As this month comes to an end I’d like to revisit my intention. In the month of January I asked all of us to set our intention towards goal setting, and to each take a quiet moment of self-reflection. What makes you happy? What do you want to accomplish this year? This sentiment is a nice fit with February as we celebrate Valentine’s day and all that has to do with love. Self-love doesn’t get enough attention, in my opinion. How can you have love to spread to others if you haven’t started with yourself first?

On that note, I’d like to talk a little bit about self care. What do your morning practices look like? Do you have any? I love to take quiet time for myself each morning, say my prayers, set intentions for the day and offer gratitude. My evenings include lighting candles for dinner and sometimes I use essential oils to set the ambiance. I absolutely love essential oils and the natural and healing effect they have on the psyche.

I was chatting with my team the other day and the topic of essential oils came up. I sometimes put a few drops of essential oil on a cotton swab and place it inside my Agricultural Harmonizer.  I find a cotton swab is best as I don’t want to inadvertently harm the plating with the oil. The Harmonizer is an intention based tool and is said to clear the air and spread the information of the essential oils, as well as our intentions we have programmed into them. I like to think of it as a natural diffuser that adds life force energy instead of watery mist to the oils’ holistic objective.

I highly recommend using only high quality essential oils. It’s so worth the money and quality oils can even be used for cooking. When I lived in Germany, my preferred one was from Primavera. Here in the states there are excellent oil suppliers to find as well. I’m constantly changing what oils I use based upon my desired outcome. I use a few drops of dill when I cook fish, or a few drops of basil in winter in my salad.

Red mandarin oil dates back thousands of years where it was first discovered in China. It’s said to relieve anxiety and I find it to be a perfect antidote to the winter blues. Rose Geranium is also a wonderful mood elixir if you like the smell. For me it is the ultimate in self-care. Did you know that there are over 700  species of this flower on the planet, but only 10 varieties that are able to produce this intoxicating scent? Rose Geranium is used for vitality, healthy skin and is helpful in combating stress. Patchouli oil is a bit polarizing as I find people either love it or hate it! If you appreciate the odor you’re in luck as patchouli is helpful for those battling depression. It’s also rumored to be an aphrodisiac!

Essential oils can affect our mood, but they also are helpful for our environment. Did you know that lemongrass oil can clear the air? Back in my life in Germany, I had an advent wreath (which we use as decoration before Christmas) with four candles burning on my dining room table. I made the mistake to going back to my office, just to finish a “few” things on my computer and about an hour later smoke and the smell of burning pine twigs was coming out of my kitchen. The candles burned down and lit the wreath on fire and started on my wooden dining table. After extinguishing the flames I used a high quality lemongrass spray from Primavera and sprayed my kitchen, my hallway and the rest of my apartement. It was amazing how quickly it took care of the smell. I also used it on the walls of the cellar of this rental building as it always had a bad moldy smell when I opened the door. It’s the perfect oil if you are in search of a natural air freshener rather than using chemical solutions.

In addition to this natural wonder, Eucalyptus has also been shown to kill bacteria in lab studies. It’s a perfect natural solution to employ when cleaning your home. I like to use it in my Harmonizer when I feel a cold coming on. I love the perfume and I find it clears out my nose. If you don’t appreciate the smell of eucalyptus you can always try tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is especially helpful with any inflammation.

While on the subject of cleaning I can’t forget to mention the formidable sandalwood oil! Sandalwood is often found in aftershave lotions for its anti-inflammatory properties, but what I enjoy is the cleansing effect it has on the mind. A little goes a long way! One or two drops on a cotton swab put in my Harmonizer and I immediately can feel the clear of any mental fog. Sandalwood helps me focus. When you are in the process of re-organizing or de-cluttering your space, cypress is the perfect oil choice. It’s said to provide renewed vitality, energy and enthusiasm for the task at hand. Sandalwood and cypress are great scents for the office.

Finally, no blog entry on essential oils would be complete without mentioning beloved lavender oil. This soothing scent is said to calm the nerves and induce sleep. I love using this at nighttime or for meditation.

Ultimately the choices are endless! What is your favorite essential oil? Have you tried it out in your Harmonizer? I hope you do and report back to us how it’s working for you. Also, place your essential oils in a LIght-Life Ring, especially the citrus ones as they usually don’t last that long. It may extend their life span and will definitely bring more light and life to all of your oils. Let me hear what you’re doing. Enjoy your own special way to practice self-care!