The Healing powers of Essential Oils

a selection of essential oils in mysore India

Over the last 20 years I have been doing a bit of personal research on different types of alternative medicines and  I believe there is a rich history proving the effectiveness of alternative medicines that should not be ignored or invalidated. 

The road block for most of us in subscribing to the use of natural medicines is primarily in understanding what is what and how it works.  In my opinion medicine men are spiritual faith healers that understand the power of natural healing and prescribe organic medicines.

The Royal Palace

Last month I took a trip to Mysore India for the purpose of researching and buying essential oils.  Buying oils in the back rooms of oil salesmen is an unforgettable experience.   

What is an essential oil and how is it made?

Essential oils are known for their anti–oxidant properties.  Essential oils are extracted from wood, flowers, bark, seeds and peels.  The extraction is much like making moon shine, the raw materials are put in a still and cooked down until they vaporize, the vapors travel through the coils cool and become liquid; presto essential oil is born.  

What are they used for?

It is safe to say that most oils are believed to offer both physical and emotional healing benefits. Some oils are more common and powerful than others for instance:

                                         Physical                                      Emotional

Clove Oil:                 numbing of pain         Memory and concentration, fatigue and depression.

Coriander:       colic, gout, nausea, indigestion                  fatigue and irritation

Lemon:         colds, corns, dull skin, warts                    fear, happiness and peace

Basil:            exhaustion, flue, colds, flatulence      fatigue, concentration, memory

For the practitioners there is oil for whatever ails you:

·         Antiseptic: basil, bergamot, black pepper, cedar wood, nutmeg, sandalwood, rose, parsley

·         Decongestant: cajuput, eucalyptus, garlic, lavender, peppermint, pine

·         Fever: black pepper, chamomile, ginger, lemon, Melissa

·         Hangover: cypress, grapefruit, juniper, pine, rosemary

·         Menopause: chamomile, sage, cypress, geranium, jasmine, lavender.

various aged massage oils

While I am out in the markets doing my research I encounter many people misrepresenting their oils.  The important fact here is that there is no substitute for a100% pure oil which is what an essential oil is.  Everything else is something else and not an essential oil.

·         Aroma Therapy Oil

·         Massage Oil

·         Fragrance Oil

Typical aroma therapy oil is 2% essential oil and 98% almond or grape seed oil sold in a 10ml bottle at a high price. Massage oil and aroma therapy oil is for the most part the same thing. Fragrance oil is not essential oil or massage oil it is a candle in oil form.

oil bowl

The best quality essential oils are called “base oils” such as sandalwood, lotus, and jasmine. These oils are expensive and are the base used in the making of massage oils, fragrance oils and aroma therapy oils. Essential oils are not cheap 10ml of sandalwood oil will be priced at $100.00 or more and like most things you get what you pay for.  It is important to read the label and find a guarantee that says it is 100% pure oil; there are also certificates available now that prove the oil has been tested.

One final tip if you are buying oil in a back room, be sure to measure the oil before you pay for it; the sellers like to sell by weight but it is a liquid so you must be prepared to check the volume as it is a common trick to fill bottles that look 10ml but are only 7ml which adds up to quite a shortage on a large purchase.

a slick oil salesman

I bought five different oils from a man who owned a clinic, he had me drinking oil for my sore knees and he mixed a compound while I was there to use as a balm, I am thrilled by the adventure and also a bit overwhelmed at the depth of information needed to fully understand the art of healing with essential oils.

The nice aspect about essential oils is the natural healing provided while enjoying their beautiful fragrance. Treat yourself to an essential oil, oil massage or oil fragrance it’s all good and you will feel better for it.

oil shop in bangkok

Go have some fun,

Geo.        

I Love My Balls

I was house cleaning and as I emptied the closet I began to see a pattern develop; I have balls, lots and lots, of balls, big balls, small balls, tiny balls. Balls that are thrown, balls that are slapped and balls that are clubbed.  Balls that bounce and balls that I bounce on, balls that float and balls that ping.  What I realized about my balls is that the playful spheres represent past and present pleasure.

·         Baseball:  In baseball when I was a child, I had the luck of the draw on my side; the first few years I played I was on trophy teams with great coaching and players but I rarely saw more than 5 minutes of playing time.  The last year I played organized baseball I was put on a cellar team that had poor coaching and no star players. That year my mitt was like a spider web; it caught anything that came its way, my arm was a canon, and my bat was unstoppable; I played 1^st base and Pitcher and it was my best year in baseball.  

                           

·         Football:  I always thought I was born to play football, I loved playing that game, and I loved my ball; during the season I took it with me everywhere including bed.   Football represents comradely, teamwork and personal power; I learned a great deal about myself and my willingness to reach new levels of exertion while playing football.

·         Ping Pong:  I was never good at playing ping pong; oddly it is a game that seems to follow me from indoors to out of doors and I have seen some interesting things done with them.

·         Golf: In High school I decided to go out for the golf team and my father gave me a set of short hickory shaft golf clubs that were almost impossible for me to play with. The best part of my golfing experience was driving my convertible Austin Healy to practice.  The course was a converted cow pasture with sand greens and bordered a corn field.  I spent most of my time in the corn rows hunting balls, no matter 40 yrs later I still enjoy the smell and feel of a golf course or driving range and it is a game that I have enrolled my sons in.

popee in the garden age 7

·         Bocca Ball:  This game takes me back to when I was in my early 20’s in California, my friend would set the trash cans at each end of his office and we would toss balls from one end of the room to the other until a winner was declared and the loser bought lunch.

·         Fitness Ball:  My chair, leg rest, back rest and so much more, I love my big balls and I have already written a blog expressing my thoughts on this fitness tool.

·         Tennis Balls:  Crazy points 15-love?  Too much lateral movement for my knees and ankles but my dog loves to chase them.

·         Volley ball’s:  This is probably the most versatile ball we have; it can be used in the pool, in the yard, and on the beach. It can be a kicked, thrown and volleyed.  If I could only own one ball it would be a volley ball.

Balls don’t care if I am great at catching, throwing, hitting or kicking; balls just want to be used. Balls are great tools that can be enjoyed alone or with others, balls lead me to the out of doors and make the indoors more interesting.   

The beautiful aspect of balls is they are made to be played with; their purpose is to induce fun and games, laughter and exercise.  When we play we have fun, the endorphins flow and that makes us stronger, healthier and better. 

Go have some fun,

Geo

Cliff Hanger (pt. 3/3)

Pretty flower in NZ.

The engine growls like a caged tiger as the car accelerate through each dark turn.  The mountain road is a winding series of brake backs and tight hair pin turns. The sun has set and the peak is just ahead; I sense victory and push the throttle until I feel the click of metal to metal.  

A road less traveled

The lanes are narrow and the curves spiral upwards through knotty pines and cut stone. I press on; the increase in speed has made everything a blur except the black patch illuminated in front of me.  Suddenly, an alarming chill strikes my nerves and my hands begin to sweat, my gut tells me I am in trouble.  I am in a bend that doesn’t end and I’m going too fast, I grab the wheel tightly and lean into the curve; willing the car to stay upright but the tires won’t hold and I begin to drift.  I have failed again, I won’t reach the top and I have lost control.  

an out of control ride

a venture into a zone

This is the conclusion to a series of blogs in which I have been writing about self defining moments and perseverance, persistence, prudence, and patients. IMO these  four P's are all key elements in the journey to peak fitness and health.   Life took on new meaning when i was reborn.  Priorities changed, relationships hold more value, and my purpose in life became defined.

At a park in Ooty India

On the train to Bangalore

I was fortunate to have my youngest son give me the kick start I needed to get off my back and refocus my attention to the important things in life; family and self.  My body is a wreck, the frame is bent and my wheels are shot and I am blessed and happy that  I am afforded the time to work on myself and help others. In all honesty it is not a simple task, I have issues that continue to defy me and side track my best intentions.

 Geo's Family Fitness

I have an eating disorder that I cannot ignore or it will over power me. It is a challenge to stay motivated and on point day in and day out and it is a lonely road to travel. The support groups are few and the understanding of the compulsion to eat the things that prevent my progress is limited.  For a Fat Man in Paradise the journey to peak fitness and health is a solitary climb up a slippery slope that often times has two steps forward rewarded with one step back.

I am on a trek, that leads me into unknown trails some are dead ends that take me nowhere and waste my time, others are pitfalls that reverse my progress. Then there are the paths that guide me to exactly where I want to go and make all the errors worth enduring. At the end of the day health and fitness is a life’s journey that is a part of who I am and defines what I believe in. 

with the guys who keep me going

I have not reached the top of the mountain, my mission is not complete but I am patient and with persistence and prudence I will persevere and along the way I’ll have enjoyed an adventurous, joyful and long healthy life and I wish the same for you.  

Go have some fun.

Geo

Never give up, never lose sight.

Persistence and Perseverance (pt.2/3)

In a Ball

In Part one I touched on the virtues of patience and prudence and their valued role in a healthy lifestyle. The blog prior to that I contemplated the role of personal definition being defined through actions or thought. 

The “P” factor in personal growth and development.

1.        Patience

Accept that time is a part of the process in personal development

2.        Prudence

Thoughtful behavior reaps great rewards

3.        Persistence

Never give up or quit

4.        Perseverance

Staying the course earns a drink from the victory cup

my motivation

I believe that there are two key elements in seeing dreams come true. One is to have a clear idea of what I want and second is to believe that I am worthy of having whatever it is I desire.  Dreams require work, first of all they have to be important enough to never give up on and secondly they must be meaningful enough to be worth waiting for.  Thirdly they require due diligence, with responsible behavior and finally they should be enjoyed.

When I was a little boy I wanted more and my mother would tell me, money does not grow on trees; at night I would dream of money trees.  I also dreamed of candy trees and was disappointed when I awoke to find that the neither the bags of gold or candy were waiting for me. For many years our next door neighbor was our family doctor.  I loved it when the Doc threw parties, he loved to have fun and his house would be full of laughter and carefree cheer.  One of my first goals was to be a Doctor or a Priest, both choices thrilled my mother and both required far more prudence towards my studies and behavior than I was willing to dedicate and neither materialized. 

arriving in Mysore

Some dreams and goals are more than wants and desires and over time become a part of whom we are.  This is the transition from chasing a dream to living a dream.  When I recognized that I have what I want and am doing what I like I realized that I am living my dream. Life is not meant to be a struggle and by simply appreciating and cherishing my beautiful family, good health and good fortune life became easy.  

my hired car

I left LAX on the 19^th of March in 1996, ready to visit Ooty; a mountain village in the south of India just north of Mysore.  I arrived on February 29^th, 2012.  
 It took me sixteen years to see this dream come true, not because it was impossible to go sooner but because I deemed it not prudent to make the trip earlier.  For sixteen years I have been living in S.E. Asia and persistently explaining that the reason I am here is because I was on my way to Ooty and never made it; India was a goal that persevered.

What has impressed me the most about southern India is, the ease in which the population moves in what appears to be utter chaos.  The trains are not bullets or modern but they run on time; far better than Amtrak.  The service staff is not highly paid yet they are friendly, helpful and gracious. The country had more than 6% GNP growth last year and is booming, construction is thriving, roads, bridges, and buildings are springing up everywhere.  Within all the rapid change there is a population that holds on to what it believes in, where men and women do not cohort and dancing in public is forbidden.  Education is held in high regard as is work ethic.  As I sat and observed the impoverished working around me I could not help but be impressed by the smiles on the faces of the window cleaners, porters, and maids. They may not have much but they are patient, prudent, and persistent and diligently do their duties to persevere.

A family from Bangalore

I am a traveler that is what I do.  I enjoy the road, the sights and sounds of new and unknown places and I am willing to sacrifice my comforts to explore new worlds and cultures.  It is the humility in humanity that comes from the less fortunate in the world that leaves me feeling humble and grateful for my good fortune in family, love and health.  Worth is not in what we have but how we hold it.

Go have some fun.

Geo

 Live well and happy

Patience and Prudence (part 1)

The purpose of The Fat Man in Paradise is to help with the work involved in the whole process of personal development.   The spiritual, emotional, and mental aspects of creating habits that also lead to lifestyle change requires more than the simple steps taken when making short term goals; where the physical conditioning of a behavioral pattern is relevant and effective.

The mental aspect of the process is where IMO the majority of the effective work is done and is the most complicated to manage.  In the mind game nothing is as simple as yes and no or right and wrong. Each of us is unique in the way we were raised and the role models that influenced us consequently what is good for one may be unacceptable to others.  The attitudes we learned as children from our mentors regarding good and bad, right and wrong play a major factor in what we consider correct behavior today.  When it comes to deciding the best method for living a well healed, balanced life, there is no black or white answer; everything has a shade of interpretation dependant upon our individual belief systems.

I feel fortunate to have grown up during a time of rapid development in the USA. When I was a child the country still had one foot in agriculture and another in space travel.  In the post war 50’s and 60’s the country was in a period of transition and consumerism was the chosen path to national growth and development.  The introduction of credit opened a whole new world to the average family; cars, houses, furnishings and luxury items could be bought and paid for over time.  The need to be prudent and patiently wait for a purchase was eliminated with the introduction of the “easy payment plan”.  I believe it was during this time in American history that impatience and careless behavior were sewn into the American cultural fabric.  

My Father was my greatest role model, not by the great things he did but by the greatest amount of influence he had in shaping my attitudes and behavior.  My dad was a party guy; he loved to have a good time; including the discos of Acapulco, to the Playboy Club in KCMO. I am sure his greatest reward was to be considered the life of the party. Typically pleasure boys don’t like to be adults. Play boys don’t like to follow the rules and often times do not make the most prudent decisions. I was just about 12 years old when his financial world crashed around him. It was interesting to watch him try to re-establish himself while at the same time physically showing the signs of defeat; leaving every morning with pep in his step and returning in the evening with shoulder slumped and dragging feet.  It was also a very frustrating time for me because the guy was my friend and Hero and at 45 yrs of age he was done, beaten and defeated; he had lived as if there was no tomorrow; he played and rarely saved.  He was impatient and imprudent with his lifestyle and his health and finances suffered for it; he passed away a degenerative diabetic, amputee and broke.  The most valuable lesson I learned from my father was to think for myself and live by my own terms and rules.

It is much easier to sit around and contemplate, what should be rather than actually making something happen. Patients and prudery is a method that produces positive results however if I am doing something I don’t truly believe in, I won’t keep doing it.  Finding a lifestyle that produces the healthy results I want and fits within my belief system has been a trial and error process.  I am losing patience with my errors and am not being prudent in my choices. My wellbeing and belief system are at a point of conflict and I am having a difficulty in understanding what I truly believe in; training is a deep seeded part of my life and eating good healthy food is something I trust. I simply do not accept that I must stop enjoying the food and drink I derive the most pleasure from to get to where I want to be.  

I am growing tired of the constant attention that my weight management receives yet I understand, prudent behavior dictates I must persist if I am going to persevere.  At the end of the day patience is a virtue as is prudence and in my opinion both are enhanced when used together.

Go have some fun,

Geo

Live well and happy