Lavender Aromatherapy

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*Lavender aromatherapy*

 

Lavender is considered the most useful of all essential oils. Lavender is

known to help relieve headaches, insomnia, tension and stress. Its

therapeutic properties have been well chronicled all over the world.

Originally an inhabitant of the Mediterranean countries, this perennial herb

has long been recognized for its exotic perfume and medicinal properties.

 

Used in past by the ancient Romans for its healing and antiseptic qualities,

the name itself comes from the Latin " lavare " or " to wash " . Tibetans still

make an edible lavender butter to use as part of a traditional treatment for

nervous disorders. Today, the essential oil of lavender is widely used

across Europe and North America for a number of illness and medical

problems.

 

Lavender is just a beautiful herb in your garden. It has gray-green,

pointing leaves that grow in a bushy, spreading manner. It is crowned with

tall spikes of beautiful pale violet flowers during summer. As an ornamental

flower, lavender is unique, sporting exotic fragrance, beauty and a rich

harvest of sweet smelling blooms. Old English Lavender, a popular inhabitant

of a cottage garden, can grow up to two to three feet high, producing

fragrant grayish leaves and blue/purple flowers.

 

The more compact variety Hidcote, has darker blue flowers, grows to around a

foot high and is very pretty in any flower or herb garden. The easiest way

to propagate lavender is to cut softwood cuttings in the spring. However, as

lavender benefits from a light pruning in early autumn, these clippings make

excellent new plants too, as long as you protect them from frosts and winter

bite.

 

With its flowery fragrance Lavender is the most versatile and useful oil. If

you are a newbie to essential oils, you may need to start here by using

lavender oil. Called the " Swiss army knife of essential oils " , because of

its versatility, lavender is very soothing to sun burnt skin and is used to

cleanse cuts and skin irritations.

 

Essential oil of lavender is used in aromatherapy practices to get rid of

depression, fight tiredness and get relaxation. It has strong disinfectant

properties and was even used on the wars to prevent infection and relieve

pain.

 

A drop of lavender oil mixed with a teaspoon of carrier oil, such as grape

seed and massaged into the temples and back of the neck will drive away

headaches. Mixed with any massage oil, it also helps relieve the pain of

arthritis or aching muscles. Occasionally, just a small cotton ball with

droplets of lavender near your pillow can help you drift off to a deep

sleep.

 

Lavender essential oil can help reduce anger and frustration, while

improving your self esteem. Lavender is found to elicit the emotion of

happiness. Lavender has a property of calming and sedating effects. You can

also use lavender, by scenting a relaxing and antiseptic bath by slowly

adding lavender droplets and letting the bath water run over it as it fills

the bath. Fresh lavender flowers are excellent for bath too.

 

Dried lavender is a tool to experience the sheer aromatic properties in a

relaxed ambience. To dry your lavender, strip the leaves or the just opening

flowers from the stalk and spread out in a warm place, before using in pot

pourris to fragrance your rooms. Around your home, dried lavender stalks can

be burned like incense sticks or burned on the fire for their wonderful

fragrance.

Regards,

Parvidia Pakaya

 

PS. This article also can be read at www.aromatherapy-advise.com