Aromatherapy for Parents with Teenagers

If you are the parent of a teen, you are certainly aware of how much your family dynamics have changed in recent years. It doesn't seem all that long ago that you were the center of your children's universe. Remember when you were the one they came to when they had bruised shins and broken hearts? Well your once little baby is now approaching adulthood, testing his or her independence, and at times your patience.

You may find yourself struggling with many dichotomies. For instance, while you are aware of and respect your teen's growing demands for privacy, you may have concerns about their friends or interests. Or you may want to establish strong boundaries, and yet at the same time you want to help your teen become independent.

So while your teenager is facing a profound transition in life, you as a parent are as well. Now is the time to evaluate issues not only with your children, but also with yourself. What are your boundaries? Are you a secure and trusting person? Are you someone with whom your teen can and wants to communicate?

If you feel you need guidance with some of these issues, there are many great books on the market about raising teens. Establish a support system with other parents in your community. You can also find wonderful support systems at online parenting communities and chat rooms.

Meanwhile, the use of aromatherapy on a daily basis will help you stay balanced, gain more insight, open yourself to trust your teen, and communicate your feelings and life perspective in a compassionate and calm manner. Below are several aromatherapy recipes to help you survive the teen years!

Each recipe below should be prepared in a 10ml glass bottle. Pour the essential oils first and then add organic vegetable oil to fill.

BLEND FOR TRANQUILITY

This blend will help you to remain balanced. It will calm your mind and emotions when you experience symptoms of stress and nervous tension.

6 drops Sandalwood 

7 drops Lavender 

5 drops Marjoram 

2 drops Rose otto 

Massage the solar plexus and abdomen. Pour one-third of the blend into your warm bathwater and soak for at least 15 minutes. Pour a few drops into the palm of your hands and inhale deeply as needed throughout the day.

BLEND FOR BOUNDARIES

This blend will help you feel more grounded, centered and assertive when a need arises to establish new boundaries with your teen.

6 drops Rosemary 

5 drops Cypress 

6 drops Cedarwood 

4 drops Sandalwood 

Massage the solar plexus and lower back. Pour one-third of the blend into your warm bath water and soak for at least 15 minutes. Pour a few drops into the palm of your hands and inhale deeply as needed throughout the day.

BLEND FOR EMOTIONAL SECURITY AND ACCEPTANCE

This blend soothes your emotions and enhances a profound sense of emotional security and comfort while accepting the natural steps of your teen's growth.

3 drops Rose 

5 drops Sandalwood 

5 drops Orange 

4 drops Pine 

Massage the solar plexus and abdomen. Pour one-third of the blend into your warm bath water and soak for at least 15 minutes. Pour a few drops into the palm of your hands and inhale deeply as needed throughout the day.

BLEND TO OPEN COMMUNICATION

This blend supports and opens communication with others while releasing any anger, resentment, guilt or frustration held within the body and mind.

4 drops Lavender 

5 drops Sage 

4 drops German Chamomile 

Massage the throat, neck, and shoulders. Pour one-third of the blend into your warm bath water and soak for at least 15 minutes. Pour a few drops into the palm of your hands and inhale deeply as needed throughout the day.

Source : http://www.aromalchemy.com

Relaxing Herbal Bath
Ingredients:
1 part dried hops
1 part dried chamomile flowers
1 part dried lavender buds
lavender essential oil (optional)

Combine the herbs in a glass bowl, and add 1 drop of lavender essential oil for each 3/4 ounce of the herb mixture that you have. Place into a glass container and cover. (recycled jar that are cleaned and dried work well). Instructions: Place 1/4-1/2 cup of the bath tea into a muslin bag, cheese cloth (tie with kitchen string) or a tea ball. Drop or hang into the bath tub as it fills for your bath. OR you can steep the same amount of tea for 15-20 minutes, strain, and add the liquid to your bath.


Soothing Milk Bath

Ingredients:
2 cups dry powdered milk (regular or dried goat milk powder) 1/2 cup
Epsom salts
1/2 cup sea salt
1/2 cup baking soda
6 drops lavender essential oil
4 drops rose or rose geranium essential oil

Mix all the ingredients but the oils, together into a glass bowl. Drop the oils in and work it together with a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Pour into a container--leave the lid off for a day or so--then stir and cover. Give with instructions. To Use: 1/2 cup or into a warm bath while it fills.

Technique to Reawaken Your Compassionate Self 

In order to reawaken your compassionate self, it is important that you become aware of your feelings. Take an occasional moment out of your busy schedule to reflect on your emotions. Find a quiet, peaceful place where you can center yourself and take some time alone. Sit comfortably, breathe deeply and allow all emotions to come up to the surface.

Acknowledge your feelings and honestly reflect on them. Love yourself, your whole personality, and forgive your mistakes--as mistakes are simply lessons. Think not from your head but also from your heart, feel and be fully present. 

Blend to Reawaken Compassion

Prepare the following mixture in a 10ml glass bottle. Pour the essential oils in first, then fill with vegetable oil (sweet almond, jojoba, etc.). 

* 4 drops Rose otto 

* 12 drops Sandalwood 

* 6 drops Cypress

Anoint the heart chakra and third eye. Pour a few drops into the palms of your hands and inhale deeply. Pour a few drops into your warm bath water and soak for at least 15 minutes. 

Herbal Oils 

Plant ingredients can be extracted by oils. You can use one herb or combine herbs in the same oil. By using different herbal combinations, you can make strong medicinal oils (for external use only) or sweet-scented massage and bath oils. Once you have made the oils, they can be made into salves or ointments.

There are lots of carrier or base oils to choose from. My favorite for medicinal purposes is olive oil. For bath, massage, or cosmetic oils, I prefer to use apricot kernel oil, almond oil, or grapeseed oil because these are light and easily absorbed by the skin. Grapeseed is the lightest of the three. Also, none of these have a strong scent to overpower the herbs. For cooking oils, I use corn, canola, or olive oil. My favorite for taste and health is cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil.

You can use fresh or dried herbs. Fresh herbs should be placed in a shaded, warm place for several hours or overnight, after picking. This allows most of the moisture to evaporate. If you don't do this, the oil will look milky, allow mold to grow, and could even sour. St. John's wort flowers, rosemary, comfrey, calendula, and chickweed are good herbs to make medicinal oils and salves from.

Use the flowers from St. John's wort with the cold infusion method. These flowers should not sit overnight; put them in oil as soon as you pick them, and when you strain the oil, do so through cheesecloth.

Make rosemary oil and salve from oils infused by the hot method. First, strip the leaves from the stems, and let them sit overnight to dry a little.

Standard portions for infused oils are 2 to 3 ounces of dry herb to 2 cups oil, but if you wish to use my simple method: fill a glass pot with the chosen herb or herb blend, and cover it with oil plus 1 more inch. Then choose which method you are going to use: hot or cold.

COLD METHOD:

1. Let the herb you want to infuse sit overnight, so it will lose water.

2. Fill a jar with as much herb as you want to infuse to 3" from the top.

3. Fill the jar with oil enough to cover the herb, plus

2". Because herb exposed to air will mold, make sure all the herb is covered.

4. Let sit in the sun or in a greenhouse for six to eight weeks.

5. Strain into a clean, airtight, dark jar. Label, date, and store in a cool, dark place. Don't be surprised if the oil doesn't smell like the plant. It most often doesn't. For a stronger oil, repeat the process. Double oleate oils are twice as strong, and triple oleate, three times as strong, etc.



HOT METHOD:

1. Let the herb you want to infuse sit overnight, so it will lose water. 

2. Fill a pot with as much herb as you want to infuse. Use a non-reactive pot. Glass is my first choice. You also can use stainless steel, enamel, or cast iron. Do not use aluminum or copper.

3. Cover the herb with oil and add two more inches of oil.

4. A double boiler is convenient, but if you don't have one, put the pot in a bigger pot that has water in it. The oil should heat slowly over low heat for three hours. Do not overheat because too intense heat will destroy the volatile oils you are trying to collect. You can do this in a crockpot on the lowest setting also.

5. Strain into a clean, airtight jar, and store in a cool, dark place.

Facial Steams 

These provide thorough deep cleansing. The heat produces perspiration, which eliminates toxins and stimulates circulation. The steam softens the skin and opens the pores, which helps the skin absorb the beneficial properties of the herbs. Recommendations: for normal skin, once a week-for oily skin, 2 or 3 times a week-for dry skin, once every 2 weeks.

HERBS TO USE:

The following herbs are for soothing and gentle cleansing: applemint, chamomile, chervil, lavender, lemon balm, rose petals, spearmint, and thyme.

For improved circulation: rosemary and nettles. 

For healing: comfrey root and leaves, and fennel.

For oily skin: calendula, horsetail, lupine seed, sage, and yarrow. 

For dry skin: borage, houseleek, lady's mantle, marsh mallow roots, parsley, burnet, sorrel, sweet violet.

For mature skin: dandelion, elder flowers, lemon verbena, red clover, tansy.

TO PREPARE:

Use 2 handfuls of fresh herb or 3 TBS dry. Tie back hair; remove make-up. Pour 6 cups boiling water over herbs. Stir with a chopstick. Hold your face 12" from the solution, making a tent over your head with a towel. Close your eyes. Takes 10 to 15 minutes. 

Rinse with warm water, then cold, then with witch hazel. A diluted vinegar or infusion of peppermint, elderflower, sage, or yarrow dabbed on with cotton will tighten the pores. Avoid sudden changes in temperature for an hour.

HERB MIXTURES FOR STEAM FACIALS

The herbs in these blends release their healing properties in the steam, cleansing pores of debris, impurities and oil. All the herbs are used dried, except watercress, which is always used fresh.

FOR NORMAL SKIN

2 tsp. lemon-balm leaves

2 tsp. rose petals

2 tsp. lavender blossoms

2 tsp. linden flowers

FOR DRY, SENSITIVE SKIN

2 tsp. chamomile flowers

2 tsp. fennel seeds

2 tsp. rose petals

2 tsp. arnica flowers, calendula flowers, or comfrey leaves

FOR BLEMISHED SKIN

2 tsp. thyme leaves

4 tsp. fresh watercress

2 tsp. arnica flowers

2 tsp. nettle leaves, peppermint leaves or yarrow blossoms