Juniper have been attributed magical effects in many cultures in the past. It has been revered as a tree with powerful protective powers, as a guardian of the gateway to other worlds, and as the abode of supernatural creatures and forces. O bittersweet woody notes of juniper oil, which dissolves and cleanses negative influences and at the same time strongly strengthens our courage and determination will be told by aromatherapist and phytotherapist Aneta Jirchářová.
From juniper to gin
The juniper is a shrub with a branched and twisted trunk. And it’s a really weird deciduous shrub with needle-like leaves. Sharp and stiff. The fruits, which look like berries, are juniper berries. The first year they’re green and then the second year they’re fully ripe and black and blue. It used to be a very popular medicinal plant that helped with heart, kidney, liver and stomach ailments. In the kitchen it was an indispensable ingredient and of course it was also used to make juniper liquor. Which is the first thing we think of these days. Gin!
Purifying juniper smoke
And since plants are not just for beauty, but each one is a complex organism, the juniper can show us its strength in its fruits as well as in its needle-like leaves. I would say that it distinguished itself in the Middle Ages, when it disinfected spaces, even from plague. I’m very grateful that we don’t have to fight the plague anymore and the juniper is therefore free in this respect, but try juniper berries for heating or put them on a warm stove (on an induction plate, unfortunately, it doesn’t work) … and you will immediately see, or rather smell, how nice the room smells. I love it!
Juniper essential oil
In aromatherapy, the essential oil juniper, which is distilled from the berries, is the most commonly used. However, even the essential oil from its twigs is nothing to be ashamed of. On the contrary, it is something to marvel at. The essential oil contained in the plant is therapeutically the most important. It has diuretic or diuretic properties. This means that it cleanses our body of everything unwanted and expels everything out of the body along with the body fluid. When applied to the skin, of course in diluted form (in vegetable oil, but I’m sure I don’t need to remind you of that), it increases the blood supply to the skin and thus speeds up the healing processes in the body. Juniper cleanses the body, but also the spirit.
Aromatherapy with juniper oil
The scent of essential oil helps to break our stagnation. It gives us the energy and the will to get on with our work. It is suitable for times when we lose “juice” and feel depressed. It helps us to find motivation again. What I love most about it, though, is that its scent dresses us in armour. Just try to enter my simplicity, break my boundaries, through the barbed wire of juniper branches! The courage he gives us to stand our ground. That’s what the juniper can do.
Juniper harvesting
If you plan to go to the juniper tree and pick a few of its fruits, count on getting a little tipsy, but these are just tiny shots of juniper juice that won’t harm you. And while you’re at it, try to look deep among its branches. Don’t you think there are curious little eyes hiding among the junipers?
Author Aneta Jirchářová
Art school graduate, expert aromatherapist and phytotherapist with a focus on aromatherapy massages, who likes to perceive aromatherapy 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.”
Read Anet’s previous article here.
Juniper essential oils from both the fruit and the needles buy here.
