When Tragedy Strikes: How Essential Oils Can Help the Grief and Trauma Process
Our little apothecary office now resides in a little cottage. It's almost 100 years old, and in a quiet vintage neighborhood in our tiny town.
Imagine our surprise when we showed up to work one early morning to find that the house across the street had burned nearly to the ground in the middle of the night!
It was shocking for all of us on the street....but especially to the inhabitants of the burning home. We don't know them well, as we just moved our home office here (we still have our homestead up on the mountain where we live) and are just here to work in our herbalism and aromatherapy business, but I met the wife briefly a few days before this tragedy. She had just moved the rest of her precious things into the home.
It was heartbreaking.
I spoke with her husband yesterday, and he said she hasn't stopped crying in over a week. I asked him if she would be open to some herbal and aromatic helpers, and he gratefully said that YES. He'd take any help I could offer.
So today, I'm getting ready to take some things over to her that I made last week. Preparing herbs and essential oils in times of distress for people helps me to think through what I might like to make. I thought I'd share some of my aromatic thoughts with you about this today.....
This tragic kind of loss and tragedy can strike any one of us at any time. It's the way of the world. I've had my own share of sudden and terrible losses over the years, and I've learned to be prepared with herbs and essential oils to support raw emotions and the entire grieving process.
Significant loss requires serious and real attention to your well-being and the well-being of those suffering. In fact grieving demands nourishment on all levels, from your diet, time with friends to support you, true rest and recovery, time to cry/let go/grieve and to get through all the stages of the emotional trauma.
This means TIME is needed.
Obviously this is a lot more than essential oils and herbs can do by themselves…but they both can be very helpful in working through the grieving process.
Feelings that may come up with a tragedy or extreme loss include despair, rejection, anger, frustration, sadness, guilt, regrets, insecurities, fears, feelings of isolation, abandonment, and downright hopelessness and overwhelm.
Essential oils have specific energetic properties, and this is based on science. Thinking of them in terms of their plant parts is really helpful when making decisions about the essential oils you may want to use in blends for your self or others dealing with tragedy.
Here are places I purchase trustworthy quality essential oils from sustainably-minded companies:
The linked companies are affiliate links, and are also where I purchase most often. I’ll earn a tiny commission should you make a purchase, and this won’t cost you any more. The FTC wants me to make sure you’re aware of this.
5) Starwest Botanicals (mainly for soap making and skincare)
6) Pompeii Street Organics
7) Florihana
8) Perfect Potion
Essential Oils Categorized by Plant Parts for Soothing Grief and Trauma
Here are some essential oils to consider categorized by plant parts if you're wanting to be ready for trauma or are going through shock, trauma, or grief now of you know of someone who is:
WOODS AND RESINS:
Essential oils that come from woods (trees) have a beautiful grounding nature. They help us to stand tall in the midst of difficulty. They encourage inner strength, and I like to think that tree essential oils remind me that the passage of time is what our life is marked in….not just a single tragic or difficult moment. We CAN make it through the fire, the flood, the storms, and the tree and resin oils remind of us this…..
Favorite tree essential oils to support the grieving process:
Cedarwood (Juniperus virginiana): Courage to keep going. Encourages forward thinking.
Cinnamon Bark (Cinnamomum zeylanicum):Warmth and comfort. Cinnamon bark is protective and helps us to remain engaged in our lives amidst the difficulties.
Frankincense (Boswellia spp): It’s the resin we use for therapies, and this resin helps us to soothe crazy thoughts or thinking that’s all over the place. It’s meditative. It supports a more peaceful observation of mental and emotional processes we work through during times of grief. It’s calming to the mind and to the breath, too.
CITRUS (FRUIT):
The essential oils of citrus come from the peels. These are the only fruits that contain essential oils, so when you see "apple-scented this or that" just know that's probably synthetic fragrance. Here's an article on essential oils versus fragrance oils to help you know the differences. Essential oils are far superior in my opinion.
But I digress.....
Energetically, these fruit essential oils represent the literal fruition of a seed’s potential as it grows. They’re a reminder that we’re never done living while we’re here. They’re usually uplifting, joyful, and can bring some cheer even in dark times.
Favorite Citrus oils:
Bergamot (Citrus bergamia): Light and joy. This is what I see come over the faces of people when they smell bergamot. This essential oil brings us powerful anti-anxiety and restorative energy to our thoughts and minds. It helps us to drop thoughts and feelings that don’t serve us in exchange for bringing back a sense of delight in the good things around us.
Grapefruit (Citrus paradisii): Energy! A hopeful outlook! And motivation. Grapefruit can be sunshine in a bottle for some people during dark, sad, and lonely times. It has a sparkle in its scent and helps to dispel anger, blame, and frustration. It helps us to feel positive and hopeful.
Lemon (Citrus limon): Lemon essential oil cleanses both literally and figuratively. When there’s confusion and grief, lemon helps you to clear your mind and focus while also lifting up your thinking and feelings.
NOTE: Citrus essential oils may be phototoxic, depending on how they’re processed and which of the fruits are used. Be sure to know the maximum dilution ratio if you’re using on your skin. Diffusion is fine.
FLOWERS:
Flowers are a promise. They promise the fruit that is to come while also reminding us of the fragile nature of our life. They bring color, joy, and hope.
Favorite flower oils:
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): The energy of lavender is in forgiveness and healing. It encourages a balanced spirit and creates a calm and loving energy. It’s not overly sweet, instead being “green” and uplifting, calming and grounding.
Neroli (Citrus aurantium var. amara): This is the flower of support and hope. It helps to calm anger that is lingering and unexpressed. It allows us to remember our spirit and connection with God. You don’t need much—-just a drop, as it’s very powerful.
Rose (Rosa damascena): Compassion and love. It’s so helpful for when there’s complete despair or for when a tragedy has struck suddenly leading to shock. It provides a sense of deep and comforting love. Rose is good for when the tragedy has taken place in the recent past, and not right away.
LEAVES AND CONES:
Leaves are the plant’s source of breath. They also translate and convert light, support the feeding of the plant through photosynthesis, and help reduce water loss. Energetically, leaf essential oils help deepen our breath and support our physical body.
Favorite leaves and cones—
Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens): Balance and security are the energetic words for geranium. It strengthens our vitality and tends to help replace negativity with inspiration and intuition. Encourages us to be present during difficulties.
Sweet marjoram (Origanum marjoram): This is the scent and energy of a big warm hug. It encourages calm, soothing racing obsessive thoughts. It provides fortitude to the physical body. It’s not sweet—-instead it’s a more “green” scent, and is good in blends for men, especially.
Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens): Transition and steadfastness through the hard times. It’s spiritually and physically cleansing, calming and strengthening. If you’ve experienced a tragedy requiring major change, cypress is your friend. Cypress trees are tall, strong yet flexible trees that survive in storms, and this is represented in how the essential oil can help us too.
ROOTS:
Roots are grounding, and they bring this energy to us. They anchor us while drawing in sources of nutrition—things we need. They provide stability. Because they’re under the ground, they symbolize the support that helps to stay in place when the would around us is changing.
Favorite roots:
Ginger (Zingiber officinale): Motivation and will power and strength. Ginger is warming and activating while also providing comfort. It helps to inspire positive action when we’re feeling drained.
Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanoides) Stabilizing, calming, and grounding. Vetiver helps us realize and embrace our truth. When we’re having to do any kind of reflection or make some shifts in our lives, vetiver helps anchor us to what is good for us as individuals.
Best Application Methods:
When working through the grieving and loss process emotionally, there are many ways you can work with essential oils. Topically in lotions or roller bottles and through inhalation (diffusers and inhalers and candles). Room and body sprays are also helpful and easy to take with you, as are roller bottles.
Other methods include bath and foot soaks, which provides a calming experience.
Some people enjoy making anointing blends too.
Incense is another area of aromatherapy that can be very helpful. Burning certain plant parts allows the aroma to soothe while the upward rising of the smoke is a symbolic way to carry off the sadness. Praying and meditating during this process can be so helpful.
Final Thoughts on Essential Oils for Grief, Trauma, and Emotional Shock
I love my medicinal herbs. And I love my essential oils. As both herbalist and aromatherapist, there’s a place and time for them both. In terms of grieving and other times of high emotions…essential oils shine. I hope you’ll consider learning more about working with essential oils in your herbalism and home apothecary practice!
Coming soon!
I’ll be teaching a new beta group and course for Aromatherapy Level 1 certification! Stay tuned for more information!
Hugs, Health, and Herbs
Heidi
P.S. Be sure to take advantage of my free gifts sprinkled throughout this article, such as my comprehensive 30 page guide: Blending Essential Oils for Peace. You’ll also be added to my newsletter list, and I know you’ll love it! If you find you don’t, just unsubscribe. No hard feelings.