Oils for Love Part 1

“Love cannot endure indifference. It needs to be wanted. Like a lamp, it needs to be fed out of the oil of another's heart, or its flame burns low.” Henry Beecher Ward

In honor of the month of Love, I thought I would do a series on oils that will help you in the areas of love and marriage. So to start off the month we will look at Ylang Ylang.

Ylang Ylang (from hear on out referred to as Y to save me some keystrokes) is from the Anonaceae family and the scientific name is Cananga odorata. It is a tropical tree grown mostly in Asia. The essential oil is extracted from the flowers of the tree first thing in the morning. Y actually means flower of flowers. As with most essential oils that come from the flower of a plant you can expect to pay more for Y due to the less abundant yield.

Most Y essential oils are labeled as Ylang Ylang Complete. When the Y is distilled the first distillation called the extra is extremely potent and overly sweet, so the extra is combined with oils from the first and second distillation to form the Y Complete. When you are purchasing Ylang Ylang you will want to make sure you buy the complete as it is the most potent form available to aromatherapists.

Historically Y has been used in the flower form to cover a newlyweds bed. It has been used as a perfume for women and a tribe in Tahiti used to wear the flowers in their hair and to perfume their bodies. They also used the Y oil to condition their hair giving them lush, shining locks.

I hope that was a good teaser, because there are many wonderful ways you can use Y in your life. The first way is to promote marital relationships. Y helps to balance your hormones by stimulating your adrenals and thymus glands. This can help to bring desire, joy, harmony and passion to your relationship. Y is also a uterine tonic and rubbed on the abdomen can minister there. If you are struggling with desire for your spouse or just want to give your relationship a kick this is the oil to try. You can diffuse it in your room starting a half hour before bedtime or wear it as a perfume applying along your neck and behind your ears. If you don't have a diffuser then just place a few drops on your pillows.

Along with the physical, due to Y's many nervine (nerve related) properties, you can use it in battling depression, irritability, anxiety and insomnia. Other physical uses include skin care, hair conditioner addition, constipation, regulate circulation, and heart issues.

It is an amazing side note that an oil known so well for ministering to your physical heart and blood circulation also strongly effects the emotions said to originate in the heart.

So in honor of the month of love, add Ylang Ylang to your oil supply and see what it can do for you!!