Using Aromatherapy for Inspiration

One of the emails that I look forward to reading is from Andrew Pacholyk. MS, L.Ac. He is known for educating about a variety of alternative medical treatments to treat a variety ailments. I hope you enjoy this message on using Aramotherapy to help inspire you.


Finding Inspriation Series: Aromatherapy



My 'Finding Inspiration' series was written out of a need that comes up in my

practice, most often in Spring and Fall. I feel we all need a bit of

enlightenment now and then to help us move forward. Finding motivation through

inspiration can be the spark which sets you on your way!



Nature's Gifts



Spring is here. What better time to take advantage of the power of our sense of

smell!



We can find great inspiration through the power of our olfactory senses. Spring

time is the season of renewal, where flowers blossom, all green things grow and

people feel a renewal of energy within themselves. People even begin to wear

lighter colored clothing to "match" the environment around them. Seek your

inspiration in the scent of fresh flowers filling the air, as well as the bloom

of green herbs. Take advantage of these natural riches.



Utilize the Essence of Aromatherapy



Once you understand the purpose of why essential oils exist, you will want them

in your life forever. They represent life itself, the source of all healing. My

wish is that you will share them with a friend, and let them experience some of

your oils.



Essential Oils work on several different levels. They affect most people through

the sense of smell. The sense of smell is the most complexed and the sensitive

of the five senses.



Once the Olfactory receptors identify an aroma, nerve cells relay this

information directly to the Limbic system of the brain. Here, aromas can trigger

memories and influence behavior. Additionally, the Limbic system works in

conjunction with the pituitary gland and the Hypothalamus region of the brain to

regulate the hormonal activities thus triggering the production of hormones that

govern appetite, body temperature, insulin production, overall metabolism,

stress levels, sex drive, and conscious thought and reactions. The Limbic system

also influences immunity. Essential oils can have a positive affect on all these

functions.



Essential oils work through the skin as well. They can stimulate surface skin

cells, calm inflamed or irritated skin, release muscle spasms, soothe sore

muscles and relieve muscle tension.



Essential oils are used in a variety of ways.



* You can inhale them directly from the bottle.

* You can use them for skin care, hair care, and body care, as well as, for many

beauty purposes.

* Personal hygiene, aromatherapy baths, foot baths.

* Giving and receiving aromatherapy massages.

* Inhaling aromatherapy oil blends to relieve congestion, clear your head and

make breathing easier.

* You can also make wonderful fragrances with essential oils.

* Aromatherapy can prevent or ease an assortment of ailments. Essential oils

boost the immune system.

* You can treat aches, pains, injuries, with essential oils.

* Aromatherapy can help reduce stress, lift depression, restore emotional

well-being.

* You can disperse essential oils through the air in your home or office to

increase productivity or alter moods.



Andrew Pacholyk. MS, L.Ac.

Relationship Reflections

As a few things rattled around in my mind as I prepared to write. I consistently reflected on a very personal in-depth conversation that I had with a long time acquaintance. She lamented consistently about her relationship with someone who she appears to care a lot about. There is no give and take. Simply taking on his part. No consideration, very little affection, helpfulness or just plain ole kindnesses. How can you NOT give a woman a birthday gift?! As I listened I became more frustrated and annoyed at the content of her stories. Although I am fully aware that there are three sides to every story-mine, yours and the truth…I feel that my frustrations are valid because I know both of them well. She has been enormously patient in this relationship and unselfish. Her story is not unique. Change the names and insert the names of someone that you know…and we all can relate.




It puzzles me and has for a very long time as to how people can be with someone – this applies to our family and friends- and be so totally wrapped up into themselves that they fail to see the needs of the other person. The formulas for being involved with someone-regardless of the level of friendship – is very simple…treat that someone as you want to be treated. The challenge is when one of the individual’s begins to take the other for granted. Showing someone that you appreciate them takes little effort and is very cost effective.



To make the concept easier I would like to compare it to money in the bank. If you want to get more out of the bank…you must continue to put more in or replenish what you had. Each time you make a withdrawal (the taking part of the relationship) in order for you to continue withdrawing you must make a deposit (the giving part of the relationship.) If you continue to withdraw and fail to deposit soon your account will be depleted. If a person is giving, attentive, patience, thoughtful, diligent, loving and helpful when you do not acknowledge or appreciate them…soon their emotional account will be depleted. Eventually they will have nothing more for you to withdraw because you failed to make any deposits.



How blessed we are to be loved!! To take this love for granted as well as mistreat it is a blemish on our character. We all are the children of a loving, giving and forgiving Father. Any father who loves his children does not want them mistreated. Cherish love and handle it with care. The love of friends, family, siblings, church families and other unions are an awakening of our spirit and add more meaning and emotional well being to our whole person.



Give generously, willingly, openly and with the faith and the hope of love. Love returns as love. We all need some.

How to Handle Karmic Challenges

This is an exceprt from the great Yogi Paramhansa Yogananda's book Karma and Reincarnation. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.


People seldom look for hidden causes behind the occurrences in their lives. They cannot understand why they suffer. Suffering itself draws a thick curtain over their minds, obscuring its origins.

Only through deep, inner communion with higher states of consciousness does it become clear that all deficiencies, whether mental or physical, are the just consequences of a person's misbehavior in the past. A wise sage has the inner clarity to perceive the exact cause of every mishap. He can then prescribe actions that will remove that cause as an influence in a person's life.

One who was born disadvantaged in any way should resist fiercely the temptation to wallow in self-pity. To feel sorry for oneself is but to dilute one's inner power to overcome. Instead, affirm, "There are no obstacles: There are only opportunities!"

Accuse no one, not even yourself. Blame and accusation won't erase what has been done; it will affirm, rather, your dependency on circumstances over which, truly, you have lost control.

Seek God in the inner silence. Reconcile yourself to what is, and to what needs to be done about it. You can re-shape every karma, provided that from today onward you live by soul-consciousness. Repudiate the dictates of your ego. They are forever grounded in delusion.

The closer you come to God, the more surely you will know Him as Divine Love itself: the Nearest of the near, the very Dearest of the dear.

Keeping Positive

We all have our own personal challenges and trials that come with the territory of living. Each individual regardless of race, success, education or cultural differences goes through periods of trials that causes doubt, insecurities, depression and often times a sense of depression and “aloneness.” During this dark period it is easier to go with the flow rather than make the effort to pull yourself out. Going with the flow is simply giving up and remaining depressed and unfulfilled.

Going with the flow is easy. Anyone and most everyone does and can do that. But what if you decided to take a different route? What if you decided (because it is our decision) to eliminate giving in to the darkness (depression/doubt) and make a small attempt to go toward the Light? This is the more challenging part. Giving way to your depression and self pity only enhances that which you do not want. This negative feeling will continue to attract negative circumstances, experiences and negative people, placing you in and depression merry-go-round. When you are “pressed down” it is a way of saying to the negative forces surrounding you “hey you need a place to stay-well come on in I have an extra room.” Look at these forces as unwanted house guests. The more you entertain them….the longer they will stay. Why carry this burden of weight and darkness around and within you? If you would take just a moment and think about what you are going through and think about what is actually real to you…..you will certainly notice that nothing is changing for the better in your present state of mind.

I am certainly not saying don’t be depressed…because life and situations can press you down. What I am saying is stop, inhale and exhale a few times and try, try hard to either engage in something pleasant, go somewhere that makes you feel good, look at nature and its entire splendor and recognize the Universal Mind and the connection to you. Count your blessings. This certainly will help. Pay attention to the fact that you can walk, speak, dress yourself and love. Surround yourself with positive people, smile, go see a funny movie…if that is not feasible…play with a child, visit and older person. You will see differently and feel lighter. Once the weight is no long pressing you down and the “light” has began to flicker you will definitely feel better. Hold on to this flicker of light because soon it will expand-but you must stay positive. Like attracts like –something that we have heard all of our lives. I give you this-Light attracts Light. Keep the Light going…..and soon that particular challenge will go as well. Give it to the Light in order to stay “lite.”



Blessings

Watch being lured. Don’t allow anyone to sway you from your divine duties and the actualization of your true potential. There is a way that seems right but the end destruction. Beware of relationships that will defame your character and hard work. Avoid sickness begin to clean out your system and use herbal remedies to support a healthy body and immune system. Don’t wait to get sick, work on health now. Don’t dissipate your energies. It will cause you to loose the ability to attract and maintain the good you established and can obtain. Begin getting things in order and be committed to maintaining order in your life. Order is important for your being and circumstance. Order keeps you aligned with heaven. Deal with your problems while they are small and do not allow foolish to flourish. Be very much aware of your associates. Be care of their company. You can not bring everyone into your inner circle of confident or allow them to know things that would be twisted to use against you. Don’t allow yourself to be caught in a situation because you are with false friends. They may grumble but you will praise God for avoiding the situation that they will find themselves. Balance is the key to working with others. Know what is required and doing what is necessary and right. Know when to be kind and when to be firm. Guard against theft. Character can create or destroy. Be a real child of God and express from the highest.

Acknowledge God’s presence. Do not rush to make decisions doing difficult situations, acknowledge God presence and ask for guidance. Be calm to receive the correct perception, as well as to know what is the appropriate action to aid and improve the situation. It may mean standing still and allowing the heavenly forces to put things in divine order. Be obedience to the still small voice of the higher self. Don’t react to or comply with to the roars of the lower nature. Watch self for allowing your energy and time to be wasted away needlessly. You can’t get far in a ship that leaks. Stop to study self are you prepared and repaired for that which you want to undertake. Make the needed improvement of self. Ready yourself to handle your desire. Sincerity will help you connect with the wisdom, love and power of the kingdom of God, the hierarchy of heaven. You will be support by someone influential due to your sincerity. This individual will help you out of your difficulty and aid you in achieving your goal. Work with water set up a glass of water each Sunday before going to bed. Mediate and pray over the water and pour it on a plant the next morning. As you water you plant, imagine your desires being nurtured and growing. Prayer is required before traveling and before every new venture.

My Monthly Message to You

We must be mindful of the images that we create within our imagination. These images affect the mind, our relationships, circumstances as well as have an impact on others. One should make it a daily practice to scrutinze the thoughts, images and energies that he/she has diseminated and fostered. Thoughts are things. Our imagination befores the molds from which our circumstances are casted. We create images that are either positve or negative contributions to our and other life experiences. Your efect on other will consequentially will have a negative or beneficial effect on you. Examine your imaginaion and face the army of thought forms that you have created in your reaction to deal with the personal circumstances and world issues. Is your selfish nature the dicator of your your imagination? What happens to that negative thought and image that you formed while experiencing a rude driver on the highway? Do you permit your thought to become a custer or a composite eneities of the negative thought forms that prevails in our world? These composited bestial thought are demonstrated in the Book of Revelation as ananimal that have the likeness of bears, leopards, and other predators. Are your mental images and thoughts a merciless army that you form and take no control over, like the man eating mares in the mythical story of Hercules which he had to capture. Are you creating thoughts that promotes your peace and prosperity? One should not allow mal-emotion to esclipse ones good judgement. We are to eradicate our negative thoughts with positive thoughts that erase the ill images formed and re place it with thought energy that creates good.