Philosophy on Organic Oils
Many years ago I was very blessed to have met my very special friend Laryssa who is an Certified Aromatherapist. She is not just an Aromatherapist, but a person who believes in the true consciousness behind the oils. She has taught me a lot, and I have ran with the information she passed on to me. Before going into my philosophy on the oils, I just want to share a bit about our bodies and our skin, how things are connected. It is very important to understand when receiving a massage that your skin is the biggest organ in your body. Everything you or a practitioner puts on it goes into your blood stream. If you put any sort of creme, oil, makeup on your body that has chemicals it will clog your lymphatic system, and eventually slow down your bodies ability to heal itself. This can cause many health complications such as respiratory problems, hormonal disruptions, cancer, not to mention environmental issues. Many of the Aromatherapy oils out there will say they are "pure", but are not. When i think of pure, I think not only about being organic, but also of the people who work hard to harvest the plants, make the oils, bottle the oils, distribute them. Are they being treated fairly I ask myself, when searching out distributors? I feel we are all connected energetically, so if the frequency isn't just right it affects the greater whole. The oils may be organic in the sense that they have no pesticides, but are they "pure" in the sense that the workers are getting paid fairly? Is there true consciousness and love behind it all? Even in the corporate natural world it is about money, and about using the cheapest way possible to make things. This could mean children or adults working hard, but not getting nearly enough to take care of their families after the long work days. Even though the organic movement is on the rise, big corporations are capitalizing on it, but not truly coming from a place of love. Isn't love more important than money? Yes we need money, but we need love more. It is what binds us. I myself try to be very conscious to only purchase oils from reputable and compassionate sellers that are part of the process every step of the way, from harvesting, distillation, to ensuring happy workers. I also buy some non-sprayed, but not always "certified organic" oils because these farmers need support and money to transition over their soils. Many were told years ago that pesticides would help them, so they used them not realizing the affect it would have. Now they are desperately working hard to transition back to organic soil, so I support them. As far as my carrier oils go, I use many such as coconut oil, sesame oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, avocado, almond oil. I try not to use peanut oil or grapeseed oil as they are drying in nature. Also grapes are the most highly sprayed fruits. I never use canola oil as it has been genetically modified from the rapeseed plant, even if it is organic, it leaves a sour taste in my heart. It is man-made and there is research out there that shows it has harmful effects on the body. Anyways, it's cheap to make and that's why it's so heavily advertised. So my advice is to be an educated consumer, use your intuition. All the oils I use are unrefined, cold pressed, and organic which helps to protect, nourish, and heal the body. I also use glass bottles, not plastic, to ensure the integrity and freshness of the oils. There is a lot of information out there, and I know we're all doing the best we can to make a difference. If you're looking to start now, supporting your organic local farmers, makeup, and aromatherapy suppliers is a great way. Many bodyworkers are blind to the use of organic oils, so if you're comfortable with one and they don't use organic oils, educate them. Maybe you feel you may insult them, but keeping people in the dark only hurts yourself and the world. Be brave..be smart...be proactive...