Basic Principles

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The following topics (listed alphabetically) will give you an idea of the many amazing effects of essential oils. What, logically, can you expect from the use of Butterfly Express essential oils? You can expect astonishing results in both physical health issues and emotional well-being.

Importance of Using Pure Oils

Acupressure and Energy Work ~ Anti-Oxidants ~ Aromatic ~ Bacteria and Viruses ~ Balance or Homeostasis ~ Blood/Brain Barrier ~ Cell Regeneration ~ Cleansing Effect ~ Circulation ~ Expectorants ~ External Application/Internal Benefit ~ Frequency ~ Healing ~ Oxygen and Nutrient Transport ~ Penetrate Cell Walls ~ Release Emotional Trauma ~ Skin Care ~ Spiritual and Emotional Dimensions ~ Varying Levels of Action

History of Essential Oils

Acupressure and Energy Work
Essential oils are considered the life force or the energy of the plant. They are used in many parts of the world (and right here at my house) in energy work and acupressure. Specific essential oils can be associated with the meridians and Chakras. 

Anti-Oxidants
Essential oils are powerful anti-oxidants, with all the health benefits that anti-oxidants produce.

Aromatic
Essential oils are aromatic (volatile). This means that because of their small molecules they are able to be diffused readily into the air and absorbed into our bodies through the olfactory and respiratory systems. When diffused they purify the air in the following ways: Removing metallic particles and toxins from the air; increasing atmospheric oxygen; increasing ozone and negative ions which inhibits bacterial growth; destroy odors from mold, cigarettes, animals, etc; fill the air with a fresh, beautiful, healing and uplifting scent.

Bacteria and Viruses, etc.
Essential oils are anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-infectious, anti-microbial, anti-tumoral, anti-parasitic, and antiseptic. This is not a matter of some oils being one and other oils being another; all essential oils have these properties to one degree or another. These properties could be the result of the unique oxygen/nutrient carrying capacity of essential oils as described above. Essential oils have been shown in both laboratory studies and clinical trials to destroy or seriously inhibit all tested bacteria and viruses and to do so without causing harm (unlike drugs) to cells, organs or body systems.

Balance or Homeostasis
Many essential oils are adaptogenic, meaning they will instigate a reaction in the body to bring about a state or homeostasis or balance. For example, hyssop normalizes either high or low blood pressure; peppermint is found on lists both as a stimulant and as a sedative, and this is very accurate; lemon acts on the nervous system either as a sedative or a tonic, as needed. This is true of the various plants in herbal form, as well, but essential oils are simply stronger and the effects more immediately recognizable.

Blood/Brain Barrier
Some essential oils–those containing sesquiterpenes–cross the blood/brain barrier. According to Connie and Alan Higley in Reference Guide for Essential Oils, The American Medical Association (AMA) determined that if they could find an agent that would pass the blood/brain barrier, they would be able to cure Alzheimer’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease. In June of 1994, it was documented by the medical Universities of Berlin, Germany and Vienna, Austria that sesquiterpenes have the ability to go beyond the blood/brain barrier. This should have been met with the world-wide awe that the scientific team who discovered it expected. (Higley)

The blood/brain barrier is the membrane between the circulating blood and the brain that prevents certain damaging substances from reaching the brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid. Oils such as Frankincense and Sandalwood, high in sesquiterpenes, cross this barrier and bring increased amounts of oxygen and their healing properties to the limbic system of the brain. This is particularly evident around the pineal and pituitary glands. (Higley) 

Cell Regeneration
Most oils, if not all, are cytophylactic; this means that they stimulate the generation of new cell growth following burns, surgeries or wounds of any nature. Of particular note in this category are lavender, neroli, ravensara and helichrysum. (Tisserand).

Cleansing Effect
All essential oils also have a cleansing effect on the human system, rather it be on the skin, in the blood, the lymphatic system or on a person’s accumulated cellulite. One of the things that appears to happen when essential oils are used regularly is that toxins, free-radicals, cell debris, heavy metals, renegade cells, fungi, bacteria and even viruses attach themselves to the cellular structure of the essential oil and are then excreted from the body in natural and harmless ways.

Circulation
Essential oils are rubefacient, which means that they activate capillary circulation. Increased circulation to the capillaries prevents things like tired, achy legs and the slow healing experienced by diabetic people as well as muscle tenseness and strain.

Expectorants
Most essential oils are expectorant to some degree. They improve the function of the lymphatic system by causing mucous to become more fluid and thus more easily expelled from the lungs and mucous membranes.

External Application/Internal Benefit
Because of the molecular structure of essential oils, they can act on internal organs when applied externally to the body. This ability is explained by Hilton’s Law of Physics, which states that the nerve which supplies a joint also supplies the muscles which move the joint and the skin over the joint. This law also applies to organs and the tissues surrounding them. Essential oils work, through the skin, on nearby organs and on the nervous system and then throughout the entire body. The molecular structure of essential oils is such that they can quickly penetrate the tissues of the skin. 

Frequency
Every organ of the human body has a frequency range at which it operates when healthy and viable and the human body has an overall bio-electrical frequency. During illness or with impending death, the body’s frequency drops significantly. Essential oils have frequency ranges that are several times greater than the frequency of herbs, food and even the human body. The application of essential oils can quickly raise the over-all frequency of the human body or stabilize the frequency of a struggling organ (LeVabre). (This is an amazing statement; an even more amazing quality of essential oils.)

Studies have been conducted showing that, without question, certain substances (coffee, negative thoughts, etc) lower the body’s overall frequency. (Duh!) Essential oils returned the frequency to normal within seconds in nearly every instance.

Each essential oil (single) has a frequency range that is attractive to, or healing to, particular organs, meridians, etc. of our bodies. In general, and this varies quite a bit, oils with lower frequencies are considered to make physical changes in the body; oils with mid range frequencies to affect emotional changes; high frequency oils–nearly always, "blossom" oils are said to bring about spiritual changes. A well done blend can contain oils in all three frequency ranges. If the right oils have been used, in the right proportions, and added in the correct order, changes can occur in the human body on all three levels–which is really the only way that healing becomes truly effective and permanent. 

Healing
Essential oils contain the healing properties and aspects of plants in a very concentrated form. They can heal the body, mind and spirit while regenerating damaged tissue and bring oxygen to deprived cells. The use of essential oils seems to improve overall immune function for many people.

Oxygen and Nutrient Transport
Oxygen is the carrier of nutrition throughout the human body. Essential oils contain oxygen and other molecules which seem to help transport nutrients to starving or undernourished cells. Disease begins when a cell lacks the oxygen for proper nutrient assimilation. By providing needed oxygen, essential oils strengthen every cell in the body–including those necessary to the immune system.

Penetrate Cell Walls
Essential oils have been shown to be capable of penetrating cell walls even when the cell walls are hardened because of oxygen starvation or scarring. Essential oils can reach areas of the body far from where the oil was applied within a few minutes. The oils are then metabolized by the body in the same way that it metabolizes other nutrients. (Tisserand and Higley)

Release Emotional Trauma
Present in the limbic system of the brain is a gland called the amygdala which is directly connected to the olfactory bulb and is stimulated by the sense of smell–and only the sense of smell. In 1989 it was discovered that the amygdala plays a major role in the storing and releasing of emotional trauma. With Aromatherapy and essential oils, we can aid significantly in the release of emotional traumas. (Mein)

Skin Care
Essential oils are extremely beneficial for the skin, which is a barrier between our bodies and the outside world. As such the skin absorbs and filters pollutants and expels various waste materials through the sebaceous glands, and is supposed to do all this amazing work while staying moist, healthy and glowing. The Egyptians had extremely elaborate skin care regimens, which could take hours to complete. Their skin care preparations made extensive use of aromatic substances. The basic properties of essential oils, used on a less grand scale in our busy lives, can help our skin perform its vital functions better.

Spiritual and Emotional Dimensions
The spiritual and emotional dimensions of essential oils are well known and have been used by people throughout recorded history. 

Some oils are calming, while others bring sharpness and clarity to thinking processes and stimulate memory. Still others bring a sense of contentment, well-being and faith in the future for example. The phenomenon of improved mood and mental/spiritual clarity has been described by many and experienced by myself on many occasions. 

These powerful properties have not been scientifically proven, but make perfect sense to the student of molecular science. Essential oils, being derived from whole plants which are part of God’s marvelous creation, contain some amazingly well put together molecules that work in consistently predictable ways. There is nothing magical about the way that essential oils work.

Varying Levels of Action 
People are a complex combination of mind, body and spirit. Essential oils seem to have the ability to affect all three at the same time and in a balanced and beneficial way. The various levels of action of essential oils are not exclusive from one another. You cannot say, "I will use this oil today because it has astringent properties for my oily skin," and not encounter, for example, the anti-viral properties of the chosen oil. When working on any physical ailment, there will also be beneficial effects seen on the emotional and energy levels, etc.

Copyright Butterfly Expressions LLC 2005

Importance of Using Pure Oils

In pure, natural form, essential oils are almost always safe and harmless when used in appropriate quantities. Unfortunately, very few of the oils sold in stores are free from additives. It is very important to find a brand, like Butterfly Express, that you can trust.

The difference between pure and impure oils can mean the difference between oils that heal and oils that are toxic. Impure (perfume-grade) oils can cause headaches, rashes, liver toxicity, and allergic reactions. If you haven't had great experiences with oils, you may have only been exposed to ineffective, artificial ones.

The FDA does not classify essential oils as either food or drugs, and the rules regarding their sale and labeling are somewhat lax. In fact, an oil is only required to have 1% of the pure essential oil to be labeled “100% pure essential oil.” The other 99% may contain base oils, synthetic esters, perfume, or other chemicals and fillers. These additional ingredients can counter the beneficial aspects of the oils and even cause toxic reactions.

When manufacturers adulterate essential oils with chemicals and additives to make them less expensive, they may create something that smells good to a novice, but the end result is not healing.

The following is information from Butterfly Expressions LLC, Copyright 2005

For effective therapeutic use it is absolutely crucial that only good quality, natural, essential oils be used. It is worse than pointless to buy any other product, and sometimes it is downright dangerous. No matter how pleasant its aroma might be, reconstituted or diluted products and chemical copies lack most, if not all, of the constituents necessary to achieve any therapeutic result. Because the largest buyer of aromatic oils is the perfume and cosmetic industry, and these industries are not the least bit interested in the medicinal value of the oils, the driving criterion for the production and marketing of essential oils has been aroma and uniformity, and not production methods that maintain the medicinal value.

 

Under the current law, many products come under the heading ‘essential oils’ and can be marketed as such even if they are diluted oils or even synthetic reproductions. In addition, because some pure oils are very expensive to produce and some are not, some companies mix two or more oils together to mimic the aroma of an expensive oil. Some of these blends have wonderful (and similar) fragrances. If blended by someone very experienced in medicinal oils, the constituents can occasionally be matched quite closely, but this accomplishment is very rare. I have a blend of Melissa which has worked well for me. I use it, and sell it clearly labeled, because there is simply no way that I could ever afford Melissa otherwise; it sells for roughly $9000 for 16 ounces.

 

Unscrupulous dealers will often dilute a pure essential oil in a carrier base and pass that off as pure natural essence. These fakes are quite easily spotted because the base oil is oily, while essential oils, for the most part, are not. Most pure essential oils, when dropped on blotting paper, will absorb rapidly into it and disperse leaving a stain but no oily patch. A pure oil will not clog the motor on a fountain, in spite of what you may have heard; however, if a carrier oil has been added, the oil will most definitely cause problems with the motor of even your most expensive fountains.

 

The production of pure essential oils can be very costly and that is why the cost of good quality essential oils is often high. Some of the “blossom” oils require two to three tons of plant material to extract 1 pound of quality oil. Time of day, weather conditions (dry or extra rainy) and many other factors also affect the chemical composition of the oils and must be carefully monitored in order for a satisfactory medicinal quality oil to be produced. For example, common thyme (thymus vulgaris) produces several different chemotypes depending on the conditions of its growth. Climate, altitude and distillation methods drastically affect the amount of thymol in the final product and, therefore, how it can be used. Thymol needs to be used with caution because it is very potent and caustic.

 

When buying essential oils, you should begin with shops or suppliers such as Butterfly Express who are concerned with nature and health, rather than ones concerned with perfumery and cosmetics. Eventually your nose and your energy system will become very discriminating –“good” oils will feel and smell good to you and “bad” oils won’t!

 

The storage of essential oils is very important. The oils should be kept in brown or dark-colored bottles or in the special metal containers that bulk oils are sold in by reputable dealers. They must be kept away from light, heat and dampness and the tops must be kept tightly closed when not in use. There is much diversity of opinion about the therapeutic life of essential oils, perhaps because it varies so greatly according to how well they were handled and stored during processing.

History of Essential Oils

Essential oils have been used in healing and spiritual annointing since before written history.

Below is an excerpt from a book written in 1868:

"Odors impregnate all bodies in different degrees, and combine with nearly all the liquids. Gloves retain for a long time the perfume of ambergris; paper and cotton, that of musk. Oils and greases retain very well balsamic and volatile principles. Water, and especially alcohol, dissolve perfectly the aromatic principles of flowers. It is on this knowledge that is founded the fabrication of waters, oils, essences, pastes, pomades. Thus the perfume of flowers, so light, so fugacious, is rendered stable by art and industry. At the moment the perfume escapes from the flower, man seizes it, masters it, and uses it to increase the sum of his enjoyments."

Notes and documents of Messrs. Debay, Lunel, etc. with additions by Professor H. Dussauce, Chemist.

From Egyptian hieroglyphics and Chinese manuscripts, we know that priests and physicians have been using essential oils for thousands of years. In addition, there are 188 references to essential oils in the Bible. Essential Oils were used extensively in Renaissance Europe and were also used in ancient India. In fact, India is probably the only place in the world where this tradition and art was never lost. With over ten thousand years of continuous practice, Ayurvedic medicine (including the use of aromatic oils) is the oldest continuous form of medical practice. Much of what is known about the medicinal properties of essential oils comes from these sources.

The arrival of modern science in the 19th century brought about the decline of all forms of herbal medicine. This suppression, if you study history even a little, appears to be deliberately brought about by people who stood to gain financially. Scientists, quite probably with the best of intentions at first, began the practice--continued to this day--of isolating the main active ingredient of plants and then reproducing them in laboratories. In this way, Penicillin (derived from mold growing on bread), aspirin (naturally present in birch, wintergreen and meadowsweet), antibiotics, and so on came into wide-spread usage.

There is obvious value in many scientific discoveries but it must also be acknowledged by any open-minded person that these isolated compounds, such as those found in drugs and synthetic therapeutic oils, have many serious side-effects and can be easily abused. Every plant and, therefore, every essential oil contains hundreds of chemical compounds, most of them in very small amounts. We know that certain trace elements are fundamental for life and that the human body often requires one of them in order to assimilate another. Rational thought, and now scientific study, shows clearly that there is a undeniable corollary to this in medicine. The power of living products--herbals and essential oils--lies in the combination of their elements, and the trace components are every bit as important as their main constituents. In fact, it seems to be that the minor constituents have a synergistic (controlling and strengthening) effect on the main constituents, enabling the herbal or oil to heal more efficiently and without the nasty side-effects experienced when using the synthetic reconstructions (drugs or oils) that do not contain the trace elements.

With pure essential oils and herbals in their complete state you can heal and nourish without the traditional side effects of drugs!

Aromatherapy, as we know it in this day and age, began in France in the early 1900’s. England and other European countries learned of it quickly and it became a basic part of even mainstream medicine in most countries of Europe and Asia, as is the use of homeopathic medicines. Aromatherapy did not exist in any significant way in the United States until the early 1980’s and can be classed into two separate and distinct movements: pure and genuine essential oil therapy and a mass-market approach. Because of the prevalence of mass-marketing techniques, much of what you hear and see in the media and in promotional material is outright blarney and what you buy are too often synthetic substitutions. Education and personal experience are your best tools in this market; an oil source that you have come to trust is also invaluable.