Many wise men have said that nature is our classroom: after all, natural spaces are filled with metaphors and anomalies that resonate with our own inner world. With nature all around us, we can reconnect with the world that is the foundation for all probabilities that manifest in this physical realm. Spruce oil is a good example of how nature can interact with the cells in the body and normalize hormone secretion, creating balance and stability. It has the added benefit of uplifting the spirits when it is inhaled in aromatherapy.
Nature is our medicine chest and it is filled with chemical compounds that interact beautifully with the human body. The Indians use spruce oil to balance the respiratory and nervous system, and the oil is inhaled before meditation so a connection could be made with other aspects of the self.
The wisdom that spruce oil soothes aching muscles, improves breathing, and gets rid of lingering coughs that make the body weak and the mind irritable was passed from one generation to the next.
Spruce oil is mainly made up of chemicals like bornyl acetate with smaller amounts of limonene, borneol, camphor a- and ß-pinene, camphene, 3-carene, myrcene, a- and ß-phellandrene, p-cymene, 1:8-cineole, linalool, terpinen-4-ol, a-terpineol, piperitone, citronellyl and geranyl acetate, bisabolene and d-cadinene. Isothujone, santene, tricyclenethujone, terpinenes, and isoborneol are also found in varying quantities in spruce oil.
When we become overstressed and start to eat and sleep poorly, our adrenal glands become taxed, and we may feel depressed, have trouble sleeping, and notice that we get sick more easily. Fortunately, spruce oil may restore depleted adrenal glands when mixed with a carrier oil and applied directly over the adrenal area, or all over the body.
Spruce oil is also wonderful for clearing the lungs, nasal passages, and the rest of the respiratory system. If you are feeling particularly congested, try putting a few drops of spruce oil in a pot of boiling water on the stove. Bring the water to a boil and inhale the resulting vapours. You will notice that your respiratory function improves in moments! Spruce oil may also be blended with a carrier oil and massaged onto the chest area to assist with lung function.
Indigenous American peoples say that the white, black, and red spruce trees are in the forest to take care of us. That kind of knowing is still present in the European psyche, but it has been shrouded by hundreds of years of mistaken preconceived beliefs and conditioned behavior. Fortunately, spruce essential oil may still be used for all of these traditional medicinal purposes, and to once again connect us to the lessons of nature, as well!
