Jasmine's Energetic Actions The Queen of the Night The Fragrant Plant from Kashmir The Woman's Medicine Jasmine's Neuroendocrine Actions Jasmine's Energetic Actions The Specific Symptomatology From the perspective of energetic aromapharmacology we may define Jasmine as a sweet-floral oil with a middle tone and high intensity. Jasmine's sweet, middle tone quality generates harmonizing, dissolving and nourishing effects on the mental/ emotional level that go beyond a simple euphoric action. These effects are useful respectively in conditions of mental and emotional extremes or swings arising from deep conflicts; conditions involving mental and emotional pain and repression; and conditions of fatigue and burnout (on every level). Jasmine is a great harmonizer in many ways. When our feelings and senses tell us conflicting things, or when our male and female sides are at war and threaten to 'blow our cool', Jasmine can bring about peace-or at least a truce! Like an aromatic sauna, the oil harmonizes relations and negotiations. It creates connection, ultimately generating trust, warmth and even devotion between individuals. At the same time Jasmine insinuates feeling and sensuousness into the whole process-here its indole content is perhaps more than metaphorically active. Jasmine's energy is clearly Aphrodite, woman spirit of warmly felt, sense felt connected relations. Like Rose, the related oil, Jasmine always connects us with feeling. But whereas Rose is about our feelings turned inward, Jasmine is about our feelings turned outward-the other, the world. Emotional vulnerability from any cause and emotional disconnection (or dryness) from repression or trauma are its key indications. This we see in people who are insensitive to others' feelings, unsympathetic and cold-hearted, or simply emotionally inexpressive and uncommunicative. Alternately these may arise from extreme vulnerability. Extreme cases in point are juvenile delinquents, battered women, rape victims, child abuse victims, drug addicts, psychopaths and victims of post-traumatic shock syndrome. Here Jasmine's deep nourishing and healing effect on the soul engages. Dissolving stuckness and relieving affective pain are two other closely-related Jasmine the-mes. The fragrance can help break up emotional blocks in interpersonal relations, and inner neuroses rooted in social conflicts (e.g., in early family history). Fear of intimacy, emotional distrust and low body-image all fall in this category-as do the associated depression, pessimism, guilt, anxiety, paranoia or grief. Jasmine's euphoric action is clearly at work here, creating the possibility for positive feelings and attitudes. Jasmine is known to be useful for any type of chronic emotional pain and suffering, esp. when too intense for the psyche to handle. Stuckness and pain are both involved in acute shock. Jasmine, like Lavender, is an important shock-releaser, e.g., in post-traumatic stress disorder, family deaths, financial disasters, accidents, crippling diseases, etc. Jasmine will energetically heal the shock that leads to states of disconnectedness, emotional paralysis, feelings of despair, feelings of no escape, deep pointlessness and emptiness. The oil is suitable therefore for those who feel isolated, helpless and perhaps victims of destiny. Jasmine's sweet, nourishing and regenerating effect also plays out especially in sexual and sensual areas. An intrinsic part of Indian culture, the flower has been celebrated in Hindi verse virtually forever as an emblem of love and beauty. The love god Kama's arrows were tipped with jasmine blossoms, and among Persian Sufi devotees, many of them poets (like Rumi), the flower became a symbol of desire for the transcendent One. As Renaissance Italy woke up from the oppressive slumber of church monopoly during the 16th century, Jasmine was there-as a coincidental reminder of the life of the senses, long forgotten since the days of old Rome. Like orange blossom oil, so popularized by the Princesa di Neroli, the infused oil or absolute of Jasmine was also liberally used in clothing and especially those highly expressive garments, gloves. Scented gloves were then an important part of body language, modulating between personal and social space. Specific conditions where Jasmine is indicated here include sexual inhibition or repression arising from low sexual self-esteem and sexual insecurity-again with resultant depression, guilt and anxiety.