Scott Johnson: Hello again and welcome to this edition of Young Living’s audio education series. I’m Scott Johnson, Young Living’s Director of Global Education and U.S. Sales. If you have attended any of Young Living’s Discovering Nature’s Remedies events, you’re familiar with the core four strategies to realizing a state of optimum health we at Young Living call vigor and vitality. At a high level, the goal of natural health is to create an optimal biochemical environment for the health-seeking life force present in each individual cell, to propel you forward to vigor and vitality as it is naturally designed to do. One of the fundamental strategies taught during a Nature’s Remedies event is to manage the effect of stress and negative emotions. This includes balancing your emotions and supporting optimal brain health. Without focusing on these two elements of your wellbeing, it is virtually impossible to experience genuine vigor and vitality. In fact, these two elements are just as important as choosing healthy foods and getting enough physical activity. So this is a very timely subject considering school is just around the corner and many parents are concerned about how focused their children will be; maybe even a little apprehensive about the little ones having courage to start a new school year, attend a different school, or become accustomed to a new teacher. Or many times it’s the children themselves who are seeking something to give them a boost of self-confidence or an edge in the classroom as they begin a difficult school year or confront the typical challenges that children and teens face in today’s school environment.
Today’s discussion involves two products that excel at providing balance to emotions, encouraging self-confidence, and aiding cognitive function to promote clarity and optimal mental performance. The two products I’m referring to are Valor Roll-On and Clarity essential oil blend. I can’t overstate the importance of always having your oils with you, because you’ll never know when you will need them. I personally have been grateful many times that I had my oils with me when I needed them while away from home or away from work, and one of the most convenient ways to carry oils with you and have them readily available at all times is through a roll-on applicator.
Valor is an extremely popular blend; it is also available in our handy 10-mL roll-on applicator bottles. It is an empowering blend of Therapeutic Grade™ essential oils: Rosewood, Blue Tansy, Frankincense, and Spruce in an almond oil base that works with both the spiritual and physical aspects of the body to balance energies. By doing so, this wonderful blend may increase feelings of strength, courage, and self-esteem. A number of users indicate that Valor improves their mood; it just seems to make everything better. Its fragrant influence is grounding and enhances one’s internal resources to better face life’s difficulties. Another important feature of this oil is that is has profound effects on the energetics; it has been found to support energy alignment in the body, and this alignment effect doesn’t just happen with your body’s energy – when your energies are aligned, your body is in the optimal state to self-correct its structural balance and alignment also. Tracy Griffiths, a Young Living member and a yoga instructor, shared her personal witness of Valor’s aligning and balancing significance in an audio training about this oil in 2011. She indicated that during her class she uses a unique technique called spinal balancing, where the alignment of paired body parts – for instance, shoulders, legs, etc. – of the class members are measured. After measuring the class members, the instructor applies Valor to her own hands and holds the bottoms of the class members’ feet for 5 to 10 minutes. After this period of time the class member is re-measured and more often than not the alignment and balance has improved.
Let’s discuss each of the oils in this blend briefly: Rosewood’s woody floral scent is empowering, very grounding and strengthening. It is balancing and stabilizing to the emotions and may help alleviate occasional nervous irritability. Its fragrant influence is said to drive away feelings of disappointment, encouraging a more positive outlook on life. Blue Tansy is steam-distilled from the flowering plant and has a slightly sweet, herbaceous aroma that helps to overcome anger and other negative emotions. Now anyone who has been angry knows that anger often promotes a loss of self-control, so releasing this anger through the Blue Tansy may do the opposite, and promote a feeling of self-control. Blue Tansy is also supportive to the liver which, in traditional Chinese medicine, is the organ connected to anger. One of the most highly prized oils throughout antiquity, Frankincense is centering and improves the focus of the mind, which may help overcome occasional feelings of stress and sadness. Its warm, balsamic aroma is stimulating and elevating to the mind, and promotes a deep spiritual awareness. It is high in sesquiterpenes which are stimulating to the limbic system, the area of the brain that regulates emotions, motivation, and memory – including fear, anger, laughter, and pleasure. Traditionally used by the Lakota Indians to enhance their ability to communicate with the Great Spirit, Spruce’s fresh woody fragrance helps to release emotional blocks, bringing about a feeling of balance and grounding. As you can see, each one of these oils individually can remarkably influence your emotional state and help bring balance to your life. However, when you combine them as has been done with Valor, you are more likely to experience profound and sustainable results. Whenever you need to balance your emotions or boost self-confidence and courage, simply apply Valor generously to the back of your neck, wrists, and feet.
Next we’re going to talk about Clarity. Who doesn’t need more clarity in their life? A little more focus and concentration could benefit countless people. Combining the power of Peppermint with other invigorating and inspiring oils, Clarity promotes a clear mind and amplifies mental alertness, vitality, and focus. This blend includes Basil, Cardamom, Rosemary, Peppermint, Rosewood, Geranium, Lemon, Palmarosa, Ylang Ylang, Bergamot, Roman Chamomile, and Jasmine. One of the great times to use Clarity is in the late afternoon when many people experience what is called “brain fog” or a period of time where you just feel mentally fatigued. This is a state where you feel mentally exhausted and your brain is just not functioning at its best. Throughout the day your cortisol levels normally fluctuate, peaking early in the morning around 6 a.m., and this is to increase alertness and help you wake up. These levels usually hit rock-bottom in the mid to late afternoon, thus you experience that brain fog. This decline in the afternoon usually causes a decrease in energy and in levels of concentration. To combat this effect you can diffuse, apply, or inhale some Clarity near the time that this decline in energy and focus usually occurs, helping you to avoid that brain fog feeling. In fact this synergistic blend encourages mental endurance and accuracy, and may improve energy levels. A member of the ginger family, Cardamom has been used throughout history to invigorate the mind and alleviate occasional mental fatigue and nervous exhaustion. Its aroma is uplifting, refreshing and energizing; and believed to draw energy upward to the brain to aid cognitive function. Some users report that its aroma strengthens their ability to perceive opportunities and then provides them the courage to pursue those opportunities. Scientists report that inhaling Rosemary boosts mental alertness, and encourages analytic and mental ability. Rosemary’s sweet, slightly medicinal aroma opens the conscious mind and is energizing and invigorating to the senses, helping to overcome mental fatigue. It is believed that Rosemary aids cognitive function by delivering oxygen-rich blood to the brain, resulting in higher levels of alertness. Peppermint is well known for its revitalizing and energizing aroma that stimulates the mind and a sense of awareness. A significant amount of scientific research shows that Peppermint can indeed augment cognitive performance. One of the great ways to experience the invigorating effects of Peppermint is to put a few drops of oil in your palm, then rub your hands together and cup your hands over your nose and mouth, and breathe in deeply for several breaths. Inhaling Basil may also refresh your mind and restore mental alertness. In January 2013 researchers conducted a small pilot study investigating the effect of an essential oil blend that included Basil and Peppermint for mental exhaustion and moderate burnout. The researchers concluded that inhaling these oils may reduce the level of fatigue and burnout that people experience. Citrus scents like Lemon and Bergamot are stimulating and invigorating. The fresh citrus scent of Bergamot is simultaneously uplifting and relaxing. It is a great choice to boost confidence and to balance your mood. Lemon promotes clarity of thought and purpose, and may improve mental accuracy and concentration. With its uplifting flowery scent, Geranium helps release negative emotions and aids the body’s response to occasional nervous tension. Some believe that Geranium stimulates the adrenal glands, helping to balance cortisol levels and reduce the drastic surges and crashes associated with exhaustion. It is also supportive of both the circulatory and nervous systems. Jasmine has a warm, exotic floral fragrance that stimulates the mind and aids concentration. Research suggests that Jasmine can dramatically improve mental accuracy and concentration when it’s diffused in an office setting, and may positively influence test scores when diffused during a test-taking period. Palmarosa was used as temple incense by ancient Egyptians. Its sweet floral scent is stimulating and revitalizing to the mind and to the body. It is often used to combat occasional physical and nervous exhaustion. Roman Chamomile and Ylang Ylang both relax the mind and help balance energies. As previously mentioned, Rosewood is empowering and encourages a positive outlook on life. When you combine all of these oils into one blend you are far more likely to experience immediate, sustainable results to help you overcome that slump in the afternoon; or really anytime your mind needs a pick-me-up. Parents, don’t forget to give your children some Clarity on test days at school!
As always, these are just a few of the ways you can use these two remarkable blends. We encourage you to experience their benefit for yourself today. Until next time, we wish you abundant health and a wonderful day.