by Karen Stokes, RN

September is the time when we get busy harvesting the bounty from our vegetable gardens and fruit orchards. The kids go back to school and vacation time is over. Our daily routines change back to one of study, work and hectic schedules. It’s early to bed and early to rise as we resume our active and productive lives. Yes, September is the time to buckle down and get to work in the garden, at school, at home and at the office.

Managing the fall and winter schedules of three young active girls took a lot of mental and physical energy as a single mom. Add to that my ever changing and hectic schedule as a home health nurse, I needed a little boost now and then. I had to get up early and get on top of things in order to have a household that ran smoothly. Aromatherapy was a fantastic way to refresh my mental and emotional processes while making breakfast and packing lunches in the wee hours. In the evenings, another blend of essential oils would help me to relax and sleep soundly. After a lot of experimentation with essential oils, I came up with certain scents for the kitchen that helped me to feel energized and cheerful. Citrus scents are my favorites for the places where we spend time in the morning, like the kitchen. For the study, a combination of rosemary, lemon and peppermint helps me to avoid mental fatigue during those late nights of study and research. Aromatherapy can really help to energize, relax and balance the mind.

Our sense of olfaction (smell) is truly remarkable. It is amazing how particular aromas can affect our minds and emotions. Scents affect us differently depending upon the type of aromatic chemicals manufactured by the plant. These chemicals have specific shapes to cause various effects on the way we feel. Some odors help to energize the mind. Oils like rosemary, peppermint and grapefruit are stimulating and tend to make us feel invigorated and alive.

Lavender is calming to the emotions and is helpful for promoting relaxation and sleep. In fact, lavender essential oil has been tested and proven as a sleep aid. Just a couple of drops on the pillowcase may be all you need to achieve a state of calm and peace. When my daughters had trouble drifting off to sleep or would awaken with nightmares, a gentle massage with lavender essential oil would send them back off to dreamland every time. What a blessing.

Geranium balances the mind and emotions. This pungent oil helps to ease anxiety and promote harmony. It can be both stimulating and calming, depending upon what is required. Geranium is very pungent. You need only a small amount to achieve the desired effect. It can overpower a blend if used in too large amounts. Try it in combination with lavender. This blend is great for children.

Grapefruit is a wonderful “wake up and feel the joy” kind of scent. I use it in my workout room to inspire me as I exercise. I love the scent of pink grapefruit, especially. It brings a feeling of cheer as it cleanses the mind. Emotionally, this luscious citrus aroma is uplifting. I often use it in winter, when the blahs start to set in. I use a candle oil diffuser to get this wonderful odor to permeate the room. Make potpourris of dried citrus peels and other herbs, embellished with grapefruit, tangerine or sweet orange. You will be amazed at how your mood can change from gloomy to “truly inspired” just by changing the aromas in your immediate environment.

There are many simple ways to use aromatherapy for the mind. Inhalations can be as simple and inexpensive. Essential oils can be placed on the pillowcase or even a handkerchief. Homemade potpourris are inexpensive and require no electricity for diffusion. Tea light diffusers and wax melters use candles to raise the temperature of the oils. These require no electricity as well. Try this simple essential oil diffusion method. Purchase a bag of wooden skewers from your local gourmet gadget store and a small glass bottle from the dollar store or aromatherapy shop. Cut the skewers into shorter lengths, depending upon the size of the bottle that you have selected. The skewers should be at least an inch taller than the opening of your bottle because these are the vehicle by which your essential oil will travel from the bottle to the atmosphere. This is called wicking. Now put enough of the desired essential into the bottle to fill one half inch of the bottom of the bottle. You can use one of your favorite essential oils or make blends of two or three. For the kitchen I use a combination of pink grapefruit (2 parts) and spike lavender (1 part) to cleanse and refresh my mind early in the morning. For the study, lemon, rosemary and peppermint oils help me to stay mentally stimulated while researching and studying. For the bedside, it’s lavender and only lavender. You can make tiny diffusers with toothpicks and a tiny bottle or a large version of twelve-inch skewers and an empty wine bottle.

Those of you who were born during this zodiac month (August 24 through September 22) were born under the sign of Virgo. Ruled by Mercury, you may have the type of personality that is prone to excessive nervous energy and worry, according to medical astrologists. Relaxation and grounding is important for mental health for those of you born under this sign. Some of the above suggestions may be just what you need to balance your mind.

I like the cooler and longer evenings of September. As the lazy, hazy days of summer come to a close, take advantage of the lovely local produce. If mental and emotional tension or fatigue arises due to all of the stuff going on, try some simple aromatherapy. Whether you wish to energize, calm or inspire the mind, essential oils are natural and very effective.

Karen Stokes, RN Herbalist is a member of the American Botanical Council and the Michigan Holistic Nurses Association. She can be reached at (248) 515-9863 or karen.stokes@yahoo.com.