Pelargonium graveolens

the woman’s guardian

There are certain botanicals that become guides, especially in a woman’s life. From adolescence into our winter years, geranium is one such botanical, whose sweet, green floral oil serves to nurture, comfort and bring balance into our emotional lives.

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Perhaps one of my earliest memories in scent was of a common geranium leaf. My mom kept them in terracotta pots on the front porch of our house on Loma Vista Street. Their thick green stems and felt-like leaves felt somehow reassuring to my small fingers, their peculiar green aroma, an aroma I didn’t like or dislike but found very curious, kept me coming back to investigate my draw to this plant. My mom liked them. And in my gauzy memories of that time mostly spent investigating my small world like an earthworm, through the senses, I suppose they reminded me of her.

(Common geraniums, like those I just brought up are close cousins of P. graveolens, but they are not quite the same. Nevertheless, they are emblematic to me of the essence of geranium essential oil and they are what comes to mind when I work with the oil.)

Geranium’s hallmark signature on the psyche is that of nurturance. Comfort. Reassurance that everything will be alright. Older, wiser women giving us a hug that feels like home energy. Like mom or another female caregiver. Peter Holmes notes in Aromatica vol 1, Geranium’s regulatory effects on the stress hormone cortisol and, of course, its ability to help regulate menstrual cycles and its strong indications of assistance during (peri)menopause. (2016) Surely, there were many passages of time when I worked with this oil out of personal necessity during a passage of time when my world felt darkest. Since that time, I have kept geraniums in a sunny window, a symbol of the nurturance I had to and could cultivate for myself.

Sometimes I think we catch glimpses of ourselves through the ages as if we’re looking through a portal. Maybe in dreams, meditation, while receiving energetic work or in some other way when time bends in on itself and we’re met with a reflection of ourselves from another time. A most auspicious reunion. A chance to give a reassuring smile or a cuddle to our younger selves. Intuited words of wisdom. A sweet lullaby. This is what it feels like to work with geranium. It feels like giving every aspect of ourselves that has been released into the world, that may feel unsure of itself, the gentle nurturance and reassurance every girl needs. It’s not a calling back of the energies, but rather, messengers, like notes sailing on paper airplanes, that everything will be okay. Keep feeling your way through, kid.

Peace,

Erin

Aromatic Divina

If it is available to you, place one drop of geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) on a tissue or in a diffuser and safely inhale its aroma. If it is not available to you, perhaps you have a geranium plant to sit with or you might just reflect on something in this writing that strikes a chord. What would like to be expressed? Rest here and let it speak.

Of importance

This post is for creative purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, mitigate disease, substitute mental healthcare or legal advice. See your physician or other provider/professional for questions and concerns. These statements have not been submitted to or evaluated by the FDA. Always follow essential oil safety best practices and check each oil’s potential contraindications before use. It is never necessary to purchase the essential oils or fresh botanical plants for the exercise noted within the essay.

Sources

Holmes, P. (2016). Aromatica: A clinical guide to essential oil therapeutics (Vol. 1). Singing Dragon.

Photo:

“An artist in a studio” Narmin Aslani