Leaves and Aromas of Bay Laurel, Cinnamon, Lemongrass, Cajeput and Eucalyptus
A Romantic Ode to October
Inspired by Leaves
Aromatic Leaves contribute to seasonal wellbeing!
Because the air moves through them, Leaves are often visualized by herbalists as a metaphor for lung capacity.
And the Leaves of trees, flowering plants and grasses also symbolize connections on the skin, the messengers to our nerves.
Essential oils from aromatic leaves deliver healing qualities to our innermost safe places, allowing our sense of smell to instruct the way we view our world. Leaves infuse our outlook with optimism and strengthen our determination.
Spirit of Autumn
Even if we live in urban areas, the Spirit of Autumn rises in our consciousness as the festivities of harvest. We can’t escape notice of it because plant substances maintain us in every way—for sustenance, medicine, and emotional rescue. And besides all that, humans have always depended on plants in season. Right now, we’re looking at Fall Spirit essential oils. Deeply savoring them in the moment for their beauty links us to the distant past, to humanity, as we danced with the energies of plants.
Looking Deeply into Leafy Character
Leaves display such steady energy! In plants, leaves are the main connection to the sun’s life-giving light and warmth. So, those plants in flower depend on the energy of leaves for all the networking they carry out between the sun, wind, rain, and soil. And there’s the diversity of shapes and colors of leaves that are show stoppers, whether your eyes are looking for botanical clues or simply enjoying their wonder and beauty. I wonder, how is it possible there’s so much variety in leaves?
When plants aren’t flowering, leaves nevertheless carry on photosynthesis which energizes their interior systems. Nurture and transport, maintaining the plant’s structure, ensuring seasonal reproductive parts and seeds—are all supported by leaf energy. We appreciate leaves from Spring into Summer and a bit beyond, in the bonus season for leaves that we call Autumn, or ironically, Fall. To us, some leaves acquire color in Fall, before permanently dropping out—before “letting go” of life.
All of the above is why I love them so, and eagerly dive into the aromas and scents of essential oils of leaves at this time of year. I especially recommend Cinnamon, from the Sri Lankan native tree Cinnamomum verum, and Bay Laurel from the leaf of Laurus nobilis, a medium-tall tree native to the Mediterranean, or Eucalyptus Narrow Leaf from the Australian native tree Eucalyptus radiata, with scents like Geranium which come from the leaves of a perennial flowering plant Pelargonium graveolens, and Lemongrass, from the leaves of Cymbopogon citratus, a grass.
It’s said that Leaves have enabling powers for our Lungs. Essential oils made from leaves of Cinnamon, Bay Laurel, Eucalyptus and Cajeput can be breath-opening when we feel emotionally blocked. They are also well-known anti-bacterial and anti-asthmatics.
Autumn Essence and Alchemy
Here’s a notion which I can relate to, because it seems to set this time of the year apart from others: Fall Season is the alchemy or transforming quality needed for communication and connectivity between people, relationships, environments, and personal feelings of self-esteem, vitality and the levels of distraction I permit into my space.
Fall could stand for the energy that connects me to my surroundings, me to my nervous system. Appearing when I need it most, this season has the power to encourage and renew energy.
Author Gabriel Mojay calls this “living in the moment” (p 43). The Essence of Fall is a dynamic connection from the past into the future. Think about this: our most active, stimulating and vibrant times of the year may have just passed. The results is now we’re transitioning from the brightest to the darkest time of the year. We’re very aware of what’s happening right now. Not in a negative or panicked way, but in more of an aware, attentive, and interested sense.
Mojay is saying that our Fall moment awakens the “the skin of the body-mind”. A skin or covering is for holding pieces together in one place. Because the thing we call body-mind needs a cover or a manager or a net that holds all of the parts and pieces together in one connected whole, he calls this “the skin of the body-mind”. Brilliant, isn’t it?
Our Autumn Moment
Our Autumn Moment may be once in a season. But it can actually last three whole months. Such a truism makes me feel so cared for by the universe! Maybe the longer the season, the more benefits can be derived, at least from thinking about it!
Last month in a post I mentioned that the leaves of Eucalyptus, Cajeput, Tea Tree and other Myrtle family trees and shrubs are particularly robust with Fall Spirit. And that’s because of their effects on opening the breath, empowering the Lungs to breathe deeply.
Being able to breathe deeply is a gift that is often taken for granted. But don’t let my notions with that statement scare you. Following a daily yogic breathing practice may be key to a relaxed state and easy breath. Persistence is key and then your breath will flow. Use essential oils to assist the process and let go of anxiety in a moment to benefit from the aromas in essential oils.
Breathe into Autumn
Seek the energy of leaves and their scents! A recipe follows for Eucalyptus and Cajeput with the sparkle of Bay Laurel and Cinnamon in a personal inhaler. Focus your breath on connecting with your inner self.
Use this recipe to make My Autumn Moment Inhaler, a blend of essential oils on a cotton carrier inside a nasal applicator for simple inhalation.
My Autumn Moment Ingredients:
Essential oils (e.o.)
2 drops Bay Laurel** (Laurus nobilis) e.o.
4 drops Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) e.o.
5 drops Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus or E. radiata) e.o.
5 drops Cajeput (Melaleuca cajuputi) e.o.
2 drops Cinnamon leaf (Cinnamomum verum) e.o.
1 – personal inhaler tube with cotton insert
Tools/Equipment:
1 small bowl
5 droppers for essential oil drops
1 pair clean tweezers
Crafting An Autumn Moment Inhaler
To put together this inhaler blend, place the cotton insert into the bowl. Add and blend essential oils by dropping them over the cotton insert. Using tweezers, push cotton around to absorb any drops of essential oil in the bowl. Open the inhaler tube, pull out the interior tube and keep the cover close by. Again using tweezers, pick up the aromatic cotton insert and place inside the tube. Snap on the cover to lock the insert in place. Your inhaler is now ready!
To use:
Open the inhaler tube and hold it below your nose, actually near your chin and invite the aromas into your senses. Breathe in the scent, which is delightful, but slightly faint. Then bring closer to one nostril and then the other, waving it back and forth. Or sniffing th scent if that’s comfortable. Avoid introducing the tube directly into a nostril, but keep it close to catch the benefits of these refreshing notes. Repeat as liked.
In some ways, nature’s lavishness makes us over-indulgent.
With the promise of healing from an essential oil, many of us are apt to indulge in too much of a substance when we think it’s natural and therefore harmless. Metal Element essential oils must be used respectfully, even conservatively, because essences are liable to be too strong! They can in fact overpower us, blocking, rather than unlocking, energy. See my Notes, below.
Any questions about using essential oils? Write and ask me about an essential oil you are interested in.
Tip: Infuse Your Day with Intention
NOTES: Be Safe! when using essential oils and products of natural origin. This post is for informational purposes only and is not intended as treatment for any condition.
Recipes are for topical use only.
DO NOT USE the pungent-smelling oils Eucalyptus, Cajeput, Bay Laurel, or Cinnamon around children.
Reference for quoted text and resource above: Author Gabriel Mojay writes about essential oils and the psyche. See his book, Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit by Gabriel Mojay, 1997. Published by Healing Arts Press, Rochester, VT.
Ask me a question or leave a comment, on this page.
Copyright 2023, LotusLadyAromatica.com