Aromatherapy benefits us in so many different ways. As you journey into the world of essential oils, you will find that every day presents you with opportunities to discover new aromatherapy benefits for yourself and your family!

The more that I’ve worked with Young Living’s essential oils, the more comfortable I’ve become with trusting my intuition in applying them. There is so much knowledge that we’ve lost through the ages, that today’s aromatherapy books barely scratch the surface of the potential benefits of essential oils.

Although I will at times cross-reference my own instincts with my library of reference books, mostly I just follow my intuition. What oil bottle is “jumping out at me” from my case today? Or what essential oil or blend name keeps crossing my mind? And where do I feel I need to put it on my body (or am I best to just inhale it)?

Essential oils (when they are not mixed with a carrier oil) transfer through your body in 30 seconds, and reach every cell within 21 minutes. So topical application is a wonderful way to use Young Living’s essential oils.

I like to use the Young Living oils neat (undiluted) on my body, wherever I feel is the “right” place. The most common places I place oils are: under my feet, on my temples or third eye, under my nose, around my ears, on the back of my neck, on my chest, wrists or back, or around my navel.

Putting them under your feet is an excellent way to have them absorbed into your body. Your feet are less likely to be irritated by the more caustic oils, yet they have 3000 pores per square inch (so within 30 seconds you will often be tasting the oil in your mouth).

Naturally I exercise common sense when I’m anointing myself with an essential oil. I don’t put it on sensitive areas of my body, or close to my eyes. And from experience and some basic reading I know which oils are “hot” and require diluting, or are photosensitive and need to be put under clothing. When you order products from Young Living, you will be sent a brochure "How to Use Essential Oils". This brochure gives you important safety information to be aware of in your journey into essential oils, and indicates which oils are warming to the skin, or photosensitive. Make sure you read it and follow the safety recommendations there.

If I put a new oil on, and discover it is “hot”, I make sure I have some V-6 mixing oil (or any other vegetable oil) on hand to put over the top to dampen the warmth. Some oils I dilute as a matter of course (because experience has shown me that these are “very hot” oils, and not to be messed with) – Cassia, Cinnamon Bark, Nutmeg. For these oils I use 1 to 3 drops in a teaspoon of carrier oil as a regular dilution.

I’ve also noticed that an oil can feel “hot” if I put it on straight after having a hot bath or shower (my skin pores are open, and more sensitive to the oil). So ideally I wait 15 minutes after a shower before anointing.

Another good thing to remember if you are using oils topically is that citrus oils react with sunlight and can turn your skin brown in that patch. And (yes, from experience) this has taken 4 to 6 weeks to “wear off” on my skin. These oils are termed “photosensitive”, and should only be used under clothing….not on skin that will be exposed to direct sunlight within 72 hours.

Apart from these simple precautions, I use my Young Living oils with positive intent, and let the power of the oils do the rest.

Inhaling an essential oil works even faster than topical application - your body responds within a second! In smelling them, the essential oil travels through your olfactory nerves straight to the limbic system of your brain (the centre of emotions). This is why aromatherapy benefits emotions so rapidly (within seconds).

When you anoint yourself with an aromatherapy oil, you are naturally inhaling it as well. This is why I like to wear my Young Living oils like a perfume – that way I get double the benefits (topical and olfactory)!

But – what happens if you don’t like the smell? D. Gary Young, N.D., the founder of Young Living, has stated that if you dislike the smell of all oils, it can indicate an acidic condition in your body. However, if you simply dislike a few of the oils (and love others), then the oils you dislike are “the ones you need!” No doubt they are having an impact on you that is triggering something uncomfortable (but where rebalancing is needed).

My experience certainly backs this up. I’ve often looked at books and identified the oils I feel I most need… only to discover a certain aversion to their smell. Over time, as I have continued using the oil, my experience of it has changed to a much greater acceptance.

However, many of the aromatherapy benefits of essential oils can be obtained by simply inhaling them. This can be done by breathing in the fragrance from the bottle, or they can be diffused into the room.

I use a cold air diffuser (not an oil burner) to create an aromatic environment in my home and office. An oil burner (even an electric one) destroys the quality of an oil through heating, whereas a cold air diffuser doesn’t. By having my diffuser running for an hour or so each day, I get to breathe in the aromatherapy benefits of my oils (and so does everyone else in my household). Because my cats are averse to the intensity of most of the oils (so I rarely put oils on them), I feel that diffusing the oils is giving them great benefit too.

Essential oils, when diffused, can be the best air filtration system in the world. They:

Did you know that Young Living’s essential oils are pure enough that you can use them in cooking? Only ever use ones that are rated "GRAS" (Generally Regarded as Safe for internal use).

When you order products from Young Living, you will also be sent a brochure "How to Use Essential Oils", which indicates which oils are GRAS rated, and how to safely use them (eg. always dilute them in olive oil, soy milk or honey first…or in food). This brochure also gives you important safety information to be aware of in your journey into essential oils. Make sure you read it and follow the safety recommendations there.

Apart from in cooking, I have experimented with taking essential oils internally, either on my tongue, in a cup of tea, in a glass of water, or in a gel or vege cap (and swallowed). These are very powerful ways of using essential oils, and require the utmost purity in the oils that you are using. I would only ever use Young Living oils in this way, because of their guaranteed purity, and I always follow Young Living's guidelines for safe use of essential oils.

When it was open, I visited the Young Life Research Clinic in Utah, where I consulted with doctors who placed me on protocols of oils internally (in gel caps). I therefore feel safe and confident following their guidance.

If you decide to take essential oils internally (eg. in a gel cap), make sure you do so under the guidance of an experienced aromatherapist or qualified health practitioner, or do so at your own risk.