3 Essential Oil Recipes for Emotional Support in Challenging Times

Essential Oil Support for Surgery

When we face the prospect of surgery or any major medical procedure, it’s not just our bodies that need care—we also need emotional support. The anticipation, anxiety, and uncertainty can be overwhelming. Thankfully, there are natural allies that can help us navigate these emotional waters. Benchmark Thyme essential oil is one such ally. 

I recently explored Benchmark Thyme oil’s benefits for helping us heal from infections (including superbugs). But this remarkable oil offers more than just physical support.

Today, I’m sharing the benefits of Benchmark Thyme for emotional support before and after surgery. 

We’ll discuss…

• Why have people throughout history used Thyme for courage and healing?

• Recipes to find bravery, feel safe in your body, and soothe anxiety.

• How can this versatile oil offer strength and peace in the same breath?

Benchmark Thyme (Thymus zygis) was developed by master aromatherapist Maggie Tisserand, who created it with a view to using it in clinical settings. You can learn about Maggie’s early experiments with Benchmark Thyme (in collaboration with doctors) in this post on The Aromahead Blog.

Find Your Courage with Benchmark Thyme

As an RN, I know how an infusion of courage can help patients feel confident before surgery. Going “under the knife” can be a frightening, vulnerable experience. Anything that imparts bravery is welcome!

Many cultures throughout history have associated Thyme with courage and resilience. In Fragrance and Wellbeing, author Jennifer Peace Rhind says…

“Thyme was a sacred herb of the Druids, who used it to lift the spirits and dispel negativity . . . mediaeval knights would wear an emblem of a bee and a sprig of thyme . . . It is also said that before going into battle, the Highland Scots would drink a beverage made from thyme to confer courage.”

The aroma of Benchmark Thyme is certainly invigorating. Its main component, thymol, supports the circulation of energy through the body. It helps focus our will and motivation, encouraging us to remain confident through challenges. 

Benchmark Thyme Recipe: Heroic Spirit Inhaler for Pre-Surgery

I chose to make an inhaler for courage, because taking deep breaths can give us strength and confidence. Also, you may not want to apply a topical blend before (and sometimes after) surgery.

Ingredients

• 4 drops Benchmark Thyme essential oil (Thymus zygis)

• 3 drops Bergamot essential oil (Citrus bergamia)

• 2 drops Frankincense essential oil (Boswellia carterii)

Directions

Follow the simple steps in this post for making an aromatherapy inhaler.

Try breathing with this inhaler, filling your lungs, and standing in a “power pose”—with your chest puffed out and your arms outstretched. The American Psychological Association reports that when people “took power or upright postures, they felt better and were more confident than when they took contractive or hunched body positions.”

Trust Your Body with Benchmark Thyme

Going through surgery can sometimes give us a sense of being unsafe in our bodies. 

Benchmark Thyme can bring us back to our physical selves and help us trust the body’s natural strength and resilience. These effects are thanks to several of its main components—thymol, which I mentioned above, and linalool, a soothing molecule shown to relax the nervous system. 

Benchmark Thyme Recipe: “Trust Your Body” Soothing Butter

This luxurious body butter nourishes your skin. Applying it can enhance your body awareness and foster a sense of trust in your ability to heal. 

You will need one 4 oz (120 ml) glass or PET plastic jar. 

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz (42 g) Shea butter (Vitellaria paradoxa)

• 1 fl oz (30 ml) Baobab Seed oil (Adansonia digitata)

• 1 fl oz (30 ml) Jojoba oil (Simmondsia chinensis)

• 30 drops Benchmark Thyme essential oil (Thymus zygis)

• 15 drops Lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia)

Directions

Make this recipe in a 4 oz (120 ml) glass jar.

1. Set up a “stovetop double boiler.” Boil a few inches of water in a soup pot, and put a Pyrex measuring cup in the soup pot with the handle hanging over the edge. Your ingredients will go in the Pyrex.

2. Add the baobab seed and jojoba oils to the pyrex and warm it.

3. Add the shea butter and melt it. It helps if you break the shea butter up into small pieces so it melts faster. 

4. Remove the blend from heat immediately when the shea butter is almost melted. Once off the heat, the shea butter will continue to melt.

5. Add the essential oils and stir gently.

6. Carefully pour your blend into your jar (or jars). Once it’s solidified, use it as needed.

You can use this before or after undergoing surgery or a medical procedure. Just be sure not to apply it directly over any open wounds or stitches. 

Reduce Anxiety with Benchmark Thyme

Anxiety can be a formidable obstacle to healing, making it difficult for our nervous systems to calm down so the body can focus on recovery. While Benchmark Thyme offers will, strength, and motivation, it can also calm the nervous system. 

That’s part of its magic—it gives us peace within courage. 

This is thanks to the component linalool, which I mentioned above. Linalool is a monoterpenol and is found in some of the most well-known oils for calming anxiety—including Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Coriander (Coriandrum sativum), and Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea). 

Research even suggests that linalool-rich oils perform as well as anxiety-calming medications like lorazepam. (Linalool-rich Lavender is also the main oil in our popular Smoky Lavender Stress-Relief Roll-On recipe)

Benchmark Thyme Recipe: Calm Recovery Lotion

This lotion can help calm your nervous system in the days before a medical procedure or in the days after while you settle back into your body. 

You will need a 1 oz (30 ml) glass or PET plastic jar. 

Ingredients

• 1 oz (28 g) Unscented natural lotion

• 9 drops Benchmark Thyme essential oil (Thymus zygis)

• 2 drops Roman Chamomile essential oil (Chamaemelum nobile)

• 1 drop Ylang Ylang essential oil (Cananga odorata)

Directions

• Put your lotion into a small bowl.

• Add your essential oils.

• Stir well with a glass stirring rod or the handle of a stainless steel spoon. 

• Put your lotion blend into your jar with a spoon or a mini-spatula.

Massage gently into areas of tension when you feel anxious.

My Takeaway

Benchmark Thyme essential oil is a tool for physical healing and emotional support when we need it most.

From boosting courage and confidence to helping us stay grounded and calm, it supports our overall well-being before and after surgery. Embracing its support can provide comfort and strength, making the journey to healing a bit smoother and more empowering. 

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