Hi! I’m Raeley, and I’m so excited to share with you what I’ve learned about pivoting emotions with essential oils and scripture. First a little about me; I’m an intense fun loving photographer turned mother that really loves research and empowerment. There, now you know a little bit about me. Now let’s dive in! Far From God?
As a human my emotions often make me feel far from the loving arms of God. Often it’s difficult for me to know how to hand those unwanted emotions over to God for Him to heal and transform my outlook. I have found several resources that have helped me define my emotions in a way that shows how I’m not believing that God is good. I’ve also found some ways that help me to process those emotions so that I can live with more emotional energy for others.
One of the resources is a book called “Releasing Emotional Patterns with Essential Oils” where the author, Carolyn Mein mentions that the release is more powerful when we ask the Holy Spirit to help us. She theorizes that there are positive and negative sides to an emotion and a way out which reveals how our perception of reality is hurting. I started compiling a Bible verse reference to go along with her reference.
As a human my emotions often make me feel far from the loving arms of God. Often it’s difficult for me to know how to hand those unwanted emotions over to God for Him to heal and transform my outlook. I have found several resources that have helped me define my emotions in a way that shows how I’m not believing that God is good. I’ve also found some ways that help me to process those emotions so that I can live with more emotional energy for others.
One of the resources is a book called “Releasing Emotional Patterns with Essential Oils” where the author, Carolyn Mein mentions that the release is more powerful when we ask the Holy Spirit to help us. She theorizes that there are positive and negative sides to an emotion and a way out which reveals how our perception of reality is hurting. I started compiling a Bible verse reference to go along with her reference.
Holding Emotions In... Our Body!
Before I get too far into that, this theory goes along with what we know about how we hold emotions in different parts of our body. I know I certainly feel stress in my gut with horrible news, tightness in my chest near my heart with heartbreak, and pain in my shoulder when I feel way out of place. This could also explain why movement or massage can bring up unresolved memories and feelings. It’s similar with essential oils. Essential oils, when inhaled, actually interact with receptors in the limbic system. The limbic system is known as the emotional brain and is connected to the memory and stress areas of the brain. Therefore, essential oils can physiologically influence our emotions.
Essential oils can also trigger unresolved feelings resulting in negative emotions. As suggested in her book, says that this can be very therapeutic if you have the time to work God’s truth into you. We won’t go into detail but I encourage you to experience the and see what methods help you to process emotions and work them into the perspective of the Gospel. Many people already process emotions and uncomfortable experiences by meditation on His word, aromatherapy, and movement. I highly encourage you to pray for guidance and then make yourself do healthy processing. As a 7 on the enneagram, admitting that I’m not feeling good and leaning into the why to process is a BIG growth area. I encourage you to try whatever healthy ways you’re drawn to process. For me, it’s walking or yoga. Sometimes with more aggressive emotions I like more aggressive movement like boxing.
Before I get too far into that, this theory goes along with what we know about how we hold emotions in different parts of our body. I know I certainly feel stress in my gut with horrible news, tightness in my chest near my heart with heartbreak, and pain in my shoulder when I feel way out of place. This could also explain why movement or massage can bring up unresolved memories and feelings. It’s similar with essential oils. Essential oils, when inhaled, actually interact with receptors in the limbic system. The limbic system is known as the emotional brain and is connected to the memory and stress areas of the brain. Therefore, essential oils can physiologically influence our emotions.
Essential oils can also trigger unresolved feelings resulting in negative emotions. As suggested in her book, says that this can be very therapeutic if you have the time to work God’s truth into you. We won’t go into detail but I encourage you to experience the and see what methods help you to process emotions and work them into the perspective of the Gospel. Many people already process emotions and uncomfortable experiences by meditation on His word, aromatherapy, and movement. I highly encourage you to pray for guidance and then make yourself do healthy processing. As a 7 on the enneagram, admitting that I’m not feeling good and leaning into the why to process is a BIG growth area. I encourage you to try whatever healthy ways you’re drawn to process. For me, it’s walking or yoga. Sometimes with more aggressive emotions I like more aggressive movement like boxing.
Something that I think is really relevant right now is how our trust falling away from the gospel can result in fear. If we don’t believe that God is good and that He has a plan, it’s hard to believe that I will be okay. I have continually bring my fear to Him, look into His word for His character, truth, and promises to help me know how things are actually okay, and I move into trusting him.
That’s where the reference comes in handy. It has the emotion, other side, way out, alarm point, and oil that helps us to access and process these emotions that drag us down. Now, my reformed theology disagrees with some of what the author suggests because it’s very self-fulfillment based. I believe that I am inadequate and that God makes up for it and uses my weakness and gives me the strength instead of just getting the ability to become adequate from inside myself.
Scriptural Support
Here are some Bible verses to back that statement up AND for your encouragement living as an imperfect and tired Christian.
“But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished Him for the iniquity of us all.”
Isaiah 53:5-6 HCSB
“His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.”
2 Peter 1:3 HCSB
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 HCSB
“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7 HCSB
“He gives strength to the weary and strengthens the powerless. Youths may faint and grow weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:29-31 HCSB
“But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 HCSB
By reading these I hope that you’ve been encouraged that God works in our weakness and gives us power and emotional fullness as we place our trust in him. When first reading the reference book I couldn’t help but wonder if it was Biblical or good to bring in scents to help us process emotions since that can be such a spiritual thing and honestly, sounds kinda hokey. Here are the most useful verses that I found on incense, perfume, oil, and anointing.
Here are some Bible verses to back that statement up AND for your encouragement living as an imperfect and tired Christian.
“But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished Him for the iniquity of us all.”
Isaiah 53:5-6 HCSB
“His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.”
2 Peter 1:3 HCSB
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 HCSB
“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7 HCSB
“He gives strength to the weary and strengthens the powerless. Youths may faint and grow weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:29-31 HCSB
“But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 HCSB
By reading these I hope that you’ve been encouraged that God works in our weakness and gives us power and emotional fullness as we place our trust in him. When first reading the reference book I couldn’t help but wonder if it was Biblical or good to bring in scents to help us process emotions since that can be such a spiritual thing and honestly, sounds kinda hokey. Here are the most useful verses that I found on incense, perfume, oil, and anointing.
Scriptural Support for Essential Oil Use
“But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided — a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.”
Philippians 4:18 HCSB
“But thanks be to God, who always puts us on display in Christ and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To some we are an aroma of death leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life leading to life. And who is competent for this? For we are not like the many who market God’s message for profit. On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God.”
2 Corinthians 2:14-17 HCSB
“And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.”
Ephesians 5:2 HCSB
This is referring to the woods used on burnt offerings - the essential oils of the woods are components that make it fragrant.
People of the Bible had access to aromatic plants, distilling equipment, and trading posts to get oils and spices.
“After him Uzziel son of Harhaiah, the goldsmith, made repairs, and next to him Hananiah son of the perfumer made repairs. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.”
Nehemiah 3:8 HCSB
“Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil ferment and stink; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.”
Ecclesiastes 10:1 HCSB
“So they went out and preached that people should repent. And they were driving out many demons, anointing many sick people with olive oil, and healing them.”
Mark 6:12-13 HCSB
“Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:”
James 5:14 KJV
I acknowledge that the oil could represent the methods used of the day (people often added distilled oils or raw plant material to infuse additional healing components into the olive oil) and could also more generally mean give people treatment with prayer much like how missionary doctors bring treatment to third world countries. Either way, I think it’s good to pray for healing as I apply or take medicine.
Exodus 30 outlines two aromatic blends that were holy and only to be used on the Ark of the Covenant and the tent of meeting. It’s a long chapter so I won’t put it here.
“It is like fine oil on the head, running down on the beard, running down Aaron’s beard onto his robes.”
Psalms 133:2 HCSB
Fine oil refers to a carrier oil such as olive oil with other botanicals added but doesn’t specify which.
“a woman approached Him with an alabaster jar of very expensive fragrant oil. She poured it on His head as He was reclining at the table.”
Matthew 26:7 HCSB
Also referred to in Mark 14:3 and John 12:38
From historical information on uses we know that it likely contained spikenard and myrrh.
“Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it to consecrate them. He sprinkled some of the oil on the altar seven times, anointing the altar with all its utensils, and the basin with its stand, to consecrate them. He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed and consecrated him.”
Leviticus 8:10-12 HCSB
“So Jehu got up and went into the house. The young prophet poured the oil on his head and said, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I anoint you king over the Lord’s people, Israel.”
2 Kings 9:6 HCSB
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”
Psalms 23:5 HCSB
Other verses on anointing oils include 1 Samuel 10:1 and Exodus 29:7
Other Fun facts
Hebrew word for annoint is masach, mishcah, or moshchah which sounds very similar to massage.
Kristos means “the anointed one”
I am not well educated in what all anointing means, but if it was used when men took son the responsibility of becoming kings and Jesus’s feet I think that means it could very well be a good thing. Now, this does NOT mean that we are to have faith in the mode- but in the one who gives us power.
Oils of Joy
“You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy more than your companions. Myrrh, aloes, and cassia perfume all your garments; from ivory palaces harps bring you joy.”
Psalms 45:7-8 HCSB
“Oil and incense bring joy to the heart, and the sweetness of a friend is better than self-counsel.”
Proverbs 27:9 HCSB
“You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; this is why God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of joy rather than Your companions.”
Hebrews 1:9 HCSB
“The Spirit of the Lord God is on Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance; to comfort all who mourn, to provide for those who mourn in Zion; to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, festive oil instead of mourning, and splendid clothes instead of despair. And they will be called righteous trees, planted by the Lord to glorify Him.”
Isaiah 61:1-3 HCSB
NOW TO THE PRACTICAL PART
Here are two different way that I use essential oils and other methods to process emotions.
Sometimes when I’m feeling bad I just grab an oil or roller bottle that I like and smell it. Sometimes if I feel like it I’ll apply some. Then I move on with my day feeling *some* better.
Sometimes I start feeling down and self-absorbed and self-pitying in a way that prayer is not my first go-to. I’ll pick up an oil, smell it, then I’ll be moved into a mindset where I want to pray. I’ll address God directly with what’s bothering me and talk through things at Him. This way I’m often able to get to the core fear of false belief that’s keeping me down and tackle that with God’s truth. This is where knowing Bible verses is crucial.
Every once in a while I’ll have a very aggressive feeling that I want to overcome before I start being mean to my family. This is when the Overcoming Emotional Patterns with Essential Oils and having specific oils really comes in handy. I followed the instructions of Dr Mein’s video but instead of saying “I am” I say some sort of “Holy Spirit give me” or “I have ___ from God.” This process can feel like forever but it only takes a few minutes.
This is just a technique to help up realign our hearts and minds with Christ. THAT’S what matters, so we don’t have to do it perfectly. Sometimes feelings are so big, or circumstances are so hard that they take years to process. That’s okay. As Christian we are called to rely on God and will be our full and healed selves in heaven.
Oh, and sometimes repentance and forgiveness is involved. So, I can’t even promise that this makes the process of giving our fears to God easier. He calls us to sacrifice, self denial, and to focus on serving.
So let’s look at some emotions, what they reveal, oils that help us address them, and what the Bible has to say.
Book. “Releasing Emotional Patterns with Essential Oils” by Carolyn Mein D.C.
