a massage as much as it is an application. A hot towel is then applied to assist with dermal penetration and the client is allowed to simply rest.

I have had my own experience with this treatment.

After my mom broke her hip, she was sent from University Hospital in Saskatoon to an outlying rural hospital for recovery. As her health representative, I was asked to return to Saskatchewan to assess her situation. At the time, Mom was living in an assistedliving seniors’ home.

She had a beautiful apartment there, decorated with her own furniture and her favourite memories.

Activities and food service were provided, and we had also hired a companion for her with whom she could enjoy daily visits. My job was to decide if she could return to her apartment, and if not, then move her and her belongings elsewhere. I can honestly say that I have never been so stressed in my life!!!!

On my way home I stopped in Calgary, where Raindrop Therapy is more commonly used than in BC. I requested a massage with essential oils and the only one offered was Raindrop Therapy. I have to say, it certainly did work!!! And quickly, too.

I’m not sure as a practitioner that it would be my preferred choice for everyone but it certainly was an excellent learning experience to see how oils applied in this manner – followed by basically rest and comfort – could immediately calm the nervous system down.

In BC, this technique is not taught in our professional studies and neither is oral use, whether ingested or under the tongue. In the USA, Aromatherapy Practitioners are not taught massage but rather blending as their primary focus. As a result, if they want to apply oils through bodywork, they are required to become Registered Massage Therapists and each state has different requirements. So one can image how Raindrop Therapy and oral applications came about as a result of this.

I once flipped to a page in one of Dr. Kurt Schaubelt’s books and saw that he had recommended dropping lemon oil into water for oral use. Kurt is a renowned teacher of aroma-chemistry from Germany; maybe that’s where the idea originated?

Back to the book: the young woman also suffered from PTSD, having flashbacks that threw her into fits of spasm as well as bringing on seizures. “Horrific memories” would resurface. “I need to get back to my unit. I need to go back to Iraq!” was heard over and over from her.

For Veterans, this is a common part of PTSD, the idea that they must return to their comrades, no matter what. Their military training focuses on the need to be loyal to each other above all things as their lives often depend on the person beside them. Essential oils were used as “a tool for gentle and gradual reprocessing of emotions”, a cushion for emotional memory events.

This is where the book gets really interesting!

“The consistent use of the oils had a significant impact on emotional health”. Every time an oil was used during a “memory event”, there was a shift in the impact of that stored memory. Repetitive use of the oils during the day gradually began to “re-write

the perception” of that memory. In this case, the mother is crediting the limbic system for the positive outcomes!

“The limbic system is the place where emotional memories are stored and communicated through the body using SMELL. The memory is then stored in the brain, and at different locations around the body.”

This was her main reason for performing what she refers to as “massage table technique” on her daughter: “To release memories stored in the tissues along the spine”, where the spine itself had been fractured during the explosion that caused the PTSD. “The release of emotional trauma came out through catharsis - which is the releasing process providing relief from strong or repressed emotions.” The mother indicates that the catharsis was often startling, coming out as tears or laughter followed by a huge sense of relief, deep relaxation and yawning. The result was a feeling of being cleansed and more at peace. Most importantly here was that the constant sense of dread was relieved.

I think that this paragraph is one of the most enlightening regarding PTSD in the book: “For warriors, a lot of numbing out has taken place. Maybe you live in a constant state of denial: ‘don’t talk, don’t trust, don’t feel’. The idea that you can kill or be killed, has to be addressed to survive in a war. You’ve been conditioned to think and feel this way. You either become overwhelmed with grief and fear, or you understand you have to suppress all normal empathy and humanity to do your job. This is a challenge to unpack when you come home because it is so deeply buried. You can’t undo it easily. It is deeply personal. It becomes unbearable at times.

Some of you have permanently ended the pain for yourselves forever.”

“We speak to the living. You need something that can be ‘covert’ inside your very cells. You need help to align your humanity again. Essential oils will help”.

In effect, essential oils are the ‘allies’ - the troop support - for the cells, that so willingly know exactly how to relate to them and just what to do! She suggests that firstly they are food for the soul, then the physical body as well.

The mother also refers to using essential oils in ‘tapping’ or Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) 42

which is a well-known trauma management tool.

The following PTSD symptoms were addressed through the use of essential oils: • • •

• • • •

• •

anger/confusion booming sounds brain ‘shock’ sensations associated with the TBI. TBIs are present in 90% of post-war affected people. In the case of her daughter, the sensations appeared as acute stress.

Immediately using frankincense or peppermint could shift the state. fatigue fear grief and loss survivor’s guilt - helpful here was also reaching out to another ‘warrior’ to talk to as well as using uplifting blends for joy and renewal and soul support. These blends or suggested oils were applied to the earlobes or the bottoms of the feet for grounding. hot brain - which is the term for confusion, agitation, fight or flight. hyper-vigilance - also used an ‘emotions list’ to separate feelings accompanied by nervousness, paranoia and memory of events.

Physical symptoms included: • • • • • • • • • • • •

isolation - accompanied by avoidance loss of smell in some cases mental chatter metal and sulfur smells nausea out of body feeling or euphoria ringing in the ears sleeplessness shrapnel lodged under the skin - probably one of the most challenging symptoms suicidal thoughts teeth clenching triggers - caused by sensations that bring back memories. The grounding effect of Vetiver was noted here.

“Finding a NEW normal” was the goal!

PTSD causes hesitation in reaching out; the essential oils provided comfort and encouragement.

43

The rest of the book breaks down the blends and oils used.

It is a very good reference and a simple guide to what this family used to turn the tide! As an aromatherapist, it offers a nice summary of possibilities for blending and themes to consider. eg. REASSURING BLEND - vetiver root, lavender, ylang ylang, frankincense, clary sage, marjoram, labdanum, spearmint eg. COMFORTING BLEND - frankincense, patchouli, ylang ylang, labdanum, amyris, sandalwood, rose, osmanthus. eg. ENCOURAGEMENT BLEND - peppermint, clementine, coriander, basil, yuzu, melissa, rosemary, vanilla eg. RENEWING BLEND - spruce, bergamot, juniper berry, myrrh, arborvitae wood*, nootka tree*, thyme, citronella *These two oils are even new to me!

Nootka tree - distilled in Canada from Cupressus nootkatensis Arborvitae wood - thuja plicata, also known as western red cedar wood, distilled in Canada The book Veterans with PTSD - Survival Guide 101 - is the only book available that specifically deals with aromatherapy and PTSD. It was written because the family themselves could not find any other resources to guide their aromatic journey.

They are not writers as much as they have lived through an experience and have a story to tell. They are not researchers and they are not professionals in the industry. They are ordinary people who have come to and used essential oils successfully and their story needs to be viewed in that light.

As a Professional Aromatherapist, the ideas for blends are certainly interesting and a good guide. We can translate how they used them and undoubtedly make our own blends to address PTSD symptoms and issues.

Most likely, we have far more oils in our collections and the blending skills to use them. The family was only aware of one supplier and used their pre-blended and single essential oils exclusively. The oils4 warriors project was a documentation of their experiences with the intention of sharing it with other survivors who might otherwise struggle alone with PTSD.

Do I recommend the book? It’s the only one out there so you will have to judge for yourself. It certainly does give a head start to anyone working with clients who have PTSD, especially those with a history of military service.

Google oils4warriors to find more information and connect to this project that turned a “life of Hell” into a “life of hope”.

The book can be found here: https://www.amazon.ca/Veterans-PTSD-Hope-Oils-Project/dp/0692609466 I have also more recently found a tool called Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) Cards. These are daily reminders of very simple ideas that can be practiced and referred to, based on the concept of DBT. I have just finished reading the autobiography of the writer who developed this technique and it led me to the cards themselves.

For those working with PTSD clients, this link will help you find DBT cards which can be used as a complimentary support tool. https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=dbt+cards&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

Anita Kalnay is a Registered Aromatherapist, Essential Oil Therapist and Holistic Health Practitioner. Her blending process is based on ‘storytelling’ and selection of essential oils are ‘intuitive’. She has over 3200 hours of training in Natural Health Modalities and is currently involved in co-ordinating the COMOX Valley Chapter group of the BCAOA. You can find her at www.genieinabottle.ca and also follow her comments on her FragrantYOGI page on Facebook

The Classifieds Welcome to our Classifieds Section. To submit a classified, email your information to the editor with “Classified” in the subject line.

SELLING: I have a few essential oils and carriers –

organic and conventional – and some Julia Lawless

manufactured floral waters (very nice even though they are not hydrosol-made) that have a 2019 or early 2020 Best Before date. We know they are still good but retailers cannot sell them with these dates on the labels. I am offering them at 25-30% off!!! Please call for details as the selection will vary as time goes on.

Nigel at Natura Trading (604) 732-7531 or toll-free 1-800-932-7531

SELLING: Jeff Meursing, Marie-Louise Meursing’s son would like to sell her massage table and massage chair below. He would like $400.00 for the massage table and $250.00 for the massage chair. If you are interested, please contact Jeff directly at jeffmeursing@gmail.com

VOLUNTEERS WANTED: We are now accepting applications for Volunteers for our upcoming Committees. Join us in making our association stronger! Committees require less time than a Board position and you earn benefits. Fill out an application today at https://bcaoa.org/for-members/committeevolunteering/

CHAPTER MEETING CHAIRS WANTED: There are several openings for in-person Chapter Meeting Chairs, as well as one online. Spread the joy of aromatherapy! Information on Chapter meetings can be found at https://bcaoa.org/for-members/chapter-meetings/

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Want to Learn more about Aromatherapy?

Our recognized schools and teachers offer professional level courses that give you the solid education to allow you to build a business, or just feel secure knowing you are using essential oils safely.

The advantages of attending a recognized course and studying under a recognized teacher might include rapid membership processing; no cost for membership application review; and it ensures students have access to teachers with a specific level of knowledge and practical experience who have agreed to teach to the BCAOA’s core curriculums.

To see a list of our recognized schools, courses, and teachers, please go to: http://bcaoa.org/education/recognized-courses-teachers-and-schools/ If you would like to apply to have your school or course recognized, please contact us at secretary@bcaoa.org to request an application and the appropriate core curriculum.