Oils + Acupoints: Lavender + K-25

Essential oils and acupoints = a match made in heaven. Individually, they're both incredibly effective at helping your body naturally return to a state of balance - and when they're paired together wisely, they pack an even more powerful punch as the essential oils are able to suggest specific therapeutic actions to the acupoints, which each correspond with specific parts of your mind/body/spirit. Not only is this type of therapy super accessible and empowering, it's also completely non-invasive, gentle, relaxing, and delightful-smelling. What's better than that?

So, without further ado, let's dive into a simple application of Lavender essential oil on K-25 (aka Kidney 25)! Keep in mind, this is a targeted application, so I'll just highlight what's applicable in this scenario (this oil and this point both have many, many different potential benefits).

Since the Spirit is the most essential part of healing in Traditional Chinese Medicine (as it rules the Body and Mind from its anchor point in the Heart), the Spirit points (like K-25) are simple, powerful additions to your self-care toolkit.

Kidney 25:

• Location:

  • Starting at the upper part of your chest, run your finger down your sternum and find the space between your second and third ribs - move your finger the length of about two thumb tips towards the middle of your chest and press lightly (or, in TCM speak, in the second intercostal space, 2 cun lateral to the midline)

• Benefits (focusing on the Spirit):

  • Anchors the Spirit within the Heart

  • Promotes a sense of inner peace when there is overwhelming pressure from the outside world

  • Soothes anxiety and restlessness while nourishing the Spirit from within

  • Promotes a balanced perspective between the inner and outer worlds, and allows people to slow down enough to receive guidance from within

Lavender:

• Actions: Relaxes, restores, regulates, circulates, nourishes the Yin, activates the Qi, cools and disperses heat, calms and frees the Spirit, breaks negative habits, calms and clarifies the Heart

• Chakra associations: Heart (primary), Throat, and Crown

Application:

• Apply 1 drop of essential oil to the tip of your pointer finger, touch it to the tip of the pointer finger on your opposite hand, and apply each finger to each K-25 point. Hold lightly in place for at least 45 seconds (so the oil has time to absorb), and breathe deeply. Adding a visualization that relates to your current goals and the above K-25 benefits will add even more power to this process.

  Sources: 

• Aromatherapy with Chinese Medicine: Healing the Mind, Body, and Spirit with Essential Oils, Dennis Willmont

• Aromatica: A Clinical Guide to Essential Oil Therapeutics, Peter Holmes

 These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.  The information contained on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease.