Bathing in Blessings: Compassion

In this Sunday morning series, "Bathing in Blessings," I am sharing powerful formulas that combine energies of minerals, herbs, and essential oils that you can use to make wonderful elixirs. For basic directions on how to make and use synergistic elixirs, please refer to the blog archives (right) and read the blog posted on Sunday, December 28, 2008, "Bathing in Blessings Lesson One: Forgiveness."

Today we're going to create an elixir which stablizes and integrates issues around compassion. The heart is where we give and receive love and compassion. The heart chakra is the home of these emotions, these attributes that connect us all. We are born of unconditional love, in unconditional love, and as unconditional love. We are love. We are light. We are the embodiment of compassion, although we do not always exercise compassion. And unfortunately, we do not always exercise unconditional love towards ourselves and others.

“If you don't love yourself, you cannot love others. You will not be able to love others. If you have no compassion for yourself then you are not able of developing compassion for others.” -Dalai Lama

If we are not fully exercising these innate gifts of love and compassion, is because we have shut ourselves off from them for some reason. Life's traumas, trials and tribulations can cause us to shut down. However, we must remember that in order to not be defeated by the adversity of life, we must always stay open, love, and share compassion with ourselves and with others. When you feel unconditional love towards yourself and others, when you are compassionate towards yourself and others, and when you are able to be forgiving towards yourself and others, you will notice a difference in the types of relationships you have in your life. Using theis elixir will help you to make better choices when it comes to matters of the heart.

We'll begin with Rose essential oil. The rose symbolizes innocence, love, passion, sympathy, desire, luxury and the ideal aesthetic. The healing tradition associated with the rose is no less remarkable than its fragrance and beauty. It was the 17th-century English physician Culpeper who wrote that roses strengthen the heart. He may have been referring to a physical action, but anyone who has inhaled fresh roses or their essential oil knows the aroma strengthens the heart spiritually and emotionally as well. Culpeper attributed other properties to the rose that foreshadowed its current use in aromatherapy and cosmetics. He recommended extract of rose for its cooling and astringent benefits, useful for headache and tired eyes.

Besides being used as a medicine in history, the rose has a long history as a costly perfume. Fresh roses were macerated in hot fat to produce fragrant pomades in ancient India, Greece and Egypt. In Egypt these pomades were shaped into cones and placed on the top of the head. As body heat melted the fat, fragrant, rose-scented oil would trickle down the face and neck.

With the advent of distillation in the 10th century, Persians began extracting rose flower water from fresh roses. An early reference to rose essential oil is mentioned in a legendary Mogul account of the betrothal of a princess named Nour-Djihan to the Emperor Dhihanguyr. The wedding feast was held in a garden surrounded by a canal filled with rose water. As Nour-Djihan and her lover plied the waters in a small boat she noticed a thin film of rose oil on the surface. It was carefully skimmed off and rose essential oil was born.

The difficulty of extracting rose oil from the plant has always caused it to be a very expensive substance. A rose blossom contains only about 0.02% essential oil. It takes about 60,000 roses to produce just 1 ounce of oil, and ten thousand pounds of rose blossoms to produce 1 pound of oil. The best oil is distilled from newly opened flowers, picked in the cool morning hours before the sun has warmed away the aroma.

Aventurine holds the vibration of compassion. Aventurine assists us in perceiving our own life dance, or the dance of others, from the foundation of compassion which understands from inside the human experience all dances, and in so understanding forgives and embraces all others in love regardless of circumstance. Known as the "comfort crystal," aventurine has the capacity to calm a troubled spirit and bring about inner peace. Immerse a piece of adventurine directly in the oil, and set the oil in the center of an aventurine grid.

Chamomile assists in opening the heart and processing the pain inherent in ascension to a biological level. Chamomile will bring comfort in our deepest moments of seeming darkness that we are transcending. In biology, pain is associated with toxic substances one is releasing. Chamomile will attach to such substances and assist them in being removed through the waste management systems.

Chamomile is a good tonic herb to have daily if desired. An infusion, made from 1 oz. of the flowers to 1 pint of boiling water, known popularly as Chamomile Tea, is an old-fashioned but extremely efficacious remedy for stress. It has a wonderfully soothing, sedative ,and absolutely harmless effect.

Place dried Chamomile buds in the gemstone infusion. This powerful oil is wonderful to use in the bath or at the heart chakra so do save some to use in this form.

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.” -Dalai Lama

Blessings to you on your path!