In the 60s and 70s when I grew up, science, technology and all the new medicines and chemicals were exalted as the answer to all the world's problems. Herbs were relegated to cooking and alternative medicine was vilified as quackery.
It's taken a while for me to get where I am, but today I turn to prayer first, then natural remedies such as herbs and essential oils first, and then to practitioners in alternative medicine such a chiropractors. The only time I turn to modern medicine is for emergencies such as broken bones that need to be splinted and life or death situations.
Several years ago, Grampa Tom and I were at the Small Farm Trade Show and Conference put on by the Small Farm Today Magazine that takes place every year in Columbia, MO. My husband's aunt had given me a beautiful long coat just before that trip and since it was cold, I wore it down there.
Unfortunately, she had some sort of perfume on it that wasn't agreeing with me so I was dealing with asthma the whole trip. It was either asthma or freeze. I should have known better. I've always steered away from perfumes, potpourris and other strong scents because of this problem.
While we were there, I came across a booth that was selling essential oils. One of the oils they were selling was marjoram oil. The sign in front of it said it was used to relieve allergies, asthma and respiratory problems. I was skeptical. The first day, I avoided even going near, but the second day I stopped to talk with ladies. They opened a jar of marjoram oil and invited me to just try breathing in the vapors for a few minutes. WOW! It worked! Needless to say, I bought a jar.
I still rely on marjoram oil a lot, but I also have a roll on product called Breathe Again, that is a combination of several oils that I love too!
When I was at the same conference a couple of years ago, there was a Young Living booth. At the time, I was having some severe pain in my neck. I've had some stiffness in my neck since a car accident I had several years ago (while going all of 5 miles an hour), but that day it was actually hurt! I was talking with the ladies at the booth and I happened to mention the pain in my neck. One of the ladies did something strange (Which I believe had something to do with the "Raindrop Technique" that Young Living teaches - I haven't had the chance to study it yet.) Then she took some black pepper oil and rubbed it on my neck. It didn't get rid of the problem totally, but it sure did help!
A few months later, my daughter signed up as a distributor and started giving me oils. Last fall, I finally took the plunge and became a distributor myself.
There is a spiritual component to the company that makes me uncomfortable. It seems to me that much of the material tends to "worship" the herbs and the oils. Over the years, I've heard many herbalists and natural healers talk about how the "herbs" seem to talk to them. They rely a lot on "feelings" and "dreams". From what little I've heard about this "Raindrop Technique", it seems very similar. When I was a new Christian, there were folks I respected who said that anyone who uses herbs for healing or incense of any type was dealing in witchcraft.
I'm just not willing to throw the baby out with the bath water. God made all these things. When people don't understand how they work, they tend to spiritualize them. When I am seeking healing. The first thing I do is pray! God rarely gives me miracles. He usually gives me solutions and often times the knowledge comes in the form of a "hunch" or a dream. Who's to say that God in His mercy isn't responding to those who don't know Christ yet in the same way? If it works, I'm going to use it and bring my Christian perspective into it unless God specifically tells me not to.
I'm just learning about all this. If you are interested in essential oils or if you've got questions, please ask me! I may not know the answers, but I've always learned best when I'm helping others learn what they need to know!
God Bless You All!
~Grama Sue
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