Friday, March 12, 2010

Sweet Jasmine


Back in January I wrote about the quest I had set out on this year to learn more about natural healing to enhance our family wellness. Recently I purchased two new oils to add to my little collection: Jasmine and Chamomile. It was really hard to pick which ones to get but I settled on these two because they both smell so flowery and I rarely go for flowery scents (I'm much more of a spicy scent girl).

Jasmine is one of those wonderful oils that have many uses, more than I want to list here but I'll include some points that struck me and I'll leave links to some great info for those who would like to know more.

Jasminum officinale is believed to have originated in the Himalayan region of China and northern India. It was brought to Spain by the Moors and is now grown for its oil throughout much of Europe. It is considered to be an extremely romantic flower and is a deciduous climber with white flowers that bloom in lax clusters from mid to late summer.
Adding to its romance factor it blooms at night or just after dusk. The aroma of the flowers is most intense at night and that is when they are picked. Something that struck me about this delicate flower is that the scent is supposedly most intense when the moon is waxing to full.

Medicinally Jasmine is good for lifting depression, skin ailments, sexual blocks, relief of menstrual cramps and is said to help ease the pain of childbirth. It is not recommended for use while pregnant. For a more extensive list of uses visit here.

Some suggestions for oils that blend well with Jasmine are: Bergamot, Rose, Sandalwood and citrus oils like Orange, Lime and Lemon.

Some Jasmine associations: ruled by the moon, its element is water, sacred to Vishnu and more generally associated with: love, attraction, prosperity and tranquility.

For more info.

Just thinking of this flower in bloom transports me to a summer night in a moon garden....
(I hope to create one someday....a girl needs to have some dreams after all.)

Happy Weekend!

6 comments:

TMCPhoto said...

Sounds like an oil I should have on hand, love that the scent is strongest in the bloom during waxing full.

Anonymous said...

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http://thepaganmomblog.com/2010/03/13/chasing-domestic-bliss-botw/

brandi said...

~i l♥♥♥ve the scent of jasmine...we lost our vine last year and am planning on swiping some from my mother in law...our garden just isn't the same without it...brightest blessings and congrats on being chosen as
"blog of the week"~

Atlantic Muse said...

jasmine was my go to oil for over three years. i purchased it for the birth of my first child and often used it in baths. in the end i somehow left it behind at a beautiful cottage on the coast. trying to find the right moment to bring it back into my home. that's why i need jasmine green tea from time to time. may it bring you what you need.

Rue said...

I don't normally pick flowery scents either - but I may have to get some Jasmine. It's very romantic sounding!

Bridgett said...

Yes, I agree...flowery scents aren't usually my thing (I really like the fruity scents). But this sounds enchanting.

Thanks for the intro!