Place the flowers in fresh water. It's best to collect heavily fragrant flowers just before sunrise when their essential oils content is at its peak. Some flowers, such as true jasmine and tuberose, release higher amounts of perfume at night. This may be the best time to collect and use them.
If you'll be performing the same ritual with these flowers for several days, replace them with fresh blossoms as they wither (preferable burying the spent ones).
Collection of the flowers isn't even necessary. If they grow in a private place, simply kneel or sit beside them and do the short ritual.
Whatever method is used, only a small amount (no more than a teaspoon or so of the powdered or rubbed substance) is necessary for magickal aromatherapy. If it has a sharp, strong scent, you've produced enough.
a. Place one, two or three drops of the essential oil onto a small cotton ball(not a synthetic cosmetic puff!). This should be sufficient for your purposes. For extremely costly essential oils such as rose, jasmine, yarrow and neroli, a single drop will do. Why? These are powerfully flagrant. Additionally some essential oils such as Jasmine can be very expensive. At up to two or three dollars a drop you don't want to waste it. After fragrancing the cotton ball hold it up to your nose.
b. If you're out of cotton balls, a clean, freshly-washed handkerchief can be used. Simply place a few drops of the essential oil onto the center of the handkerchief. Don't use a handkerchief that was washed in a heavily perfumed commercial laundry soap. Buy some unperfumed castle soap and hand wash it. Hold the scented portion up to your nose during the ritual.
c. Many companies sell electric essential oil diffusers. These are small appliances which automatically spread the scent and energies of an essential oils through the air. Because the essential oil isn't exposed to heat, of its properties are destroyed or altered.
Diffusors are useful for specific rituals or to spread the energies of an essential oil throughout your home; an excellent idea for protection, love, health and purification.
To use, simply place a few drops of the essential oil in the glass "nebulizer" and let it do its work.
d. Potpourri simmerers also diffuse essential oils through the air. The heat necessary to accomplish this purpose may alter the oil but, generally speaking, satisfactory results will be obtained.
Add about half a cup of water to the top portion, light the small candle which sits in the bottom half, set the top over it and place a few drops of the essential oils into the water. As the water simmers, it will spread the fragrance. Sit or stand by the simmerer and inhale the scent as you visualize. As with diffusers, potpourri simmerers will spread the essential oil's aroma (and therefore, its energies) over a wide area.
Heavy oils with slow evaporation rates (such as sandalwood and patchouly)don't work well in potpourri simmerers, but most others preform well.
e. Bring distilled or purified water to a boil in a nonmetallic pot. Place this in a large, heat-proof bowl and add a few drops of the essential oil. Inhale the scented energized steam as you visualize.
f. A few essential oils can be used in baths. However, don’t experiment by adding strange essential oils to your bath water. Some are highly irritating to the mucous membranes and the skin in general. The last effect you want from a magickal bath is an itchy, burning sensation. Always avoid citrus oils (orange, petitgrain, lemongrass, lemon verbena, lemon balm) and strong spices (clove, cinnamon, nutmeg).
A half-tub or less of water is fine. Add the essential oil to the bath drop by drop just before you get in, so that it doesn't evaporate from the water's heat. For most baths, six to ten drops is plenty.
Relax. Visualize.
