Dry, colorful and sometimes sunny autumn. In the morning we are greeted by thick fog, during the day the sun’s rays peek through the yellow-red leaves and in the evening a thin frost forms on the glass. It is the time when nature is preparing for a long winter sleep. I’ve noticed that a lot of people are looking for the cypress scent at this time of year. And I’m not surprised, because I am too.
Oil of transformation
Evergreen cypress, Cupressus sempervirens , is the oil of transformation. According to Greek mythology, a young man named Cyparissus was turned into a cypress tree. One day he killed a deer while hunting, which was worshiped by the forest nymphs and loved by Apollo himself. Cyparissus suffered from such great remorse that he begged for eternal suffering. The gods heard him and turned him into a cypress tree known for its longevity. Ovid’s poem The Cypress also proves this fable:
” Then, with an immense cry, he cried all the blood from his body,
he suddenly begins to turn green, limb by limb from head to foot:
the hair that a moment ago still flowed from his white forehead,
they turn into a bristly brush, then suddenly become stiff and new,
with their slender pointed tops they looked up at the starry sky.”
Between the realms of the living and the dead
As I already wrote, cypress essential oil is an oil of transformation and renewal. We can understand this by letting go of the old and finding and accepting the new. The cypress tree is dedicated to Hades, the god of the underworld. It is therefore no coincidence that it is most often planted in cemeteries. It divides the world of the living and the realm of the dead. In palliative care, the essential oil is used for its ability to come to terms with the end and transition into other realms. In turn, it helps the bereaved to understand and accept the death of their loved one. However, it would be a mistake to associate this essential oil only with death. He teaches us patience, and when the time is right, he lets us move on. He knows when the moment is right and encourages us to take the first step.
Playfulness of the forest satyr
However, there is something light and playful about its grounding scent. I can smell the summer sun-warmed forest, I see an olive grove and among the trees a satyr, a forest creature with a half-human and half-goat body, who plays the flute and dances with the nymphs. And this faun is not one of those who should keep our feet firmly on the ground. Single cheerful guy who loves wine and all kinds of other experiences. So the cypress sends us a message: Don’t be afraid of changes that lead us to transformation. Because every time something old ends, something new begins.
Aneta Jirchářová, aromatherapy_kvítek, wrote for SoZoLe Rose (on Instagram)
Author: Aneta Jirchářová
Art school graduate. Currently, she is deepening her studies in the field of aromatherapy, which she likes to perceive from the point of view of colors.
“I most often look for inspiration in nature, which I admire and respect for its wisdom. In my drawings, I try to capture the soul and power of the plant.”
