Those of us in the homesteading/natural/crunchy/hippie/country-life crowd can be a rather ironic bunch.
We buy our wool sweaters at the thrift store, then wear it patched for a few more years before finally turning them into dryer balls to use with our homemade detergents that we created with our three closest friends out of bulk-buy ingredients!
We find three purposes for everything or it loses “useful” status altogether.
I know that my Midwest sensibilities met up with the Western flair for pragmatism when we moved to Montana, but I’ve met too many people like me to believe I am alone.
And here is the irony: we are always thirsting for a greater sense of accomplishment, yearning for more practical skills, and have a constant desire to learn something new that plagues us through daily life.
This means that…
…we buy that entire basket of unused yarn at the neighbor’s garage sale because we’re going to teach ourselves to knit…only to discover we hate it–that’s okay, the next neighbor can buy it from us during the following yard sale season.
…we suit ourselves up with a new breed of livestock, smash a thumb building their shed, spend $50 on the essentials like de-worming medication, make a pact with the neighbor to barter for feed…only to discover that we really dislike goats. I mean, really dislike goats.
This means that...one long winter, you read a few library books on essential oils after a friend told you about how she cured her kid’s eczema. You went to the party, decided to help an entreprenurial friend out, and now the jars fall out at you every time you open the medicine cabinet.
You want to tell me I’m wrong. But you can’t, can you?
So let’s just talk about the essential oil “fad” for a moment, shall we?
We have the passion to learn these things because we are keenly aware of their practicalities, and we know that our families would benefit. But the information we have received seems disjointed, unrelated, or like a bad sales pitch.
You have read conflicting information: “Use them to flavor water” vs. “They are not meant to be taken orally.” Or “Safe for cleaning because they are non-toxic” vs. “Can be extremely dangerous, even deadly, if you use the wrong oils in the wrong way. ” Gak. We went from ridding our house of the toxic store-bought chemicals to Death-By-Lemon. Who can possibly make sense of this?
My Theory On the Mass-Chaos of Modern Essential Oils
Let’s start by saying that the Old Testament is just full of the use of essential oils, and all ancient peoples used some of them in some form for religious ceremonies (often cleansing ones) and for medicine. Nothing new. But a decade ago, no one in America was talking about them. They were rediscovered in our post-modern American way of “discovering” what others have known for centuries.
When esesntial oils came back onto the scene, a turf war ensued. And you are the casualty. There is more than one way to process an oil, but with little-to-no regulation we are left believing the maker, who insists everyone else is evil and they are the only pure thing out there.
The essential oil companies knew you hadn’t a clue how to use them, so they created books and booklets to clue you in on it–and those have been helpful, even if not completely accurate across the board. The turf war has created territories that led to misinformation. All of these companies and vendors were fighting for space in a market that (in my not-humble opinion) became oversaturated in a type of Oil-Bubble. They could not work together well before now.
Things are changing. The market has evened out. As with all Free Markets (catch my bias, there, lol?), the system has a way of eliminating some of the shady characters and the good guys have proven themselves with the test of time, word-of-mouth, and results. So yay–they can actually work together to clear up the misinformation of years past. They can work together to make sure that you have the skills you need to use oils safely and effectively.
Real Information from Real Experts About Real Results
The Essential Oils Revolution drew me in immediately because I do happen to be brand-loyal to a specific oil and I don’t want to be talked out of that (hey, we all choose our favorites, right?). I am not looking for a sales pitch. I am looking for information. The Essential Oils Revolution went to serious lengths to ensure that none of the speakers would speak of brand names, and that they represented a wide range of experience and expertise (some affiliated with a variety of companies, some not affiliated with a company at all). No sales pitch.
You’ve spent hard-earned money on these oils. You are not using them to their fullest potential. You might even have a fear about safety. Or perhaps you gave up because you didn’t get the result someone else experienced. This is your chance to find out why. This is your opportunity–for free–to get your questions answered by the experts.
Those of us in the homesteading/natural/crunchy/hippie/country-life crowd can be a rather ironic bunch. We spent the money and don’t use the oils…but there are reasons why. Let’s solve those and give each oil back their multi-functionality that was designed into them. Let’s use them to their greatest potential, and let’s experience our greatest potential in rediscovering the lost art of natural healing.
Will you join me as I attend the (completely free) Essential Oils Revolution?
–Chaya
Yes, Pantry Paratus has chosen to have an affiliate relationship with this summit–but it is completely free if you sign up now and attend while it is online! The affiliate link helps the creators determine where people are coming from when they discover this super-cool opportunity. There is also the opportunity to purchase the summit later.
And yes, I really hate goats.