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2003 01: Aromatherapy Newsletter January 2003

President’s Letter

Hi all!

Here we are again, entering another New Year with our hopes, dreams and resolutions. At Green Valley, our resolution is to work harder at being more environmentally friendly. In saying this, we don’t just mean recycling where we can but also being aware of our buying power and trying to buy from environmentally conscious suppliers who do not believe in the decimation of a species in the name of commerce. This is Green Valley’s contribution to working towards saving our planet.

2003 is going to bring about another change for us, as we are looking at moving into larger premises. This will be an enormous challenge, both physically and mentally. We will have to start using our essential oils to energize, calm, uplift and de-stress to soothe our aching bodies (that’ll just be before noon!). Thank goodness, we are fortunate enough to have access to them all!

We will have a booth at the Health and Wellness show in Victoria, B.C. Canada on January 18th and 19th in the Victoria Conference Center. We are looking forward to visiting with some of our local customers while in town! There is also talk of us doing some trade shows in the US next year. Any suggestions? These shows are an opportunity to meet with our customers. We do enjoy the e-mails you send us, because you are special to us, not merely a number.

January is not the best of months for me. I am another year older (Jan 1), Christmas is over, the weather is cold and wet, and spring seems ages away. So, I try to look at the bright side; it”s a chance to do all those crafts and indoor projects you don’t do in the summer. It’s also a great time to get together with friends or perhaps call someone you know who doesn’t get out very much and may be feeling kind of shut in. Sometimes a phone call can make all the difference.

That said, I wish you all a great new year full of much health, happiness and success!

Barb Greenwood
President & CEO

New Year – New You – New Treat!

In a blender, place 6-8 large strawberries, 2 cups of whole milk, 1 tablespoon of almonds, 1 tablespoon of wheat germ and 2 tablespoons of Jojoba oil (optional), 3 drops each of Lavender essential oil and Geranium essential oil. Blend well and pour into a warm bath. This bath will help to soften and heal sensitive, irritated or sunburned skin. Lavender and Geranium will help to calm, relax and uplift while the wheat germ is high in vitamins A and E; milk contains natural beta hydroxy acids, which help to exfoliate and soothe skin, almonds (like milk) are rich in natural emollients and jojoba is as close to the naturally protective layer (sebum) that coats our skin, helping further to protect against the hazards put forth by Mother Nature!

New Year – New You

It happened again: in our quest for daily survival and the pursuit of well-being, the year has passed us in a flash and here we are faced with another brand new year ahead of us. Here in the Green Valley offices, an informal survey was done regarding everyone’s resolutions for the New Year. Of course, the initial response was the highly anticipated eyeball rolling followed by the cantankerous groan (with attached long sigh). However, in true “Team Green Valley” spirit, everyone rose to the challenge and came through with their “lists” and a somewhat interesting sense of resolve to carry through with them. While we promised we would not divulge names attached with each resolution, we found their responses interesting and wanted to share some with you.

One common thread that joining us all together was family: making more special time for family, more quality time with spouses and recognizing the importance of family vacations. It seems in our days spent working to support and look after our families; we are in fact, losing the very connection that is so vital to our lives. We all seemed to recognize this and are feeling the effects of turning too far outward in our search for fulfillment. So we will face the New Year with a firm grasp on the value of finding our roots and centering them deeply within our own homes.

Some of us have turned more spiritual, touting the wisdom of listening to our inner voice (which some believe to be a higher power speaking to us), many of us are wanting to find a more healthful level of fitness (but not the usual “join a gym” or “train for a 10K” ). We want to do yoga, be more active regularly, and eat more healthfully (this includes “don”t eat chocolate” though we”re not sure if we can keep up with this one!). We recognize the value of being kind to ourselves, and want to use that knowledge to treat ourselves as we treat others. Being a team of all women, we tend to look after others first and then wonder why we are frustrated when there is nothing left of us at the end of the day.

Our team of women is about as diverse as you can get – we come from all walks of life, bring our own strengths to this team and we each contribute in unique and valuable ways and yet, through this experience of being allowed into each woman’s personal space with the sharing of their desires for the coming year we have had my eyes open to the true reality of it all – we are all so much alike under the skin. Beneath our individual business facades beat the hearts of real, live women who want to live healthy, fulfilling lives to enable them to contribute in very real and healthy ways to their own families. Perhaps we all need to take this bit of knowledge with us in our daily travels, but on a much grander scale – people are people, we all hurt, we all laugh, we all cry, we are all just trying to survive at times. Try to think about that next time someone ticks you off, or you find yourself at the end of someone else”s bad day. It won”t make the issue go away, but it will give you a whole new outlook on hings. Let’s go into 2003 with an eye to peace, both within ourselves and our world. It has to start somewhere – why not with us? Why not now? Happy 2003, it”s a new year, welcome it as a new you.

New Attitude!!

Life is about learning, growing and moving on. Perhaps 2003 is the time to make that great leap of faith and listen to that still, small voice that is our heart.

It”s all about realizing we don’t have to hurt others to be true to ourselves and follow our dreams, but we have to believe in and allow ourselves the permission to do just that. This can be a daunting task and if we look to change too many things at once we can end up feeling stuck and afraid to make that first big step. One way to begin is to discover a spiritual connection within the realm of aromatherapy.

When using essential oils to establish a spiritual connection to the universe, it is wise to dedicate specific time to it. This time may be specially planned or just guided intuitively, but however you do it, make it an occasion or ritual where you clear you mind of all thoughts, leave all negative energies behind you and enter into this space with a feeling of openness and gratitude for the chance to connect with your higher self through the power of essential oils. Breathe deeply, slow down and connect with the infinite peace that is available to you if only you will release.

In surrounding ourselves with essential oils, we can set the tone of the day, help ourselves through various blocks, and improve our overall sense of well-being.

Valerie Ann Worwood has a wonderful book dedicated to the spiritual dimension of fragrance and aromatherapy, called Fragrant Mind. In it she offers up a new perspective on essential oils and how they can be used to expand our spiritual awareness and help us toward enlightenment along a fragrant path! She lists oils to help dissipate fear, guilt and feelings of unworthiness. She also lists oils to help us receive love and to facilitate letting go. While there is not room in this newsletter for a complete listing of all essential oils to assist with these issues, we will touch on the oils that can help to dissipate fear, as this seems to be a prevalent emotion in these uncertain times. We thought it may be of help to list a few of the emotionally healing aspects of each oil, to give you an idea where these oils can take you.

The above are all oils that may help us to move past whatever fear is keeping us from moving toward realizing our dreams.

We must realize that in order for us to move forward we must be honest with ourselves first and foremost before we can be honest with the higher powers that govern our lives. This may be very difficult at first, but as with anything else, with practice it will become easier and more part of our daily existence.

Some ways to use these oils would be:

  • In a bath: 1-6 drops added to the running water just before you turn the water off. Make certain the door is closed to trap all essential oil molecules from escaping so you may breathe them in.
  • Add the oils to a body oil: up to 1 drop of essential oil per 1ml of carrier oil i.e. no more than 30 drops to 30mls.

Essential oils are wonderful diffused and they make a great atmosphere if you are meditating . This can really help to set the mood for you. A drop or two of essential oil can be dropped on a tissue to help you carry your fragrance with you throughout your day. There are many other ways to use essential oils, but these are some of the most “user friendly” ways!

Six Ways to Help Create a New You This Year

Focus on who you are.
What are your gifts, talents and dreams? What can you do to uncover your hidden assets? How many lives have you touched? How is the world a better place because you have been here? (think “It”s a Wonderful Life”!)
Fight negative self talk.
Speak lovingly and positively to yourself. Remind yourself how truly wonderful you are! Consistently look for the good and praise it.
Be grateful.
Take great pleasure and joy in being alive. Learn to be grateful for all that you do have and for all the things you are allowed to experience. Life is too short to spend it being miserable over external things that will disappear over time.
Pamper your body.
Whatever makes YOU feel cherished, special, and/or decadent, indulge yourself in. Take good care of you – you”re all you”ve got! Do something everyday that brings you joy!
Exercise.
Not because you have to, but because it”s the loving thing to do. Moving your body in whatever way speaks to you is an act of self love. By keeping yourself fit, you”re ensuring a better level of health, and a healthy body is much more able to live life to the fullest!

Chinese Sign for the Year 2003

Year of the Ram
2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967, 1955, 1943, 1931, 1919
Rams are talented, artistic and usually successful. Aesthetic and stylish you enjoy being a private person. Compatible with the Boar and Rabbit; your opposite is the Ox.

Recipes

Financial Fears Conquering Blend

Blend together and inhale as necessary.

Sore Muscle Blend

Did you overdo it with those “exercise more” resolutions? Try this blend to help straighten yourself out!

Blend together and add to 15 ml of carrier oil. Shake well and massage deeply into sore muscles.

Grapefruit/Palmarosa Facial Steam

Float one drop of each oil onto a glass bowl of freshly boiled water. Tent your head over the bowl with a large towel and allow your freshly cleansed face to steam for 10-15 minutes. The Grapefruit essential oil is an antiseptic and astringent and the Palmarosa essential oil is a sebum balancer and helps to stimulate cellular regeneration.

Foot Care

If there”s one area that suffers greatly, and one we tend to neglect regularly, it would have to be our feet! Why we relate this body part to animals is something we have yet to understand – we say our “dogs are barking” and our “piggies are sore”. At the end of a long day, do yourself a huge favor and prepare a simple foot soak to help refresh and perhaps even revitalize. If you have a willing partner, so much the better, to massage your “piggies” once they have been soaked into a blissful state of abandon. When working with feet, good essential oils to use are Peppermint essential oil and Tea Tree essential oil, but don’t limit your thoughts, use your imagination and let your toes run free!

Foot Soak

Fill a large bowl with enough warm water to cover your feet to the ankle. Into this dissolve 1/2 cup of regular salt, and blend in 2-3 drops of the essential oils of your choice. Swirl through the water and soak your feet for 15-20 minutes. After your soak is complete, dry feet well and massage (or ask your partner to do it for you!) with carrier oil and essential oils. If this is before a night on the town, peppermint makes a FABULOUS foot massage, as it is cooling and stimulating at the same time.

*Remember the 1 drop of essential oil to 1ml of carrier oil rule for blending.

Rosewood Update

As part of our commitment to being an environmentally aware company, Green Valley has decided to discontinue the stock of Rosewood in our inventory. We have heard that this tree is quickly becoming an endangered species, due to over-harvesting and insufficient replanting practices.

Remember: Life Rewards Action!

Make 2003 the year you define what you”re after – better health, improved fitness, spirituality, joy and control!

Quotes

“Age is a state of mind”.
There is great truth in this statement. People who don’t dwell on their age and actually don’t think about it at all tend to stay looking younger a little longer.

*This is educational information and any opinions expressed here-in do not replace professional medical advice. If you are ill, see a suitably qualified medical practitioner.*

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