The Egyptians made sarcophagi from cypress, the Phoenicians and the Cretans used it to build houses and ships, and the Greeks used it to carve statues of their gods. The cypress tree has been an integral part of Western civilization for centuries. The tree is named after the Greek island of Cyprus, on which cypress trees grow in abundance, and where they were worshipped.

Early civilizations not only used the wood to make life more comfortable, they also steam distilled the branches and needles to extract oil from the wood, and used the oil medicinally. The Greeks valued cypress oil for the calming effect that it has on the nervous system, as well as for its ability to relieve and eliminate asthma symptoms and other respiratory troubles.

Through the years cypress oil has been credited with helping to alleviate symptoms of bronchitis, nosebleeds, fluid retention and muscle cramps, and the oil also has the ability to increase circulation, which is a vital factor in reducing cellulite. Cellulite is where the cells in the fatty layer under the skin are attacked by toxic lymph. If the lymphatic system is sluggish and circulation is poor, cellulite often appears on the upper arms, buttocks, and thighs as well as other areas of the body.

Anyone can develop cellulite. Excess weight is not the villain, but excess estrogen does play a role, and so does a weak lymphatic system. If the lymphatic system and the immune system are not strong enough to get rid of them, toxins are pushed to areas of the body where they will do the least harm. The result of that internal action is called cellulite.

When an alkaline detoxification diet is combined with aromatherapy treatments, cellulite begins to break down. Cypress essential oil is one of the main oils used in successful aromatherapy treatments. Cypress oil is combined with other essential oils such as clary sage, lavender, juniper, and lemongrass oils because they eliminate fluid retention. The blended cypress oil can be applied directly in a massage, diluted in a bath, and infused in a seaweed wrap during spa treatments.

Cypress oil is also used to treat varicose and broken veins and congested and oily skin. When the oil is blended with pine, marjoram, sandalwood, rosemary, frankincense and citrus oils in aromatherapy oil treatments, cypress oil can be very effective in assisting with emphysema, diarrhea, cramps, rheumatism, sweaty feet, whooping cough, and uncomfortable symptoms of menopause.

The rich perfumed fragrance of the rose is unmistakable. The aroma of the rose has enamored cultures around the world for centuries, rivaling even the renown of the prized sandalwood. The first rose came from a Persian garden, and the bush quickly spread around the ancient world. The Romans used rose petals when they had extravagant banquets, and they extracted the oil for medicine and perfumes. The rose symbolized love, passion, innocence, and desire as well as beauty, elegance, and grace.

In Greece, India, and Egypt, roses were macerated in hot fat. Fragrant pomades were the end products and they were shaped into cones, which were placed on top of the head. When the sun melted the fat, fragrant rose-scented oil would trickle down the face and the scent would linger all day.

The healing qualities of rose oil are as remarkable as its beauty and fragrance. In the 17th century, the English physician Culpepper wrote that red roses strengthen the heart. He may have meant the action of giving someone a rose, but anyone who has been exposed to the aroma of a rose or rose oil and inhaled it for aromatherapy purposes knows that the heart is strengthened emotionally as well as spiritually by rose oil.

Culpepper wrote about the astringent properties of rose oil and recommended it for tired eyes and headaches. He suggested a rose ointment to relieve annoying acne as well. Today rose oil is used in lotions, creams, and oils for its bactericidal and antiviral properties. Rose oil and rose water are used to cleanse and refresh dry sensitive skin.

The difficulty of extracting the oil from the plant has always been an issue. One rose blossom only contains 0.02% oil and this makes the essential oil expensive. It takes about 40,000 pounds of rose blossoms to produce one pound of rose oil. Even though the oil is expensive, it’s a great investment, especially in aromatherapy sessions.

Some rose oil aficionados claim that the best rose otto oil comes from Bulgaria. The oil is distilled from newly opened flowers that are picked in the cool mornings. Distillation is done in two phases. The first phase produces a little concentrated green oil and a lot of rose water. The second phase distills the rose water, and the result is a yellow oil that is combined with the green oil to produce the final essential oil. Most of the rose absolute used in perfumes is harvested and extracted in Morocco using a hydrocarbon solvent. Most aromatherapists prefer rose otto oil because they feel that the rose absolute extraction process may have an impact on the therapeutic properties in the oil.

Check out this video on the distillation of rose oil!

Cedarwood has been used for over 5,000 years for many good reasons. The ancient Sumerians as well as the Egyptians believed cedarwood could connect the body with the mind in rituals and ceremonies. The Egyptians also believed that the body should be embalmed in cedarwood so the journey to the other side was a smooth transition.

Scripture writers tell stories about Solomon and his love for cedarwood. He built his temple and palace from the Cedars of Lebanon, which made him the wisest man on the planet. Cedar was a symbol for strength, connection, and protection in those ancient days. Cedarwood oil continues to attract people who want to connect with the soul-consciousness in this physical plane, and it is also used as an insect repellant and a bacteria preventative.

Cedarwood essential oil is fantastic for breaking down cellulite and is one of the most popular oils used for deep massages. And the therapeutic qualities of cedarwood oil don’t stop there. This aromatherapy oil is effective for hair loss, acne, psoriasis, urinary tract infections, and bronchitis. Attention deficit disorder and compulsive behavior can be treated with cedarwood oil, and it reduces the risk of hardening of the arteries.

Cedarwood stimulates the pineal gland, which releases melatonin and promotes deep sleep. The pineal gland also open channels to the innate capacities that we have which have become buried under the myth of separation propagated by modern society. The Sumerians discovered the awakening potential of cedarwood long ago, and cultures around the world hold cedar sacred and use it as a beneficial, clarifying teacher plant. The most wonderful benefit of using this essential oil on a regular basis is the emotional and spiritual transformation that develops as the plant is incorporated into one’s practice.

The therapeutic properties of this amazing oil are astringent, antiseborrhoeic, diuretic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, tonic, fungicide, insecticide, sedative, emmenagogue, and expectorant. The oil also sedates the skin, which relieves itching, and it acts as a general tonic, which helps control acne, dandruff, and oily skin.

In vapor therapy cedarwood essential oil can be used to relieve arthritis, rheumatism, and respiratory issues. The oil can be massaged into the skin or diluted in a bath to relieve painful joints, cystitis, and catarrh.

When cedarwood is blended with other essential oils such as cinnamon, bergamot, frankincense, juniper, benzoin, cypress, rosemary, jasmine, lavender, neroli, rose, and lemon, the results are better than expected, especially when cellulite and muscle pain cause unnecessary stress on the body.

Ancient civilizations knew the importance of using cedarwood, especially when the body was in a state of distress. The physical and mental connection that humans have with cedarwood oil is so special that it can’t be taken for granted. The old remedies are new again and cedarwood oil tops the list when it comes to bringing the body and mind together in an innate as well as objective way.

It’s hard to identify the age of nature’s medicine chest. Plants and trees have been healing aches and pains as well as wounds and scratches for centuries. Oils from the plant kingdom have balanced the central nervous system, healed the intestinal system, and stimulated the circulatory and respiratory systems long before people wrote about those accomplishments. Sage oil is one of these ancient oils that has assisted humans in healing and living well for many thousands of years!

The miraculous properties of sage oil, along with other essential oils, were verbally passed down from generation to generation around the Mediterranean region. Through the years Dioscorides, Galen, and Pliny all recommended sage as a diuretic, and for its hemostatic, emmenagogue, and tonic properties.

Before the centuries were marked with double digits, monks kept sage in their medicine cabinets. The Greeks called it sphakos, and Romans called it salvia. Charlemagne recommended it for cultivation in France decades later, and the British started using it in food recipes before there was a Britain.

Carl Linnaeus, the Swedish botanist, was the first Western scientist to describe sage in 1753. Salvia officinalis was the official name in those days, but it has been classified under many names since then. Long before this, though, sage was used to ward off evil spirits, cure snakebites, increase women’s fertility, and as a local anesthetic.

During the Middle Ages, sage and three other herbs were combined and used to fight symptoms of the plague. These days sage is grown and harvested all over Europe and other continents. Sage oil and leaves are used in culinary applications as well as for healing a variety of ailments, including excess perspiration.

The National Institute of Herbalists sent out a survey to its members in the UK and asked them to comment on their experiences with sage oil. Forty-nine people responded. Forty-seven of them used sage oil in to assist with hot flashes and night sweats, and for its effect on memory and brain functions (which are enhanced even more when combined with rosemary and/or labdanum oil).

In an unpublished German study, it was found that sage relieved excessive perspiration by over 70%. The study was based on a group of people suffering from bouts of heavy sweating brought on by nervous tension and excitement. For more information on using sage oil to treat excessive sweating, check out this video!

Mouth, throat, and gastrointestinal issues such mouth ulcers, infected gums, dental abscesses, and throat infections are also treated with sage oil. The essential oil of sage is used in aromatherapy to treat salmonella and Escherichia coli as well as yeast infections like Candida albicans and filamentous fungi.

Modern 21st-century folks call sage oil ‘the ancient remedy with modern day effectiveness.’ This is a very apt description indeed! Sage oil is immensely beneficial for such a wide range of ailments that it truly is a must have in any medicine cabinet, ancient or modern.

In India, Ayurvedic medicine is considered the great great-grandfather of all natural medical knowledge, because the information regarding the chemical compounds that are used to treat a plethora of illnesses and disease are founded in Ayurvedic thought.

India has been practicing natural healing for thousands of years and Ayurvedic concepts about prolonging life have been much studied and copied because they are part of the vital power and innate wisdom that flows through all of us. Healing is not a result of any one belief; it is the result of believing that the body can heal itself when its energies are in balance and flowing in and out smoothly.

Lemongrass oil contains chemical compounds that can boost the immune system and balance hormonal secretion, as these same compounds are found naturally in the body. When the dried leaves of Cymbopogon citratus are extracted using steam distillation, the result is this sweet-smelling dark yellow or amber oil with the viscosity of water.

The main chemicals in this essential oil are myrcene, traces of limonene, geranyl acetate, nerol, citronellal, geraniol, citral and neral. Therapeutically, lemongrass oil has anti-infectious properties as well as analgesic, antimicrobial, fungicidal, anti-depressant, antiseptic, astringent, bactericidal, deodorant, carminative, diuretic, insecticidal, and febrifuge properties.

Lemongrass has the ability to relieve jetlag, nervous exhaustion, and stress-related conditions, and the oil also helps with respiratory infections and infectious diseases. Laryngitis, fever, muscle aches, poor circulation, indigestion, and gastroenteritis may all be treated with lemongrass oil. It’s great for clearing up oily skin, it works on athlete’s foot, and it can alleviate excessive perspiration.

When the oil is used as a vapor it revitalizes the mind and increases cellular energy, which makes it perfect for fatigue and mid-afternoon lethargy. A diluted bath or a massage can help get rid of infections, soothe exerted ligaments, and relax the nervous system. Lemongrass oil blends beautifully with other essential oils such as lavender, basil, cedarwood, jasmine, geranium, and tea tree oil in aromatherapy.

Lemongrass essential oil for aromatherapy comes from the citratus variety, not the flexuosus variety of Cymbopogon citratus. Flexuosus is used in the perfume industry because it contain less mycrene than citratus. We will need to do more research to ensure that both varieties of lemongrass oil have all the chemical compounds that benefit the immune and hormone systems of the body.

Labdanum is one of those shrubs that makes ancient history a truly intriguing tale. Mediterranean sheep and goat herders were the first group to figure out what to do with the sticky resin from the bushes. They collected the resin by combing the thighs and beards of goats that grazed on the cistus shrubs. They developed wooden rakes with a double row of wooden thongs to sweep the shrubs so the resin could be collected and then extracted.

The pharaohs were the first group to use labdanum on the body. Most of them wore goat hair beards, which were attached to the face with labdanum. The resin was also used to treat rheumatism, colds, and menstrual problems. Some biblical scholars believe that the holy incense mentioned in the Bible (Ketoret) was actually labdanum.

The labdanum oil used in aromatherapy is actually a product of steam distilling the leaves and branches of the shrubs. Labdanum’s aroma is described as sweet, woody, and leathery with a dry musk as well as an amber scent. The perfume industry uses labdanum because it displays a variety of scents that can be enhanced in the perfume-making process.

Most essential oils have antiseptic, antimicrobial, astringent, expectorant, balsamic, antitussive, emmenagogue, and tonic properties and labdanum is no different. The oil is used to treat diarrhea, dysentery, skin conditions, tumors, and arthritis and blends well with clary sage, pine, juniper berry, cypress, lavender, bergamot, sandalwood, and chamomile oil. The oil can be massaged into the skin or diluted in a bath to relieve coughs, colds, and scrofulous skin issues.

The main use for labdanum is to relax the nerves, ease stress, and promote a calm presence. When the thick labdanum oil is warm it is reputed to have the ability to change thoughts, which move emotions back from the brink of negativity, and into the light of connected control.

The oil will loosen tight muscles, and improve circulation; it carries more oxygen to the organs and the brain. When stress stretches the nervous system to the point of depression or when the emotions teeter on the brink of a hormonal overload, labdanum will interact with the adrenal glands and begin to balance hormone secretion.

Loyal labdanum users like to combine meditation with a few drops of the oil in order to reach a state of relaxation, often with other essential oils such as frankincense to deepen the breath or patchouli for its cherished grounding effects. That process helps neural impulses return to their normal state, and allows emotions and energies to flow freely and beneficially.

Labdanum oil is considered a mood enhancer that will bring the body and the mind together so the nervous as well as the circulatory, respiratory, and intestinal systems work efficiently. The ancients knew it was an oil fit for royalty, and now we are coming to recognize that once more.