Ancient Healing Oil: Sandalwood

Modern technology life can be stressful and counter productive to spiritual growth. Try this essential oil to bring balance into your life.

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From Denny: As we transition into the fall and winter seasons we become more contemplative and less physically active. Today I was thinking how restorative bathing in water is, especially when employing specific aromatic oils.

From a science point of view, water gives off an extra ion that gives a boost in physical energy along with a sense of well-being. When you add the right balance of essential oils to the water that bath can aid a person on their spiritual path.

Sandalwood works with fear in the body

Our spiritual path often involves dissolving the trauma of the past. Trauma is usually linked with fear. This essential oil works with the fear in the body and brain. It alleviates mental confusion and tension. Sandalwood is also known for helping with moisturizing the skin and alleviating chest and urinary tract infections.







How Sandalwood helps in deep meditation

Sandalwood, a sweet smelling essential oil, has been used for centuries in countries like India. Sandalwood assists meditation and prayer by quieting that constant mental chatter in our heads when we begin to focus. Sandalwood is quite effective in helping us achieve the deepest states of meditation so we can easily connect with that universal cosmic prayer that is infinite and beautiful.

How Sandalwood affects the subtle energies of the chakra system

The beauty of this complex sandalwood oil is that it works on several subtle chakra levels simultaneously. How Sandalwood oil affects you is you feel this exotic sensuality as well as a wonderful spiritual wholeness, sometimes referred to as a divine sensuality.

Basically, it links the Base Chakra of life's vitality - where the Spirit resides quietly, ready to rise up when needed. Sandalwood links from the Base Chakra to the Crown Chakra, where we take in heavenly energies and awareness. Sandalwood oil interactively links all the chakras and their subtle energies so that you can be totally in your physical body, yet in perfect balance and harmony, and you find it easier to focus upon the subtle energies around you.

Sandalwood is good for keeping you grounded, especially when you are experiencing anxiety and fear. It keeps us close to our divine essence, assisting us to interact and cooperate with divine will.

Sandalwood stimulates the brain and endocrine system

How else does this interesting essential oil work? Sandalwood stimulates the pituitary and pineal glands and helps to build up the entire endocrine system of the whole body. This oil helps to regulate the uterus in women. It also contains a high amount of the male hormone called androgen.

Many times you will read on essential oil labels about the "sesquiterpene" levels. Sesquiterpenes possess the ability to pull oxygen out of food and the air. They increase oxygen to the body and the brain.







Sandalwood increases oxygen to the brain

How does increased oxygen stimulate the brain? It stimulates the pineal and pituitary glands as well as the amygdala portion of the brain. The amygdala controls arousal, autonomic responses associated with fear, emotional responses and hormonal secretions. Sandalwood has a sesquiterpene content of 90 percent.

Sandalwood is known for cooling the brain during meditation. It helps focus the third eye for spiritual meditation, spiritual sight and spiritual focus.

Historical uses of Sandalwood

Remember those references in the Bible to essential oils like "aloes"? There is some speculation that those aloes referred to in the Old Testament are the same as "sandalwood." Sandalwood was found in ancient Palestine.

John 19:39 - "And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and and aloes, about a hundred pound weight."

Other names for sandalwood: East Indian sandalwood, santal, saunders. This oil is pale yellow to pale gold in color. This exotic scent is woody, exotic, somewhat sweet, subtle and lingering.

Humanity has used sandalwood for over 4,000 years. The wood is still used today for carvings like jewelry boxes and furniture. Centuries ago it was used to build temples. Caravans carried it from the best source in Mysore, India to Greece, Egypt and Rome. Egyptians used the oil in embalming. It is considered a non-toxic, non-irritant and non-sensitizing oil.

Currently, Sandalwood is considered an endangered species in India and steps are being taken to promote and protect growth of this unusual parasitic tree that grows by implanting itself onto the roots of other trees.

While pure sandalwood oil is becoming quite expensive the diluted form - like a 25 percent mixture into jojoba oil - is fine for meditation and bathing.








Summary about essential oil Sandalwood:

* facilitates deeper meditation and focus

* helps control fear and calm it and alleviates mental confusion

* stimulates the brain and the pituitary and pineal glands

* increases oxygen to the brain and body

* considered a cooling oil as it cools the brain in meditation

* focuses the third eye

* links all the chakras bringing them into balance while still in the physical body

* moisturizes the skin

* non-toxic, non-irritant, non-sensitizing

* relaxing and soothes irritability


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*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

How Does Tenacity Figure in Your Life?

*** Consider tenacity to help propel you through tough times.





From Denny: It can be easy to get discouraged in the face of severe adversity. Right now on the Gulf Coast we are facing what may turn out to be generations of adversity. The people here are a hardy bunch and will persevere. The one thing they share is a strong work ethic and a spiritual tenacity to push through difficult times.

This photo of the small child trying to climb that fence at the ocean reminds us of when we were small children. The memories of being so small in an adult world and the obstacles we had to overcome like climbing, sliding, crawling, bumping down stairs too high to conquer any other way. Now that was tenacity in motion every day until we grew stronger and larger, moving on to tougher life obstacles.

Tenacity is often overlooked by philosophers while they are constructing an eloquent argument or elegant vision. Tenacity is that strong drive that often can take our dreams and hopes and propel them into the future vision we have for our lives.

The following quote is from a former president certainly not well liked by history. It was this Republican former governor of Massachusetts who promoted the idea of small government after the scandals of his predecessor President Harding. Harding died suddenly and propelled VP Coolidge into the presidency in 1923. He won the presidency on his own in 1924.

He didn't believe government should invest in large government programs or regulate and have a hand in controlling the economy. Read that as an unrestrained and unregulated free market of greed and corruption. This attitude may have contributed to the stock market crash of 1929 and the ensuing Great Depression. The man was a lawyer, not an economist.

He was known as "Silent Cal" since he was a man of few words and uncomfortable in Washington society. It was Alice Roosevelt Longworth who was quoted as saying, "He looks as if he'd been weaned on a pickle."

Coolridge was a quiet guy playing opposite his vivacious wife Grace. He always considered that being president was important and his words brought great weight. "The words of a President have an enormous weight and ought not to be used indiscriminately."

People wrote him off as one stiff guy so he decided to cultivate it. Hey, when you know you can't be a superstar then work with what you think you have. "I think the American people want a solemn ass as a President," he once told Ethel Barrymore, "and I think I will go along with them." In spite of his quiet status, as president he held a stunning record number of press conferences: 520.

One funny story about Coolidge in one of his uncomfortable social situations where he was often the butt of jokes: He was seated next to Dorothy Parker who leaned over to him and said, "Mr. Coolidge, I've made a bet against a fellow who said it was impossible to get more than two words out of you." His famous reply? "You lose."

It seems that those who gravitate to the Republican agenda often do not possess the best people skills - and weak social skills as they are usually uncompromising. Many do not subscribe to education to improve their attitude toward others. Many are very rigid emotionally and mentally, even fearful of change and lacking a good sense of humor.

The one thing these people rely upon, often too much and out of balance, is tenacity. Tenacity is great when tempered with sensitivity, education and a willingness to be open to others. Tenacity is a great team mate, and, if used well in combination with other attributes can help propel us through difficult situations. Coolidge used his tenacity to survive uncomfortable social situations as he was an introvert by nature.

One good thing about his presidency is that in the 1920's he actually promoted civil rights for African-Americans and Catholics. This was especially important as the Ku Klux Klan had a large following nationally at this time with over four million members. Under his administration, he did not appoint any known KKK members and the Klan lost influence rapidly. It was amazing the man was not assassinated by the millions of racists in the country at the time who howled at his promotion of non-Protestants and other races. Even today, America is over 50 percent Protestant to 25 percent Catholic.

Coolidge was controversial when he granted full American citizenship to Native Americans in 1924. He allowed them to retain tribal lands and full cultural rights. Not exactly the Republican Party of today that is homophobic and excessively racist and gender biased about equal work should get equal pay.

You can analyze presidents and presidencies for years, finding the good, the bad and the ugly. This man had his good moments and his bad just like everyone else. Perhaps he did not fully realize the impact decades later his economic policies would have on generations of Americans.

What we can learn from him is his focus upon tenacity to help win the day, acting as a mighty force to solve problems. The spirit of tenacity has a way about it that gives us courage to move through difficult situations to achieve our goals.


Quote

* Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not; nothing in the world is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius will not; unrewarded genius is a proverb.
Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. - President Calvin Coolidge



*** Photo by Victor Bezrukov @ flickr


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Destress: 3 Great Encouragement Quotes

*** Learn new coping strategies from others who have experienced adversity.





From Denny: Have you ever taken note that some of the best quotes for encouraging us to take heart when faced with tough times always come from people who have experienced long term adversity? President Abraham Lincoln, president during the Civil War years and assassinated, knew adversity even before he came into office. He ran in 69 political races and finally won.

He was president over a bitterly divided country at war against itself far worse than we see now. Unbelievable but true. Lincoln also experienced the deep sorrow of losing a young son to illness while in the White House. The First Lady went into such grief that she never came out of mourning. All this going on inside his family while he still had a country to calm down and quit killing themselves.

To handle long term stress it helps to catch your balance by devising coping skills you can use on a daily, sometimes hourly basis. That can involve the little things that bring you joy and lift your spirits. It could be something as simple as cooking a favorite meal, trying out a new recipe, getting in the car and traveling some remote country road to take photos of whatever you happen to come upon. For some it could be playing a favorite sport like pick-up basketball every week at a regularly scheduled time, going to your kid's soccer games or joining an interest group where you can share what you are doing and be inspired by what other members are creating.

It also helps to create a long term strategy to help you through months and years of rebuilding your life. That involves systematically getting your head in the game with a life philosophy that helps create a strong mindset. We need the strong pivot point of a belief so we can securely plant our feet into that foundation to help us live practically day to day. Those thoughts keep us hopeful and positive. When times look grim we can refocus our thoughts upon our core beliefs to help settle our emotions and get through the day. In a long term strategy - to deal successfully with stress - it's all about getting through the moment, getting through the day to live another day. Each day adds up creating the moments of your life.

Eventually, Life improves and the worries fade away over time. It's the transition that can be difficult if you don't have a good plan. A good plan involves constantly filling yourself with positive thoughts while you deal with each day. Keeping your attitude balanced and positive is 90 percent of the battle. When you are in a good mood it helps you to see what steps to take next to resolve issues as you go through the process.

Most long term stressful situations require a series of steps involving problem-solving strategies. Just when you handle one problem it seems yet another arises. That's when you focus upon your successes. Take a good look at each problem and your success to see clearly the pattern of the journey of where the universe is guiding you. You will be amazed.


Quote

* It is said an Eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him the words: "And this, too, shall pass away." - President Abraham Lincoln

* When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place. - Anonymous

* Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't, I give myself reasons why I can. - Anonymous



*** SEE ALSO: Have You Ever Thought About The Process of Success?

*** SEE ALSO: Hope Transforms Our Lives in Tough Times

*** See Also: How Are Hopes, Dreams and Reality Related?

*** See Also: Where Does Hope Guide Us On Our Life Path?

*** See Also: Hope: Unborn Baby Grabs onto Doctors Hand in Surgery

*** See Also: Does Hope Touch Your Soul?



*** Photo by Victor Bezrukov @ flickr


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

What is the Simplest Most Unusual Way to Live Our Life to the Fullest?

Water balloons like little egos all in a row - Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: And I'm getting caught up since my power outage yesterday from the massive thunderstorms that dropped so much water we thought for sure we would see Noah's Ark appear and float by on our front yard...

This quote is both instructive and downright amusing. How many times have we looked back at a situation we found difficult only to find our own ego was what got in the way of our success? Some egos are bloated with pride, others with doubt, still others with fear.

Forget about feeling guilty or unworthy as those feelings are useless to us. It really doesn't matter what caused the "bloating" over time but rather the ego is so out of shape like a huge water balloon that it is easy to trip over it while pursuing something worthwhile! The whole point of this quote is to get rid of the bloat that is holding us back and making life more difficult than it has to be.

Reality is about interacting with life as it happens without the Negative Nannies filter in our heads. Once we set aside all these silly habits we grew from this or that disappointment here and there along the way in our lives we soon realize it's all old garbage that is time to trash.

Once unburdened of our past attitudes or ideas that have been holding us back, it's easy to relate to this quote. This profound quote is the most wonderful way I've ever seen to describe how easy it can become to live our lives to the fullest!

Quote

“When we stop opposing reality, action becomes simple, fluid, kind, and fearless." - Byron Katie



Byron Katie, Bloat, Water balloon, Home, positive attitude, Family, trauma, PTSD

How Do You Handle Excessive Stress?

Interrupting GoGo's catnap to tell her about the health benefits of smiling... Image by elycefeliz via Flickr

From Denny: Every now and then you get to quote yourself which I find quite amusing! How does that happen? Well, the spiritual development people know exactly what I'm talking about as it often goes like this: You are replying to an email as I was in this instance, or, say, you were having a conversation with someone, and, suddenly, out pops this fantastic one liner. You know it's profound or memorable or just plain good advice.

There is a lot of chaos, job loss, sudden onset of health issues and violence going on right now in our economy. People are struggling with their particular life tests, looking for ways to battle or handle excessive stress.

I grew up in a harsh environment of constant stress and created a lot of coping skills to help me manage the stress instead of the stress controlling me. Here is the most recent advice my spirit jumped up and offered to a recent email friend whose husband is now out of work and lost their house of many years.

There is a lot of hurt going on throughout this country. Like anyone I have my own garbage to deal with from time to time, yet I follow my own advice as in this quote. It has never failed me.

Inevitably, the bad times begin to fade and finally end and then a new cycle of properity begins. Keep your mind and eyes on the positive - even when you know it's down the road. Eventually, you will arrive at that better point in your life.

Quote

“Keep smiling. Humor keeps your attitude pushed up and your heart wide open to sight the new opportunities coming your way.” Denny Lyon, 16 July 2009


Health, Stress, Mental health, Coping skill, Emotional Health and Wellbeing, Kids and Teens, Lyon, Support group, Denny Lyon, humor, smiling

How Do You Cultivate Inner Happiness?

From Denny: What I so enjoy about quotes are two things: they are short, and therefore, easy meditations and also they often speak a facet of the truth in an amazing way! This is the first quote I've run across that discusses more than cultivating personal harmony or doing outward actions to help cultivate happiness. When you read between the lines what this author is talking about is acquiring a particular attitude toward self BEFORE you begin cultivating happiness - pretty cool take on it!

Quote

“Happiness is really a deep harmonious inner satisfaction and approval.” — Francis Wilshire

Photo by h.koppdelaney @ flickr

happiness meditation harmony mental health arts literature health self-help love Francis Wilshire quotes quotations

How Do You Develop Courage in Your Life?

Image via Wikipedia

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." — Ambrose Redmoon

How Do You View the World?

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Considering the past eight years of our toxic politics, this quote is more poignant than ever to keep in mind when we interact with others for business, politics or personal relationships.

"To the man who only has a hammer, everything he encounters begins to look like a nail." — Abraham Maslow