The first section in this book focuses on general information about essential oils, their uses, history, and how they are made. There is also information on other self-care practices that can lower stress and soothe anxiety to be done in conjunction with aromatherapy and essential oils. These include meditation, massage, reflexology, and setting up a calm space with pillows, candles, and soft music.
Then there is a section with more details about the 10 most common essential oils used in this book. This gives more specific information about the benefits of each oil, the applications and uses, and precautions for allergies or skin sensitivities. The oils include Bergamot, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Coriander, Frankincense, Geranium, Grapefruit, Lavender, Sweet Marjoram, and Neroli.
The next sections give recipes for aromatherapy blends, bath salts, body scrubs, linen sprays, face masks, perfumes, hair conditioners, massage oil, and even a sewing craft for a lavender eye pillow. Each recipe comes with a helpful hint or tip that gives some good ideas for substitutions if you don't have all the ingredients. There are many self-care rituals to practice for the most soothing experience. There are instructions for breathing meditations, and even a yoga mat spray for enhancing your yoga practice. There is a meditation for bedtime and another for walking, and journal prompts to help reduce stress.
There is an entire chapter devoted to self-massage, with massage oils for upset stomach, headache, and back tension, and many others. There are recipes for aromas to calm your nerves, help you focus, calm nightmares in children, lower blood pressure, release angry feelings, and get rid of nausea.
I am so impressed with how knowledgeable and reliable this author is. Just reading through the book made me feel calm, and each recipe and meditation sounds so lovely and soothing. The book design is graceful with soft pastel colors and pretty drawings of the flowers and plants of the essential oils.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review.
This is a stream-of-consciousness list of random things that we can be happy about.
Some of the things listed are wonderful little everyday things or special once-in-a-lifetime things. Some of them really touched my heart, and made me think, "Yes! I should be grateful and happy about that little thing." Other things made me think, "Huh? Why would anyone be happy about that?" Things I liked in the list: "a party with a pinata"
"a baby in a floppy white hat"
"figuring out port and starboard"
"baby corncobs"
"being able to say, I made it myself"
"sun burning off the morning fog"
"people who just by their presence warm your heart"
"having your hair braided"
"white Christmas lights"
Things I didn't like in the list:
"handling money" (Gross! Cash has so many germs on it, you might as well be touching a toilet.)
"sipping a Coke" (You might as well pour poison into your body with a tablespoon of sugar.)
"the brake pedal you wish existed on the passenger side of the car when you're riding with a lunatic" (This just gives me anxiety.)
"Sunday morning at Home Depot" (Why aren't you in church on Sunday morning? If you don't attend church, why aren't you at home sleeping in and relaxing?)
"PTA potluck dinners" (Social anxiety central, and food that people cooked in their questionably clean kitchens. For all you know, they sneezed on that macaroni casserole.)
"foot powder" (I just... I don't know.)
"bus terminals" (They always smell like urine. Why is this on the list?) It's a mixture, I guess. Good things, weird things, things you never noticed before, things that don't apply to you, things that resound with a perfect YES in your life, things that are dumb, things that are so clever and witty.
This isn't really a book you sit down and read. It's a book you flip through and scan a page, find a thing that resonates with you today, and maybe say a little prayer of thanks to God that these happy little things are in our lives, beautifying and blessing our existence every day.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. #bookstagram #books #reading
