Rare Essential Oils Series: SpikenardWe live in a stressful world. Those things that can cause stress in our lives are personal relationships, work, finances, illness, etc. These things cause many people in our society to struggle with anxiety, stress, and panic attacks. To help cope with these stresses there are many things that individuals can do. Some of those things may include a walk in the park, meditation, yoga, listening to music, etc. However, far too many people turn to drugs and alcohol to deal with the stress and anxiety in their lives. There are however, natural ways to deal with stress, and that is with essential oils used in conjunction with aromatherapy. Aromatherapy utilizes various scents to help the body emotionally, mentally and physically. When a person smells certain scents, it triggers certain responses in the brain that release certain calming hormones into the bloodstream. The effect is almost instantaneous. Generally, aromatherapy uses essential oils. Essential oils are liquid in nature and are usually extracted from and created from certain natural elements. Those elements could be leaves, roots, spices, trees, flowers, grasses, and fruits. Within the category of essential oils a certain subcategory has been established. The subcategory is known as rare essential oils. One such rare essential oil is Spikenard. When considering the use of this rare essential oil it is important to know what constitutes a rare essential oil, what Spikenard is and what the uses of this oil are. What Are Rare Essential Oils? Rare essential oils are those oils that provide a unique scent or aroma. This uniqueness is based on the substance or combination of substances that are used in comprising the rare essential oil. Often this uniqueness is based on the limited availability of the flower, spice, tree, etc. In addition the rarity of the essential oil may be determined through a blending or combination of ingredients. What Is Spikenard? One such rare essential oil is Spikenard. The Bible alludes to this oil as the one that Mary Magdalene used on the feet of Jesus. The reason for this essential oil being labeled as rare is because it is taken from the Spikenard plant that is found in the Himalayas. The actual oil is produced by crushing the stems of this flower and through a distilling process it is produced into a usable form. When created into an oil form the appearance of the oil takes on an amber color. It takes an enormous amount of Spikenard plant material to produce a few drops of essential oil. Uses Of Spikenard This rare essential oil serves a number of purposes when used as oil or in incense form. One of the best methods to take advantage of this scent is through the use of a diffuser. A diffuser is a device that helps to circulate essential oils into the air as part of aromatherapy. Some of the popular uses of Spikenard are to treat insomnia, difficulties during pregnancy, excessive gas and to aid in addressing sleeplessness. One of the precautions to remember when utilizing rare essential oils is that they are not recommended for an individual to inhale if they have asthmatic problems. So if you are suffering from anxiety or sleeplessness, a few drops of Spikenard rare essential oil in a diffuser at night may help you sleep better and longer. Since essential oils are totally natural, you will experience little or no side effects and they are generally considered to be safe to use. |