What are essential oils?

For thousands of years, people have been using essential oils to enhance their physical and emotional wellness and to enliven environments.  Essential oils are aromatic liquids that can be found in shrubs, flowers, trees, roots, bushes, resins, and seeds.    They are volatile which means that the scent rises quickly into the air.  And they are versatile meaning that they can support different body systems and enliven environments.  They are also highly concentrated.  For example, it takes the rind/peel from 2 lemons to make just one drop of lemon essential oil. 

There are many plants that produce an essential oil that has healing/supportive properties.  These oils are typically obtained through a steam distillation process , but in some cases (typically citrus oils) the plant is cold pressed instead.  These processes separate temperature sensitive materials, including aromatic compounds, making them useful for obtaining pure essential oils from the plant material. The word essential in essential oils refers to the essence of the plant.  Essential oils are not actually essential for us, despite the name.  They are, however, very useful.  And, sometimes, they are useful in much the same way that they are for the plant and sometimes in different ways.  For example, a plant may produce a specific scent in order to attract insects (for pollination) or in order to deter insects and pests (for protection).  It is possible for us to use that scent to do the same thing for us (or for our plants).  It is also possible for us to use oils to support things that plants do not need support with, such as focus and a variety of types of discomfort.  So while not essential for our bodies, they are invaluable in our supporting our health and well-being.