The reintroduction of essential oils into modern times first began during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
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Essential oils have been used traditionally to kill harmful germs, as well as spiritually to balance mood, lift spirits, and dispel negative emotions. What comes to mind when you hear the word aromatherapy? A pretty scent or aroma? Aromatherapy is so much more than that. Aromatherapy has been defined differently over the years.
Aromatherapy works on a holistic level body, mind and soul. Essential oils are concentrated volatile aromatic compounds produced by plants. Volatile comes from the Latin root volare which means to fly. They are natural substances which are extracted or distilled from tiny molecular sacs of each botanical. They are part of the plant's immune system and yet a separate substance created from the plant.
Pure essential oils are highly concentrated extracts; 75 to times more concentrated than dried herbs. For a comparison, it takes between 40 and 60 roses to make one drop of rose oil and one drop of chamomile is equivalent to the concentration of 30 tea bags of chamomile tea. Essential oils are very potent and powerful and should be used with caution and knowledge of their potency and efficacy. Essential oils are a wonderful way to bring healing on every level into our everyday life.
More and more people are gaining an understanding that aromatherapy goes beyond just a pretty smell. Essential oils are technically extracted using a variety of methods. Below are the methods of distillation and extraction used for the oils at Stillpoint Aromatics. Steam distillation, the most common method of essential oil production, involves the flow of steam into a chamber holding the raw plant material. The steam causes small sacs containing essential oil to burst.
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The oil is then carried by the steam out of the chamber and into a chilled condenser, where the steam once again becomes water. Hydro-distillation is a similar process where the plant material is boiled, with the resultant steam being captured and condensed. The oil and water are then separated; the water, referred to as a 'hydrosol', can be retained as it will have some of the plant essence.
The concrete is again processed using ethyl alcohol the same alcohol found in beer, wine, etc. The volatile plant oil separates into the alcohol and this mixture is removed. The use of solvents in the extraction process notwithstanding, absolutes can have incredibly deep and complex aromas. There is both carbon dioxide and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction. Both methods involve the use of carbon dioxide as the 'solvent' which carries the essential oil away from the raw plant material.
The lower pressure CO2 extraction involves chilling carbon dioxide to between 35 and 55 degrees F, and pumping it through the plant material at about psi. The carbon dioxide in this condition is condensed to a liquid. Supercritical CO2 extraction SCO2 involves carbon dioxide heated to 87 degrees F and pumped through the plant material at around 8, psi — under these conditions, the carbon dioxide is likened to a 'dense fog' or vapor.
With release of the pressure in either process, the carbon dioxide escapes in its gaseous form, leaving the essential oil behind. Cold pressing is used to extract the essential oils from citrus fruit such as lemon , orange, grapefruit , bergamot, etc. This method involves the simple pressing of the rind at about degrees F to extract the oil. Little, if any, alteration from the oil's original state occurs—these citrus oils retain their bright, fresh, uplifting aromas, like that of smelling a wonderfully ripe fruit.
These essential oils have a relatively short shelf life and are phototoxic. While knowing the chemistry and the chemical components of an essential oil is one important aspect to understanding the therapeutic benefits for an essential oil, it is not the complete picture. Becoming familiar with the energetic components the essential oils have to offer is just as important.
Each part of the plant or tree offers something different. Essential oils that come from the roots or plants are grounding, anchoring and supportive.
Emotionally they are calming, centering and sedating. Their aroma is very earthy and fresh, offering a deep connection to the Earth. They offer support for the first chakra and the emotional body that it accompanies. The first chakra deals with living on the planet and survival. To feel safe and balanced in our bodies on the planet at this time is very important. Some essential oils that come from the roots and rhizomes are Angelica Root Angelica archangelica , Vetiver Vetiveria zizanoides , Ginger Zingiber officinale , Plai Zingiber cassamunar , and Spikenard Narodostachys jatamansi.
Essential oils that come from the resins of trees seem to be oils that were used in ancient times. Three examples of resinous oils that are reminiscent of these times are: These oils bring to mind Biblical times and days past in Ancient Egypt. They are wonderful to assist us with matters of the spirit. They are very powerful when used in prayer, rituals, and meditation. The resin of the tree is a type of liquid that is stored in the outer cells, that, when broken, release the resin to clog the hole created.
This is very analogous to the way we heal with scabs.
It makes sense, then, that these oils assist us with deep emotional wounds and the suffering in our emotional body. It is beneficial to choose an essential oil from a resin when we are wanting to heal these kinds of wounds and to assist in releasing deeply programmed beliefs that are no longer needed. Some other essential oils that are distilled from resins are: A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food.
Essential oils that come from seeds, berries, and seed pods often correspond to the reproductive system and our second and third chakras. The second chakra deals with relationships, immune system, creation energy, and sexual energy. It makes sense that essential oils that come from seeds assist us with creation and birth of life and new ideas and beginnings. Seeds are full of potential energy and ready to sprout, grow and thrive.
The third chakra deals with our personal power, distributes energy throughout the body and dreamtime. Juniper berry Juniperus communis is an essential oil used to protect and assist with this chakra. Many of these oils are beneficial for our digestive system as well, such as Cardamon Seed Ellettatia cardamomum and Fennel Foeniculum vulgaris. Essential oils that come from fruits are uplifting for the emotional and spiritual body.
On the physical level, many of these oils are good for lymphatic support like Grapefruit Citrus paradisi. The "fruit" is the part of a flowering plant that is derived from specific tissues of the flower, mainly one or more ovaries. It is important to remember that fruits are not just oranges, lemons etc. Black Pepper Piper nigrum and Coriander Coriandrum sativum are essential oils derived from the dried fruit. Essential oils derived from fruits also assist us in moving forward, in looking at the future with clarity, hope, joy and freshness—freshness that is reminiscent of the scent of a fresh orange being peeled.
Some other essential oils distilled or cold pressed from fruits are Lemon Citrus limon , Lime Citrus aurantifolia , and Bergamot Citrus bergamia. Most cold pressed citrus oils are phototoxic with the exception of Orange. Essential oils that are distilled or extracted from the flowers of a plant or tree deal with matters of the heart, both physically and emotionally.
The heart chakra is where we hold our Divine identity, unconditional love for ourselves and love for the Divine. Essential oils that are derived from flowers are emotionally supportive and nurturing, heart opening, and foster unconditional love for self and others. They represent joy, new growth and passion for life. Ylang Ylang Cananga odorata is an essential oil that on the physical level, assists in lowering blood pressure. We find it interesting that many of these flower oils are absolutes, which are solvent extracted. This is a delicate process and quite intensive, which is not a surprise when dealing with matters of the heart.
These parts of the plants or tree allow the plant or tree to breath. By definition a leaf is an above-ground plant organ specialized for the process of photosynthesis. This is the process a plant uses to combine sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce oxygen and sugar energy.
Essential oils distilled from these parts assist us in moving; breathing deeply both physically and emotionally. Eucalyptus Eucalyptus globulus and Ravintsara Cinnamomum camphora ct 1,8 cineole are powerful oils for respiratory distress. Oils such as Fragonia Agonis fragrans and Fir Abies balsamea are extremely potent oils for protection on the physical as well as the spiritual plane.
Essential oils that are distilled from the trunk and the wood of the tree are very protective and supportive. Like essential oils from resins, they support us deeply on many levels and can assist greatly in healing emotional wounds. The trunk refers to the main wooden axis of a tree that supports the branches and is supported by and directly attached to the root. The oils that are distilled from the trunk such as Cedarwood Cedrus atlantica or Sandalwood Santalum album support our core, assist us in being grounded, while also helping us reach toward the sky.
These oils parallel our skeletal system and assist us in being strong and solid. Some oils that are distilled from the wood of the tree are Rosewood Aniba rosaeodora , Palo Santo Bursera graveolens , Guaiacwood Bulnesia sarmienti and Cinnamon Bark Cinnamomum zeylanicum. One of the most amazing aspects of essential oils is that they can be used in a variety of ways. You can grow confident in the application of essential oils by studying safety and the chemical components of your favorite essential oils. When in doubt, work with a low dilution or use inhalation.
Inhaling essential oils is incredibly powerful! Topical Application - Use the appropriate dilution percentage in a carrier oil, lotion, Aloe Vera gel, or soap. Use essential oils neat undiluted when appropriate and as directed by a Certified or Clinical Aromatherapist. In a bath - Use only drops total of essential oil in a carrier per bath. It is best not to pour the essential oils directly into the bath water. Inhalation - Inhale directly, use a diffuser spa mist diffuser , humidifier, or inhaler or put a drop of the oil or stock blend in a cup of hot water.
Internal Consumption — Some essential oils are suitable for internal use.
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Be sure to consult with your doctor and an aromatherapy certified in Medicinal Aromatherapy before using essential oils in suppositories or other methods of internal use. Do not drink essential oils! Frequently we are asked how many drops of essential oil make up one ml, one ounce etc. The number of drops varies by the viscosity of the particular oil. Average drops of essential oils: Depending on the specific essential oil and the situation, a total of drops of essential oil can be added into 1 oz 30 ml of carrier oil.
These amounts vary based on the person for whom you are making the blend see dilution percentages below and on the strength of the specific essential oil you are using. For example, you can use several drops of Rhododendron Essential Oil Rhododendron anthopogon to every 1 drop of Jasmine Absolute Jasminum grandifloram because of the strength of the aroma of these two particular essential oils. This dilution is used for children, elders, chronically ill persons, and pregnant women. This dilution is used for massage oils for the average adult. This dilution is used for specific illnesses or for acute injury.
Pure essential oils do not go rancid as carrier oils such as sunflower, olive, avocado oils can over time. Only about half of Millennials say they believe in God with absolute certainty, compared with seven-in-ten Americans in the Silent and Baby Boom cohorts. And only about four-in-ten Millennials say religion is very important in their lives, compared with more than half in the older generational cohorts. In some ways, the basic patterns in religion and politics in the United States remain unchanged. But while there is much continuity in the relationship of religion and politics in the U. The Landscape Study shows, for example, that nearly all major religious groups have become significantly more accepting of homosexuality in recent years — even groups, such as evangelicals and Mormons, that traditionally have expressed strong opposition to same-sex relationships.
Changing attitudes about homosexuality are linked to the same generational forces helping to reshape religious identity and practice in the United States, with Millennials expressing far more acceptance of homosexuality than older adults do. Fully half of Millennials who identify as evangelical Protestants, for instance, now say homosexuality should be accepted by society.
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The religiously unaffiliated also are growing within the GOP, though not as quickly, and they remain far outnumbered by evangelicals and less numerous than Catholics or mainline Protestants within the Republican coalition. The remainder of this Overview explores in greater depth the religious changes that are underway in the American public. It explains the importance of generational replacement — the gradual supplanting of older generations by newer ones — in driving these trends. Subsequent sections of the report provide additional information on all of these topics, with full details on the beliefs, practices and attitudes of many of the diverse religious groups that populate the U.
And Appendix B includes a description of how the findings from the Religious Landscape Study compare with other major religion surveys. The new Religious Landscape Study shows that most people who identify with a religion ascribe a high level of importance to their personal faith and say they participate in religious activities on at least an occasional basis. In several important respects, the religiously affiliated are just as highly observant and engaged with their respective faith traditions today as they were when the Landscape Study was first conducted in While much is changing in American religious life, the level of religious observance exhibited by those who identify with a religion is, by and large, stable.
For example, two-thirds of religiously affiliated adults say religion is very important in their lives.
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These shares are little changed from The amount of importance people attach to religion varies considerably depending on the religious tradition to which they belong. Similarly, there has been little change in the share of religiously affiliated adults who say they pray regularly. And while there has been a bit of fluctuation in self-reported rates of attendance at religious services among some religious groups e. The survey shows, furthermore, that some indicators of religious practice have ticked upward slightly among the religiously affiliated.
And fully three-in-ten religiously affiliated adults now say they participate in prayer groups or scripture study groups on a weekly basis, also up 3 points since Not only have the unaffiliated grown in size, they also have become less religious over time. Fully one-third of religiously unaffiliated adults now say they do not believe in God, up 11 points since As a result of these two trends — growth and secularization among the religiously unaffiliated — the share of Americans who exhibit high religious commitment is declining.
There has been a modest decline in the share of adults who say they pray at least monthly, while the share of people who say they seldom or never pray has increased by nearly 5 points. And about half of adults now say they attend religious services no more than a few times a year, up almost 5 points since These changes are happening even though the absolute number of Americans who are highly religiously engaged has not changed very much.
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In other words, the United States is growing less religious in percentage terms not because there are fewer highly religious people but rather because, as the overall U. In , for instance, there were At the other end of the religion spectrum, there has been rapid growth in the number of unaffiliated adults who say religion is not important to them.
By , the religiously unaffiliated share of the population had grown to The data show similar patterns in questions about prayer and attendance at religious worship services. The number of religiously unaffiliated adults who say they seldom or never pray and the number who say they seldom or never attend services have grown rapidly. Meanwhile, the numbers of religiously affiliated adults who say they pray daily and attend services regularly have been comparatively stable.
The result is that the percentages of Americans who pray daily and attend religious services regularly have declined modestly. Who are the largely nonreligious adults whose ranks are growing, thus reducing the percentage of Americans who exhibit strong religious commitment? They are mainly young people just entering adulthood.
Older Americans — those in the Silent generation, Baby Boomers and even Generation Xers — are, by and large, about as religious today as when the Religious Landscape Study was first conducted in But these three generational cohorts constitute a shrinking share of the total U. By comparison with older adults, Millennials exhibit far lower rates of involvement with religion. Fewer than half of older Millennials adults now in their late 20s and early 30s and roughly four-in-ten younger Millennials adults now in their late teens and early 20s say religion is very important to them and that they pray daily.
And a majority of Millennials say they attend religious services a few times a year at most. For more details on how the beliefs and practices of younger religiously affiliated adults compare with those of older religiously affiliated adults, see Chapter 1 and Chapter 2. It is possible, of course, that younger adults will become more religious with age. Analysis of the General Social Survey GSS , for instance, shows that over the long term, people pray more regularly and report attending religious services a bit more often as they get older.
And Gallup surveys conducted over several decades indicate that as people age, they become more likely to say religion is an important part of their lives. Similarly, the Religious Landscape Study finds that, at least on some measures, there is a tendency for people to become more religious as they get older.
For example, Generation Xers, Baby Boomers and those in the Silent generation all have become somewhat more inclined in recent years to say they rely mainly on their religious beliefs when thinking about questions of right and wrong; they also are more likely to say they read scripture regularly and participate in prayer groups or scripture study groups on a frequent basis. Indeed, older Millennials — adults who were between the ages of 18 and 26 when the first Religious Landscape Study was conducted in and who today are in their late 20s and early 30s — are, if anything, less religiously observant today than they were in in these important ways.
The share of older Millennials who say they seldom or never attend religious services has risen by 9 percentage points.
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As the share of religiously unaffiliated Americans has risen rapidly in recent years, some observers have suggested that this is merely a change in labels. There always have been people who identify with a religion but are not particularly devout or active — self-identified Catholics, Methodists, Lutherans, Jews, etc. The results of the Religious Landscape Study suggest that relabeling is part of what has taken place, but it is not the whole story.
The religious beliefs and practices of the U. At the same time, the share of the population with low levels of observance e. And the percentage of American adults who are highly observant — at least as measured by traditional indicators, such as their certainty of belief in God, frequency of prayer, self-reported rates of attendance at worship services and self-assessments of the importance of religion in their lives — has declined.
To understand what is driving religious change, it is important to recognize trends in American society as a whole, not just how individuals change over their lifetimes. Of course, some individuals grow more religious over time, while others grow less religious. Older generations of American adults who were overwhelmingly Christian by affiliation and comparatively devout in belief and behavior are gradually passing away. They are being replaced by a new generation of young people who are, on the whole, less inclined to identify with any branch of Christianity and more religiously unaffiliated than older cohorts ever were, even when they were young.
And so far, members of the Millennial generation do not seem to be growing more religiously observant as they get older, at least by traditional measures. On the contrary, the oldest Millennials, now in their late 20s and early 30s, are generally less observant than they were seven years ago.
If these trends continue, American society is likely to grow less religious even if those who are adults today maintain their current levels of religious commitment. While several key indicators of traditional forms of religious observance are declining, the Religious Landscape Study shows that the U. Roughly six-in-ten adults now say they feel a deep sense of spiritual peace and well-being at least once a week, up 7 percentage points since Groups that exhibit the highest levels of traditional forms of religious observance also are most likely to say they regularly experience a sense of spiritual peace and well-being.
To explore other aspects of spirituality, the survey included two new questions that were not asked in the Religious Landscape Study. The first question asked respondents how often they feel a strong sense of gratitude or thankfulness. The study finds that regularly feeling a strong sense of gratitude is most common among those who are highly religiously observant.
But gratitude also is experienced regularly by many people who are not very religiously observant. In addition to asking about feelings of gratitude, the new study also asked respondents how often they think about the meaning and purpose of life. The new study shows that most Americans continue to view organized religion as a force for good in American society. Nearly nine-in-ten adults say churches and other religious institutions bring people together and strengthen community bonds and that they play an important role in helping the poor and needy.
And three-quarters say churches and other religious institutions help protect and strengthen morality in society. Attitudes on these questions are little changed from , when they were first asked in a Pew Research Center survey. In addition to saying that churches and other religious institutions perform good works, large numbers of the unaffiliated also say religious institutions are too concerned with money and power, too involved in politics and too focused on rules.
Half of the public expresses mixed views. For more details on American views of religious institutions, see Chapter 3. But the changing religious composition of the U. Meanwhile, nearly three-in-ten Democrats say they have no religion, up 9 points in recent years.
As recently as , mainline Protestants, evangelical Protestants and Catholics were each about as numerous as — or more numerous than — the religiously unaffiliated among Democrats and Democratic-leaning adults. More than eight-in-ten Republicans continue to identify with Christianity, including nearly four-in-ten Republicans and Republican-leaning adults who identify with evangelical Protestant denominations. The new survey also asked respondents about their views on a number of social issues, including homosexuality.
The survey finds that acceptance of homosexuality is growing rapidly even among religious groups that have traditionally been strongly opposed to it. For instance, more than a third of evangelical Protestants now say homosexuality should be accepted by American society, up 10 points since And acceptance of homosexuality has jumped by 12 points among Mormons. Views on abortion have changed little across most major religious groups, although those who are unaffiliated and those who belong to historically black Protestant churches are somewhat more likely to support legal abortion than in the recent past.
The shifts in attitudes toward homosexuality among the largest religious groups are being driven partly by young adults, who are much more accepting of homosexuality than older Americans. Similar patterns are seen among mainline Protestants, in the historically black Protestant tradition and among Catholics. The survey also finds generation gaps within many religious groups in attitudes about a variety of other social and political issues.