(Episode 77) Depressed? Essential Oils to Help You Navigate Sadness & Depression (Part 1) and (Episode 78) Depressed? Healing Chronic Depression with Essential Oils (Part 2)

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What was your key takeaway from either or both of these episodes? Let us know in the comments below!

Episode 77 Preview

Click here to download a transcript of episode 77.

Globally this is a time of great sadness, anger, and confusion. This level of suffering that is taking place in the world currently is so strong, that as a part of humanity, we are all going to suffer to varying degrees.

When the outer world is in chaos, it’s essential that we cultivate our inner world more deeply. We can create change in the external world by simply changing our individual consciousness. 

In this episode, you’ll learn how to navigate difficult emotions through the use of essential oils.

By using your great privilege and awareness to do inner work, cultivation, learning and self-healing, you can make great contributions to the global healing.

To move through the emotions of grief and sadness, we have to regulate the Qi (energy) of both the Lungs and Liver, as well as the Spleen and Stomach, according to Chinese Medicine. In this episode, you’ll learn why this is important as well as how to do this through the use of essential oils.

You’ll learn all about three specific essential oils — Bergamot, Patchouli, and Cumin — that can help relax your central nervous system to reduce anxiety and depression, and improve sleep and digestion. 

And as you regulate your Qi from the inside to find your light, you can illuminate the darkness in the world.

Resources Mentioned in Episodes 77 & 78

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Episode 78 Preview

Click here to download a transcript of episode 78

When you're feeling down, know that there's always a solution to bring you back. There's a lot to learn from these emotional states, but it's also important to have tools to navigate these emotions to learn from these experiences and to create a ripple effect to heal the collective.

Regulating the Liver is essential to reduce depression, as well as fortifying the Spleen and Stomach.

In this episode, we’re going to focus on invigorating the blood. The blood in Chinese Medicine is said to store the emotions, the trauma, the memories.

Invigorating the blood can help liberate you from depression.

We’ll discuss three oils to help invigorate the blood and alleviate depression: Litsea (which can also relieve anxiety), Frankincense (which is known as a wound healer, physically and emotionally) and Sandalwood (which is also an important oil to relax your nervous system).

Just by smelling the essential oils, you’ll notice a shift in your mood.

At [7:15] Dr. Setareh Moafi will guide you through a gentle breathing exercise that’ll help you understand the important relationship between the Lungs and the Liver. This will also help you understand the power of essential oils that we discuss in both episodes 77 and 78 to relax the Liver and allow you to breathe more deeply.

It’s no wonder that breathing is such an essential part of meditation and relaxation. 

At [10:00] Salvador describes an easy acupuncture point that opens the diaphragm and can be used to apply these essential oils to relieve nausea, aid digestion, breathe more deeply and relax your chest for anxiety.

At [11:02] Salvador shares a formula of essential oils you can use to create a bath to help you sleep, reduce anxiety and calm your nervous system at the end of a stressful day.

You’ll also learn how to use the essential oils as a tool to address more chronic depression at [14:24].

At [16:57] you’ll learn the risks of taking a lot of supplements, as well as why it’s so important to limit the amount of information, food and stimulation you take in to prevent and reduce depression.

At [18:15] you’ll learn how coffee and dark chocolate may not be as beneficial as you might think when you’re dealing with anxiety and depression.

The essential oils can be powerful to liberate you from chronic sadness and depression. The work you do on an individual level will enhance the collective and make you more available for what the world is needing right now.

What was your key takeaway from either or both of these episodes? Let us know in the comments below!

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(Episode 76) Moving Through Grief: 3 Essential Oils to Help You Let Go

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Essential oils are allies from nature that defend us from the external world as well as from our internal battles.

Today we’re exploring essential oils in relation to the Metal Element. You’ll learn how imbalances in personality and emotional state can be harmonized using essential oils.

Essential Oils for the Metal Element

Essential oils can help us when we feel weak and vulnerable to the elements, including bacteria, viruses, wind and cold. They can also help us with social factors when feeling uncomfortable in a social situation. 

These oils can help us support the functions of the Lungs and Large Intestine, the organs related to the Metal Element, which relates to our immunity.

Many of them help when you’re having difficulty with inspiration in terms of your breathing but also they help with feeling a lack of creativity; when you feel despondent so you can feel more inspired.

Grief could come from a loss of any kind – work, friend, partner, etc. 

Essential oils are allies that fortify your soul. Each of the Five Element organ systems have a specific soul expression. The soul of the Lungs is called Po. 

Three primary souls inhabit the body – Liver stores Hun, Shen holds onto your experiences and direct experiences with Spirit, and Po is the Corporeal Body which is the most dense aspect of your soul that helps you feel grounded and embodied.

Essential oils related to the Metal Element will help you feel more grounded and more whole within yourself. This is associated with Wei Qi, which is produced by the Lungs via the Spleen and Stomach, and circulates on the exterior to help us defend against external factors as well as social factors that may make us feel vulnerable.

The Lungs, Grief & Self-Definition

One of the virtues of the Lungs is this idea of inspiration. Inspiration can relate to inhalation, taking a deep breath, but it can also relate to motivation and the inspiration to create and be alive.

The first breath you take separates you from your mother and gives you a distinct self-definition. Your final breath takes you out of your body and into the next world.

When the Lungs are weak or stagnant, we start to feel sadness, grief and especially apathy, which is the opposite of inspiration. One thing that’s important to do is strengthen and boost Qi of the Lungs and also clear the stagnation that comes from phlegm in the Lungs that makes us feel more stuck in our lives. (You can learn more about the relationship between the Lungs and grief in this article).

During Autumn, it’s important to moisten the Lungs (we talked about this in episode 74) to combat the dryness that’s common during this time.

On a psychological level, as you nourish Lung Yin, you’re also nourishing your sense of self so it helps you feel more grounded within yourself. The Po of the Lungs is this dense energy that helps you feel more grounded and whole within yourself and more present in the moment.

The stronger your Lungs, the stronger your sense of identity and your sense of embodiment.

Essential Oils & The Final Transition: Death

At [10:00] Salvador describes the recent loss of his father and how he worked with essential oils during the last five days of his life to let go of the Po and fully transition. Salvador describes in detail the beautiful final days and moments of his father’s journey.

3 Essential Oils to Help You Cope with Grief

  1. Pine

    Pine essential oil is a warming, drying and spicy mucolytic essential oil that’s commonly used by Native Americans. Pine essential oil helps to strengthen your Qi and is one of the most powerful oils to clear Cold Phlegm (as discussed in Episode 75).

    Psychologically, Pine essential oil invigorates the Po by opening the chest, helping you feel less oppressed and giving you self-confidence.

    Pine reduces melancholy, pessimism, shame and blame by improving self-image. It’s also an excellent oil to use when you’re feeling stuck.

    Pine essential oil is also a great oil to help you when you’re feeling burdened with guilt and to help you let go, which is the greatest virtue of the Lungs. 

  2. Clary Sage

    Clary Sage essential oil is an uplifting floral oil that’s often used for hormonal balance. Clary Sage essential oil is warming, dry, boosts Qi and also circulates Qi.

    It helps when you feel wired and tired, is uplifting and helps you feel more inspired. It’s also an essential oil that helps with sadness and grief and to support the Po. 

  3. Cypress

    Cypress essential oil is perhaps the most important oil to use when you’re dealing with grief and loss. The Greeks planted cypress trees in graveyards to help the deceased souls in times of grief.

    Cypress is astringent, so it’s commonly used when there’s leakage of Qi such as excessive sweating or urination. Cypress is antispasmodic and mucolytic.

    It’s an especiialy important essential oil when someone is suffering from grief and when stuck in grief.

Remember that sadness and grief can weaken the Lungs over time, so during times of transition it’s especially important to support the Lungs with essential oils and time in nature to avoid compromising the Lungs.

Essential oils can provide support for your immune system, your mood, as well as to help you move through times when you feel stuck.

As Dr. Setareh states: “Nature is always there to support you.”

What did you think of this episode? Did you find these essential oils helpful during this challenging time?

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Download the Microcosmic & Macrocosmic Orbit Meditations at ⁠⁠acenterfornaturalhealing.com/shop⁠⁠.

Strengthen your immune system, restore your gut health, and improve joint mobility and circulation with our unique line of expertly formulated probiotics, digestive enzymes and proteolytic enzymes at www.aharabotanics.com. Use promo code HEALTHY10 for 10% off your first order!

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(Episode 75) Essential Oils for the Cold and Flu Season

Share your thoughts in the comments below after you’ve listened to the episode. We’d love to hear from you!

In the last episode (episode 74) we discussed how important it is to keep your Lung Qi strong, especially during Fall as well as ways to boost your immune system through lifestyle and dietary changes.

In this episode you’ll learn how to use essential oils to fortify the Lungs to keep the immune system strong for Fall and year-round, as well as how to use essential oils to support your emotional well-being.

In episode 38 we discussed five of the most powerful essential oils to boost your immune system. Some of the information we discuss in this episode will be a review of that earlier episode, but we’ll focus on strengthening the Lungs to make the Fall transition a little bit easier.

These essential oils will help you clear the Lungs, break up phlegm, and help you get rid of a cough. You can use these essential oils as a powerful protector as well as powerful treatment.

In Chinese Medicine, Wind Cold is an early stage of a cold. You may have a stuffy nose and thinner mucus. If you start to feel a postnasal drip, this is an early sign that you should use essential oils to treat the cold before it gets too serious. Cold phlegm can turn into a hot phlegm, developing into a bad respiratory condition with yellow mucus.

These essential oils, like all essential oils, are more than just helpful to the immune system, however, they are a multifaceted approach to holistic healing. You can use them to treat the physical and the emotional ailments we all face. Essential oils go directly to the brain, to the limbic system, or your emotional brain.

An imbalance in the lungs can be related to grief or sadness which can cause us to feel really stuck in our lives. You can use these types of oils to help you break these emotional patterns where you feel you are trapped. Oils help to instigate this change in a therapeutic way. It’s a good idea to keep these essential oils in your medicine cabinet at all times of the year.

The safest way to administer the essential oils is with an essential oils diffuser.

Essential Oil #1: Eucalyptus Radiata

Eucalyptus Radiata is a primary ENT oil (ears, nose, and throat). You can use this oil for both viral and bacterial conditions. It also works well for both hot and cold phlegm. You can use this oil alone or in combination with Essential Oil #2.

Essential Oil #2: Eucalyptus Citriodora

Eucalyptus Citriodora is great for wind-heat conditions, whether you have allergies, inflamed sinuses, or you are sneezing in general.

Essential Oil #3: Bay Laurel

Bay Laurel is also great to cook with; you can drop a leaf into what you’re cooking up and it will help your immune system. As an essential oil, you can use this to break-up phlegm. It will help open your sinuses.

Essential Oil #4: Sweet Marjoram

Sweet Marjoram treats hot phlegm, asthma, or wheezing. This is a relaxant and therefore it does wonders for sore or stiff muscles. This is a great oil to use in your bath. You can also use it to help ease headaches, to cool the Liver, to reduce fire in the body or to help relieve stress and hypertension. This oil is Liver Lung compatible and will help relax the diaphragm which will deepen your breath.

Essential Oil #5: Thyme Linalool

Of the different kinds of Thyme essential oils, Linalool is very gentle. You can use this oil for a cooling and relaxing effect. It is drying so you can use it to break down mucus in the body. You can also use this oil for both Wind Cold and Wind Heat. This is a great oil to use when you notice an infection start to penetrate the throat; you may have a sore throat, sinuses inflamed, or a headache.

These five essential oils can help you ease into the Fall season by protecting and helping you heal from cold or flu symptoms.

Once you’ve listened, let us know which of the oils you’d like to try in the comments below!

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Strengthen your immune system, restore your gut health, and improve joint mobility and circulation with our unique line of expertly formulated probiotics, digestive enzymes and proteolytic enzymes at www.aharabotanics.com. Use promo code HEALTHY10 for 10% off your first order!

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(Episode 57) Mood-Boosting Foods, Practices & Essential Oils to Help When You're Feeling Down

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In this episode, we’ll be continuing the discussion of depression and how it ties into the seasons and our diet. In our last episode, (Episode 56) we discussed how a vegetarian diet can exacerbate a depressed state in the context of seasonal changes and the Five Elements in accordance with Classical Chinese Medicine. In this episode, you’ll learn how to protect and strengthen the Kidneys to improve your metabolism and reduce depression.

Preventing Symptoms of Depression by Strengthening Your Yang Qi

A diet that includes many foods that are cold in nature can suppress the body’s Yang Qi.

Yang Qi is the root of Wei Qi which can help give you a sense of stimulation in life, enhancing qualities of motivation and courage. Suppression of the Yang Qi can lead to listlessness, lack of energy and motivation, and ultimately, you can feel depressed.

Today we’re going to discuss the ways you can fortify your Yang Qi using your diet, as well as ways to improve your gut health overall, and how you can prevent some of the symptoms that come with the feeling of depression.

The Source of Yang Qi Must be Protected During the Winter

In accordance with the seasons in the Lunar Solar Calendar that we discussed in the last episode, Winter is upon us; November 7th being the onset of winter according to that calendar. During the winter, it’s imperative to protect your Kidneys as they are the foundation for all the Qi of your body and the source of Yang Qi to warm up metabolism.

The Kidneys relate to your reproductive system, adrenal glands, and hormones (including stress hormones). It’s important to be aware of your Kidney Qi and whether it might need some nurturing.

A way to check if your Kidney Qi needs a boost, especially during the onset of the cold season, is to notice if your feet are feeling especially cold. Cold hands is also an indicator, but having cold hands can be more of a reflection of poor circulation and related to the Heart and Spleen Qi.

Another way to do a self-evaluation is to notice if your lower back feels particularly stiff or if your lower back or butt feels cold. This can indicate that your Kidneys may be feeling tired – the area is tightening and circulation is decreasing as your body tries to bring energy to that area.

Cold and stiff knees are another indication that your Kidney Qi can use a boost.

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, this is a sign for you to take it easy and slow down…

Fortifying Your Kidney Qi

A great way to protect your Kidneys is to keep your lower back and lower belly warm with a hot pack, this helps to penetrate the Qi into your Kidneys. We would recommend using microwavable heat packs or hot water bottles rather than electrical heat pads.

You can also protect the lower back and butt area from being exposed to the cold by wearing a wrap around your waist to protect your Kidney’s Qi. You’ll notice a big difference in your energy.

In Yogic Tradition, there is a practice of pulling in the Mula Banda - The Root Block or the perineum, which is the area between the anus and genitalia – when that area is collapsing (which it frequently is) it creates a leakage of Qi, a leakage of your energy. Pay attention to how you hold the energy around the Sacrum, the Lumbar, and how you hold your body and your posture in the lower region. You’ll notice that if you hold your energy in more frequently throughout the day you’ll feel more energized at the end of the day.

Preventing the Taxation of the Kidney Qi

There are various factors that can tax the Kidneys and cause them to weaken, so it’s essential to be aware of your body. A lot of taxation on our physical state can be prevented with our awareness of how we move through our lives.

One factor that can cause heavy taxation on the Kidneys is long bouts of standing. Consciously breathing, and following the Yin & Yang paths (Water and Fire paths) by drawing the energy down the back into the lumbar region, then exhaling up through the front of the torso can greatly lessen the taxation on your lower back and Kidneys while grounding your energy as it goes down the front of yours legs while you exhale.

Overextending or overworking yourself, especially working late into the night is exhausting to the Kidneys. Going to bed early and rising early is what helps regenerate the Kidneys (and all cells in general). It helps preserve your Yin.

The Yin is what holds the Yang. So if the Yin is depleted, as you sleep the Yang Qi floats out and you’re likely to wake up more easily throughout the night or you may find that you have a harder time falling asleep. That’s why its important to rejuvenate and recover your Yin – but it’s not a quick or easy thing to do. It takes time and lots of rest.

This is why taking time, 5 to 15 minutes, each day to sit quietly and go into a meditative state is incredibly helpful. You’re slowing down your brain wave frequency which in turn will slow down your kidneys and adrenals, allowing your body and mind to settle, rest and recover.

Improving Your Disposition Through Your Gut

Taking the time to settle your mind will not only help your kidneys, but also your digestive health and your digestive health is directly linked to your emotional health. This means your gut is related to depression.

Within the Five Elements, the Earth element is the mother of the Metal Element and the Earth Element is made up of the spleen and stomach organ systems.

The Metal Element is made up of the Lungs and Colon, the large intestine, as well as your Skin, which is the largest organ in your body.

If you’re having trouble with your gut health, this will affect your immune system since 70% of your Immunity is produced in your gut. This will also affect your ability to produce neurotransmitters like serotonin because 90% of your serotonin is produced in your gut.

If you’re feeling down, that could be rooted in poor gut health.

Studies have shown, when transferring the healthy microbiome (or gut flora) of adventurous energetic rats to unhealthy lethargic rats, the lethargic rats became healthy and full of energy.

The other way around was just as true.

When the microbiome of unhealthy depressed rats was transferred to the active healthy rats they became lethargic, afraid and depressed. The transfer of the microbiome had an immediate and complete shift in motivation in both groups of rats.

If you are having emotional issues, mood issues, health problems or insomnia, just improve your gut microbiome!

The Earth Element and it’s Relation to Your Emotional Health

In the Five Elements system, Earth is considered the Center. In your health Earth is also your Center. So if you take better care of your Earth your going to have a better capacity for self-care because “care” is part of the Earth Element.

You’re going to have better immunity because your Wei Qi is produced by Gu Qi is a kind of energy produced in your stomach. And just a reminder that Wei Qi is the energy that externally covers your body, protecting you from the outside world and then settles into your body to help you get deep sleep.

When considering the Earth Element, we also don’t want the Earth to be too soggy – same goes for your body. Too much dampness within your body caused by sugar, processed foods, lots of cold foods will affect your Qi.

6 Ways to Start Feeling better

Please remember that these suggestions are not tailored to you and your constitution, so please seek out professional guidance before making drastic changes. You’re welcome to schedule a Nutritional Consultation with Dr. Setareh if you’d like to work with her directly.

  1. Avoid damp producing foods such as cold foods, grains, nuts, fried foods and oils.

  2. Eating more cooked leafy green vegetables like spinach, chard, mustard greens, dandelion greens.

  3. Eat more root vegetables which help assist the spleen like sweet potatoes, parsnips, rutabaga, turnips and radish.

  4. Spices can also help with breaking up the dampness. Spices like coriander, cumin and turmeric, fennel, caraway. You can also get these spices as essentials oils (diluted).

  5. Essential oils to clear the dampness are Thyme and Oregano.

  6. Flora Clear, an Ahara Botanics supplement which is a unique blend of probiotics and enzymes to reset your gut.

Interested in receiving personalized diet & nutrition support from Dr. Setareh Moafi? Click here to schedule a virtual nutritional consultation with her.

And be sure to get on the waitlist for the Yin and Yang of Nutrition online course coming in 2023! You’ll learn how to self-diagnose through tongue diagnosis and all about the energetics of food so you know exactly what’s best for your body. 

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(Episode 39) Plant Parts Unknown: The Therapeutics of Essential Oils

Learn about the different parts of plants used to distill essential oils and their therapeutic benefits.

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(Episode 38) Five of the Best Essential Oils to Boost Immunity and Motivation

Five Evergreen Essential Oils to stimulate the immune system, improve circulation, and renew our motivation.

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(Episode 32) Two Surprisingly Simple Ways to Boost Your Immune System

by Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. & Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac.

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments which tip did you find most helpful?

Click here to watch the original video of this episode.

While Autumn is the most important time of year to support your Lungs, your Lung health is essential to support your immune system year round. Here are two less common tips to strengthen your Lungs and support your immune system during Autumn and beyond.

Tip #1: Hydrate

Autumn is the season of the Metal element, which relates to the Lungs, the Large Intestine (or colon) and skin. Your skin is your body’s largest detoxification organ (byway of sweating) and therefore your most important defense against external pathogenic factors, or anything in the environment that can compromise your immunity.

Your skin is also an extension of your Lungs and what Chinese Medicine refers to as Lung Yin. Lung Yin is comprised of substance and fluids so if your Lung Yin is dry, your skin will be dry too. 

Just as the skin detoxifies your body through sweating, the Large Intestine also supports detoxification through elimination of waste. 

The Lungs, Large Intestine and skin are associated with the Metal element and the Fall season and each requires proper hydration to work efficiently.

If your colon is dry, you may experience constipation with dry, hard stools and if your Lungs are too dry you may experience dry cough, lips and mouth as well as dry skin.

Simply drinking adequate amounts of water helps hydrate these organs, but it’s also important to eat hydrating foods such as soups (try Mung Bean & Turnip Soup) and stews as well as to steam and boil rather than fry or bake foods (which increase dryness) to support hydration even more. Congree is also a great hydrating food (recipe here).

Since most of the filtered water we drink nowadays is stripped of the minerals that help maintain proper fluid balance in the body, you may need to add some naturally processed salt to your drinking water to help your body retain fluids, especially if you notice your body feels and looks dry. 

If you’re concerned about salt because of high blood pressure, be sure to use naturally processed salt such as Himalayan pink salt or Celtic sea salt. Pink Himalayan salt is higher in potassium and lower in sodium than Celtic salt and may actually help lower blood pressure and reduce palpitations and heart arrhythmias. 

Managing proper hydration is the first step to keeping your immune system functioning optimally by supporting the production of your defensive Qi, known as Wei Qi. 

Wei Qi circulates along your skin’s surface at night to protect you from environmental factors that can challenge your immune system. At night, your Wei Qi withdraws internally to help your have a good night’s sleep.



Tip #2: Diffuse Immune Boosting Essential Oils

Essential oils provide potent support for immune and metabolic functions. They strengthen the Lung Qi to effectively combat fatigue, low immunity and asthma. 

Evergreen essential oils, including Pine, Black Spruce, Cypress and Balsam Fir, are important immune boosting oils. 

These oils can be used in an essential oil diffuser to strengthen your immune system and prevent colds and flus during the Fall season. 

If you have pets, be especially cautious with diffusing any essential oils, especially those like Pine which can be toxic to dogs.

If you tend to get sick during this season, you can consider using Eucalyptus oils to clear congestion in your lungs especially during the acute stage of an infection. 

Eucalyptus Radiata is a good all purpose ear, nose and throat oil and very good for viruses and can be combined with Eucalyptus Citriodora or Eucalyptus Globulus to combat infections. Diffusing essential oils, particularly those extracted from evergreens, can help strengthen your Lungs and clear your home and office to protect you from colds, flus and other viruses.


Summary

Hydrating your Lungs and supporting your body’s immune function is imperative during the Fall season to protect yourself from the plethora of colds and flus that tend to arise during this time of year. By incorporating essential oils and proper hydration, you’ll effectively support your health as we approach the colder Winter season.

*Here are some dietary tips to provide you with additional support for your Lungs & immune system.

Please note: These health tips are for educational purposes only. Please consult your medical professional for health advice specific for your individual needs.

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(Episode 5) Volcanoes & Stone Medicine for Transformation: Insights from the Big Island of Hawaii

by Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. & Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac.

Seeing the glow coming out of the center of the Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island was certainly the highlight of our recent trip to the Big Island of Hawaii.

As we sat listening to the waves crashing and the birds chirping outside of our condo, we were inspired to share the insights we gained from our time with the volcano and invite you to be a part of our experience.

Evening glow of the Kilauea Volcano just weeks after its December 21, 2020 eruption.

Evening glow of the Kilauea Volcano just weeks after its December 21, 2020 eruption.

In this episode, we discuss the Fire element of Chinese Medicine as it relates to the Kilauea Volcano and its recent activity as the ultimate expression of Fire in nature.

In Chinese Medicine, Fire as an element has a lot to do with transformation so it's no wonder that this lava forms at the core of the Earth and then comes to the surface to create transformation. It actually is able to create land.

Fire is not only the element that creates transformation, but it’s also the element that relates to unconditional love and to self love. The Heart is related to the Fire element and opening your heart is what allows you to experience these forms of love.

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The importance of that in terms of healing is that when you're able to experience unconditional love and when you're able to give that love to others, that means that you have you can experience miracles and even spontaneous healing.

In Chinese Medicine, vaporizing phlegm through the opening of your heart is what allows you to have this experience, but of course, that seems like a daunting task and quite challenging.

The Lungs support us to let go, which relates to our judgments — letting go judgments of ourselves, of others, of life circumstances, because otherwise the action of holding in the Lungs can oppress the heart from opening. So we need to let go so we can have a more neutral take on life, to have less attachments (Learn more about letting go and the virtue of the Lungs in this article).

As lava cools, it becomes volcanic glass known as Obsidian as well as Rhyolite which is a lesser known stone. Both of these stones are warming and have an active quality in the body and mind. The challenges of working with these volcanic stones is that they can initiate a healing crisis because they can reach deep into your core and pull out your shadows.

As they move this powerful Yang Qi in our body, they can dredge up the shadow qualities that lie deep within, similar to the way the volcano pulls things to the surface from the core of the earth.

Lava and these stones can pull out of our subconscious or unconscious that we don't want to really look at. And they come to the surface that could be quite disruptive and could initiate a healing crisis emotionally.

Volcanoes are the core of the earth erupting and this core metaphorically can relate to the Kidneys, or essence known as Jing; the life purpose or curriculum you hold within your Jing. Your purpose is expressed through the Fire element. The volcano erupts through Fire, through lava. And it's a really beautiful metaphor for how we are in life as well.

However, the Kidneys also store our fears, especially those that are unconscious. So these volcanic stones can really move a lot of our fears, so we have to take a look at those things that really maybe keep us stuck in life from living out those dreams and our higher purpose.

A lot of us might not even know what our purpose is because there's so much trauma that's stored in that same area in the Kidneys that inhibits us from really knowing what it is that we're meant to do in this lifetime.

Coming to places like this or having experiences with natural elements like volcanoes helps us to process a lot of those fears and traumas.

A lot of what happens in the world can ignite fears in our individual lives. Stone medicine can quell these fears and anxiety so you can be more present.

Obsidian and the volcanic stones can really stir things up, so it would be better to use more cooling stones like Mangano Calcite along with a quartz. You can use Amthethyst which is a quartz so it enhances but it’s also a Lithium stone so it calms the nerves along with Rhodochrosite and Mangano Calcite. Amethyst also helps with sleep.

(Episode 4) Spice Up Your Life: Using Culinary Spices & Essential Oils to Increase Your Zest for Life

Once you’ve listened to the episode, share your experience or questions in the comments below!

by Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. & Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac.

Spices are a part of all our lives because we consume various ones in our diet.

Culinary spices have many health benefits. The use of culinary spices help increase your appetite for food, but metaphorically they help increase your appetite - or zest - for life.

One way we can extract their therapeutic value is in the form of Essential Oils. Besides cooking with spices, you can also use essential oils made of seeds and leaves that are used as culinary spices for mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.

In this episode, we discuss some of the special reasons why adding more spice is important to improve your mood and life.

There are two important categories of spices in essential oils - seeds and leaves. Seeds target the Spleen Qi and digestive system in general whereas leaves support the respiratory system and Lung Qi.

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Seed Essential Oils

Seed oils include Coriander (cilantro seed), Cumin, Cardamom, and Caraway. In general, seed oils regulate Qi to reduce bloating, gas and abdominal pain, as well as to normalize bowel movements.

Seeds are the part of the plant that germinate to create the life of a new plant. In this way, seeds resonate with our body’s own germination or what we know of as the reproductive system. The reproductive system correlates with the Kidneys in Chinese Medicine, so seeds have a strong impact on supporting reproductive health.

The Kidney organ in Chinese Medicine not only relates to the reproductive organs such as the ovaries of a woman and the gonads of a man, but also the endocrine system in general which produces hormones to regulate many metabolic functions of the body. 

The Kidney’s energy therefore relates to the adrenal glands which produce stress and sexual hormones, all the way up to the Master endocrine gland in the brain, called the Pituitary gland.

In fact, the brain is the seat of the Kidney’s Essence, called Jing so seeds have a powerful impact on brain health and function.


Leaf Essential Oils

In addition, there are culinary herbs and spices derived from leaves. According to Chinese Medicine, leaves help spread the Qi, especially of the Lungs and Heart.

Spreading the Qi helps the Lung’s let go of trapped emotions held in the chest and also to release trapped pathology such as bacteria and viruses that cause respiratory related illnesses.

Leaf oils including Thyme, Oregano, Lemongrass, and Rosemary to support respiration.

Many of these oils are mucolytic to help break up congestion in the lungs and sinuses. Thyme has been proven to be antiviral and antibacterial and, depending on the variety used, can also help eradicate candida albicans. Oregano is antimicrobial and kills parasites and yeast. Rosemary, like Eucalyptus, is antiviral so it can effectively help treat colds and flus.

You can learn more about some of the best essential oils to support immunity in this article.

A unique leaf oil that we love to drink as a tea at home is Lemon Verbena. Lemon Verbena helps diffuse Lung Qi to help with bronchial issues, but it also helps cool the heart to help reduce anxiety and depression and improve sleep.


Summary

Seeds, generally speaking, help to gather and consolidate energy and support bringing energy into the body’s center for digestive support.

Leaves on the other hand, in addition to stimulating digestive function, help to invigorate the movement of blood and fluids throughout the body to support systemic circulation of the blood and lymphatics.

Most of the spices induce a warming quality on the body, so they have an invigorating and stimulating effect on the digestion, the mind, and the circulation.

A few spices such as Lemon Verbena, Peppermint, Sage and Sweet Marjoram have a cooling effect and therefore can support relaxing and calming a hyped up nervous system for people suffering from irritability, anxiety and general nervousness.

The use of culinary spices and essential oils is an easy way to improve your digestion and lift your mood. Spices help warm your Kidney Yang, which is especially important during the Winter months, but is also essential to keep your core energy and Essence, known as Jing, strong.

Since the Earth element is related to nourishment and made up of the primary organs of digestion - the Spleen and Stomach - it’s no wonder that cooking in general and especially with the use of culinary spices can enhance your Earth energy by improving your appetite and sense of nourishment.

The feeling of depression is often associated with a depressed Lung Qi. In other words, when the Lung energy cannot diffuse, you’re likely to feel more sad and depressed. Leaf oils such as Thyme, Rosemary and Lemon Verbena can help to lift your mood and therefore help to alleviate some of the symptoms associated with depression. (You can read more about using essential oils with symptoms related to depression here).

Be sure to add some spice to your diet - especially in the morning - to spice up your day, and life!


How to use spices & essentials to lift your mood at home:

  1. Drink Lemon Verbena tea - Lemon Verbena is cooling and therefore helps with anxiety depression and insomnia. You can purchase the dried leaves or grow a plant in your patio or garden and either steep the fresh or dried leaves in hot water to drink as a tea.

  2. Add some spice to your breakfast - adding a dash of Cardamom or Cinnamon to a breakfast of warm grains such as oatmeal, buckwheat, millet, and amaranth can help improve your circulation, warm your belly and lift your mood.

  3. Smell or diffuse essential oils - Clove or Peppermint or great pick-me-ups that make great personal companions to lift your energy and mood, or simply diffuse to cleanse the air in your home. (Just be careful if you have pets around as some essential oils can be toxic to them at high doses)

Let us know in the comments - which spices do you do you use in your cooking and which ones would you love to try?