Tags
bath, essential oils, jacuzzi, joy, olfactory, smell, young living
Now that I’ve talked a bit about the history and the science of essential oils, let’s get into the good stuff. Why do we essential oil fans rave about these oils so much? Is it our hugely improved immune systems? Our increased mental clarity? Our better sleep patterns? Our enhanced sessions of meditation? Sure, sure, sure, all of these things are beyond wonderful. But let’s be real. The number one reason, in my humble opinion, why anyone in their right mind first gets into essential oils is because they smell AMAZING!
Seriously, have you ever cracked open a bottle of lavender and just inhaled until your eyes got droopy? Have you ever breathed in pure eucalyptus and felt your sinuses rejoice? If you haven’t, this is a situation you need to fix, pronto.
My first introduction to essential oils happened on a day, about eight years ago, when I had a terrible headache. A friend of mine offered me a small amber bottle of something and told me to rub it on my temples. I’m not saying it didn’t help. I am saying the experience did nothing to pique my interest and, to be frank, I was a little skeptical of the validity of anything outside the “take an aspirin and go lie down” approach to headaches that I had grown up with.
It wasn’t until four years later, while on vacation with my wife (then girlfriend) and her family, that my mind was irrevocably blown away by a little pink bottle of joy and a hot tub. I’m telling you, there is no better proper introduction to the magic of essential oils than lounging in a jacuzzi in a cozy log cabin in East-Bum-Bleep, Maine with a bottle of the most amazing thing you have EVER smelled in your life.
To this day, that little pink bottle remains my absolute favorite essential oil. It is actually, literally, called “Joy.” It is a blend of… Oh, who cares? It is a blend of heaven in liquid form. I am not kidding. Now, to be fair, I have to tell you that my affinity for this particular oil might have something to do with an association to the best bath I’ve ever taken, during the most peaceful, relaxing vacation I’ve had to date. But that’s beside the point. That aromatic bath, and that little pink bottle, made such an impression that I’m here today, four years later, writing a blog about essential oils. Now that is a powerful memory.
What I’m really getting at is this: Essential oils have myriad applications in the medical and practical world. The information is out there, readily available for anyone who’s interested. I’ll even be posting about those things here. But the real gem, the real reason why a regular user of essential oils will light up when the topic is mentioned, is because they ENJOY them. They have fun with them. They smell them just to smell them. They try experiments. They put them on their dogs just to see what reaction they get. They drop them on their tongue to feel the tingle. They diffuse them in their houses so that they may approach even the most menial tasks with a bit more bounce. And everywhere they go, if they’re carrying their favorite oil on them, they’ll turn to people and say, “have you smelled this???”
I’m speaking the truth here. Go to an essential oils conference (I have). It’s a room full of crazy, grinning people, walking around dropping oils on each other and breathing in the intoxicating air. It’s a day full of smiling so much that your face hurts.
That first bottle of Joy was a stepping stone for me. It was a gateway into a world of improved health, emotional healing and, yes, joy. Now, four years later, I can talk to you about the properties of the various oils in the Joy blend. I can give you some substantiated reasons as to why it is such a neurochemical treat to breathe it in. But, to be honest, I prefer to keep it simple. The smell of Joy makes me happy. Applying it to my skin or diffusing it in a room makes me feel like I am taking care of myself, like I am being kind to the very core of me. I don’t care about the science. What I do care about is walking up to you, cracking open a bottle, and saying, “have you smelled this?”