I had intended to write about my explorations into the world of Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum multiflorum) this week, however following a number of e-mails and Facebook messages asking me for information coming from France concerning Ebola and essential oils, I thought I better concentrate on this. I feel it is important to state that I have absolutely no background experience on Ebola, either theoretical or practical, this article is just stating what I have found being conveyed on the subject in France at the moment, which you will soon see is not much.
First of all, forgive me but I am going to begin this article with a rant (before I get on to essential oil information). One of the positive things about my life in rural France is that I am quite isolated from people and the humdrum of peopled existence. Don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to isolate myself from the threat of Ebola by tucking myself into a lazy, agricultural village, where wine-making is the main thing on people’s minds (except mine). No but I am happy to be isolated from the general mass hysteria infused daily by the media and then spread through all the conversations that people have between themselves…notably at the moment the hysteria linked to the Ebola epidemic.
I would like to quote my friend Florian Birkmayer, who wrote about Ebola on a comment on his Facebook page concerning people put into quarantine,
“It’s the archetype of the scapegoat/pariah/threatening other, in full swing. People are projecting their own Shadow (the part of themselves they’re unwilling/unable to see) onto their neighbours. At first projection happens to distant groups, but its moving closer and closer. The ‘other’ is encroaching…”
Last week whilst working in the UK and staying in my father’s house, I was suddenly thrown into day to day conversation, I was surprised that my father talked so much about Ebola and his fears that in 6 months it was going to be a world catastrophe. I personally keep away from newspapers and television and do not have any information about the realities of this viral disease so I am not in a position to either deny or agree with his fears, what I did feel, however really resonated with Florian’s quote above. My father (sorry dad) lives in perpetual denial of his own feelings of rage, terror, sadness etc. he is constantly running away from himself with unceasing activity and military-like timing (which is completely un-necessary as he is retired), I have been and if I allowed it would still be a scapegoat for his own terror – the Ebola virus coming from Africa is an ideal way of exteriorising the problems, focusing on the ‘other’ and not taking responsibility for his own anger/terror etc.
We are the world we live in and the only thing we are in full power to change is ourselves, our thoughts, our way of being. I somehow feel that the world media and information available en masse regarding Ebola is destined to inundate everyone’s consciousness with fear in a time where many people are actually feeling a rise in consciousness and a coming together towards co-creating the future. It seems like a sort of counter attack – as we all know fear and love cannot co-exist.
So, feeling better after a good rant, lets get on with the question in hand, what are French, clinical aromatherapists suggesting as preventative measures for the risk of contracting Ebola?
As mentioned above, before I was asked, I hadn’t really thought about the question, I was having far too much fun harvesting and exploring Solomon’s Seal.
I have only fond one publicised protocol and that is from Dr Baudoux (pharmacian, aromatologist, writer and research director, who runs the essential oil company Praarome and l’Ecole International d’aromathérapie). I feel it is important to state that there have to my knowledge been no scientific or even ‘hands on’ studies done with this protocol and Ebola.
Dr Baudoux suggests during periods of risk regular cures of :
Cinnamomum camphora CT cineole (Ravintsara)
Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea-Tree)
Thymus satureioides (Winter savoury leaved thyme)
Eucalyptus radiata
Eugenia caryophyllus (Clove)
He obviously suggests that people buy the capsules with sunflower oil from his company but 1 drop of each can be mixed well in a teaspoon of honey or made into medicine balls (for those people who have done the infectious pathology course with me)
To be taken twice a day before meals for 5-7 days. If the risk of infection continues this protocol can be repeated once a month
At the same time and without a break during periods of risk, the following external preparation is suggested:
Cymbopogon martinii (palmarosa) 2ml
Eugenia caryophyllus (Clove) 1ml
Cinnamomum cassia (Chinese cinnamon) 0.5ml
Cistus ladaniferus (Rockrose) 1ml
Cinnamomum camphora (Ravintsara) 3ml
Cymbopogon citratus (Lemongrass) 2ml
Apricot kernel oil 15ml
Blend together and massage 8 to 10 drops on the stomach in the morning and evening during the period of risk.
A curative protocol has also been suggetsed, I hesitated as whether or not include it here, I have decided to but purely on the understanding that I am just conveying information, I have no available back up personal or otherwise for the effectiveness of this protocol.
Cinnamomum camphora (Ravintsara) 6ml
Cistus ladaniferus (Rock rose) 2ml
Cymbopogon martini (Palmarosa) 2ml
Blend together and then pour the whole quantity onto the entire body including arms and legs. Then continue with 12 drops of the same blend rubbed onto the stomach 8 times per day for between 5-7 days.
At the same time take the immune stimulating blend 3 times per day.
As I am finishing this, several things come to mind, the first is that I hope that in the craziness of all this there won’t be a frenzy and all the immune stimulating and anti-infectious essential oils will be bought up…this happened in France during the H1N1 flu epidemic. I am also wondering to myself if there are any doctors, health workers out there, actually on the field using essential oils, have any distillers sent essential oils to where they are needed, are any of the aid workers using them to protect themselves? I decide to change from French to English and tap into Google the words ‘Ebola, essential oils, Africa’. Then I begin to see another scarey picture emerging from our warring world, titles such as ‘FDA warns consumers about fake Ebola drugs’, FDA cracks down on Ebola scams’, the sites go on to mention essential oils and some companies pushing the sales of their essential oils as protection against Ebola. I actually open one site and read:
“Essential oils have not shown any evidence of effectiveness against viruses, and certainly not against the Ebola virus, said Gerald Weissmann, editor-in-chief of the journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology and professor of medicine at New York University.
The low value of such oils in fighting infectious disease is evident in a simple comparison, said Weissman: While American diets are not, on the whole, rich in the use of essential oils, African diets are.
“We don’t have Ebola,” said Weissmann. “They do.”
…are we living in the same world?…help! take me back to the woods and good old Solomon’s seal.
As is the human body, so is the cosmic body
As is the human mind, so is the cosmic mind.
As is the microcosm, so is the macrocosm.
As is the atom, so is the universe.
– The Upanishads.
Cathy Skipper 