I’ve been relying on essential oils for over 11 years for my own personal health and well-being. Years ago I was extremely sick with the auto-immune condition Hashitmoto’s Disease. Hashi’s is what doctors diagnose as a thyroid condition but for those of us who know the inside scoop, it’s really an all encompassing melt-down of our gut, adrenals, mindset and emotional state. Everything in my mind, body and spirit was in complete shut down mode. From extreme fatigue, hair loss, and vertigo to a tumor in my throat, I was seeing every doctor and specialist that I could and taking every pharmaceutical they prescribed, but nothing they gave me helped. In fact, in most cases it made me feel worse!
By chance, I stumbled upon an essential oil that changed my life, a little bottle of oil about the size of a pack of gum. With all of the physical and emotional trauma that I was going through, spending every dime I had on doctors visits, follow up’s, prescriptions, etc., how did this relatively inexpensive little bottle of oil help me feel better within seconds of an inhale? Well, this is where it all gets interesting…
For centuries people have been using essential oils (which are natural extracts from plants and seeds) for their well-being. Long before prescription drugs, people used these little drops of heaven for everything from nausea, pain relief and bug bites. It wasn’t until recently that studies have proven that essential oils also have a positive effect on emotional trauma as well. By simply inhaling an essential oil, it directly impacts our brain’s limbic system. The limbic system is where our Amygdala is stored. This is the part of our brain where we activate our fight or flight response. That little drop of oil made it’s way to my Amygdala and within seconds, my body responded with a huge sigh. I experienced a tremendous amount of relief. Yes, I had a long way to go to fully recover, but this was a start. I became obsessed with essential oils; their history, their uses, the science behind them, how they worked well and so quickly with our body chemistry, but most importantly our brain. I dove into the mechanics of our enteric nervous system, which resides in our gut and realized that when we use bio-available natural plant resources, our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual bodies know how to re-align.
When I started Lotus Rising International, I knew I wanted to implement an aromatherapy program that could assist and support the recovery process of survivors of sex trafficking. I am passionate about getting my aromatherapy program into the hands of every survivor because I believe it can help. I believe that aromatherapy can be a huge asset to assist with emotional trauma, anxiousness, sadness and so much more.
One of the conversations I had with a social worker at a recovery home for those who have been sex trafficked was that the first night the survivor spends in a safe house is the worst. She explained that the children often feel terrified and alone and that they can’t sleep and often curl up in their bed and cry. I don’t know about you, but hearing that rocked me to my core. Children as young as seven arrive at their facility having experienced physical, emotional and mental abuse have a long road of recovery ahead of them. I couldn’t just ignore the images of what was described.
I created a trio of essential oils that would create a way of supporting survivors in their early days of their rescue in combination with the support they were receiving from their expert therapists that were physically there with them. Lavender was my first go-to as it is well known to have a calming and soothing effect. Next up was orange. Orange is one of my personal favorites because smelling it always feels uplifting and grounding to me, and lastly, peppermint. Peppermint to me feels refreshing, peaceful and cooling. These three basic oils are a great way to begin calming the fight or flight response in our recently rescued survivors. Survivors of trauma have a long road to recovery ahead of them, so it is my intention to give them every single tool that we can to support them in their process.
Lotus Rising International is a 501 c 3 non-profit organization. We rely on donations to keep our programs going. If your heartstrings have been pulled and you feel alignment with our mission, please donate at: www.lotusrisinginternational.org Rise with us to end child trafficking now.
Maria Aparis is the Founder and CEO of Lotus Rising International. Maria is the best-selling author of The Essential GUT Awakening, an Empowerment Coach, Speaker and Alternative Health & Wellness Practitioner.