Product Spotlight: Melissa

“The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware…serenely, divinely aware.” —Henry Miller

Like bees to a flower, aromatherapists everywhere treasure magical Melissa, an essential oil that expands fulfillment. The Melissae were ancient Greek priestesses who brought the world wisdom, honey, and healing. Much as bees use their intuition to find pollen, Melissa (the Greek word for bee and the ancient Hittite word for honey) will bring nourishing nectar into your life!

Why should Melissa be a staple in your apothecary?

Melissa (Melissa officinalis) is known to open the “wisdom of the heart,” increasing a sense of awareness and inner peace.* A member of the mint family Lamiaceae, it is a perennial herb native to Europe, Iran and Central Asia, that now is cultivated worldwide. Since the Middle Ages, this wondrous, lemon-scented herb has provided a wonderful sense of protection and nurturing to those who use it, as well as to reduce anxiety and stress, improve digestion, and promote a good night’s sleep.* With these clear positive benefits, Melissa’s mothering energy naturally improves mental health, contributing to feeling safe, content, and joyful.*

Also known as Bee Balm, Honey Balm, and Lemon Balm, Melissa is grown from Southern Europe to New Zealand to North America, from sea level to desert scrub to the mountains. Sometimes used as a tea, Melissa can relieve indigestion.* It can be consumed as an herb, in a salad or cold drink, or even used in baked goods. With Organic Melissa Essential Oil from Amrita, you can be assured that you will have a pure, sweetly intense experience of this healing plant.* As with any essential oil, if you are pregnant or nursing, please check with your health care provider beforehand.*

According to the National Institutes of Health, Melissa Essential Oil reportedly addresses many conditions, from asthma to insomnia to memory problems.* It has anti-oxidant, antiviral, anti-spasmodic, and antifungal properties.* Thus, it can help a variety of conditions, including, in a cream form, Herpes simplex symptoms.* More and more, scientists are learning and validating that our ancestors’ medicinal plants of yesterday contain the phyto-chemical compounds we need today!*

The science behind the Melissa Herb

Many studies have been conducted using Melissa, attempting to assess its power as both a folk remedy and as a modern healing herb. Melissa’s anti-bacterial compounds are citral, citronellal and trans-caryophyllene, phyto-chemicals that fight fungal infections, like candida. It can treat herpes and other viruses, promote skin health, and reduce conditions like eczema and acne. Recent studies of Melissa have been shown it can improve memory and overall cognitive function, as well as reducing anxiety and nervousness.* Additional trials show that Melissa can treat agitation in dementia patients. While more research is ongoing, current studies also show its efficacy as a remedy for nausea, vertigo, headache, toothache, menstrual cramps, insomnia, indigestion and depression.*

How to benefit from Melissa Essential Oil

For a greater sense of both calm and alertness, you can diffuse Melissa. You can also apply it topically in a carrier oil, or simply inhale it from the bottle (or from one of Amrita’s aromatherapy inhalers).

• Whole Body Massage Application: up to 1-2% dilution
  • In a whole body massage application, Melissa brings calm and joy.* For a dilution of up to 1-2%, add up to 20 drops to a 2 oz bottle of carrier oil such as Amrita’s Jojoba Carrier Oil or Apricot Kernel Carrier Oil. After a massage with Melissa Essential Oil, you may float away on a tide of bliss!*

• Overall Topical Application: 2-4% dilution
  • Sense the bees buzzing around the honey of the Melissa herb when you apply this pure essential oil, diluted with Jojoba, Sunflower, or Rosehip Carrier Oils, to your temples, throat, or any place where you need a little Tender Loving Care (TLC). Add 10-20 drops of Melissa Oil blended with two ounces of Jojoba (or the Amrita carrier oil of your choice) for greater calm and pain relief.*

• Diffusion / Inhalation Application: add a few drops to a nebulizer or nasal inhaler
  • Diffusing Melissa in your space when you are feeling stressed or in pain is a good way to come back to a sense of balance and peace.* Add just a few drops in a diffuser and let the magic begin!

Now that you know how to use Melissa…how do you blend it?

As in a bountiful garden, Melissa Oil works beautifully with other oils from flowering plants. You can experiment with a variety of them, from Sweet Orange to Lavender to Rose and more. Perhaps Melissa, Lavender, and Lemon for a concentrated wave of bliss, or try Melissa, Bergamot, and Roman Chamomile for a fresh and uplifting experience.* To energize and awaken, blend Melissa, Black Spruce, and Petitgrain Bigarade and watch your synapses fire away!* You can grow your abilities as an aromatherapist as you learn and apply these pure and lovely essential oils.

Here are some DIY recipes for you to try in your nebulizer:

Final thoughts from the Amrita Experts

Melissa Essential Oil is powerful plant medicine that the scientific world is just beginning to understand. Its phyto-chemicals unlock a variety of different healing modalities in the human body and spirit.* As the bees who gather honey from Melissa’s blossoms know, when the body is at ease, the heart can blossom and live in greater joy.* From insomnia, indigestion, and depression to enhancing feelings of well-being, calm, and safety, Melissa Essential Oil is a worthy addition to your essential oil apothecary!*

Happy Blending!

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.