Depression & Essential Oils

Some of you know that I have struggled with post partumdepression after both of my pregnancies (to others this may come as a surprise). Going through depression STINKS. I could write pages about what it feels like but I don't feel like spending time writing something that is not uplifting...

What I want to share here though is that I've done a lot of research about different sources of help for those suffering from depression and I feel blessed to have discovered that essential oils can help in a natural, non-invasive, non-addicting way without ANY negative side effects. Keep reading...

 (Written by: Daniel Macdonald and taken directly from http://discovertruthwithin.wordpress.com/2011/03)

Depression & Essential Oils

What essential oils would you suggest for feelings of nervousness, anxiety and depression?

In my practice I have learned that feelings of depression are often localized within one or more of the seven energy centers of the body. Each center has a distinct and separate energy to it. These may include;

 Spiritual Depression

Feelings of being cut off from God, abandonment, feeling alone, not wanting to be here on the earth, are all connected with the seventh center of the body. Spiritual transitions (such as birth, periods of extreme growth where our material security is threatened, & death) are more difficult for some people than others.

Suggested oils for emotional support: Frankincense, White Fir

 Spiritual Blindness, Apathy, Lethargy and Despair

When the sixth center is stressed or shut down, there is a feeling of “being in the dark.” Life seems dreary and it is difficult to focus. In this state our perceptions of reality may be skewed, making it difficult to “see the light at the end of the tunnel.” In this state we need light, sunshine and hope.

Suggested oils for emotional support: Lemongrass, Purify

 Swallowed Emotional Hurts

Many of us have learned to swallow our pain. Statements such as, “if you do not have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all,” teach children to suppress their emotional hurts. Though many people believe they do not hold on to their emotional issues… the body remembers. We cannot hide from our  suppressed emotions. We learn from Karol Truman in the book, “Feelings Buried Alive Never Die,” that in time suppressed feelings can manifest through poor health, illness and disease. The body acts as a compass, perfectly mirroring the deeper emotional/spiritual issues that are going on inside of us. Instead of covering up the information (symptoms) the body is giving us, we can learn to feel gratitude for the information that the body is providing us. It is through learning these valuable lessons that we can restore the body to balance.

Suggested oils for emotional support: Lavender  

 Feeling Unloved and Unloving Toward Others

The fourth center is connected to the fifth center and swallowing emotional hurts. When we do not express our feelings they can become buried in the heart. Feeling unloving towards others is simply information that we are not fully loving and accepting ourselves. When we do not feel self-love we may also block God’s love because we feel we are not “lovable.”

Suggested oils for emotional support: White fir, Ylang Ylang, Geranium, Rose

 Self-Judgment, Suppressed Anger & Not Feeling Good Enough

This is perhaps the most important energy center in our society. The third center relates to how we feel about ourselves. Many people struggle with feelings of judgment and self condemnation. Feelings of “depression,” in this center look like the inability to digest feelings, life, and situations. Another theme here is ANGER. Suppressed anger literally causes our energy to be De-Pressed or to feel “deeply pressed.” When anger arises many people transmute these feelings into sadness, and feelings of low self-worth. We do this out of a need to protect others from our anger, but in doing so we destroy our own sense of self. We do not have to hurt others to be honest about our emotions. Also anger is a more positive emotion than sadness, judgment and guilt. Anger moves us out of our stuck, hopeless feelings into a more lively state willing to act and change.

Suggested oils for emotional support: Bergamot, Citrus Bliss

 Loneliness, Poor Emotional Circulation

Feelings of loneliness, withdrawal, and isolation often get stored in the second center. This center relates to our ability to circulate feelings, energy, and even blood through our system. If we do not keep an emotional “flow,” we may begin to feel bogged down, stagnant and depressed.

Suggested oils for emotional support: Cypress, Whisper

Fear, Unsupported, Family Issues, Feelings of Not Belonging

The first center represents our relationship with our tribe (family). Sometimes living in integrity with self causes us to go against spoken or unspoken family patterns and traditions. Some family traditions represent old ways of thinking and doing things that are detrimental to our health and happiness. While some families are open to change, most “tribes,” do not feel comfortable when others choose step out of the mold they have created. It takes courage to live according to truth irregardless of other people’s response. The lesson in this center is that we can learn to both live our own life while also feeling connection, love, and a sense of belonging in our family/tribe of origin.

Suggested oils for emotional support: Balance, White Fir