Yet, today my focus upon the upcoming sign seems more intent than usual. The reason may be stem from the very Gemini energy that tomorrow brings: not only does the Sun go into the sign of the Twins (at 2:51 pm*) but the day also features three planetary aspects that involve its ruler Mercury—a square to dreamy Neptune at 2:21 am, a square to expansive Jupiter at 8:45 pm, and a sextile to energizing Uranus at 11:46 pm. It may also be because Mercury is still retrograde, which not only makes me more meditative but always forces me to corral my focus when I want to give external shape to my thoughts during this planetary period. In addition, my focus on the Twins could also be related to the preparation I am doing for my appearance tomorrow morning on Whole Living With Terri Trespicio (on the Martha Stewart Living Radio) where I’ll be talking about health tips for Geminis. (Update: show was postponed due to technical difficulties—Mercury retrograde, anyone?—and will be on next Thursday, May 28. I’m scheduled to be on about 7:30 am PDT.)

As I was reflecting upon the qualities, attributes, and characteristics of this zodiacal sign, an idea of action suddenly swept across my mind (itself a very Gemini experience)—I’m going to take a lavender-infused bath. After all, lavender is aligned with Gemini so why not soak in its luxuriously fragrant essence on the eve of the Sun making its entry into this sign?

Lavender’s association with Gemini is related to its ability to calm the nerves, a part of the body governed—in medical astrology—by its planetary ruler, Mercury, and one that is also usually ascribed to the sign of Gemini. With Gemini so fascinated by—and attracted to—facts, figures and all the data it can find, it’s no wonder that when there’s a lot of its energy around, there can be a propensity towards information overload and the nervous agitation that can accompany it. The use of lavender to calm the nervous system is not only supported by traditional use but also by numerous research studies that have found it to have stress-relieving, attention-enhancing, and anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) properties.

Yet, like multi-faceted Gemini, lavender has many other uses. Among its most recognized are its antibacterial and antifungal properties. Research studies have suggested that under certain conditions it may be effective at inhibiting a range of microbes. This must be why the owner of a large aromatherapy company once told my friend Connie—who works in the health/beauty section at the PCC Natural Market—that when he travels on an airplane he brings lavender oil along, inhaling it and applying it to his face, notably by his nostrils to guard against infections.

Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy both the fragrance and benefits of lavender oil:

• Add some to unscented body lotion and use as a moisturizer
• Carry a bottle of it in your purse, smelling it whenever you need a little centering and calm
• Have it be part of your airplane immune-enhancing kit (with vitamin C, zinc, and an herb like Oregon grape) to help guard off the cold or infection that oftentimes occurs post-flight. (Please note: some people are sensitive to straight essential oil so always try it on a small patch of skin before applying, or dilute it with unscented oil or cream.)
• Fill a small muslin bag with lavender buds and use as a sachet for your lingerie drawer.
• Use dried lavender buds as an ingredient in recipes. One simple way to enjoy its aroma, as my neighbor Vil taught me, is to make lavender rice, adding ½ teaspoon for every 1 cup of rice in recipe.
• And last but not least, prepare yourself a relaxation-enveloping bath by sprinkling some lavender essential oil into bath water, just as I am about to do right now.

* All times given are Pacific Daylight Time

What are your favorite ways to use lavender? Please consider sharing them with other Planetary Apothecary readers in the Comments section.

With the essence of cardamom still surrounding me—and therefore still very much on my mind—I thought I’d write a follow-up blog post about another way to enjoy it in your healing repertoire: cardamom essential oil (made from green cardamom, Elletaria cardamomum). While not one of the more commonly found essential oils, cardamom can be a great addition to your personal apothecary.

If you’ve never used essential oils before, here’s a very quick primer. These distilled fragrant essences are extracted from different flowers, leaves, woods, or, in the case of cardamom, seeds. These oils, owing both to their chemical properties as well as their fragrances, have physical and emotional healing properties. They can be used in personal care (for example, as part of a massage oil or body lotion), environmental fragrancing (in a diffuser or room spray), or as a perfume. While there are healing traditions that may use high-grade essential oils internally, I would not advise using essential oils this way unless under the guidance of a trained healthcare practitioner.

Using Cardamon Essential Oil

Cardamom’s aroma is well rooted is history. It was one of the scents used in ancient Egypt for perfumes as well as spirit-revering incenses.

As noted in my article about this spice, one of cardamom’s most well- supported uses is for enhancing digestion, a benefit for which its essential oil is also known. To use it for this purpose, add a few drops to a plain carrier oil—such as almond or jojoba—and give yourself a relaxing stomach massage.

Cardamom oil is also a very helpful fragrance to calm stress and mental worry. You can create a calming environment by using some in an aromatherapy room diffuser, or carry a vial of the oil with you and inhale its fragrance when your mind needs some settling. As nervous agitation may impede optimal digestion, enjoying its fragrance this way may also help to settle a stomach full of butterflies.

In addition, the oil has expectorant properties, reflecting cardamom’s use in Ayurvedic medicine for lung health. In Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit, Gabriel Mojay notes that cardamom oil can stimulate the vital energy (Qi) of the lungs and is especially beneficial when coughing or bronchial mucus is the result of digestive weakness. One of the best ways to use cardamom for bronchial support is to add a few drops to a basin filled with hot water and do a steam inhalation for several minutes.

Cardamom’s exotic fragrance is also said to have aphrodisiac properties, as extolled in the classic tale of the Arabian Nights. So if your hots need some heating up, consider using this warming fragrance. Mix a few drops with water in a mister bottle and use as a room spray, or spritz some of this aromatic mixture onto your bed linens. You could also add it to some unscented body oil and use for an enchanting couple’s massage.

Look for cardamom essential oil at natural food stores and holistic pharmacies. As it is not one of the more popular oils they may have to special order it for you. Alternatively, you can purchase it from one of the many online retailers that sell it.

With its exotic fragrance, cardamom essential oil is certainly a very enjoyable way to enhance your health.

If you’ve used cardamom oil, please consider sharing your experience with other readers in the Comments section.

March 10, 2009: Pisces/Virgo Full Moon (exact at 7:38 pm PDT)

The Pisces/Virgo Full Moon calls on us to see both the differences and the similarities. While we may be drawn to classify and criticize, remembering that everything is connected—even if we can’t immediately perceive it—can yield a greater acceptance of self and others. This Full Moon provides an opportune time to heal imbalances in our physical bodies through meditation, prayer, and our creative imagination. If we find ourselves called on to be of assistance, it’s important to remember that service need not equal sacrifice.

This Full Moon takes on additional dimensions since it aligns with Saturn and Uranus, highlighting the need to make change manifest in a very thoughtful way. It can also emphasize the seesaw feeling of wanting to stay with the structure you’ve established at one moment and then, at the very next, wanting to break out and break free. Since this Full Moon maintains a similar position that Saturn and Uranus held during their opposition on February 5, watch for issues that manifested around that time to reappear.

This month’s Full Moon falls at 21 degrees of Pisces (the location of the Sun) and Virgo (the location of the Moon). While everyone experiences the energies of a Full Moon, if you have planets or pivotal points (i.e., Ascendant/Descendant or Nadir/Midheaven) around this degree in Pisces, Virgo, or the other mutable signs—Gemini and Sagittarius—it may impact you more intensely.

Full Moon Apothecary Suggestions

Pisces is associated with the feet and the immune/lymphatic systems while Virgo rules the intestines and digestive system. Pay extra attention to these parts of the body around the time of this Full Moon.

Pedicure: Why not give your Pisces-ruled feet a treat during this Full Moon? If it’s not convenient to schedule a salon pedicure, you can easily do one at home. Before applying polish, soak your feet for a few minutes in a warm mineral-salt bath. After drying your feet well, massage them with some lotion or body oil (if you have peppermint essential oil on hand, add a few drops to further invigorate your feet). Pay special attention to the area of your sole located at the front part of your heel in toward the ball of your foot, where the reflex points for the digestive organs are located.

Sandalwood: Sandalwood essential oil is a divine fragrance that can help you open to the Piscean gifts of imagination and connection that are more accessible during this time. It is a great aid for a meditation practice and said to stimulate the pineal gland, associated with psychic abilities in spiritual traditions. Sandalwood is calming and centering and may help alleviate spells of anxiety. Like with other essential oils, you can use sandalwood in many ways; for example, you can mix it with body lotion, use it in an aromatherapy diffuser, or add a few drops to a mister bottle of water and use as a room spray.