Frankincense

If you could only have ONE essential oil, which would it be? Easy. Frankincense. My mom says the same thing. She doesn't like to carry around a bunch of oils when she travels, so she just carries around the one that's good for anything: frankincense. Gives greater depth as to why it was given to the Christ Child. The ability to use something natural to support and strengthen the body is exciting in and of itself, but FRANKINCENSE?!? That's just icing on the cake.

Some common ways to use frankincense include the following:

• Diffuse during yoga for focus.
• Add to your favorite moisturizer to promote healthy skin.
• Apply to the bottom of your feet to promote feelings of relaxation and to balance mood.
• After a day of outdoor activity, massage Frankincense into hands and feet for a warming and soothing effect.

Frankincense will also support any of the essential oils with which it is used. For example, just today I noticed that my 11 month old wasn't quite himself and I wanted to use something that would support a healthy immune system. so I put a drop of a protective blend, followed by a drop of frankincense. Last night, he woke up in the middle of the night, and was having a hard time falling back asleep. I put a drop of a calming blend, and added frankincense, knowing the two would help promote a restful night's sleep.

It is incredible how different scents can promote different feelings. The science of aroma is a post for another day, but being on the subject of frankincense, I will highlight one of my favorite uses. With it being the oil used for the Christ Child, simply placing a drop over my heart during prayer deepens the connection I feel to God. The world (and sometimes my own thoughts) often creates distance between me and my Father in Heaven, and so I use all the tools that I can to bridge that gap and stay in tune with His will.

Saying I have a favorite oil is like saying I have a favorite song, book, or movie. There is never just one, and even if there was, it would likely change from time to time. But if I could only have one essential oil, hands down I would choose frankincense. Addressing physical, emotional, AND spiritual needs, it truly is "the king" of all oils.