38 replies to this topic

[Michele]

There was recently a post about buying essential oils, and it made me think of something. I don't find that store-bought essential oils, mass produced from squished plants (or however one expresses the oils, lol) have any magical inclination. Often (usually) I can't even invoke it. Medicinally it works (like eculypts (sp) for cleariing the sinuses) but magically I find they are empty.

When I have made an oil - not essential as I don't have that equipment or skill - but just taking some of the living wort and imbuing the oil with the spirit of the plant, or buying a "living" oil from a trusted source, I find it is a live oil and much more inclined to magic and connected to the wort. For me, the spirit of the plant needs to be invoked to be used in the magic unless it is purely for medicinal purposes (and even then it is worth invoking) and I don't find there is spirit in the mass-produced oils. Has anyone else found this?

M

[sarasuperid]

Yes, oils made by other witches and my own infused oils are more charged than ones from the grocery store. I am going to start making my own essential oils this summer as the plants I need come into season. I am very excited.

[Jevne]

I am personally in agreement with your assessment, Michele.  I do not find essential oils an effective means of communing with plant spirit.  I would much rather be sitting in the actual forest.  This works for me, as I primarily work with plants native to my home.  I have used an infusion-type tactic similar to what you described, Michele, but found it unsatisfying and ineffective for the most part.  Thus, living plants are my preference, especially for magical and spiritual workings.

Jevne

[Michele]

That's wonderful that you can work mostly with plants in your area! Much of what grows wild here I cannot find folklore on, so I will be having to learn it from the plants themselves which will be much slower and harder going for me as it takes me quite a while to get to know any specific plant. But my garden is slowly growing, as is my relationship with some of the "wilder" areas of the trails :-)  

M

[Jevne]

Michele, on 26 April 2012 - 01:36 AM, said:

But my garden is slowly growing, as is my relationship with some of the "wilder" areas of the trails :-)  

M

I am happiest when I am conversing with the trees and plants in the 'wilder' areas.  No essential oil, especially not a store bought one, could ever replace that for me.

J

[Whiterose]

I agree.  I find that the essential oils I bought for soaps and medical purposes are of value for those reasons.  When I am doing a working that involves altering my own psyche via aroma therapy, they are of value as well.  For magical workings, I use my old oils that are bits of plants infused in some kind of carrier oil.  These are the sun's eye oils.  http://www.sunseyestore.com/ These are what they used to sell in my area witchy stores. I find these oils have alot more energy to them than the essential oils.  Even when I make soaps I find I use more of the sun's eye oils than the true EO's.  I have tried making my own oils, though they turned out to be a jar of moldy mess....so I stick with the commercial stuff right now.  Good thread.

[Stacey]

I've started making my own oils, you're right - there is something lacking from store bought. I suppose because they don't honour the plant or spirit when making them (on a mass produced scale). I'm new to it, but I am enjoying it and find it packs more of a punch when using it.

[Aloe]

Bought essential oils feel pretty dead to me until I combine them with something else that (to me) has more life.

[sarasuperid]

Also many essential oils are irritants to some peoples skin because they are so concentrated. Infused oils can be often made from the leaves flowers etc of just one plant, while many plants are needed to make essential oils. Much more affordable too. A bottle of carrier oil and then some wildcrafted or garden herbs and you could have a dozen oils or more for less than the price of one essential oil.

[Belwenda]

I  make my own; but only use black cat oil consistently.

[Whiterose]

Hedge Witch, on 27 April 2012 - 11:20 PM, said:

That's why they're so powerful when used in ritual anointing oils and also why they're blended with base oils. You should never apply pure essential oil to the skin. 1 bottle of essential oil will last for years provided its stored properly. A little bit goes a long way. Far better value for money.

A bottle of essential oil and an oil infused with herbs are two very different things.

They are two very different things, that fact is not being disputed.  There is also a difference in they way they are being used.  Although the chemical potentcy of essential oils can be powerful, is not the same as a oil that contains plant matter that can be spiritually awakened.  I find that the more processed the plant is, the more "dead" it becomes.

[Jevne]

Essential oils have been discussed positively on the Forum on multiple occasions, including in conversations related to their aromatherapy, medicinal, and even cleaning properties.  I believe (could be wrong) that Michele chose to create a different thread to discuss perceptions of the Magical properties of essential versus invoked (infused?) oils.  I do not believe this is completely a matter of liking or not liking essential oils, but whether or not they serve a purpose in the magical workings of the particular Witch.  For me, they do not have a place in my Craft.  This is not say essential oils are without merit or not beneficial to the workings of others.

A search of the forums for the term "essential oils" will provide some of those links, if anyone is interested.

Jevne

[sarasuperid]

I must beg to differ, as I have the equipment for making essential oils and yes they are very processed, being basically steamed, distilled, cooled and seperated off of the hydrosol that is left after the various stages of chemical transformation. I understand that you find them powerful, i am not questioning that, but I must say that alchemy-chemestry required to make essential oils is processing, its a fact. Thats part of why I am interested in this herbal alchemy, because of the transformative processes. The apparatus for making these oils is rather complex, and includes both heating the plants quite hot and then cooling the water and oil down with ice or cold water to collect and condense the distillate.

I would encourage you to open your mind about herbs. They have long been a vital part of the witches craft. Your characterization of them as dead when infused or dry might insult them, and if you said that about me I wouldn't work with you either, lol. Oh that Sarasuperid is a dried out old husk, really pretty much dead matter, well you get my gist. I wouldn't take it well. Maybe I was just being shy and might take a little more coaxing and kindness to share my secrets. After all a dry seed, holds within it life. The mysteries.

To some witches rocks and crystals are alive, so why not too some dried mugwort or some home made infused st johns wort oil from plants you whispered to in the wild and ritually harvested. I just invite you to consider having a kinder view of them before you start trying to work with them.

Essential oils are a product of the lab, alchemy, and chemistry plus herbs, water and fire. Quite an intense process and one that excites me. As too does gardening and wildcrafting and herbalism although a more relaxed process.

[Mountain Witch]

Essential oils are only a part of a plant - the volatile oil. I find it much easier to work with the whole, even if dried. (Sort of like working with a whole human being rather than just a bag of blood.) To me, the process of infusing an oil, if done magically (with intent) rather than mundanely, makes that oil much more powerful.

HW, based on your postings in this thread, you are very smell-oriented. Dried herbs definitely don't always smell the same as fresh. It depends on how much volatile oil that plant has. If you truly want to work with herbs, you'll have to get past your apparent need for strong aroma.