“There is a lot more juice in a grapefruit than meets the eye.”
Anonymous
Family: Rutaceae
Synonyms: C. racemosa, C. maxima var. racemosa
Aroma: Sweet, fresh, citrusy
Colour: Yellow with a hint of green
Plant: A large tree growing to 30 metres with glossy dark green leaves and large fragrant flowers. The fruit is usually yellow but may vary in colour depending on the cultivar.
Main Growing Areas: California, Israel and Australia
Major Constituents: Limonene, nootkatone, octanal and decanal
Interesting snippets: Grapefruit probably originated in Barbados from a natural cross between pummelo (Citrus maxima) and sweet orange (Citrus sinesis).
Part of Plant used / Extraction: Cold pressed from rind. The essential oil is usually produced as a by-product of fruit juice extraction.
Therapeutic actions: Constipation, nausea, fluid retention, cellulite
Emotional and Spiritual: Mentally refreshing and energising, stress, nervous exhaustion, depression, mental and spiritual clarity, helps to achieve harmony and balance calms mind chatter
Robbi Zeck writes that when you are feeling drained, strung out and depressed, Grapefruit provides a new zest for life. With its light, fruity aroma it gives wings to feelings of heaviness, uplifts sagging spirits and radiates optimism. Learn from your obstacles and cultivate the ability to remain open to the moment. Life is essentially refreshingly sweet and Grapefruit brings the gift of appreciation. Live your life consciously every moment and take full advantage of every single day.
Gabriel Mojay writes that grapefruit is particularly suited to those individuals who, tense and under pressure, resort to food as a means of dealing with difficult emotions. Essentially cleansing, clarifying and refreshing, it works to rid the ‘heavy’ feelings that accompany those of angry disappointment, allowing us to perceive and accept more realistic goals.
Aromatherapy Insight Card:
OPTIMISM
Renew that zest for life. Stop feeling disappointed and wrung out. Focus on life’s positives, looking after yourself better and nurturing yourself emotionally. Grapefruit removes heavy, negative emotions that can feed our addictions when expectations are not met. An emotional purifier, grapefruit releases self-doubt and frustration, get out of that mood and have some childlike fun again. Be optimistic and move from the state of poverty consciousness to prosperity consciousness.
Fragrant Change Healing Card: I appreciate all that I have and the abundance that flows to me each day.
Contemplations for the Soul Card:
Have you lost your zest for life?
Does it all seem too much and you just want to go back to bed and forget about the world.
Are you finding it hard to see or find what is good in your life?
Are you a perfectionist with impossibly high standards that no one including yourself can live up to?
Begin today to appreciate what you have even if it is something as simple as the gift of friendship.
Accept also that you and others in your life are doing the best you/they can even if you/they don’t live up to your standards.
As you begin to appreciate the people and all that you have in your life your mood will lift allowing more peace and opportunities to come your way.
Safety: Non-irritating, non-sensitising, non-toxic. Possibly mildly photosensitive.
Note Grapefruit essential oil deteriorates quickly on exposure to air, daylight or moisture. Keep in the refrigerator to prolong her shelf life to a maximum of 12 months.
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)
Eidson D, Vibrational Healing, Frog Books (2000)
Hodges C, Fragrant Change Healing Cards (2015)
Hodges C. Contemplations for the Soul (2016)
Jefferies J, Osborn K, Aromatherapy Insight Cards. Living Energy, Aust. (2nd Ed. 2005)
Kerr J, Grapefruit Essential Oil Profile. Aromatherapy Today, Vol.21 (2002)
Mojay G, Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit. Hodder and Stoughton (1996)
Zeck R, The Blossoming Heart. Aroma Tours (2004)
The perfectionist fears what others may think of them if they don’t get it right and expends a lot of energy trying to be perfect. In some cases they may not even know the person or people they are trying to impress. For example they may have to dress perfectly, have not a hair out of place and make up just so before they can run out the door for a quick trip to the shops.
The perfectionist is always judging themselves as not being good enough and may have high standards for themselves and for others. Standards that are impossible for themselves and others to live up to. They then feel let down by others and themselves when those standards are not met. They may become angry, frustrated, critical and blame others and perhaps feel depressed and guilty that they can’t live up to these self-imposed impossible standards. They may lash out at others and then feel guilty. Their moods may drive others away leaving them feeling alone and perhaps abandoned.
You may push yourself and try to over achieve in your quest for perfection ignoring your own needs and those of your family and friends. You focus on what’s wrong and the negative aspects rather than what’s right. You spend time on perfecting a project at the expense of your relationship with your family, friends and your health. When all you can see is the negative it’s time to change your perspective and see what’s good in your world. It can also be time to get another’s perspective on what’s great about your life or project.
How has being a perfectionist benefited you? There is always a benefit. Take the time to carefully consider the benefits and if the time and energy you are putting into being a perfectionist or doing something perfectly is worth it.
Would you like to know more about how you can use essential oils to help you emotionally and spiritually?