Essential oils have been around for millennia. Humankind’s affinity with the natural world means that these oils – distilled from plants – can have a powerful effect on our wellbeing; physical, emotional and spiritual says Lucy Corkhill
A human’s olfactory system, consisting of 50 million smell receptors, is connected to the brain’s limbic system. That’s why smell is one of the most potent memory triggers, as the limbic system is responsible for our memory, emotions and arousal.
An individual oil for your child
Finding a personal oil for each child is a way of celebrating their uniqueness. Everybody has scents that work on a deeper level and discovering them can be fun. Offer your child a range of different essential oils to choose from and allow them to sniff each in turn, pausing between each oil. Hold the bottle away from your child’s face – you don’t need to have the oil directly under your nose to pick up the scent. Once your child has found their favourite oil, use it to create a sense of ambience around the home. Put a few drops in an oil burner in their bedroom (out of reach of little hands). Perhaps you’ll find that the oils you have chosen blend well together: this blend can become your ‘family oil’ for use during happy and fun times to help commit them to memory.
