Sweetgrass Oil (was RE: Newbie intro & question)

[Guest guest]

> Hi there all!

 

Hi Melissa,

 

Welcome aboard.

 

> Just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Melissa and I am enjoying

 

> learning about blending EOs and other oils/butters to make my own

combinations for

> my family.

 

Glad to see you enjoying yourself. I hope you continue to like it here

Make yourself right at home!

 

> I'm curious - my favorite massage therapist was raving about some

Sweetgrass

> EO that he bought on a reservation. He said it was very rare ... I

tried to

> find some for myself tho and all I could find was a webpage saying

Sweetgrass

> EO didn't exist, and that fake products were often sold to

unsuspecting

> customers.

 

I've not for a fact ever seen true sweetgrass (Hierochloe odorata) EO.

Fellow list member, Barbara, sent me some wonderful braids of

sweetgrass, and she also sent along a bottle of oil she got from a

reservation in her area, but she told me that she really isn't sure

about how natural it is, because she had an amazingly difficult time

getting any info about it from the person who supposedly distills it,

which usually isn't a good sign ...

 

I'm sure an EO can be made from it, and somebody out there probably

makes it (even if its just in small amounts) .. but it isn't one of the

more commonly available oils ...

 

> Can anyone give me feedback on this - he's very concerned as he

regularly

> uses it in his practice.

 

Maybe Butch knows more about this .. he's our resident EO availability

smart guy (and he knows quite a bit about Native American Indian plants,

religion and culture too

 

> Thank you!!

> Melissa

 

*Smile*

Chris (list mom)

http://www.alittleolfactory.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hello chrisziggy,

 

In reference to your comment:

 

è I've not for a fact ever seen true sweetgrass (Hierochloe

è odorata) EO. Fellow list member, Barbara, sent me

Chiming in late here, but...

 

If it was purchased on a rez, the person who distilled it may be forbidden by

custom or religious practices to reveal his methods to non-natives, or even

those who aren't his students or direct descendants. Or, it could be a guy

who's just really pissed off about how much Indian knowledge and customs have

been " stolen " and doesn't want to share (not MY opinion, mind you, but a current

one shared by some Native Americans).

 

That being said, there also exists the possibility that it's not natural.

 

Keisha

 

è some wonderful braids of sweetgrass, and she also

è sent along a bottle of oil she got from a reservation in

è her area, but she told me that she really isn't sure

è about how natural it is, because she had an amazingly

è difficult time getting any info about it from the person

è who supposedly distills it, which usually isn't a good

è sign ...

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

There are plenty of Powwow's where sweetgrass EO or sacred cedar oil is

sold...

Just because it's an Indian Powow that does not mean they all know what

they are doing !!!!

AGAIN, native American's DID NEVER steam distill anything to make an EO.

BUT they did infuse fat and oils.

Making sacred cedar oil is not something that can be shared and is a

very long drawn out process one has to have a commitment for, not

something to be learned over the internet or a weekend seminar.

So much easier to just buy cedar oil....

But it's not the same.

It's not hard to grow sweet grass if one can get plugs from an

established patch. My Elders told me many years ago to grow my own

patch for the wild ones where going fast due to development.

Please, never, ever buy a sweetgrassbraid that has it's roots on. It

means no more grass will grow. However, it can be safely cut 3 or 4

times a year.

 

C-M