The Aromatics International Blog

When I started working with Andrea Butje two years ago, I knew absolutely nothing about essential oils.  My concept of Aromatherapy was limited to a general sense that Lavender was calming and Bath and Body Works carried a minty stress-relief lotion.  As I began working on the Aromatics International website, I was shocked to learn how many essential oils existed, and how varied their aromas and therapeutic uses seemed to be.

Although I felt like I’d learned quite a bit by working with the content of the websites, it wasn’t until I started the Aromatherapy Certification Program in September that I began to have a true understanding of the power and depth of Aromatherapy.

When Andrea discusses Aromatherapy, she frequently mentions her “relationship with the oils.”  I’d never doubted her passion, but in the past the concept made very little sense to me.  Then we had our first blending activity in class.  We sat around a big table and took turns simply opening and smelling bottles of Andrea’s gorgeous essential oils.

It’s impossible to truly describe in words the sense of energy and power you feel when you’re getting to know pure essential oils for the first time.  I immediately felt drawn to some oils, and others commanded an instant, deep respect.  My classmates and I discussed our reactions, and what we liked and disliked, and before I knew it I understood to the core of my being what it meant to have a relationship with essential oils.

Andrea’s teaching style made the days go by with amazing fluidity.  I never felt bored or frustrated.  We learned through activities, games, blending, discussions and engaging lectures.  By the beginning of the second week we all passed our first quiz, each of us stunned to discover how much we’d learned so quickly.

I’ve been incorporating the oils in my everyday life and the process has really opened my eyes to natural alternatives to chemical cleaners, body care, scents, and health care products.  After just two weeks of class I already feel like my life is taking a different direction and that my career opportunities have absolutely blossomed.  On top of all this, I have dozens of wonderful goodies to try on myself and my family from all the great blending activities we did in class.

I’d like to share one of my favorite blends, a recipe I came up with for a healing face cream for my Fall/Winter dry skin:

2 oz. Unscented Lotion from Aromatics International
1 drop Frankincense essential oil
1 drop Myrrh essential oil
2 drops Vetiver essential oil
2 drops Helychrisum italicum essential oil

Tags: Aromatherapy Certification Program, Frankincense, helichrysum, Myrrh, Vetiver

1. Tell me about Essential Elements

Essential Elements is a  women owned and operated holistic  therapy center in St. Petersburg, Florida. We offer   Aromatherapy Consultations and Custom Blending, Acupuncture, Cranial Sacral Treatment, Massage, Holistic Skin and Body Treatments, as well as Aromatherapy Workshops and Classes.
We are developing product lines and offer Essential Oils and related items for sale. All in a relaxing and nurturing environment.

2. What inspired you to begin Essential Elements?

Our own personal search for Organic/Wildcrafted, Essential Oils. What we found was the Aromahead Institute. Through our education we were impressed by the healing potential of Essential Oils not only in our lives but for our clients as well.

We decided to create a space where we could share our knowledge in treatment and provide education to our community.

3. What are some of your favorite aspects of your business?

Being around the oils in the morning is better than coffee! The infinite learning possibilities with the oils, the more we learn the more we feel there is to know. The feed back we get from our clients is amazing. People love the oils and how they make them feel.

4. What are your goals/visions for the next few years?

We are excited about the future growth of the business and awareness of Essential Oil Therapy.  We will continue to develop curriculum for education and reach out to health care related establishments who could benefit from Aromatherapy. We plan to travel to countries where the plants are growing and the oils are being distilled to learn more about the process and the people involved.

5 How can people contact you?

We are located at 3001-First Avenue South in St. Petersburg, Florida 33712
We can be reached at 727.327.1309 or online at www.EssentialElementsSite.com

Click here to listen to Andrea’s guest appearance on the Aromatherapy Thymes Audio Podcast.  You can subscribe here or via iTunes to catch this and upcoming shows.

About the Aromatherapy Thymes Audio Podcast

A weekly entry into the healing and beauty of aromatherapy where the editor chats with leading experts, researchers and aromatherapy enthusiasts in the field of holistic health.

Aromatherapy Thymes: The only magazine that brings aromatherapy directly into your home in an elegant and easy to read format. For the first time you get updated information on aromatherapy, plus get exclusive resouces on essential oils. Prepare to open all your senses and appreciate the healing power of plants like never before!

Tags: aromatherapy thymes, experts, talk radio

We recently had the privilege of working with the United Aromatherapy Effort.  They are currently accepting donations for hurricane relief.  While Gustav is no longer an active threat, Ike remains a danger and the hurricane season is not yet over.  We’d like to call attention to this unique charity!

From the United Aromatherapy Effort Website:

The United Aromatherapy Effort, (UAE) is a not-for-profit Charitable organization born out of the September 11th tragedy. The mission of UAE is to provide stress relief and aromatherapy to relief workers during emergency work and afterwards. We collect and disseminate donated aromatherapy products to those affected by disaster in conjunction with chair massage. It is for this reason that the United Aromatherapy Effort teamed up with the Emergency Response Massage International (ERMI) to provide assistance to those dedicated and heroic individuals. ERMI’s mission is to provide a 15 minute stress relief chair massage to first responders and relief workers following a disaster or other critical incident. Historically we have responded to NY (2001), Florida Hurricanes (2004) and most recently the Gulf Coast affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Updated Information

The UAE can utilize any ready to use products: They need gallons of bug spray (with extra labels), empty spray bottles for the bug spray, inhalers of all types (uplifting, allergies, sinus, stress, sleep) and any other sprays/roll-ons. They can also take balms, lotions, and shampoos.

They UAE needs aromatherapy supplies that are simple and basic for everyday use. Whatever you can send, they will put to good use. If you have the time, please attach a label worded: DONATED TO www.unitedaromatherapy.org FOR DISASTER SUPPORT.

Your name/company will be posted to the UAE website in appreciation of goodwill.

PLEASE SEND ALL MONETARY DONATIONS TO:
United Aromatherapy Efffort
c/o Sylla Hanger, Founder
16018 Saddlestring Dr
Tampa FL 33612
813.265.2222
sylla@tampabay.rr.com

PLEASE SHIP PRODUCT DONATIONS TO:
NOTE: For immediate details of what has been received and what is needed, please call Geraldine. Pass the word.

Geraldine Zelinsky, UAE Assistant Director
6051 Roma Dr; #202
Shreveport LA 71105
318.518.1187
unitedaromatherapy@gmail.com

Tags: blends, charity, donations, Essential Oils

The Nepalese distiller of these two oils has formed a farmer’s cooperative where local and indigenous people participate in cultivation and production of medicinal and aromatic plants. These people have significantly raised their socio-economic status as the cooperative is providing employment and promoting cultivation in community forest and private land owned by the farmers. All the Nepalese oils are beautiful oils with a deep connection to the culture and history of this amazing country.

Xanthoxylum- Zanthoxylum armatum

Himalayan healers use Xanthoxylum essential oil mainly in treatment of respiratory diseases and digestive stress. They also say that its regular use improves the voice quality! The aroma is beautiful and uplifting.

Xanthoxylum is high in a component called Linalol. Linalol high oils offer us profound healing for infections, pain, swelling, spasms, allergies and injury. The oil is also deeply calming for the nervous system. It can be used daily and is a wonderful tonics for health.

Xanthoxylum is wonderful for an upset stomach, menstrual cramps, pain and muscle spasms. It is also very healing for allergies, colds and flu, especially if the person is experiencing aches and pains, coughing and difficulty sleeping.

• Antidepressant/uplifting
• Anti-spasmodic
  
• Analgesic
• Anti-inflammatory - reduce inflammation
• Antiseptic - assists in fighting germs/infections
• Anti-bacterial - destructive to bacteria
• Cooling
• Digestive
  
• Immune stimulant - stimulates functioning of immune system
• Sedative
• Tonic - strengthens and restores vitality
• Nourishing for the skin

Allergy Support Recipe

10 drops Xanthoxylum
5 drops Black Spruce
5 drops Niaouli

Blend these oils without any carrier, making a “stock bottle.” Add drops to a cream, oil, bath or candle diffuser. Put a drop in your shampoo or add to an unscented liquid soap.

Rhododendron- Rhododendron anthopogon

The rhododendron that grows all throughout the USA and Europe is actually native to Nepal! The plant has many traditional medicinal uses such as using the leaves and flowers to make a tea for a sore throat, a cold or to relieve a headache. The plant also has spiritual uses.

The essential oil is calming and grounding. It is used in skin care and added to shampoos for healthy hair. It is wonderful to diffuse, or to add to unscented lotions and bath salts.

The oil is a good decongestant, and is antispasmodic for the respiratory system. It also is known to help reduce inflammation and is a nice tonic for the adrenal glands.

There is research that suggests Rhododendron essential oil may support liver function (hepatic metabolism)

• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-bacterial
• Decongestant
• Nervous system tonic, sedative
• Grounding

Liquid Soap Recipe
20 drops Rhododendron
20 drop Lavender
20 drops Orange

Blend into 4 oz of castile soap and use for washing your hands. We keep ours by the sink in the kitchen and bathroom.

Tags: distillers, Nepal, Niaouli, Rhododendron, Xanthoxylum

This morning I had the good fortune to pour out White Pine and Hemlock oils. I had one of those famous aromatherapy experiences where the scent brings you back in time, to people, places and events left in a safe spot somewhere in the web our minds and memories…

When I was kid, my father and I planted dozens of pine trees around our pond behind our house. The trees were an attempt to restore an area disrupted by bulldozers.

We planted primarily white pines and then a few precious hemlocks. This was my first tree planting experience. I loved the process, and the hope of a pond surrounded by pine trees. As time passed, year after year, the seedlings and I grew up together. I fell in love with the graceful beauty of the hemlocks and soft needles of the white pine. They gave me a place to reflect, to find shelter and comfort through trials and tribulations of becoming.

My father and I took some of the extra white pines to my grandparent’s house, where we got back to work planting more trees! A certain white pine by a tiny rock formed pool in their backyard became my favorite tree. My grandmother referred to it as “Cindy’s Tree”. Decades prior she had stuck willow twigs in the bog behind her home,

I referred to those now huge willows as “Grandma’s trees.” Whenever I visited my grandparents, I visited my tree. The last walk I took with my grandmother was over to that tree. It had grown to a massive height, we stood there for a few long precious moments, arm and arm, in harmony with each other and the tree. After she passed on, I planted a fresh white pine in her backyard, in a space left barren by the passing of her old willows.

Trees have always had a special place in my heart. Since that first experience around the pond, I have carried on the tradition of planting pine trees at each of my homes. I love the calm, quiet and steadiness of pine trees. Their endless patience with the wind, rain, snow and ice storms, their gracious gift of shade and scent, form, protection, privacy and pure natural majesty.

So there I was this morning, at “work”, pouring out the hemlock and white pine while I was transported through time and space to my past, to a visit with my grandmother, my father, and with my long time friend, the white pine.

So many trees and plants offer us such unique gifts, of presence, kindness and kinship through their aroma. It is my true pleasure and good fortune to spend so much time with them, in all of their glorious forms.