EO #1 Introduction and Presentation

God, the divine, or “that power beyond/above us” according to your beliefs, is in everything. That’s why we are NOT-separable from nature, it’s also within us!

Every plant has a story, a vibration, a message to pass on to us… like a hand offered to guide us at a given moment in our history, in our life.

This notion is reinforced every time I use an Essential Oil, because its power lies not only in the matter (the active molecules, the biochemical composition identified by science) but is felt through its energetic and vibratory aspect, which, for me, is even more powerful! It’s time to share with you the joy and miracles that nature inspires me

During my training in Quebec, I had the great opportunity to cross paths with two wonderful people in the field of herbalism and aromatherapy: Mikael Zayat and Veronik Tangay, the founders of the Académie du Jardin de Vie.

Through their contact, my intuition, my awareness and my passion for essential oils reached a new level.

To begin with, I’ll give you a brief explanation of what essential oils are, and then go into more detail about these “mère-veilleuse” ¹.

WHAT IS AN ESSENTIAL OIL?

So, for me, it’s more about the plant’s essence, spirit or quasi-quintessence, while the scientist will speak more simply of aromatic molecules extracted from the plant (bark, resin, berries, needles, leaves, etc.) or volatile secondary metabolites providing a concentrated scent product.

It all depends on how sensitive you are to nature. 

Most EOs are obtained by distillation, i.e. steam extraction, but they can also be obtained by mechanical extraction, hypercritical CO2 extraction (a fairly recent and more costly technique) or expression.

EOs extracted by expression or solvent use include Enfleurage / fatty matter, using hexane or other chemical solvents, for plant elements that cannot withstand heat.

The last of these methods is much criticized, as traces of the solvents can be found in the final product.

Note that the best EO must have been produced according to the state-of-the-art… Furthermore, what appears to be a technique that has only been in use for a few hundred years is in fact an ancestral method: the extraction of aromatic plants is nothing new, as distillation was already practised in ancient times (vases found in Iraq, dated 3500 BC).

Although called OILS, essential oils contain no fats and are not soluble in water, but in oil or alcohol.

EO is the supernatant liquid, like oil floating on the surface of water, which is extracted and collected at the end of distillation.

Note that the remaining aqueous and fragrant part is called Hydrolat, which is often more suitable for children (milder).

HOW TO CHOOSE THEM?

For my part, I recommend only natural, botanically and biochemically defined essences (HECT), preferably organic, thus avoiding pesticides and other stupidities incensed by mankind.

The quality of an EO derives completely from this, and its effectiveness will not be compromised by choosing the best quality, not the price.

Even though the therapeutic virtues of plants have been overshadowed by the emergence of chemical/medicinal treatments in our modern science, the use of plants and aromatherapy has seen a rebound in recent years. I’m delighted, especially as nature has everything we need.

Be warned, however, that using products from nature does not exempt you from using them properly, consciously and with full knowledge, at the risk of causing you more discomfort than benefit! That’s why a minimum of knowledge or guidance is necessary when using EO.

AUTONOMY COMES GRADUALLY, AND ABOVE ALL YOU’LL LEARN TO LISTEN TO YOUR BODY AND YOUR FEELINGS = WHAT A WONDERFUL GIFT, ISN’T IT?

A FEW NECESSARY RECOMMENDATIONS:

– Do not use on pregnant women without the prior consent of an aroma specialist.

– Do not use on children, especially the very young, without the prior approval of an aroma specialist.

– Do not use without prior dilution in a suitable vegetable oil, unless otherwise advised by a specialist.

– Do not ingest without prior specialist advice.

– Not all EOs are suitable for diffusion

– Some EOs are subject to specific conditions of use, such as being dermocaustic, photosensitizing or other…

– If you have inadvertently used an EO without dilution causing a reaction¹¹ on your skin, or if you have touched your eyes with a residue of essential oil, don’t try to remove it with water, but use a fat matter (with a cloth, for example) to remove a maximum of it on your skin mucous membranes.

– Store your EO in an amber bottle, away from light.

– Hydrolat or Floral Water can also be kept for several years, as long as it is stored properly (clean, glass vial, away from light, without temperature variation if possible).

¹ French pun 

“ Merveilleuse ” which means Marvelous   <–>  “ Mère-veilleuse ” which means the Mother who take care, it sounds the same when you pronounce it but the meaning is different = language of the birds

¹¹ If needed, contact your pharmacist or healthcare professional.