Before I studied aromatherapy, my favourite essential oils were bergamot and vanilla. To my surprise, I learned from my teacher, Jan Benham, that bergamot treats depression that arises from anger and resentment. Bergamot called me out. Concerning vanilla though, my teacher gave a characteristic hmph shrug. I later learned that vanilla, in stimulating the neurochemicals produced when in safety and love, that vanilla can take us home to our bodies.
As I developed my repertoire of essential oils after graduation, I experienced delight and surprise in my enjoyment of basil. The fresh, licorice scent was not what I expected to like. I decided that basil was developed balance in compassion for self and others - another bull's eye for what I needed most at the time. A friend to mothers and people pleaser's alike....
As multi level marketers began to promote the ingestion of oregano, the nuclear bomb of essential oils, I developed a strong aversion.
Much to my astonishment, I fell in love with its relative, marjoram Origanum majorana. Marjoram is indigenous to Cyprus, the Mediterranean, Turkey, Western Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Levant, and was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans as a symbol of happiness. It probably spread to the British Isles during the Middle Ages.
Marjoram has a warm and slightly sweet, herbaceous aroma with hints of mint, lemon and pine. Some people experience a woodsy and slightly medicinal smell. The aroma of marjoram is often used in perfumes and aromatherapy blends because of its soothing and calming properties. I find it to be an excellent energy and blend balancer, equally at home in a floral, or a fresh blend. I consider it a middle note with an affinity to the solar plexus and vagus nerve plexus. Marjoram works well in blends that address emotional and physiological pain.
Marjoram has been traditionally used to promote emotional well-being and alleviate stress and tension. Some of the emotional uses of marjoram include:
Calming: Marjoram is believed to have a soothing effect on the nervous system, making it helpful for reducing feelings of stress, anxiety, and tension.
Relaxation: Marjoram's warm, comforting aroma is said to promote a sense of relaxation and tranquillity, making it helpful for combating insomnia and other sleep-related issues.
Comfort: Marjoram is believed to have a comforting effect on emotions and is often used to alleviate feelings of sadness, grief, and heartache.
Uplifting: Marjoram has been traditionally used to promote feelings of joy, happiness, and optimism. It is also used to alleviate feelings of fatigue and to improve mental clarity.
Promote intimacy: Marjoram is believed to have aphrodisiac properties, making it helpful for promoting intimacy and sensuality.
It has also been used in Sephardi Jewish tradition as a ritual medical practice. Marjoram was used as a medicinal herb and as a natural fragrance in their homes. Marjoram was used to make tea as a remedy for headaches, stomach discomfort, and other ailments. They also made poultices with marjoram leaves to treat a variety of skin conditions and injuries.
In ritual practice, marjoram was often used in incense or a sachet and was believed to have purifying and protective properties. Some Sephardic women would place a sachet of marjoram and other herbs under their pillow to ward off evil spirits and promote peaceful sleep. Marjoram was also used to make protective amulets and talismans.
It is also used in some Sephardic Jewish communities as part of wedding customs, where the bride wears a crown of marjoram leaves to symbolize joy and happiness.
Photo thanks to https://dorimidnight.com/make-an-appointment/
Sephardic Jewish women use marjoram in cooking, particularly traditional dishes such as stews, soups, and meat. It is often used in herb combinations such as herbes de Provence and za'atar.
Thymus serpyllum the hardy ancestor of the garden thymes we tend to grow Thymus vulgaris .
According to Wikipedia:
Marjoram has long been used as a medicinal herb. Marjoram or marjoram oil has been used to treat cancer, colds, coughs, cramps, depression, as a diuretic, ear infections, gastrointestinal problems, headaches, and paralysis, as well as arthritis, chest congestion, and muscle aches. It has also been used as an aphrodisiac, mouthwash, tea, and in poultices, tinctures, and infusions. Though not all of its historic uses are scientifically backed, the plant has verifiable medical use. For example, it contains the phenol carvacrol, which is antibacterial, antifungal and antimicrobial.[22][23] Ethanol extract is cytotoxic against fibrosarcoma cell lines, and ethyl acetate extract has antiproliferative properties against C6 and HeLa cells, as have Hesperetin and hydroquinone, which can be isolated from marjoram extract. Cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, antiulcerogenic, anticholinesterase, anti-PCOS, and anti-inflammatory effects were also found in dried marjoram, marjoram tea, or compounds extracted from marjoram.
PHOTO THANKS TO Dobromila, CC BY-SA 4.0
FURTHER READING
Jack., Lévy, Isaac (2002). Ritual medical lore of Sephardic women: sweetening the spirits, healing the sick. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0-252-02697-7. OCLC 1170078028.