Elemi and the Butterfly Connection

Every month at the new moon I send out a newsletter to my subscribers with an energy broadcast from The Sacred Rose Council.  And each month they suggest an essential oil and stone to explore. 

This month they suggested working with the essential oil Elemi, which is one of my favorites. But someone mentioned they’d never heard of Elemi before, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to introduce a bit of information about this lovely essential oil.

As part of any discussion about essential oils, it’s important to remind about common-sense cautions.  Always use therapeutic quality oils.  Don’t apply any essential oil “neat” directly to your skin – always dilute it in a carrier oil.  Don’t take internally.  And don’t skimp on your research – special care needs to be taken with some oils if you’re pregnant or nursing, elderly, sensitive or ill; and it’s always a good idea to check safety precautions for every oil.  But you knew all that.  Plants and their oils are powerful allies and should always be treated with respect.

Elemi essential oil is steam-extracted from the oleoresin obtained from “tapping” the trunks of Canarium luzoncium trees.

I love old botanical illustrations and this is one from a book published in 1890.  It’s a Canarium from India, although these days most Elemi comes from the Philipines.

Elemi’s aroma is spicy rich, a bit citrusy and a bit balsamic.  It’s distantly related to frankincense and you get that sense by smelling it.  It blends well with lots of other oils.

Its properties are analgesic, antiseptic, antiviral, expectorant, fungicidal, regulatory, tonic; and it’s used for skin conditions, muscle and nerve pain, infections, ulcers, respiratory issues.

Its qualities are uplifting as well as calming, relieving stress and nervous exhaustion, promoting peace.

But as you might guess, I’m always most interested in the spiritual aspects of oils. 

Elemi’s name has Arabic origins and means “as above so below.”  And Elemi is known for balancing spiritual and worldly life.  It can be very helpful for grounding after meditation; or when spirituality feels distance from daily life.  But even more important it helps one remember they’ve chosen to live here both as a child of Earth and of Spirit, and that both are equally important.

Here’s a affirmation you might want to consider using when working with Elemi:

My Life is a reflection of Spirit; and I shine my Spirit brightly through my Life.

Elemi also promotes a sense of the extraordinary in the ordinary, which is of course delightful.  

It’s also associated with Butterfly energy.

Which is a nice segue into showing you this picture. I was pulling out some papers today trying to decide what I want to use to make a journal cover, and this was one of the contenders.

And speaking of butterflies it’s getting to be that time of the year to pull out one of my favorite children’s book – Ghost Wings written by Barbara M. Joosse and illustrated by Giselle Potter.  It’s set in Mexico amidst the monarch butterflies annual migration during Dias de los Muertos.

So there you have it – a peek at one of my favorite essential oils, one of my favorite papers, and one of my favorite books for one of my favorite holidays.   What about you?  Have a favorite essential oil, favorite book, favorite holiday?  Do you observe Dias de los Muertos? Have a butterfly tale to share? Do tell – you know I love to hear.