The Black Spruce is a native tree of Canada. The essential oil comes from the needles and is steam distilled. Black Spruce essential oil promotes mental clarity and helps with mental confusion. This oil is a restorative and is helpful for building stamina since it strengthens and stabilizes the nervous system. It is also known to support and strengthen the adrenal glands during times of stress and fatigue.

Black Spruce essential oil is one of the few oils that is suggested for asthmatics and is recognized for all upper respiratory problems. A friend of mine who practices aromatherapy massage tells me she has had good results using it on clients who have muscle aches and pains.

As you can see, Black Spruce essential oil is a good all rounder to have in your stash of essential oils, plus you get this wonderful aroma of Christmas trees. My daughter-in-law had an artificial Christmas tree when the children were babies. She complained that it did not seem like Christmas somehow. I gave her a bottle of Black Spruce essential oil so she could add a few drops around the bottom of the tree. It smelled wonderful!

Solace is a combination of Bergamot FCF, Benzoin, Marjoram and Australian Sandalwood. These oils were chosen to help you deal with grief. To gently guide you through the dark and into the sunshine once again.

Grief is not only the death of a loved one. It can be the loss of a job, kids leaving home, emigrating and leaving family and friends, and many more issues that can bring on that emotional response we call grieving.

Essential oil	Uses
Bergamot	Antidepressant	Analgesic	Antispasmodic	Diuretic
Benzoin	Anti-inflammatory	Anti-oxidant	Circulatory	Antibacterial
Marjoram	Anti-inflammatory	Analgesic	Antispasmodic	Vasodilator
Sandalwood	Relaxant	Demulcent	Antibacterial	Antifungal

The Sandalwood tree has many useful components which is why it has played such a big part in healing in India. The Indian people burned their dead on a funeral pyre made up of Sandalwood which is known for inducing tears and helping with the grieving process. Benzoin is a good anti-oxidant to help with the mature skin and is great for circulation which can get sluggish as we age.

Bergamot is a wonderful antidepressant; the aroma of Bergamot makes you feel good as soon as you smell it. The analgesic component will ease any aches and pains. Marjoram, in my opinion, is the best for getting rid of inflammation and helping with the pain.

 

 

 

 

  

Finally, after all the work of gathering, cleaning and cracking the nuts, the time comes to begin the process of creating the butter! And it's grinding work, but an exciting time which often involves children or entire families - even North American visitors get 'volunteered' to join in the fun! The brave ones try to help carry the nuts to the grinder where the wonderful oils and goodness will finally be released - but they soon realize just how incredibly heavy the baskets are, and how extraordinary it is that the Ghanaian women can lift them up onto their heads with ease and walk so

An adventurous Baraka partner tries her hand at carrying Shea Nuts

gracefully!

There is much excitement at finally getting ready to make the Shea Butter and you often see a bit of a procession as the nuts are carried to the grinder, children running gleefully alongside the laden women."  


 

Baraka

See previous newsletters for more Shea Butter stories. Next month,Washing the nuts.