The Element of Late Summer

Are you suffering from digestive issues or emotional disconnect or insecurity?

In Late Summer, it can be typical to suffer from digestive upset or allergies, inhibited emotions, moodiness, or disconnect.  This interruption in flow happens when abundance becomes more than we can handle at once, when it is overwhelming to us.

Late Summer is the season of the Earth element.  As an element, Earth represents the supportive, sustaining, nourishing substances that we could not live without, let alone thrive.  Earth, by its very generosity, nurtures us and so assures future generations.

Aromatherapists work with the volatile molecules of smells and essential oils.  Within that space, certain aromas meet the disruption that digestive disturbances and emotional fallout that profuse abundance can cause.  Thus the Earth element is represented in both its positive and over-abundant forms.  I think of certain aromas as having the spirit or value of earth, and I’m calling them the Earth Spirit aromas.

The Earth Spirit Scents and Aromas

The Earth Spirits of Late Summer are essential oils made from plant parts, such as roots, wood, fruits, leaves, resins, and notably from seeds.  My message is about the material and emotional support that seed essential oils provide. I sense a subtle link between their physical and spiritual benefits.  As well, there seems to be a tangible link between the user and the origin of these oils from farms around the world.  I also mention the seed carrier oils as a means of caring for the skin.

For the seed essential oils:

Angelica seed, Cardamom seed, Carrot seed, Coriander seed,

Fennel seed, Anise seed, Black Pepper, Pink Pepper, Caraway seed, Black Cumin, Dill & Nutmeg

The seed oils are just a few of the Earth Element essential oils in Aromatherapy.  With common names like Angelica, Cardamom, and Coriander Seed, they are likely to be familiar to you as culinary herbs and spices.

The aromas of Cardamom, or Coriander seed … Have you tried inhaling them with intention, or worn or a blend of these two?

Together these essential oils create a balm for sensitivities and affecting experiences.

These scents are different than the smell of the spice in your kitchen.  It all has to do with the entire botanical plant part being extacted, which results in capturing many of the essences, but not all.  In the form of an essential oil, we don’t tend to smell or experience the seed coat, for example.

As aromatic oils, these essences help us breathe better.  Mental clarity is another advantage gained when inhaling their aromas. Deepening the potential for reflection and sensitivity are other benefits.  An earth element characteristic is reflected in increased capacity to relate to each other, to have empathy for others.

An Aroma is Brain Candy.  How does this work?

Similar to the way your tongue conveys a message about taste to your senses, with scent molecules and your nose, it’s your sense of smell and the olfactory system that converses with your brain. When sniffing the strong, fresh scent of a seed essential oil, our noses become clear. Communication opens up between the olfactory system in your nasal cavity and your brain. In a split second, the upper respiratory system is alerted to extinguish the need for excessive mucus. Then excess mucus resolves and we breathe freely again.

Each Earth Spirit Herb is a Unique Treasure

Earth Spirit herbs are unique treasures of nature that provide us with flavorings, medicines, and essential oils.  Visualized in the tree of life, Earth Spirit aromatic herbs appear as the days grow shorter and the sun’s rays are less intense than they were just a few weeks ago. Following are brief descriptions of the seed essential oils and their healing actions on our emotions.

Angelica seed (Angelica archangelica), Cardamom seed (Elettaria cardamomum), Carrot seed (Daucus carota), Coriander seed (Coriandrum sativum), Caraway seed (Carum carvi), Fennel seed (Foeniculum vulgare), Dill seed (Anethum vulgare), Black Cumin (Nigella sativa), Black Pepper (Piper nigrum), Anise seed (Pimpinella anisum), Nutmeg (Myristica fragans), and Pink Pepper (Schinus molle)

Seed oils: Got envy for extra brain power or wisdom?  Practice inhaling seedy essential oils! Especially breathe deeply into oils from the seeds of Coriander (Coriandrum sativum), Cardamom (Elletaria cardamom), and Caraway (Carum carvi). The affect is clarity, astonishingly.

Carrot seed (Daucus carota) is sweetly earthy and excellent for skin and digestion, thus it lends healing to the emotions, too.  Fennel seed (Foeniculum vlugare var. dulce) smells anisic ( like licorice) and sweet, providing pain relief and anti-depressant actions.

Yet it’s Cardamom seed that’s the focus of my attention these days. Cardamom is a most favored seed that’s been cherished for centuries for its “noble scent”, an inspiring aroma of sweet notes highlighted by a musty, earthy base.  Absolutely necessary in spice and tea blends, its aroma balances opposites of sweet and earthy, lending direction and character to drinks and food.

As an Earth Spirit essential oil, Cardamom offers a rich palatte of aromas that benefit the material body.

Further, Cardamom essential oil is distinguished as being distilled early on, in the mid-1500s, the early days of extracting plant material by steam distillation.

At least eight more essential oils and these seed essential oils represent the Earth spirits and their nourishment of spiritual intentions. The list is long! Write and ask me about an essential oil you don’t see mentioned here.

For the base oils from seeds:

There are actually hundreds of seed base oils. And most of them come straight from the seed of a tree or shrub or perennial plant.  They are prized as base oils in preparations for skin care, and many are also edible.

In this review of seed oils, or base/carrier oils, in my Earth Spirit oil category, I recognize Rosehip Seed oil for its healing qualities for dry, scarred, or mature skin. One of the reasons Rosehip Seed Oil has an attraction to human skin is that it offers benefits like Vitamins A, C, and E, carotenoids, and a high percentage of polyunsaturated oils that are quickly absorbed by skin.

Like Rose essential oil, CO2, or absolute, which are made from only two of the hundreds of Rose species, Rosehip seed oil is made from two species, namely Rosa rubiginosa and Rosa canina.  R. rubiginosa (Beach Pea Rose or ) and R. canina (Dog Rose) are similar.  Both may be processed in Chile, or grown and processed in Germany or Eastern European countries.

Tip: Revel in Late Summer Aromas

For Empathy, Stability, and Mind-body Protection

The concept of the tree of life is an ancient idea. Salvatore Battaglia’s unusual and interesting portrayal is inspirational.

 References for quoted text and resources above are: G.Mojay: Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit by Gabriel Mojay, 1997. Published by Healing Arts Press, Rochester, VT.; Aromatica Vol. 2 by Peter Holmes, 2019. Published by Singing Dragon Press, Philadelphia.  Aromatree: A Holistic Guide to Understanding and Using Aromatherapy by Salvatore Battaglia, 2019.  Published by Black Pepper Creative, Australia.