I love the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. The uplifting stories are so inspiring and encouraging. Words can create an environment of peace and healing. Essential oils can have this same affect. At this very moment, I am diffusing an calming and uplifting blend of wild orange and a proprietary blend called Elevation. There is a vibrational energy associated with oils. To explain what I mean by vibrational energy, this is a scientific principle which defines all matter with a frequency level. By using essential oils with a calming or uplifting frequency, we can actually create this environment in our own bodies.
Currently I am reading Valerie Wormwood’s book Aromatherapy for the Soul. She does a wonderful job exploring essential oils and sharing how properties of the oils are so much more than the smell.I am enjoying exploring the different vibrational energies of the oils. My favorites right now are the grounding, meditative oils. Like the picture I chose for this post. Walking through a peaceful forest like the one pictured evokes feelings of calmness and grounding.
QUIET TIME
During prayer and meditation for me, it is often easy to get distracted and allow sporatic thoughts to overtake my mind. This is a great use of essential oils because when you use oils that are more grounding and meditative, you usually aren’t sidetracked with other memories associated with some smells like cookies baking or grandmother’s perfume. I use meditative oils like Frankincense and Myrrh, and grounding oils like Sandalwood and Patchouli.
Healing Oils of the Bible by David Stewart is another favorite of mine. There are over 188 references to essential oils in the Bible. Essential oils have been around the world from the beginning of time, and only in the past few years have these precious oils been explored in North America for their holistic healing properties.
HOLISTIC HEALING
As a holistic nurse, I believe our health is more than our physical bodies. It is my belief that only when we approach health from a physicial, emotional, and spiritual framework can true healing begin. Healing doesn’t always mean curing. Healing can be an emotional letting go, even in times of transition from this life through the doors of leaving this world. Another favorite book of mine is Emotional Healing with Essential Oils.
SET UP YOUR SPACE
Create a space for healing, prayer, meditation, and worship. This area needs to be clean, cleared, and de-cluttered. Set up your diffuser with a nice meditative or grounding blend. You can contact me directly at theessentialnurse@gmail.com to discuss the oils I use and what is suggested for your particular need. Create a peaceful environment by placing a comfortable chair and soft lighting system. I am adding a waterfall fountain table top piece to my room where I write, pray, have my Bible study.
HEALING PROPERTIES
Properties of essential oils can can include relaxation, emotional release, stress reduction, energy, spiritual healing, balance, meditative, focus, grounding, centering, releasing, any many more. Don’t you feel overwhelmed many days by the hustle and bustle of responsibilities and duties? Taking time to step back, breathe, and become still for even a few minutes can often times bring balance to your energy that will enable you to continue without all the stress and disruption in your spirit.
Joyce Harrell, RN, OCN is a Christian holistic nurse who provides natural solutions to common health problems. Joyce utilizes the art of nursing by implementing essential oils, wellness coaching, and nutritional therapy to help you create an environment for your body to best heal. Joyce uses Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential oils from doTERRA and you can find the oils she uses at http://wwwmydoterra.com/joyceharrell
Joyce is a wife, mother, nana, author, holistic healer, and above all committed to her relationship with God. You can find Joyce at theessentialnurse@gmail.com
As caregivers, we expend energy. For a moment, think of our energy as water. Imagine our source of water coming from a well. Day after day, you withdraw water from the well to drink, to cook with to bathe with. The source of replenishment has been cut off from the well. You may continue to draw from that well until it is dry. It stands to reason, if the well is not being continually fed from a spring or underground source, it will dry up. What happens if the well dries up? The well can no longer give water
Think about yourself as a caregiver. You have chosen the noble profession of being a giver/nurturer. Think of the water well. If you are not allowing yourself to be refreshed, you will run dry. What are some symptoms of running dry? Burnout, exhaustion, stress, impatience, fatigue, or a feeling of overwhelm are just a few examples of one can feel if your well has gone dry. I am going to discuss a few ways I have found helpful to keep my well full and over-flowing.
1) Take at least 15 minutes per day for a time of quiet, meditation, or prayer. This time of quiet and reflection can help you focus and quiet your thoughts. This practice can be hard in the beginning as your mind wants to wander and fill with all the duties of the day. Continue to practice this and you will begin to see your mind and body relax. Stretching and a time of yoga can also help.
2) Examine your nutrition. Do you eat on the run? Is fast food your main source of nourishment? Take time to plan your meals and snacks ahead of time. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water and not allowing yourself to get dehydrated. Headaches and fatigue can occur from simply being dehydrated. Eat low glycemic impact foods. These foods do not raise your blood sugar and cause unhealthy cravings. Eating smaller meals or snacks throughout the day also promotes even blood sugar levels, and will prevent spikes and lows in the blood sugar. (which will also help prevent unhealthy food cravings)
3) Wear comfortable clothing. Make sure you are wearing clothing you can breathe in. Do you remember how it feels good to purchase a new outfit? You can have those same feelings when you buy new work clothes. Most caregivers wear scrubs. They are very comfortable. You can be creative with colors and prints when purchasing scrubs. Unless your employment regulates the colors you wear, try something new and different. Speaking of comfortable, make sure you are wearing comfortable shoes! There is almost nothing worse than a long shift with shoes that hurt your feet. Clogs are very comfortable.
4) Affirmations! Do you like yourself? I mean, do you really like yourself? We have to first like and care for ourselves, if we are going to be affective in the care of others. If you have a hard time answering that question “yes”, you need to spend a little time in this area of self care. Conduct a Google search on “affirmation cards and see what you come up with. Affirmations are words of self-talk which are positive in nature. I have a set of Cheryl Richardson affirmation cards that I ordered from Hay House. I also have a few sets of cards from other authors of the same company. Place these in areas where you will see them each day. Invest in your self-talk.
5) Find your “happy place”. Where is your happy place? Do you like the ocean? Do you like the mountains? What place brings feelings of serenity can peace to you? Close your eyes and visualize this place. What does it feel like? What does it smell like? Allow yourself to be in this place. Take slow deep breaths. When you find yourself overwhelmed in a situation, step back for a moment and go to your happy place, even if for only a few moments in your mind. Take a few deep breaths. When you come back to the moment, you may be able to face the situation at hand. I like to use a little essential oil in a diffuser to help with stress some days.
6) What is it you enjoy doing? How do you treat yourself? Do you treat yourself? If not, then write down a few things you feel are a treat and schedule these things. Take a long relaxing bath. Schedule the much needed appointment with your hair stylist. Get that mani-pedi. Go to the museum and walk around for a bit, taking in all the beauty. Find what it is that is nourishing to you, and do it. Rub some lavender essential oil on the bottoms of your feet! Regularly do something!
7) Prioritize. We are given a fixed amount of time every day. Every item on your to-do list requires energy points. Make yourself a priority. If on your to-do list, you are not one of the to-do’s, then revamp that list until you are allowing time everyday for a refilling and refreshing. These ideas are only a start. They are only the tip of the ice-burg. Self-care takes time, effort, and practice. My desire is to see you become your best self. The first ah ha moment you need to have with yourself, is the realization not only is self-care OK, but imperative for your overall mental and emotional well-being. I would love to hear from you as you share your self-care ideas with me!
8) Create an aromatic paradise! I diffuse things like Citrus-Bliss, Lavender, Serenity, Wild Orange, Limes, and many others. I use Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils to ensure I not only have a wonderful smell, but that I am able to experience the therpeutic properties like stress relief, support for anxiety emotions, when I need an uplift, or when I need to relax and rest.
I would love to hear how you nurture your self care! You can find me at http://www.facebook.com/essentialnurse You can also find the essential oils I use and recommend at http://www.mydoterra.com/joyceharrell .
