FRANKINCENSE & EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
Welp… you guys KNEW this was coming somewhere in here! And, as Christmas is right around the corner… this post now took on a special meaning for me.
As humans we are physical, emotional, and spiritual beings with cognitive abilities. And guess what!!! ALL OF THIS happens in the context of a physical body, designed to work together for our survival. Have you thought about that? When you experience a thought and a resulting emotion running through your body…this sensation is actually physical neurotransmitters, adrenaline, hormones, etc. All of these play a role in our experience that we call “a feeling.”
Let’s go back to this part…Our SURVIVAL. Memories, emotions… are all programmed into our bodies and to keep us SAFE.
How does this “work?”
Our limbic system is made up of structures in our central brain, two of which are the amygdala and the hippocampus. We can think of the amygdala as a specialized structure that receives input and plays a central role in the processing of emotions…especially STRONG emotions (think fight or flight response). The hippocampus is responsible for memory formation, at least in part.
Doesn’t it make perfect sense that the amygdala, responsible for receiving input from our environment, and the hippocampus (memory), work together every single day of our lives to evoke responses to our lives, mostly without us even realizing this is happening?
Memory (past experiences) + current input = our response
Let that sink in for a minute.
The things that happen to us in our lives that are stored as memories… these are how we interpret our world as we experience it every single day. One of my favorite statements: “We don’t see the world as it is, we see the world as WE ARE”
In light of everything I’ve gone through that has been difficult, this statement (which I believe is 100% true) has given me so much hope. It’s given me hope because as I have changed… my experience of the humans and world around me has changed. Namely… more understanding, more grace, more realizations of everything they have gone through that have created THEIR response to their world.
Our internal worlds are complex…may we interact with one another with kindness and grace this Holiday season.
Ok… so where does Frankincense come in? 2 ways!!! Read below
This process is complex…our body receives input in many ways (touch, taste, sight, hearing, and SMELL). Of these inputs…SMELL is the one that has a direct and immediate route to our amygdala. Frankincense is an oil of TRUTH. Traded for over 6,000 years for medical purposes… I have found it is also a powerful oil for emotional release. It assists in revealing deceptions in the way we see ourselves and invites us to let go of lies and negativity. We can think of it as an oil that pulls walls down from around our hearts friends because it encourages connection with the Divine (the Lord).
The structure of Frankincense is made up of sesquiterpenes. These molecules have been shown to be able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and they contain oxygen. This is a way in which Frankincense can provide our brain with oxygen as our amygdala is simultaneously receiving stimulation from the aroma of the oil. This combination of oxygen + powerful aroma is powerful for creating an environment ideal for an emotional release. Exercise is another thing that oxygenates our brain. dōTERRA oils + exercise is one of my favorite combinations. Take those oils on a walk with you. Apply to your chest or even just directly under your nose before you walk or work out! If you happen to tear up… you’re normal.
Tears are therapeutic friends…protective even. They literally stimulate our body to produce endorphins.
Summary of this whole post. However you see the world… it’s a combination of everything that has happened to you in your life. Our brain is wired to protect us and our response is often a way that we are trying to protect ourselves from future hurt, future pain. Emotions are warnings. Essential oils are supportive in this process because they have an unfiltered route right to our amygdala. This is WHY they can aid in shaping and changing our emotions. They are such a gift. And finally, I hope this post helps create grace for yourself in the midst of your emotions. Release them, friends. Feel and release. Feel and release. The only way to heal is through.
Always holding space,
Steph
