Today’s essential oil spotlight lands on clove. If you ever saw the movie Marathon Man, the mention of clove will dig up the dentistry scene from your memory banks. Argh! Let’s say it was a long time before I made it to the dentist again after watching that! But don’t worry, clove was the good guy. Its key constituent is eugenol, which at roughly 70 to 90% gives it great potency in that regard.
Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) is steam distilled from the flower bud and stem, and is found in Madagascar and the Spice Islands. Spicy and fragrant, a clove-studded orange is one of the symbols of warmth and joy we see during the festive season. Much cheerier an association than Marathon Man.
Rewind 800 odd years before Laurence Olivier’s dental inflictions on Dustin Hoffman to the time of Hildegard of Bingen. No, not an opera singer (as far as I know) but a highly regarded Benedictine herbalist. Hildegard included clove’s benefits in her compilation of early German medicines. It has a long history.
Legend has it that clove was one of the ingredients in a formula known as ‘Marseilles Vinegar’, used by thieves who went about their gruesome work robbing the dead and dying during the plague in the 15th century. While legends can grow to epic proportions, there’s often a kernel of truth that can be of tremendous benefit, as Young Living found when it developed its proprietary blend of oils inspired by the legend of those thieves.
The Thieves® blend includes clove, lemon, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus radiata and rosemary, all loved for their vitality and cleansing properties, so this blend logically developed into a range of natural, non-toxic household cleaning and personal care products. (Please click here and I’ll help you order them.)
But I digress. (Where’s my Magnify Your Purpose™ ?!) Back to the single essential oil of clove in its solo glory. It’s another of those oils we tend to associate with cleansing and physical benefits but tend to forget about its cleansing influence on feelings, too.
Does your auric field need freshening up? Clove has been found helpful for such cleansing. It’s also wonderful for getting to the root of emotional hurts and moving anger out of the aura.
When you’re struggling with self-consciousness or expressing yourself in a way that’s gentle yet strong – and don’t we all find it a challenge sometimes to find that sweet spot – clove can help you to wrap your steel with velvet and communicate clearly, kindly and effectively. Clove is also a dream weaver of sorts and can be relaxing and give a sense of protection when nodding off to sleep. Remembering that cloves is in Thieves®, applying that blend to the soles of your feet before bed can be supportive of general cleansing of body, spirit and mind.
Not all oils are created equal. Far from it. Quality varies immensely, so please ensure you are choosing a brand with complete transparency from seed to seal, such as Young Living. Discover why we love them so much in this short video.
Authentic essential oil of clove can be diffused, applied topically well diluted (4 parts carrier oil to one part clove oil) over the base, sacral, throat and crown chakras or undiluted to spot locations depending on skin sensitivity. Oils are potent so as always, please follow directions on the bottle and the usual guidelines for safe use of authentic essential oils.
Clove is also one of the ingredients in Young Living Inner Defense capsules for – well, inner defense. (AustL192048) These liquid caps dissolve quickly and contain helpful antioxidants and protection against free radical damage.
Caution: Please note that clove can enhance anticoagulant properties so you need to exercise appropriate care as needed in that regard and be aware of potential effects when combined with certain medications.
Enjoy the good oil daily.
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