IT'S INTERESTING HOW THE PERFECT EXAMPLE ALWAYS SHOWS UP AT EVERY OILS CLASS OR TRAINING!
Recently I presented an oils discussion to a group of Reflexologists. As I began to reach for oils, I hesitated to ask if anyone had issues with Peppermint? "I do," came a timid response. I turned to find a very sweet woman who had spoken. Indicating that she believed she had an allergy to Peppermint, I found that she was willing to inquire further into this "allergy."
Mind you, this is a seasoned group of holistic professionals and wise women, a number who have been in practice for 20-30 years. Their ears perked at this query and they soon joined in with questions.
What symptoms occur when you encounter Peppermint?
Mind you, this is a seasoned group of holistic professionals and wise women, a number who have been in practice for 20-30 years. Their ears perked at this query and they soon joined in with questions.
What symptoms occur when you encounter Peppermint?
(I feel drained.)
What makes you think it’s an allergy?
What makes you think it’s an allergy?
(My doctor said it sounds like one.)
As is my customary practice with sensitive individuals, I offered the closed bottle of Peppermint for her to simply hold over her heart chakra (thymus gland), suggesting that she close her eyes and feel with all her senses. See what her body response has to say. These feelings can range from a warm, opening and inviting feeling, a cool or closing and pushing away feeling, or a still point. Sometimes people feel the body literally taking the oil into specific areas. Sometimes they feel an emotional release or a sense of calming and grounding. It often depends on the personality of the essential oil and of course the person.
She did so and reported a pushing away feeling at her heart. With her permission, we continued.
I then invited her to stand and do the chakra test, which is to hold the bottle (or any item in question) about 6 inches in front of you, then slowly pass it downward in front of each chakra starting above the crown and working down to the base. Areas of the physiology that want the substance will pull towards it. A falling away feeling usually indicates that the body or that system or gland doesn't want it and this may indicate some level of healing or balancing required. A still space (no movement) can also indicate a positive. It is important to hold a clear thought or intention, such as “Is this for my highest good and optimal health today?” or some other clear question.
She did the chakra/body response test and I noted no pushing away as it passed by her heart, however when she reached the root/pelvis area, her body moved back from the Peppermint. She agreed that the heart hadn't pushed away this time, but the pelvis had, and that the pelvis region is where she tends to hold her emotions. Was there ever a better place in the body to stuff emotion?
This led to a very interesting discussion. And with her permission, we continued. I inquired if perhaps somewhere in her past there has been a negative experience around Peppermint... for example, was she eating peppermint candies when someone said something that was hurtful or critical to her?
“THAT'S IT!”
She suddenly remembered that her mother had once been so addicted to peppermint candies that she would open a bag and polish them off in one sitting! This went on for some time until she was eventually diagnosed with a form of anemia that her doctor pinned on the candy addiction. I asked if she sensed that her mother might have been trying to suppress some unresolved emotions, and she felt this was indeed likely.
Because the daughter had emotionally and mentally connected Peppermint as the source of her mother's health issues (bad), and since her emotions and thoughts believed it, her body responded by emulating that belief with a physical feeling of depletion every time she encountered Peppermint.
She brightened up like a woman who had just been set free. Then she decided to take another step and inhale the Peppermint to see how it affected her? No heavy feeling, no negative response. She said, "I should probably put some Peppermint on my feet now..." I said sure, if you wish, and handed her the bottle. She placed a drop on each foot and fairly bubbled as it moved into her system. Again, no negative response. Just smiles of relief.
I always love it when people are willing to entertain inquiry, and I always take care to make that a safe process, beginning with asking for permission at each stage! We never know when we might come up against an emotional issue that would deeply embarrass them. This time, however, the entire room broke out in laughter. We all learned something valuable and enlightening.
As is my customary practice with sensitive individuals, I offered the closed bottle of Peppermint for her to simply hold over her heart chakra (thymus gland), suggesting that she close her eyes and feel with all her senses. See what her body response has to say. These feelings can range from a warm, opening and inviting feeling, a cool or closing and pushing away feeling, or a still point. Sometimes people feel the body literally taking the oil into specific areas. Sometimes they feel an emotional release or a sense of calming and grounding. It often depends on the personality of the essential oil and of course the person.
She did so and reported a pushing away feeling at her heart. With her permission, we continued.
I then invited her to stand and do the chakra test, which is to hold the bottle (or any item in question) about 6 inches in front of you, then slowly pass it downward in front of each chakra starting above the crown and working down to the base. Areas of the physiology that want the substance will pull towards it. A falling away feeling usually indicates that the body or that system or gland doesn't want it and this may indicate some level of healing or balancing required. A still space (no movement) can also indicate a positive. It is important to hold a clear thought or intention, such as “Is this for my highest good and optimal health today?” or some other clear question.
She did the chakra/body response test and I noted no pushing away as it passed by her heart, however when she reached the root/pelvis area, her body moved back from the Peppermint. She agreed that the heart hadn't pushed away this time, but the pelvis had, and that the pelvis region is where she tends to hold her emotions. Was there ever a better place in the body to stuff emotion?
This led to a very interesting discussion. And with her permission, we continued. I inquired if perhaps somewhere in her past there has been a negative experience around Peppermint... for example, was she eating peppermint candies when someone said something that was hurtful or critical to her?
“THAT'S IT!”
She suddenly remembered that her mother had once been so addicted to peppermint candies that she would open a bag and polish them off in one sitting! This went on for some time until she was eventually diagnosed with a form of anemia that her doctor pinned on the candy addiction. I asked if she sensed that her mother might have been trying to suppress some unresolved emotions, and she felt this was indeed likely.
Because the daughter had emotionally and mentally connected Peppermint as the source of her mother's health issues (bad), and since her emotions and thoughts believed it, her body responded by emulating that belief with a physical feeling of depletion every time she encountered Peppermint.
She brightened up like a woman who had just been set free. Then she decided to take another step and inhale the Peppermint to see how it affected her? No heavy feeling, no negative response. She said, "I should probably put some Peppermint on my feet now..." I said sure, if you wish, and handed her the bottle. She placed a drop on each foot and fairly bubbled as it moved into her system. Again, no negative response. Just smiles of relief.
I always love it when people are willing to entertain inquiry, and I always take care to make that a safe process, beginning with asking for permission at each stage! We never know when we might come up against an emotional issue that would deeply embarrass them. This time, however, the entire room broke out in laughter. We all learned something valuable and enlightening.
