Essential oils are non-fatty oils that are distilled from plants, shrubs, flowers, trees, roots, bark, bushes, and seeds. Most essential oils are extracted from plant sources using steam distillation and are highly concentrated, making them far more potent than dried botanicals or herbs. (For example, 1 drop of peppermint essential oil is equivalent to 28 cups of herbal peppermint tea.)
Essential oils have been used for thousands of years for cosmetic purposes, as well as for their spiritually and emotionally uplifting properties because of how they affect the limbic system (the seat of emotions). They support all body systems.
We’ve all been exposed to essential oils, sometimes unknowingly. What happens when you peel an orange? Lots of tiny drops of oil come bursting out. Those are essential oils. Have you ever cut into a plant and seen a liquid seep out? That’s the plant’s essential oil.
Just as Leviticus 17:11 tells us that the life of the flesh is in the blood, the life of the plant is in the essential oil.
Essential oils were mentioned in the Ebers Papyrus, an ancient Egyptian list of 877 prescriptions and recipes dating back to 1600 BC.
How Do Essential Oils Work?
There are three main components of essential oils.[i]
Phenols and phenylpropanoids. While they can create conditions where unfriendly viruses and bacteria cannot live, the most important function performed by phenylpropanoids is that they clean the receptor sites on the cells. Without clean receptor sites, cells cannot communicate and the body malfunctions, resulting in sickness.
They are found in Clove (90%), Cassia (80%), Basil (75%), Cinnamon (73%), Oregano (60%), Anise (50%), and Peppermint (25%).
Sesquiterpenes. Sesquiterpene molecules deliver oxygen molecules to cells like hemoglobin does in the blood. They do this by crossing the blood-brain barrier. They can also erase or deprogram miswritten codes in cellular memory.
Sesquiterpenes are the principal constituents of Cedarwood (98%), Vetiver (97%), Spikenard (93%), Sandalwood (Aloes) 90%, Black Pepper (74%), Patchouli (71%), Myrrh (62%), and Ginger (59%). They are also found in Galbanum, Onycha, and Frankincense (8%).
Monoterpenes. The most important ability of the monoterpenes is that they can reprogram miswritten information in the cellular memory (DNA). With improper coding in cellular memory, cells malfunction and diseases result.
Monoterpenes are found in most essential oils: Galbanum (80%), Angelica (73%), Hyssop (70%), Rose of Sharon (54%), Peppermint (45%), Juniper (42%), Frankincense (40%), Spruce (38%), Pine (30%), Cypress (28%), and Myrtle (25%).
These three components in essentials oils are what make them work so quickly and efficiently. They work to support your body, whereas pharmaceuticals are designed to confuse your cells, so you no longer have symptoms. For example, antihistamines block your histamine receptors, so you don’t sniffle or produce mucus when you have a cold or allergy. In contrast, an oil’s constituents will reprogram the cell back to its original state.
Biblical References to Essential Oils
What does the Bible say about essential oils?
Genesis 1:29 KJV:
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
God has always provided for the health and wellness of His people.
Ezekiel 47:12 KJV:
And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.
Revelation 22:2 KJV:
In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Essential oils and the plants they come from are mentioned 1,031 times in the Bible.
Moses
In the book of Numbers chapter 16, Moses tells the high priest, Aaron, to burn oils as incense to stop a plague.
Numbers 16:46-49 KJV
And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun.
And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.
And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.
There are recipes for essential oil blends in the book of Exodus.
Exodus 30:22-25 NLT:
Then the LORD said to Moses,
“Collect choice spices—12½ pounds of pure myrrh, 6¼ pounds of fragrant cinnamon, 6¼ pounds of fragrant calamus,
and 12½ pounds of cassia—as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel. Also get one gallon of olive oil.
Like a skilled incense maker, blend these ingredients to make a holy anointing oil.
Hyssop
The use of hyssop during both the Passover and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ is not a coincidence.
Exodus 12:22 KJV:
And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip [it] in the blood that [is] in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that [is] in the basin; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.
When striking the blood-dipped hyssop against the lintel and side posts, the fragrant aroma of the hyssop would be released and mingled with the aroma of the lamb’s blood. This distinct fragrance would be one the children of Israel would never forget.
Note that while the symbolism of the blood of the lamb saving the sons of the Israelites has a strong significance for Jews and Christians alike, it is interesting to note that the ancient Hebrews believed that the scent of hyssop would repel evil spirits. Thus, the fragrance of the hyssop was part of the ritual to cause the evil spirit of death to pass over the Israelites that night.
Psalm 51:7 KJV:
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
The fragrance of hyssop was considered to be spiritually purifying and an aid in cleansing oneself from sin, immorality, evil thoughts, or bad habits. Psalm 51 was written regarding David’s realization of his sin concerning Bathsheba and his repentance of that sin.
John 19:28-29 KJV:
After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.
The significance of Jesus Christ accepting the vinegar on the hyssop after he knew that his work was complete is that the Jews present at his crucifixion would be reminded of hyssop’s part in the first Passover. Hyssop mingled with blood. Jesus Christ was the true Passover lamb.
Jesus Christ’s Anointing with Essential Oils
Jesus Christ received essential oils at both the beginning and the end of his life. Frankincense and myrrh were presented to him by the Magi.
Matthew 2:11 KJV:
And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
Jesus’ head and feet were anointed toward the end of his life with spikenard and myrrh. The cost of the oils (in ointment form) that were used on Jesus is equivalent to $2,000 today. They were usually sealed in alabaster boxes for preservation.
Matthew 26:7 KJV:
There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.
Mark 14:3 KJV:
And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
Luke 7:37-38 KJV:
And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
John 12:3 KJV
Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
Roman soldiers generally offered wine mixed with myrrh to those being crucified to help reduce pain. Jesus was offered this combination while he hung on the cross, but he refused it, instead choosing to endure the pain of the cross for us.
Mark 15:23 KJV:
And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.
During his earthly ministry, Jesus sent his disciples to anoint with oils and heal:
Mark 6:13 KJV:
And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.
Use of Essential Oils in the Church
What about the use of essential oils in the church today? The only reference is in the book of James.
James 5:14 KJV:
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
The Biblical meaning of the word ‘anoint’ is “to massage or rub.” The Hebrew word is masach. This is where we get the English word ‘massage.’
Is the book of James instruction to the church?
James 1:1 KJV:
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
The epistle of James was written by Jesus’ brother, who was not a believer in Jesus until after his resurrection. He became a pillar of the early church along with Peter and John (see Galatians 2:9). His ministry seemed to be to Judean Christians still actively following Mosaic law.
James was the first epistle to be written, so he and the rest of the church did not have the knowledge of the grace of God and who we are in Christ (Romans and Ephesians had not yet been written). The Gentiles had not yet come into the one body of Christ. So, James only knew the Old Testament and Jesus’ teachings.
Because the believers to whom James wrote were zealous for the law (Acts 21:20), they were unable to receive information about grace, even if God had given that revelation to James. James taught them what they could handle.
So, while we can learn a great deal in this section of the epistle of James about how prayer, forgiveness, and healing work, this section is not doctrine or instruction to the church as we know it from the Pauline epistles.
So, should individual saints today use essential oils? There are many scriptures showing how the Israelites and Jesus and his disciples used them and there are no scriptures telling us to stop using them.
Plague Doctors
In medieval times, barber surgeons were the doctors to the military and the lower classes. People only called on them when they were near death. A visit by one of these doctors was considered a bad omen. It meant death was near.
These doctors were considered ‘quacks’ by the upper classes and university-trained physicians. These ‘quack’ doctors used salves, herbs, and anointments to treat their patients.
The way these doctors dressed might have had something to do with why people were so afraid of them. They dressed in long, flowing black robes, gloves, and hats. They wore beak-shaped masks that covered their faces (similar to modern gas masks). They would fill these masks with herbs and spices.
These doctors were considered ‘quacks’ by the upper classes and university-trained physicians. These ‘quack’ doctors used salves, herbs, and anointments to treat their patients.
The way these doctors dressed might have had something to do with why people were so afraid of them. They dressed in long, flowing black robes, gloves, and hats. They wore beak-shaped masks that covered their faces (similar to modern gas masks). They would fill these masks with herbs and spices.
The purpose of the herbs and spices in the masks was to protect the doctor from breathing in the fumes of sickness from their patients. During this time, people believed in the miasma theory[i] of illness. This theory said that diseases such as cholera, chlamydia, or the Plague were caused by a miasma (from the ancient Greek word for ‘pollution’), a noxious form of ‘bad air’ also known as ‘night air.’
The theory said that the origin of epidemics was due to a miasma emanating from rotting organic matter. The theory was discredited by Paracelsus and was eventually given up by most scientists and physicians after 1880, replaced by the germ theory of disease.
When the Plague was raging in Europe, the plague doctors[ii] protected themselves from this contagious disease using herbs, spices, and essential oils. They had experiential knowledge of these substances, so they knew which ones to use to protect themselves.
The bacterium Yersinia pestis, which results in several forms of plague, is believed to have been the cause of the pandemic of the 14th and 15th centuries. Yet many plague doctors and grave robbers saved their own lives by using these aromatic substances. How do we account for this?
Galen of Pergamon (129 AD – c. 200/c. 216) was a Greek physician, surgeon, and philosopher in the Roman Empire. He made many contributions to medicine that were discredited when most people adopted the views of Paracelsus instead. In fact, Paracelsus held a public book burning of Galen’s works.
Paracelsus
Paracelsus (1493-1541) was a Swiss physician, alchemist, and astrologer of the German Renaissance. He was a pioneer in the medical revolution of the time and was compared to Martin Luther because of his open acts of defiance.
He is also credited with being the ‘father of toxicology,’ which is the study of the safety and biological effects of drugs, chemicals, agents, and other substances on living organisms. The purpose of toxicology is to develop methods to determine harmful effects, the dosages that cause those effects, and safe exposure limits. This is important to remember as we continue our discussion.
Paracelsus came from a family of medical professionals. He himself worked as a military (barber) surgeon. By 1527, he was a licensed physician teaching at the University of Basel in Basel, Switzerland.
Astrology was a very important part of Paracelsus’ medicine and he was a practicing astrologer, as were many of the university-trained physicians working in Europe at the time.
Paracelsus extended his interest in chemistry and biology to what is now considered toxicology. He clearly expounded the concept of dose response in his Third Defense, where he stated that “Solely the dose determines that a thing is not a poison.” (Sola dosis facit venenum, “Only the dose makes the poison.”) This was used to defend his use of inorganic substances in medicine since outsiders frequently criticized Paracelsus’ chemical agents as too toxic to be used as therapeutic agents.
The Miasma Theory
Galen believed the lungs draw pneuma (a Greek word translated in the New Testament most often as ‘spirit’) from the air, which the blood then communicates throughout the body. We get our word ‘pneumonia’ from this understanding of pneuma as ‘bad air.’
The miasma theory had many Judeo-Christian overtones. The Bible says that God breathed breath into Adam and he became a living soul. Jesus also breathed on the disciples and told them to receive the holy spirit after his resurrection. When someone dies, we say that they drew their last breath.
Job 33:4 KJV:
The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
Genesis 2:7 KJV:
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
John 20:22 KJV:
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
1 Kings 17:17 KJV:
And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him [he died].
The concept of breath was important back then, but most people don’t believe it now. But if miasma weren’t important, if the air we breathe can’t make us sick, we wouldn’t worry about air quality, would we? We wouldn’t have gas masks or respirators or oxygen tanks.
While we now know a lot about germs, bacteria, and viruses, we shouldn’t discount what we are breathing.
Today, almost everything is scented. Laundry detergent, shampoo, body lotions, even our dishwasher detergents have that ‘fresh citrus scent.’
The fragrances in these products are there to disguise the unpleasant odors of the chemicals (industrial waste) used to make these products.
The reason God gave us the senses of smell and taste (taste is really your nose on your tongue) is to protect us, to let us know that something is poisonous. If you smell sour milk or rotting meat, you wouldn’t eat it. If you smelled the chemicals in your cleaning and personal care products, you wouldn’t use them. So, the true smell must be masked with something fake. Something that will trick your protective senses of smell and taste into thinking it’s not poisonous.
Because the scientific and medical communities have told us that ‘bad air’ (miasma) isn’t a valid theory, we have learned to dismiss what we smell. Smell, aroma, has nothing to do with health, they say.
AROMAtherapy vs. AromaTHERAPY
Since we have been convinced that aroma has nothing to do with health, many people today think that essential oils are nothing but perfume, fragrance, a pleasant odor that will mask the bad odors in their homes. That is the ‘aroma’ part of aromatherapy. I am more interested in the ‘therapy’ part.
Drugs are chemical substances that are designed to temporarily stop a body process. (Again, the example, antihistamines block your histamine receptors, so you don’t sniffle or produce mucus when you have a cold or allergy. The natural process has been stopped.)
Blocking the process is great when you are in severe pain from an accident or injury. Once you stop taking the drug, the symptoms return if your body hasn’t performed its duty to heal itself. (Remember the definition of ‘cure.’)
Because these chemical substances are poisonous, they have nasty side effects. Whether or not you suffer from the side effects depends on the dose and your body’s ability to fight off the poison. (“Solely the dose determines that a thing is not a poison.“) So, yes, you can have temporary relief.
Drugs are chemicals that your body doesn’t recognize, and they will weaken your body. The FDA requires that drug manufacturers list all the various ways they will do so.
I’ll say it again: drugs weaken your body. So, what do you think will happen when you take them long term?
Saying that essential oils stop a natural body process like drugs do isn’t true, so the FDA doesn’t like it when people say they do. The FDA says I am legally allowed to say that essential oils can be used to support/enhance a natural body function. In other words, they help the body become stronger and function better.
What’s the reason we don’t say that essential oils can cure anything? Again, remember the definition of ‘cure.’ Drugs cure, that is, they relieve symptoms; essential oils support, enhance, and make stronger.
Because we have been trained from birth by the medical community to take a drug whenever we have a symptom, it has become subconscious for most of us. Many people try to transfer that process to essential oils: experience a symptom, use this essential oil.
I want to teach you how to use essential oils to support your body and emotions, not become a substitute for drugs.
Support Your Body
The concept of using essential oils to support your body and your emotions is unfamiliar to many, but not to the pharmaceutical industry. They know essential oils work. Essential oils were used during World War I to treat injured soldiers.[iii]
Have you noticed that essential oils seem to be everywhere these days? Just about every big box store sells cheap, adulterated essential oils. These are essential oils that have been mixed with chemicals like alcohol and petroleum. The biggest hint that an oil is adulterated is if it is labeled “Not for Internal Use.”
The use of these fake essential oils will not provide the therapeutic benefits I am speaking of. They will keep people in the system of sickness, which is what the pharmaceutical industry wants. Drug companies are not in business to help people, they are in business to make money. More sick people means more money. Healthy people means less money for them.
Can you guess why chronic illness in this country is on the rise?
How Essential Oils Support Your Body
Your cells/tissues/organs, the earth itself, your desk, your phone, your computer, the food you eat, the clothes you wear, your emotions, essential oils, yes, everything has a frequency, which is defined as “the rate at which a vibration occurs that constitutes a wave, either in a material (as in sound waves), or in an electromagnetic field (as in radio waves and light), usually measured per second.” Frequency is energy, light, and life, which is also a great description of God. Some people refer to frequency as “chi” or “life force.”
A substance with a higher frequency can raise a lower frequency due to the principle of resonance[iv] – the tendency for two oscillating bodies to lock into phase so that they vibrate in harmony. This principle is key to understanding the effect essential oils can have on our personal electromagnetic frequency.
Because each body system and organ has its own frequency, and each essential oil has its own frequency, each essential oil has an affinity for certain systems/organs. By applying an essential oil with a particular frequency to the human body – through the principle of resonance – the oil’s higher frequency will raise the vibratory quality of that individual. Essential oils in the higher frequency ranges tend to influence the emotions.
Got Emotions?
Many times, the emotions we feel are the result of patterns that have developed throughout our lives. Sometimes they come from memories from an ancestor that were passed down to us genetically.
We all have different genetic dispositions, and through the science of epigenetics, we are learning how these genes can be switched on and off through environmental triggers. Many times, we don’t consciously know why we feel the way we do, and that is an emotional pattern at work. It’s like the emotion has worn a groove in your brain, so it settles into that specific track without much prompting.
Let’s admit right now that each of us has emotions, good and not so good, and these emotions can drastically affect the quality of our lives.
We all love the good emotions – love, joy, peace, compassion, humility, anticipation, gratitude, awe, empathy, happiness, wonder, etc. – but oh, those negative ones – disgust, anger, frustration, hate, fear, shame, guilt, distrust, grief, envy, rage, worry – those are the ones that tie us up in knots.
Proverbs 14:13 TPT:
Superficial laughter can hide a heavy heart, but when the laughter ends, the pain resurfaces.
This scripture is a good reminder that our coping mechanisms only mask emotional pain but never heal it. I want to introduce you to a technique that will get to the root of unwanted emotions and allow you to release them permanently.
Aroma Freedom Technique
Aroma Freedom Technique (AFT) was developed by Dr. Benjamin Perkus,[v] a clinical psychologist who discovered that, because scent acts as a signal that automatically triggers responses in the brain, the scent of essential oils can be used intentionally to cause emotional changes.
Smell can trigger memories. We’ve all experienced this. Whenever I smell coffee and bacon together, I am instantly transported in my mind back to my Mimi’s kitchen. It’s this feature of instant and irresistible triggering of memories and their associated feelings that makes the AFT process so effective.
I’ve been using AFT to successfully deprogram negative emotions. It’s simple, quick, and efficient. You can do it in your own home all by yourself or you can get someone to guide you. If you’re interested in learning more about this process, you can buy Dr. Perkus’ book at https://aromafreedom.com.
Zyto Balance Biomarker Report
I was tired of guessing which essential oils I needed. I wanted to know how to use my oils more effectively. I was taking a shotgun approach to my wellness based on my symptoms. But I knew that’s not the best way to use essential oils.
Essential oils are designed to support, maintain, and protect our health on the physical, mental, emotional, and yes – even spiritual level. They are designed to support our body systems.
So, I needed a way to ask my body what it needs. I found a scanning system that provides a comprehensive personalized wellness report that goes into specific detail of what physical and emotional stress the body is currently experiencing and an explanation of why specific essential oils can help.
The Zyto Balance Biomarker Report gives a 20-page report that goes over your body systems in detail, as well as a report that details which vertebrae in your spine are attached to any underlying bodily stressors. It’s a great reference if you receive chiropractic care.
From the report, you are able to identify the specific Young Living supplements and essential oils your body is craving, as well as identify areas in which your body needs additional support.
If you’re ready to get real results with essential oils and would like to schedule a ZYTO scan, please contact me at Carol@3Jn2Wellness.com.
Important Considerations When Purchasing Essential Oils
I’ve mentioned the dangers of the adulterated essential oils currently being sold everywhere. Avoiding these fake oils is essential if you want to receive therapeutic benefits.
Be sure to follow all label warnings and instructions. You cannot find therapeutic grade essential oils in stores or on websites like Amazon. You must go to the producer or their representative.
Always dilute your essential oils with a vegetable oil – such as V-6, fractionated coconut oil, or pure virgin olive oil. If redness or irritation occurs when using essential oils topically, apply more vegetable oil to the affected area. Water will not help.
Essential oils can be used aromatically (by smelling or diffusing), topically on the skin, or internally (in food or supplements).
If it’s cheap (low cost), it’s probably cheap (adulterated). Know your supplier.
Quality is key, not quantity. Quality essential oils are very potent, far more potent than dried herbs.
Essential oils are very powerful, so start slowly and listen to God’s guidance for you.
Can Essential Oils be Used on Children?
Many essential oils are appropriate for use with children, and they should always be diluted prior to use. Some Young Living products are pre-diluted with a carrier oil as indicated on the product label and are intended for direct application to children. Children generally respond well to essential oils; always use a carrier oil.
Can Essential Oils be Used During Pregnancy or While Nursing?
Prior to use of essential oils, you should seek the advice and recommendation of a competent, trained health care advisor who is experienced in essential oil usage. Generally speaking, avoid overuse/excessive use of Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea), Sage (Salvia officinalis), Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), and Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens), as well as the blends and supplements that contain these oils.
Essential oils are not a silver bullet, but rather a doorway to a whole new way of being. Essential oils don’t cure disease. Learning to use essential oils is about lifestyle, a paradigm shift, about strengthening the body through the power of essential oils. When we do this, the body will take care of itself (God designed the body to heal itself).
Everyone is different and no two essential oils are the same; therefore, no two people respond to essential oils in the exact same way. By simply supporting and strengthening the body with a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition, everyone can have his or her own individual experience without trying to narrow it down to a specific product for a specific problem.
If you have any questions about essential oils, feel free to contact me at Carol@3Jn2Wellness.com.
Proverbs 21:20 KJV:
There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise.
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[i] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miasma_theory
[ii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plague_doctor
[iii] http://essentialoilsacademy.com/history/
[iv] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resonance
[v] https://aroma-freedom.myshopify.com/pages/about-us
[i] https://www.curezone.org/forums/fm.asp?i=839144
[ii] Stewart, David, Healing Oils of the Bible, p. 141ff.