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Sweet Marjoram (Origanum marjorana)

Sweet marjoram header

Family: Lamiaceae (Labiatae)

Synonyms: Marjorana hortensis. Do not confuse with Spanish marjoram (Thymus mastichina) or oregano (Origanum vulgare)

Aroma: Strong, fresh, herbaceous, sweet and slightly woody

Colour: Pale yellow

Marjoram 7Plant: Bushy perennial plant that grows up to 60 cms high with a hairy stem, dark green oval leaves and clusters of small white flowers.

Main Growing Areas: Southern Europe, France, Egypt

Major Constituents: terpinene-4-ol, para-cymene, alpha-terpineol, linalool, linalyl acetate.
Interesting snippets: Origanum comes from the Greek words oros and ganos meaning joy of the mountains.

The ancient Egyptians used sweet marjoram as a funeral herb and in their perfumes and medicines.

In Ancient Greece sweet marjoram was a funeral herb planted on graves to bring peace to the departed. The flowers were also used to crown young married couples as a symbol of love and honour.

Part of Plant used / Extraction: Dried or fresh flowering tops and leaves by steam distillation. The yield varies between 1 and 2%.

Therapeutic actions: Muscular and nervous spasms, muscular stiffness. Sprains and strains, constipation, colic, wind, indigestion. Menstrual cramps, nervous cough

Emotional and Spiritual: Anxiety, nervousness, agitation, nervous depression and obsessions. Assists the acceptance of deep loss but don’t overuse as she can deaden the emotions.

Gabriel Mojay writes that sweet marjoram helps to calm obsessive thinking, ease emotional craving and promote the capacity for inner self-nurturing when a person feels lonely, unsupported, and that ‘no one cares’.

Robbi Zeck writes that when too much work, stress and emotional upheaval sweeps you along the torrent of life the mind and nervous system can become overwrought. Marjoram’s warm herbal aroma will strengthen your nervous system, rebuild your reserve, fortify your spirit and reduce obsessive thinking.

Valerie Ann Worwood writes that sweet marjoram’s warmth carries with it the fire and sparks of the cosmos, with which we can make a connection to our own internal fire.

Aromatherapy Insight Card:

Marjoram

ANXIETY
Stop obsessive thinking and remove that negative groove from your brain. Feeling that no one cares or understands you. Creating anxiety for the sake of it does not achieve positive results. See anxiety for what it is and release it, you are free to do what you want. Marjoram will support you through the toughest and most anxious time but remember to accept help when it is offered. Marjoram oil will preserve your energies for times when depletion can occur. Be the idealist and banish anxiety from your life.

Fragrant Change Healing Card: I ask for help and support and accept it with gratitude when it is offered.

Marjoram

Contemplations for the Soul:

Marjoram FCHC

Are you feeling stressed, worried and can’t concentrate due to your obsessive thinking?
Do you feel that no one cares about you or your problems?
Are you going through a challenging time and feeling emotionally overwhelmed?
It’s time to break the cycle and realize that obsessing and worrying over something will not change the outcome.
Whenever obsessive thoughts threaten to derail you remember you have done your best.
Sometimes the thought that no one cares is not true and people are more than willing to help.
When friends offer to help accept it and ask for help when you need it.

Safety: Non-irritating, non-sensitising, non-toxic

Sources: Battaglia S, The Complete Guide To Aromatherapy. The Perfect Potion, Australia (1995)
Bowles E.J, The A to Z of Essential Oils. New Burlington Books (2003)
Hodges C. Contemplations for the Soul (2016)
Hodges C, Fragrant Change Healing Cards (2015)
Jefferies J, Osborn K, Aromatherapy Insight Cards. Living Energy, Aust. (2nd Ed. 2005)
Kerr J, Marjoram Essential Oil Profile. Aromatherapy Today, Vol.26 (2003)
Mojay G, Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit. Hodder and Stoughton (1996)
Worwood V.A, The Fragrant Heavens. Doubleday Publishing UK (1999)
Zeck R, The Blossoming Heart. Aroma Tours (2004)

 

 

 

Sweet Orange (Citrus sinesis)

Sweet orange

If the family were a fruit, it would be an orange,
a circle of sections, held together but separable – each segment distinct.
Letty Cottin Pogrebin

Family: Rutaceae

Synonyms: C.aurantium var.dulcis, Portugal orange

Aroma: Sweet, citrus orange peel aroma

Colour: Deep golden to dark orange

Orange treePlant: Small pyramidal tree. Leaves are oblong, evergreen, smooth and shiny. During spring and summer white fragrant flowers appear followed by orange aromatic fruits.

Main Growing Areas: Brazil, United States, Israel and the Mediterranean and Australia to a much lesser degree.

Major Constituents: d-Limonene (up to 96% has an orange like odour), linalool, a-pinene, myrcene.

Interesting snippets: The name orange is derived either from the Sanskrit for the fruit, naranji or the arabic narandj.

The orange is native to China and it was brought to Europe by the Arabs or Portuguese explorers (depending on which source you read) and later introduced to the Americas by Columbus. I tend to think it was the Arabs as they were distilling products from the Seville Orange in Spain from the 11th century.
The orange is a traditional Chinese symbol of good luck and prosperity.

In Australia nothing is wasted. After the juice and essential oil is extracted the left over remnants are used as a stock feed supplement, which is said to improve the milk yield of dairy cows.

When grown in the best conditions, some orange trees can live up to 50 years, continually flowering and fruiting every season.

Orange and peel 2Part of Plant used /Extraction: Outer peel. Extracted by cold pressing of ripe or very ripe fruit. The essential oil is extracted from the flavedo (outer part of the orange peel). The thin part of the peel is removed from the rest of the orange. It is mixed and crushed with water in a cold press and processed through a hydrocyclone and centrifuge to separate the essential oil from the water molecules, and finally out through a polisher refined centrifuge to ensure absolute purity of the oil. 500kg of oranges yields approx.1kg of essential oil.

Therapeutic actions: Good digestive oil, poor appetite, indigestion, constipation. Calms a nervous stomach, good for bronchitis and colds. Useful to help get children to sleep.

Emotional and Spiritual: Helps in depression, sadness, hopelessness. She energises when apathetic, resigned and unable to make necessary changes. Helps reduce the fear of the unknown. Conveys joy and positivity.

Robbi Zeck writes to use orange when you are feeling gloomy and unable to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes you may not even have an explanation for why you feel that way. I particularly like this sentence she ends with as I feel it sums up Sweet Orange perfectly. “Like a perfumed cascade of flowers in spring, Orange brings moments of laughter and touchstones of happiness to a beaming heart.”

Aromatherapy Insight Card:

Orange Sweet

SERIOUSNESS
Remove the seriousness that is bogging you down in life. Sweet orange is for the hard working, efficient perfectionist. Acting like you know everything, and have little tolerance for other people’s mishaps and learning experiences. Stop being so boring and feeling YOU are the only one who can do anything. Lighten up and enjoy life. You can be responsible and efficient and have a light spirit at the same time. Smile and find your sense of humour.

Contemplations For The Soul Card:

Sweet Orange CFTS Card

Feeling stressed, worried, frustrated, let down or generally blah?
Do you feel you have to do everything because no one else will or can do it properly?
Have you forgotten how to laugh and have fun and wonder what joy is because you’re not feeling it?
Spend time in the early morning or late afternoon sun allowing the rays to warm your skin.
Do something that brings joy to others.
Teach others how to do things and allow them to do them in their own way so you can get on with life.
Look for joy in your life and you will find it. It may take some work on your part to feel joy again but it will be worth it.

Safety: Non-irritating, non-sensitising, non-toxic, non-phototoxic. Should be used fresh within 6-12 months as it tends to oxidise relatively quickly. Best to store in a cool dark place like the refrigerator.

If it stops smelling like the fresh fruit then best not to use on the skin as it can than cause skin reactions. You can still use it in cleaning products.

Sources: Battaglia S, The Complete Guide To Aromatherapy. The Perfect Potion, Australia (1995)
Fischer-Rizzi S. Complete Aromatherapy Handbook. Essential Oils for Radiant Health Sterling Publishing Company (1990)
Guba R. Sweet Orange. Essential News. Vol 8 (2002)
Hodges C. Contemplations for the Soul (2016)
Jefferies J. Osborn. K. Aromatherapy Insight Cards. Living Energy, Aust. (2nd Ed. 2005)
Kusmirek J. Aromatherapy. An Introduction & Guide to Aromatherapy. Wigmore Publications Ltd (1999)
Mailhebiau P. Portraits in Oils. The C.W.Daniel Company Ltd. (1995)
Mojay G. Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit. Hodder and Stoughton (1996)
Sydney Essential Oil Company, Harvest: Australian Sweet Orange essential Oil. Oily Spring Edition (2010)
Zeck R, The Blossoming Heart. Aroma Tours (2004)

Children and Essential Oils

children-and-essential-oils

Essential oils are a gentle way to help children through some minor illness and first aid issues but if they don’t respond within a short time seek medical help.

First some ground rules
Do not apply neat to the skin as children have more sensitive skins and are more prone to sensitization.

If a skin reaction does occur discontinue using the oil and apply some vegetable oil, wipe off and apply again. Should you or they get oil in the eye wash the eye out with vegetable oil a couple of times.

If by some chance your child should swallow a large amount of essential oils and this could be as little as 5 or 10mls in the case of a very young child don’t delay. Treat it as a medical emergency and take the child to the nearest emergency room. Don’t try and make them vomit it back up as you may damage their lungs.

ToddlerDosage is important with young children, under 2 years keep to 0.5%, for those 2 – 7 years 1% is fine. 7-12 years 1.5%. This translates to 2 drops in 20mls of cold pressed vegetable oil for under 2’s, 4-5 drops for 2-7’s and 8 drops for 7-12’s. Once they reach 12 years you can use the adult dosage of 2.5 or 5 % 10 – 20 drops per 20mls depending on use.

The Essential Oils
When buying essential oils it is important to buy oils with the same botanical name as there are many different lavenders, chamomiles and eucalyptus. These are just some of the oils considered safe for children.

Australian sandalwood (Santalum spicatum)
Chamomile German (Matricaria recutita/chamomilla)
Chamomile Roman (Anthemis nobilis)
Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus smithii) – considered more gentle for children
Frankincense (Boswellia carterii/sacra)
Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens)
Lavender (Lavender officinalis/true/angustifolia)
Mandarin (Citrus reticulata)
Spearmint (Mentha spicata)
Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis)

Illnesses
You may choose to use one oil or a combination of 2 or 3. If blending remember that the number of drops above is for the total amount of essential oils in the blend.

Chicken pox – Australian sandalwood, German chamomile, geranium, lavender – as a spray, in the bath, compress or gentle massage
Cold – Eucalyptus, frankincense, lavender in a vaporiser or chest rub
Colic – Roman chamomile, mandarin, spearmint – gentle clockwise stomach massage
Constipation – German chamomile, mandarin, spearmint – gentle clockwise stomach massage
Eczema – German chamomile, geranium, lavender – gentle massage or spray or compress
Measles – German chamomile, geranium, lavender – spray, bath, compress or gentle massage
Nappy rash – Roman chamomile, frankincense, geranium, lavender – spray or add 2-4 drops to a 500ml bowl of warm or cool water and clean area.
Teething – Lavender, Roman chamomile – gentle massage into cheeks and jawline

Usage Guidelines
For massage – use number of drops above in cold pressed vegetable oil. Do not use baby oil, mineral oil or sorbolene cream as the oils will not be absorbed.

For spray – Add up to 15 drops in total to 50mls of spring or distilled water or hydrosol in a mist bottle and shake before each use. If you have a solubiliser or oil to water dispersant, follow the instructions and mix the oil and dispersant together before adding to the water.

Compress – Add 2-4 drops to a 500ml bowl of warm or cool water.

Bath – Add 2-4 drops of essential oils to a dispersant or some full fat milk before adding to the bath water. Do not put oils straight into the bath water as there is a chance of the child getting them in their eyes while splashing.

Vaporiser – Up to 4 -6 drops is usually sufficient in a vaporiser.