AROMATHERAPY: uses essential oils from flowers, trees, roots, herbs, berries and fruits, to treat emotional disorders such as stress and anxiety as well as a wide range of other ailments and to promote physical, mental and emotional wellness. Oils are either massaged into the skin in diluted form, inhaled, placed in baths, or applied on and around the body.

Aromatherapy is often used in conjunction with massage therapy, acupuncture, reflexology, herbology, chiropractic and other wholistic healing.

What is aromatherapy?

It is the controlled use of natural essential oils in the process of physical and emotional healing. You may have discovered that in some ways, you've been experiencing aromatherapy most of your life without even knowing it.

We have all experienced memory recall triggered by a particular scent; perhaps the scent of a favorite flower, or the perfume your grandmother used to wear, or an aunt's linen closet. The event can produce positive or negative memories. Certain scents may trigger negative thoughts of a person or place in your past. Whatever the case, the importance of scent in our lives is quite profound and in some ways, unique to each of us. Aromatherapy is a way to enjoy a controlled use of natural oils to enrich and benefit your life.

What are essential oils?

Whole, pure essential oils come from nature; they are the "essence" of plants. They are droplets of water-like fluid contained in the leaves, stems, bark, flowers, roots and/or fruits of different plants, and give the plant its unique scent. Essential oils are volatile, whereas they easily transfer from a liquid to a gaseous state at room temperature or higher. The amount of essential oil found in most plants is 1 to 2%, but can contain amounts from 0.01 to 10%. They can change in composition and location with a particular plant. For example, orange trees produce neroli oil in their blossoms, orange oil in their citrus, and petitgrain oil in their leaves. Essential oils are also very concentrated and extremely potent, and sometimes 75 to 100 times more concentrated than say, the herb it is present in. This is all the more reason to use these oils with thorough knowledge of their potency.

How are essential oils extracted?

There are two common procedures for extracting true essential oils:

1. Steam distillation
2. Expression

 The process of steam distillation has 5 steps:

1. Steam plant material
2. Collect steam carrying aromatic molecules
3. Cool in cold-water bath
4. Produce floral water and essential oil
5. Separate essential oil, then bottle

This process is also the most popular for obtaining the essential oils from plants. The steam is forced into a vat containing the plant material, which ruptures the oil glands and releases the oil. The volatile oils are cooled, separated from the water content, and bottled. It may take hundreds or thousands of pounds of plant material to distill a single pound of the essential oil. Bulgarian Rose oil requires about 4,000 pounds of hand-picked flower petals to make 1 pound of oil, obviously making this one expensive oil!

The second method, extraction, has 4 major steps:

1. Have citrus peels
2. Machine press
3. Obtain essential oils and fruit waxes
4. Separate oils, then bottle

This method is primarily used in the perfume and food industries, and does not produce a 100% pure essential oil. Solvents are used in the process to pull out the soluable molecules; therefore making them incomplete oils. Resins, concretes, absolutes, and pomades result from this method.

How are essential oils taken in?

Essential oils are absorbed into the body two ways; through the skin and through nasal inhalation. Our sense of smell, controlled by the olfactory system, is some 10,000 times greater than any other sense. The olfactory system is directly linked to the limbic system, which is responsible for our emotional state, memory, and certain regulatory function.

Essential oils also penetrate the skin, or the integumentary system. Because essential oils have a low molecular weight and are organic in nature, they are absorbed through the pores and hair follicles of the skin, and unlike synthetic chemicals, they do not accumulate in the body. Absorption can take place anywhere from 15 minutes to 12 hours, and take from 3 to 6 hours to be metabolized in a healthy body. Excessive fat or toughened skin may slow down the rate of absorption; whereas heat, water, exercise, or broken skin may speed it up.

How are essential oils used?

Aromatherapy is used to self-heal and soothe common, everyday health challenges. It is by no means a replacement for the opinion of a licensed physician, and should always be used with respect.

As with all things derived from nature, some essential oils are considered hazardous, and under certain circumstances, should be avoided. Some are phototoxic, neurotoxic, or carcinogenic, and safety precautions should always be considered when working with and administering any essential oil.

Here are common-sense safety points to note:

1. Avoid essential oils deemed as hazardous
2. Keep all essential oils out of the reach of children.
3. Remember essentail oils are very potent.
4. Do not take orally.
5. Follow dilution guidelines carefully. Never use an oil without first diluting.
6. Use 1% or less dilution during pregnancy.
7. Be aware of others with sensitivities or allergies.
8. Do not use on or near the eyes.
9. Do a skin patch test if prone to sensitivities.
10. Use extra care on broken or damaged skin.
11. Avoid phototoxic essential oils if history of skin cancer.
12. Keep them away from light and heat sources.
13. Use only therapeutic genuine and authentic essential oils.

(See also: Aromatherapy , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

For more dictionary entries, see » Emotional Dictionary

The Subtle Bodies: The Yogic Anatomy of Human Potentialities

Through exceedingly detailed meditations over thousands of hours, the yogis determined that the human body is far more than a configuration of fleshy organs, bones, and fluids. Composed of five gradients or koshas, literally, "sheaths," with each one more interior and more subtle than the previous one, we are the actual "bridge" from the physical to the spiritual. Each sheath exerts a guiding intelligence over the next more dense sheath in the following order: the individual soul and causal body (jiva and anandamaya kosha), the reflective-intellectual body (vijnanamaya kosha), mental-emotional body (manomaya kosha), vital energy body (pranamaya kosha),and the physical body (annamaya kosha). Through this anatomy of increasingly interior bodies, yoga maps the emotionality and sentient capacities of the intimus itself and thus the way toward deepening our intimacy with one another and the world.

Read more here: » The Subtle Bodies: The Yogic Anatomy of Human Potentialities

Beyond The 50/50 Relationship

Many people today believe in a myth that says intimate happiness is attained through a 50/50 ideal of equality based on a notion of "sameness" between men and women. Belief in this myth of the 50/50 Relationship is one of the major reasons that men and women have been unable to cultivate and deepen sexual, emotional, and spiritual union in intimacy. As many of us have discovered, when we focus on dividing the pie equally, our intimate embrace often becomes more like a business handshake than a delicious swoon that dissolves two lovers into a single heart of desire.

Read more here: » Relationships: Beyond The 50/50 Relationship

Kiara Windrider gives a background to how humanity and its consciousness was created and how it devleoped to what is now.

Read more here: » Spiritual Awakening: Self Inquiry and the multidimensional Self

Relationship karma operates in all our relationships and starts in each life with childhood family interactions. Relationships are where we learn fundamental lessons in life through contact with karmic connections and soulmates. Karmic connections or soul groups are people we feel instantly familiar with. We have a sense of connection stemming from a previous life or lives either in a positive or negative setting.

Read more here: » Karma: For the Love of Karma

Our culture has a serious misunderstanding of intelligence and the workings of the mind. We’ve been focusing on a physical, mind-only approach for way too long now. In truth, our intelligence extends the depth and breadth of the universes and anyone, of any age, of any measurable IQ, can access this intelligence. Soleira Green, the author of this article is a global visionary as well as a groundbreaker for new ways of living and working in the Business World.

Read more here: » Quantum Intelligence: beyond IQ, EQ and SQ - the Evolution of Intelligence

Samskara Shuddhi is the Art of cleansing past impressions. experiences or relationships. The following article is a summary of the speach about Samskara Shuddhi that was delievered by RadhaKrishna Dasaji of the Golden Age Foundation at the Oneness Festival, 16-22 of February 2004.

Read more here: » Samskara Shuddhi - the Art of cleansing past impressions

Vedic Astrology: Vedic Astrology and Physical Health

Everyone is concerned with their health as well they should be. If you do not maintain your body properly then disease naturally has an open door to enter. Many of us put the emphasis on our physical health nowadays but, unless you have good mental & emotional health, you will still not feel whole or healthy. Even if you take care of your body and also study to develop a healthy mind, you will still feel incomplete without developing spiritual health In the eternal scheme of things we are spirit, not matter - with which we seem to constantly identify. How to be healthy spiritually is a matter of grave importance.

Excerpt from "An Introduction to Vedic Astrology" by Howard Beckman

Read more here: » Vedic Astrology: Vedic Astrology and Physical Health

Body-Mind Integration in the Personal Growth Process

Does the matter mind? I mean, does the mind matter? That is, what's the matter with the "mind over matter" attitude, and what's the matter if matter (the body) doesn't mind? Okay, I'll put the questions a little less pun-like and paradoxical. How often does it seem that our body is just something for our mind to use to achieve certain ends? And from the way the body minds at times, do we too often lack confidence that it's really going to cooperate with our plans? Or, even though we may try to "listen to our body," does it still surprise us when the massage therapist finds knots, "rubber bands," and sticky layers of achiness in areas we thought minded us the most?

Read more here: » Massage Therapy: Body-Mind Integration in the Personal Growth Process

The following article by Dr. Turi explains the celestial influences characterizing differents types of psychological states. He briefly outlines the astrological reasons for Psychosis/Schizophrenia, Hysteria, Dissociative States, Sociopathic Personality, A.D.D., and Paranoid Personality.

Read more here: » Astrology: Common Disorders and Astrology

Chakras: The Subject is Love

How does love, springing from a divine source, become misguided in so many ways? How did we fall into such animalistic forms of love? Some understanding of our subtle anatomy is necessary at this point. We are all engaged in five types of work in our life, corresponding to our five lowest centers (chakras): maintaining our physical survival (first chakra - money), ensuring the continuation of the human race (second chakra - sex), providing fuel for the physical vehicle (third chakra - food), developing our emotional life (fourth chakra - heart), acquiring a set of philosophical and religious principles to guide our life (fifth chakra - throat). These 5 lower chakras constitute the kingdom of delusion, illusion and error.

Read more here: » Chakras: The Subject is Love - about the lower chakras

About dreams and how we can improve our dream recalling abilities.

Read more here: » Meaning of Dreams: Remembering Your Dreams

This article explain the revolutionary, yet ancient, method of massage/healing developed by Dieter Dorn.

Read more here: » Introduction to Gentle, Manual Joint- and Back-Therapy (GMT) by Dieter Dorn

Dr Turi, famous astrologer known for his many accurate predictions give his perspective on the Venus Transit of 2004. What will be the influences on politics, business, economy and other world events?

Read more here: » Venus Transit: Astrological significance of Venus Transit 2004

Balancing and Charging the Chakras

The energy of your body will not be balanced and free flowing if you do not have good emotional balance, good physical health, and good relationships with your surroundings and yourself.

Almost no one is ever perfectly balanced. If you could do this, you would be able to rise from the dead, have a body transformed into a cosmic molecular structure and commune with the gods as an equal.

Read more here: » Chakra Balancing: Balancing and Charging the Chakras

Answers To Frequently Asked Questions about Kinesiology, including:

What Is Applied Kinesiology (AK)?

Does Applied Kinesiology Replace Standard Forms Of Diagnosis?

Do Applied Kinesiology Doctors Do Acupuncture?

How Do Applied Kinesiology Doctors View The Body Differently?

How Do Applied Kinesiology Physicians Treat The Body Chemistry?

Do Applied Kinesiology Practitioners Do Homeopathy?

How Do Applied Kinesiology Doctors Treat The Body Structure?

How Do Applied Kinesiology Doctors Treat Mental/Emotional Areas?

Where Does Applied Kinesiology Knowledge Come From?

What Kind Of Doctors Practice AK?

Why The Rapid Growth Of AK?

How Can Touching Myself Cause Muscle Weakness?

What Diseases Does Applied Kinesiology Treat?

What If Another Type Of Doctor Is Needed?

Read more here: » Kinesiology: Applied Kinesiology

Tantra: Why sexuality?

In the act of lovemaking the couple embodies the dyadic wholeness of the Supreme. TANTRIC sexual union resonates with the very foundational energies of the Universe: it captures, magnifies and re-directs the essential Cosmic Power of Life. It is therefore not by chance that sexual intercourse brings the most intense emotional experience that the human being can have while in the flesh. Therefore TANTRA uses it predominantly to create that overwhelming unifying energy. The erotic impulse stirs up the KUNDALINI energy so that it can rise, through the subtle duct of power along the spine, to the highest center of power above the head. This process renders the adept immortal:

Read more here: » Tantra Yoga: Why sexuality?

This is a summary of the speach about Womens Movement in a Spiritual context delievered by Tapasya Dasaji of the Golden Age Foundation at the Oneness Festival, 16-22 of February 2004.

Read more here: » Womens Movement in a Spiritual context

In YOGA Tradition, Karma has a much deeper meaning, which, to a certain extent only, is related to the western idea of Destiny or Fate. In this vision, Karma is the accumulation of our past actions. These past actions (triggering actions) are causes which determine other actions (triggered reactions) in exact accordance with the charge of the corresponding past actions.

Read more here: » Karma Yoga: Karma, The Law of Action followed by Reaction

 In essence, fear is caused by a sense of separation from the universal life and loving spirit in which all of physical and nonphysical manifestation is One. There are no exceptions to this. Learn to take note when you are feeling separate, whether from other people, nature, God or spirit. To be free of fear, you will need to be willing to allow different beliefs and concepts into your mind.

Read more here: » Fear: About fear and its consequences

Harmonic Concordance and its spiritual significance.

Read more here: » Harmonic Concordance November 8 2003 and its spiritual significance.