Castor Oil

Castor oil is one of my all-time favorite things EVER! It is my Jack-of-all-Trades for skin care.

At night before going to sleep, I like to get a drop (seriously, less is more) and massage it over my eyelids to aid in peaceful sleep. Make sure not to get it in your eyes, though! While I’m there, I give my eyelashes a good dousing too, which encourages their growth. Don’t forget to get under the eyes! My reasons are twofold: it helps with under-eye bags and I have a tiny skintag that is attempting to form about an inch under one of my eyes; I am determined that will not happen. Castor oil is supposed to get rid of skin tags over time, so we shall see. If you want thick eyebrows, go ahead and rub your oily index fingers over them too.

Castor oil is wonderful for skin health. Utilizing castor oil in the below-recipe will aid in stretch mark and cellulite reduction, hair growth, and moisturizing the skin while not clogging the pores. Another reason I love castor oil to pieces is that it is highly detoxifying for the liver, especially if you place a heating pad or hot towel on top of your stomach after rubbing castor oil or the below-mixture on.

One of my favorite ways to keep my skin hydrated during cold months is Coconut Oil. I like to create my own moisturizing mixture with coconut oil as my base, along with castor oil, olive oil, vitamin e oil, and essential oil. I keep this mixture in the glass container of a long ago burned and cleaned Bath and Body Works candle. Keep the lid!

Moisturizing Serum

• Coconut Oil
• Castor Oil
• Olive Oil
• Vitamin E Oil
• Essential Oil

I don’t measure my ingredients because I just keep mixing until it is to my desired consistency. Start off with about half a cup of coconut oil, a tablespoon both of castor oil and olive oil, teaspoon of vitamin e oil, and about 3-4 drops of your chosen essential oil. Choose your essential oil based on your need. Mix the concoction until you get your desired consistency and smell.

I apply this mixture to my whole body and not only does it moisturize those hands, it has so many more amazing properties!

Ways to Use Castor Oil

1. Sleep Aid: rub a tiny drop of castor oil on your eyelids (be careful to keep out of eyes!) to bring about deep relaxation.

2. Eyelash Serum: replace castor oil and vitamin e oil in a clean and empty mascara bottle; use daily to encourage eyelash growth. Another easy way to do this is to get a small amount of your finger and rub your finger over your lashes.

3. Eyebrow Growth: if you want to grow thicker eyebrows, rub a small drop into eyebrows.

4. Hair Growth: massage castor oil into roots** to promote hair growth. Use the recipe above for added benefits. This will also help with hair loss and baldness.

5. Reduce Split Ends: apply a small amount of castor oil or the Moisturizing Serum above to split ends to help seal and discourage split ends.

6. Scars: apply a mixture of castor oil and vitamin e oil (or the serum recipe above) to scars

7. Under-Eye Bags: to relieve swollen, puffy eyes and to ease under-eye bags, rub a drop under eyes using finger

8. Mole, Wart, & Skintag Remover: apply castor oil using q tip or cotton ball directly to mole or wart. Put a band aid on top to keep castor oil in place. Apply twice daily for best results.

9. Stretch Marks: apply serum recipe above, or create your own moisturizing serum using any mixture of oils! Apply to stretch marks daily.

10. Holy Detox Heaven!!!: I’m all about detoxification!! “The main component of castor oil produces significant pain relieving and anti-inflammatory effects and is easily transmitted through the skins surface and into lymphatic circulation supporting detoxification pathways in the body” (My Healthy Life Now).

There are many ways people advise doing this, and most people use a castor oil pack. I tried a slightly different method because I wanted to preserve my castor oil. Apply castor oil to stomach… it is very thick, and may be hard to apply to a large area… use a mixture such as the serum recipe above. I then put an old hand towel over my stomach, making sure to cover as much of the area with the serum applied as possible. Then put a heating pad on top. There are a variety of timeframes people advise… I do it for about 30 minutes and that’s all I can normally do. This method also cleanses and detoxifies the liver.

Another great way that castor oil aids in detoxification is as a colon cleanse, removing any backed up waste in your system. It also works as a fast-acting laxative, so be careful! Mix a small amount in a juice that will aid in camouflaging its taste. I have not yet had to use castor oil as a laxative, but I hear that the taste is vile.

11. Cracked or Dry Heels: apply moisturizing serum to dry or cracked heels to moisturize and heal.

12. Wrinkles: as with many examples above, castor oil is a wonder oil for skin health. Apply a small drop to wrinkles daily to tighten and smooth skin.

13. Acne: after cleaning your face (best at night), make sure your pores are open (through heat such as a steam treatment or warm water). Apply castor oil to skin and allow to stay overnight*.

14. Face Cleanser: use a mixture of olive oil, castor oil, and essential oil to cleanse your face. This mixture removes the dirty oils on your face and replaces it with clean, healing oils. Find out more here! 

If you notice, most of the methods I have described for the use of castor oil are very small amounts. It should last for quite a while. A little goes a long way.

If you have any additional ideas on how to use castor oil, please comment below!! 

*Caution: I’ve heard that castor oil stains are impossible to remove if you get them on sheets or clothes. I have not really had this problem, but I don’t mind stains, so maybe I just don’t notice.

**Caution: I have read that castor oil, when applied to roots, can darken hair slightly.

References:

My Healthy Life Now Blog

Sleep: Insomnia, Nightmares

Sleep

Curing Insomnia

Sweet Dreams

Banishing Nightmares

Stones:

• Sodalite
• Amethyst
• Smoky Quartz

Related Chakra: 3^rd Eye

Place the stones on or near your body. The above properties are amplified when placed on the 3^rd Eye Chakra.

Essential Oils*:

Joy

Joy Essential Oil (EO) is one of my favorites! It makes me feel emotionally stable and even gives me a distinct sense of happiness. I found myself falling asleep with a smile on my face last night while diffusing Joy even though I had a trying night.

Lavender

Not only does Lavender calm your senses and promote relaxation, but it also eases headaches and migraines. I have found, personally, that Lavender protects against nightmares as well.

Release

I just received Release EO in my Essential Rewards package today (woot!) and it has quickly become one of my favorites. Young Living boasts that this is one of their most emotionally balancing oils they have. Quite a statement, no? I have found it to be so. As it is diffusing at this moment, I can tell you it is indeed incredible.

Valerian

Valerian has been clinically proven for its tranquilizing properties and calming effect on the central nervous system. Taking this EO as a supplement or diffusing it are both great ways to ease nighttime ailments such as nightmares, insomnia, anxiety, and restlessness.

Diffuse these oils (separately) while you sleep. Put a few drops in your hands… cup your hands over your nose and inhale. Then take your hands and rub them lightly over your pillow(s).

Learn more ways to use essential oils here!

Find out how where to buy essential oils and how to earn 24% off your order every single time! 

* I use Young Living Essential Oils because they are the highest quality therapeutic—grade oils.

More Great Articles:

• Where to Buy Essential Oils
• How to Use Essential Oils
• Hair Health
• Skin Health

References:

“Essential Oils Pocket Reference” by Life Science Publishing

Joy Essential Oil

Joy Essential Oil

This essential oil (EO), diluted, should be used topically behind the ears, chest/above heart, wrists, temples, and neck as any normal perfume. As the name implies, this oil is excellent for bringing joy to the wearer and those in close proximity.

I use Young Living Essential Oils because they are the highest quality therapeutic—grade oils.

Young Living (YL) Blurb: “Joy™ is a luxuriously exotic blend with uplifting overtones that creates magnetic energy and brings joy to the heart. When worn as cologne or perfume, Joy exudes an alluring and irresistible fragrance that inspires romance and togetherness. When diffused, it can be refreshing and uplifting.”

Learn the different ways to use essential oils here!

Already know and love essential oils? Would you like to get 24% off your Young Living oils? Of course you would! Click here to sign up, and click here to learn more about becoming a wholesale member, where you get 24% off retail prices and can even get free oils!!

Uses for / Properties of this Oil:

• Mood enhancer
• Uplifting
• Inspiring
• Motivating
• Rejuvenating
• Encourages happiness
• Eliminates depression
• Eases anxiety and tension
• Combats negativity
• Relieves stress and calms emotions
• Promotes balance, harmony, and well-being
• Deodorant
• Cramps (roll over cramped areas)
• Lowers blood pressure

Where to buy essential oils!

So check this out… I diffused Lavender two nights ago to help me sleep, and I didn’t have a single nightmare! If I did, I don’t remember, which is a good thing, trust me. Those dreams take an emotional toll on me. So last night, I really needed my beloved Joy, so I diffused that while I slept… Again, no nightmares and a good, cleansing sleep. At this very moment, I am diffusing Release, which is now a fav!! It’s said to be the most emotionally-stimulating and healing essential oil.

How to Use Essential Oils

There are a plethora of ways to use essential oils (EOs), and I am going to give you the nitty gritty right now!

The over-arching 3 ways to use essential oils are:

1. Diffuse / Inhalation

This method if quite obvious… you can put a few drops of EO in your hands and cup your hands around your nose, inhaling (don’t get it in your eyes!). You can also put 8-12 drops of your favorite EO in a Young Living (YL) diffuser and get hours of a lovely, calming experience.

Check out what YL has to say about its amazing Home Diffuser. Blurb: “Its ultrasonic technology breaks any mixture of essential oils and water into millions of microparticles, disperses them into the air, and activates the powerful plant constituents found in Young Living essential oils.”

2. Topical

Unless told otherwise, most essential oils will still need to be diluted before being applied to the skin directly. This is because they are so highly concentrated. Some popular carrier oils are coconut oil, almond oil, witch hazel, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, and more. Before applying an oil topically, I would read about it on Young Living’s website to know what the dilution ratio should be. Always try an oil or oil mixture on a patch of skin before applying to a larger area.

3. Ingest 

This method of using essential oils is simply by ingesting it into your body. There are several ways to do this. You could put a drop or 2 (less is more!) of lemon and/or peppermint EO to your water in the morning to help flush toxins and manage weight and appetite. You could also put a few drops in a vegetable capsule and take as a pill.

Find out where to buy essential oils for 24% off! 

Now, let’s talk about different ways you can use essential oils from the above methods…

Please keep in mind that you can use any of the essential oils I state below in the examples… for instance, if I say you can make a perfume using Joy EO, you can substitute out the Joy for another favorite EO. These are simply examples. Again, I must caution, however, to research your EO to make sure you can ingest it or apply it topically without dilution. I still recommend diluting the oils with a carrier oil when applying topically.

1. Add a few drops to a dry rag and add it to your dryer load to make your clothes smell great. You can use any oil, so I like to add my favorites, such as Joy, Awaken, Release, and/or Lavender for my sensitive skin. You can do this with the washer as well. Adding a few drops to a wash cycle is another way to make your clothes smell naturally wonderful. Other scents I enjoy using with clothes are purification for stinky clothes and lemon to brighten whites.

3. Put 1-2 drops of Lemon, Peppermint, Citrus Fresh, and/or Ginger in your cold or warm water (warm is better, but it’s still difficult for me) and drink throughout the day. Shake before drinking. This will aid as a weight management tool and appetite suppressant while detoxifying and cleansing your body.

4. Cook with the oils!! There are several essential oils that are great for cooking, such as Sage, Oregano, Ginger, Lemon, Lime, and so many more! Find out more about which oils would be stellar to cook with here!

5. Cleaning! Oh my, EOs are SO great for cleaning! I don’t even know where to begin… wait, yes I do! Thieves!! More on that later because I already know that will be its own post.

6. Diffuse Thieves to fight infection and sickness while cleansing and purifying the air.

7. Put a few drops on a cotton ball… you might want a few cotton balls, because these little guys can go many places! I like to throw one in my vacuum before cleaning… it makes the whole home smell amazing! Put one in your air vent in your car (try Joy or Stress Away). Toss a cotton ball in your drawers to give your clothes a great smell!

8. Mix water with several drops of EO in a glass squirt bottle. Use as air freshener.

9. Mix 15-20 drops of EO with a base of witch hazel in a glass roller-ball bottle. Use as a perfume. Try Joy, Awaken, and/or Lavender.

10. Do another mix as we did with the perfume, but add PanAway with the witch hazel. Use as a pain-easing muscle rub. See this article for one pain relief recipe. 

11. Put a few drops of calming EO, such as Lavender or Peace and Calming in your hands and rub together. Cup your face and inhale. Take your hands and rub them over both sides of your pillow. These measures will help give you a peaceful night’s sleep! Another great EO to try for sleep is Valerian.

12. Detox Bath

13. Diffuse to ease headaches and/or migraines. Try Lavender, MGrain, and/or Peppermint.

14. Add Baking Soda and your chosen EO to a mason jar and add it to your fridge to help with odors and to freshen the air quality. 

15. I love drying flowers… if you do as well, save those dried flowers and use them as art. I have displayed my dried pieces in wine bottles and vase. Then I realized that these not only were a beautiful piece of art, but that they could be used as potpourri. Tilt the EO bottle over the dried art and let a few drops fall onto it, preferably in a location where it will drip down, into the mass. Check out a really great article on dried flower potpourri here!

16. Nightmares suck… and mine are awful. I diffused Lavender two nights ago to help me sleep, and I didn’t have a single nightmare! If I did, I don’t remember, which is a good thing, trust me. Those dreams take an emotional toll on me. So last night, I really needed my beloved Joy, so I diffused that while I slept… Again, no nightmares and a good, cleansing sleep. At this very moment, I am diffusing Release, which is now a fav!! It’s said to be the most emotionally-stimulating and healing essential oil.

17. I definitely recommend the YL diffuser because it gives the best use of your oils.. more bang for the buck I guess would be the appropriate saying. However, you can also use regular oil burners, but it will not give the experience the home diffuser gives.

18. Holy gifting heaven!! There are so many ways to make homemade, DIY gifts with these oils!!

Try a detox bath kit including epsom salts, baking soda, sea salt, ginger, your favorite essential oil(s), and one of my all-time favorite things… a mason jar. Try Lavender, Peace and Calming, Stress Away, and/or Release for a relaxing and calming bath. Another option is Eucalyptus and Rosemary for a detoxifying bath that will aid in relieving symptoms of a cold such as congestion and swollen nasal passages.

Gift a perfume like #9 and 10 above. Try out your favorite essential oils and even mix if you so desire.

When gifting anything that has multiple ingredients not listed on the jar or bottle, I normally include some information about the ingredients. Any of my blog posts can be used as information inserts with your gifts to explain the healing and detoxifying properties of all the ingredients combined!

Sew sachets of dried flowers and essential oil to be placed in drawers, shoes, gym bag… the idea is really you can place them anywhere.

Most of the ideas we are discussing here could be used in some DIY projects, so the possibilities are endless.

19. Sew a rice bag that can be heated and placed over back, shoulders, neck… anywhere you have muscle pain. It is also very relaxing when you head to bed. It is much better than a heating pad because this will naturally get cooler so you do not have to worry about 8 hours of a possible fire hazard in your bed. Simply mix the several drops of EO into the rice before putting the oil in the bag. Get detailed instructions from this awesome article here!

This is just the start to an ongoing list on how to use essential oils, so stay posted for more! Comment below with your ideas, recipes, and common practices with essential oils!

Get more information on essential oils here!

Other Great Articles:

• Where to Buy Essential Oils
• Awaken Essential Oil
• Joy Essential Oil
• Hair Health
• Skin Health
• Detox Bath

References:

“110 Uses for the Everyday Oils Kit” by an Independent Young Living Distributor

“Essential Oils Pocket Reference” by Life Science Publishing

Awaken

This is one of my favorite essential oils (EOs) so far!! I absolutely love the smell and how its fragrance empowers me. I like to wear it (diluted with witch hazel) as a perfume. As the name implies, this oil is excellent for bringing emotional balance to the wearer and those in close proximity.

I use Young Living Essential Oil (EO) because it is the highest quality therapeutic—grade oil. This blend includes five other essential oil blends to create this unique and lovely scent; Joy (another one of my absolute favorites!!), Forgiveness, Present Time, Dream Catcher, and Harmony.

Young Living (YL) Blurb: “Awaken™ is an inspiring combination of several essential oil blends that helps bring about inner awareness and awakening. True understanding of one’s self is the first step toward making successful changes and desirable transitions. This blend may help you progress toward your highest potential.”

Uses for / Properties of this Oil:

• Enhances and awakens self-awareness
• Emotional strength; overcome grief and depression
• Balances energy center
• Strengthens one’s desires and opens the mind to reach one’s highest potential
• Letting go of the past
• Stimulates right brain creativity, amplifying the function of the pineal and pituitary glands
• Helps us identify our true desires and how to best pursue them
• Brings joy to the heart
• Helps release negative memories and move past emotional barriers; protects you from negativity
• Opens the mind
• Physical and emotional healing

Find out where to buy oils here! 

Find out different ways to use Awaken EO!

References:

“Essential Oils Pocket Reference” by Life Science Publishing

Totem Animals

Animal totems play huge roles in our lives. They aid in self-discovery and capture our imagination, giving us incredible avenues of self-expression and awareness.

Additionally, they assist in understanding our past, and if we are attentive, our animal totems can reveal glimpses of our future.

Webster’s Dictionary defines a totem as: “A natural object, usually an animal that serves as a distinctive, often venerated emblem or symbol. A means of personal or spiritual identity.”

Animals serve as harbingers of personality traits we, as humans, all aspire to achieve. This makes animals some of the most powerful symbols in our spiritual toolbox.

Animals afford us visions of how our lives could be if we lived more simply and lived with purity of thought and emotion. Therefore, incorporating animal totems into our lives affirms our spiritual goals.

By focusing on the attributes of our totems, we internalize these traits and thus begin to externalize the very character we absorb from our totems.

Photo Reference

How to Cleanse and Charge Stones

To Cleanse & Charge a Stone

It depends on the stone as to what method should be used. Some stones cannot be put in sunlight or submerged in water, so make sure you know what the stone prefers before attempting to cleanse it.

Cleansing

Cleansing Methods:

• Under running natural water, such as ocean, stream, river, or creekPoint the stone downward with the flow of water so the negative energy flows out and away.
• Full moonlight
• Full sunlight
• Buried in Earth/soilWill absorb negative energy
  • Deep cleansing
• Smudge
  • Sage
  • Cedar
• Amethyst clusters
• Herb “Baths”
  • Submerging in loose herbs
  • Rose Petals
  • Sage
  • Mint
• Sea Salt “Bath”
  • Can be used with other magical tools as well
  • Submerge in dry sea salt or salt-water bath
  • Deep cleansing

Before you use your gems and stones for magic, you should charge them to match you intent.

Charging Spell

Bless the stone with the 4 elements. Place the stone on your Third Eye Chakra and say:

In the name of the Divine,

I conjure thee,

O stone of earth, to assist me in my magical working.

By the moon and the stars,

You may be blessed and empowered to (name intent).

So mote it be.

You don’t always have to empower them with certain properties or jobs. One saying I use frequently is “I cleanse this stone of all negative energy and prepare it for my personal use.”

Whales

These wonderful animals are in my dreams almost every single night. I did some research to see if perhaps my soul was connected to whales in some way. Below are my findings:

• Emotional creativity, well-being, nurturing, & emotional depth
• Deeper Awareness
• Cosmic Consciousness
• Emotional Rebirth and Understanding
• Nurturing and Devotion to Community
• Appreciation for Beauty, (especially song and dance)
• The Importance of Balance (emotional and otherwise)

The oceans, and water in general holds age-old symbolism of emotional depth. Some emotions we bury beneath the fathoms of our consciousness; these emotions are the leviathans of our being – the lumbering beasts we dare not let surface.

Those who are magnetized by whale energy will tend to be incredibly deep in sensitivity. The depth of feeling whale-totem-people endure can be overwhelming. Whale people are super-perceptive about the feelings of those around them, and this can manifest into an internal pressure that can be quite crushing. The whale can help with the overwhelming feelings and even temper the onslaught of emotions picked up from other people too. If you are extraordinarily affected by the emotions of others, or your own emotions are so intense as to cause discomfort, your whale totem can help.

Whales are masters of:

• Navigation: Moving through emotional depths
• Communication: Effectively expressing emotional experiences
• Conservation: Using emotional energy for fuel and not being consumed by emotional floods