The air waves were so cluttered that I took a little time away from posting to catch up on other matters. Let me give this a perspective that may help a few others. While we are not individually, nor as a group, powerless, our best actions are those that pull us into alignment with our own destinies. So, while many of us had strong preferences as to the outcome of the election and its repercussions around the world, our only group power is to boycott those entities that do not align with our preferences. As individuals, we can merely forward our opinions and speculations to our own inner circle, but because the tensions are so high, I truly believe we need to secure our communications since while free speech and the right to privacy may be guaranteed by the Constitution, they are not a rights recognized by Big Tech. I have urged people to get secure means of communication, but only a few have done so.
Infrastructure
While not in possession of crystal ball, I feel that the vision I had of collapse with the conjunction of Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn did not suggest that the past would be recovered and reinstated. The implications of this are that we should banish the illusion that we will return to the familiar. Meanwhile, the transition period is tricky because many will promise to revive this or that but we should beware of Trojan horses and instead build according to our own designs. As I see it, the two main forces are not Democrats and Republicans or Socialists and Capitalists but rather Technology and Nature. We are at a point in our intellectual and cultural evolution in which we can develop mechanical devices, but we must recognize that our immortality is an aspect of our souls, not of technology. The challenge of the Age of Aquarius will be first of all to discover and disseminate the Truth and secondly to fit together the pieces of the puzzle of incarnate life so that we keep the yin and yang in balance and in harmony. We have a long way to do to complete this task but the ages last more than two thousand years so most of us will probably get more than one chance to get things right with our own contributions to the whole.
Obviously, it helps to see that we have more than one chance so one of the doctrines to examine is reincarnation. I have more than sufficient proof to convince myself of the reality of multiple incarnations, but this concept is not widely recognized in the West . . . which is a pity since it was accepted before the politicians changed our scriptures.
Reflections
In this time of lockdown, I did more than my share of contemplating and reflecting. I tried to establish in my own mind what my main destiny is. My expertise and understanding are just a tiny bit different from the areas of recent emphasis triggered by the appearance of an emergency, I put a lot of effort into essential oils. There were multiple reasons for this. The first was to disinfect and nearly all essential oils, perhaps all, not nearly all, provide some level of protection from pathogens. There are questions around the best delivery methods and since people were and still are masked, we need to consider respiration, oxygenation, and penetration. I believe this requires more than just inhalation but nebulization, and I had been dissatisfied with almost all the diffusers on the market. I have bought hundreds of diffusers over the last twenty or so years and have talked to engineers and designers and tried to get them to understand the medicinal aspects. The main market is spas and therefore the main concern has been aroma, nearly all of which is below the level required for therapeutic use. Finally, I found a company that is as concerned as I am for the perfect product. The first shipment was just delivered, just minutes ago.
While I plan to sell these units, I try not to indulge in hype but instead to give the reasons for my fanaticism. As many of you know, I am not only hugely allergic to mold but was in a life and death situation twenty years ago due a flood. We have two issues: property remediation and health. In terms of property, the first task is to remove all visible signs of mold. If possible, one can look for invisible proof of mold. This involves air quality tests and tape lifts that are sent to certified laboratories for examination. Here is where there are possibilities to identify the mold but no set standards. For allergic individuals, no mold is the gold standard since anaphylactic shock is always a possibility.
Next, again, this is repetition for most people, the goal is to inhibit the growth of any remaining spores. When fungi are vegetative, they produce mycotoxins and odors, hazardous by-products of their metabolic processes. In the dormant state, they do not really pose much of a risk unless spores are inhaled, ingested, or enter open wounds. This would generally allow them to become vegetative and dangerous. No one can escape mold completely. Also, in my opinion, mold cannot actually be destroyed. If we were to succeed, we would be buried in waste that never decomposed. I want to underscore this point by reminding readers that mold can live in nuclear reactors, on the both the insides and outside surfaces of satellites, and basically anywhere there is moisture, organic material or even metals that are susceptible to rust. For the most part, mold will grow faster in darkness, moisture, and in warmer temperatures . . . such as inside the body . . . which also supplies an indefinite source of food for the mold since fungi will basically consume anything organic, including blood cells and tissue.
To be as succinct as possible, there are living and work spaces that are highly susceptible to mold: any place where there are water leakages, moisture intrusion, and/or condensation. When we have a surface that is subject to moisture because of changes in temperatures, there is often a risk of mold. HVAC systems and air conditioners are almost always in need of attention. Another place most people forget to look is behind wall hangings, especially ones at the head of the bed, but pillows are also havens for aspergillus and need to be periodically disinfected or replaced.
What I learned over the years from reading thousands of pages of reports is that high rise buildings — hotels, apartment complexes, offices, etc. — can be contaminated when one area suffers from deferred maintenance. I told the story of my three hours in the departure lounge of the airport in Bermuda following a lecture I gave at a seminar. Almost everyone in the room was coughing, and upon talking with a few people, it was discovered that they had stayed in hotels that were undergoing repair following damage caused by a recent hurricane. Contamination had spread from one room to another, usually via the HVAC system. When remediation is done properly, the area is sealed off with a decontamination zone between two doors. The Tyvek suit is bagged in the decontamination area; but, of course, someone handled the suit so, even at its best, the way this work is carried out is seldom perfect.
Remediation of my home cost $85,000 of which only $200 was covered by the insurance company and even that took a lot of litigation. I have had years to reflect on what I might have done differently had I been able to see the road ahead, but I think I was the designated person to unravel this challenge to survival, and there are connections to past lives in which I suffered acutely from poisonous mushrooms and probably also moldy books.
Remediation
The starting point is obviously the removal of contaminated materials. Then we inhibit new mold growth by using some method. I checked out many, many methods and did buy a microscope and did discover that the most effective inhibitor is not to be found in hardware stores but rather by diffusing essential oils. How did I figure out the solution? I read books and online material, took a course and became certified in mold remediation, and I studied ancient manuscripts to figure out how they have been preserved! Whether one wrote on papyrus or palm leaves or paper or wood, the materials would have deteriorated if not protected from both insects and fungi. From this point on, it was trial and error plus a little influence from the nostrils since some oils are more irritating or annoying than others. Obviously, the insecticidal oils have to be used very carefully even when the exposures are quite low. I tried to come up with oils that do the job without exceeding what is safe in terms of inhalation. For example, tea tree is very disinfecting but not suitable for internal use so I prefer oils made from culinary herbs to the maximum extent possible. Even so, they are very concentrated so exposure needs to be restricted to roughly five minutes per hour or 2-3 minutes every half hour.
Once we have the right oils, we have to disperse the oils and most methods, like spraying, would use a carrier and there would be moisture and blobs. Since most diffusers use water, they are seldom ideal for serious mold inhibition. The oils have to be nebulized. This is critical and is achieved through oscillation caused by high frequencies that break the molecules. This proved very helpful to the second challenge which is application of knowledge for the benefit of exposed individuals. The oil must get beyond the sinuses and into the lower lobes of the lungs. Steam alone does not accomplish this so nebulization is crucial to success.
Issues
It’s been two decades since the flood, and I have occasionally found decent diffusers but there is so much competition and misrepresentation in this industry that sometimes I got stuck with inventory I was not allowed to sell because someone or other claimed the sole right to marketing. This happened over and over again, and I was afraid to stock the diffusers I really wanted. In 2020, I spent four months trying to source truly high quality diffusers. There are several models, and I will start with the ones that can be attached to the HVAC system. It is not part of the system, but has an outlet to attach a tube that does go into the system. It can presumably be inserted into air conditioners and hopefully also into small holes made by a borescope-type device to inject mist behind drywall or under flooring or into attics and crawl spaces. I am very optimistic about this.
I will explain this a bit better. The flood in my house was caused by sloppy installation of a washing machine by a local appliance store. The water went right through the flooring and into the crawl space. It was the dead of winter, and I had to keep windows open and fans going, but even when the house was technically dry, I was so uncomfortable that I crawled around with a blanket and pillow in quest of one space with clean air. The worst place was the stairway, and I thought I would faint. I hired a mold remediator, and he also identified the stairway as the most hazardous place in the house. Why? It was entirely open to the crawl space as there was no subfloor or underlayment there. The coat closet was under the stairway and this is where the highest counts were for the tape lifts. They did drill small holes in the drywall on the side facing the stairs.
When the crawl space was explored, we found salamanders and lots of building materials that had apparently been sweep through the holes in the floor where the grills for the HVAC system would be positioned. Crawl spaces should not have either moisture or organic material. There were many kinds of mold found in the crawl space and being vegetative, the gases were coming up through the opening under the stairs and between the risers. Once the organic materials were removed, I slept well for the first time. However, the next day, they raked the space, and I thought I would not make it through the night. It shows that what people need to know to do their jobs without endangering others is a long way from complete. It is another reason I believe so strongly in the guild system because experts are created gradually after accumulating lots of experience. It is also why continuing education is crucial to all of us. We should never be satisfied with the the first sheepskin handed to us in a ceremony.
Inhibition
In terms of inhibition, everything depends on a number of factors. As with the ancient manuscripts, the inhibition can be very long-term but on an exterior wall in a moist environment, I have not seen more than two years of inhibition, but this means that the treatment would be simply need to be repeated. Ultimately, in my situation, I got a “super” model and moved it around, running it nearly constantly for probably 6-8 weeks and sporadically after that, nothing at all recently because the environment has been stable now for years. This should give everyone hope because I did not throw away the thousands of books that were exposed but I am careful and I do inhale oils, almost daily. I have obviously recovered my cognitive faculties also.
However, in today’s world, there are threats from germs, not only mold. As mentioned, nearly all oils are disinfecting, but the strongest ones are clove bud oil, thyme, wild oregano, cinnamon bark, and bay laurel. Please note: these are all made from herbs used in cooking. As you know, I run tests constantly. For instance, if coffee is left unattended, it will become fungal but masala tea will not. Most fruit juices become fungal but not the glögg we make at Christmas. This should tell you a lot.
Models of Diffusers
I wrote most of this post a few days ago, but the diffusers arrived a day earlier than expected. They are extremely well made, no doubt at all the best I have seen in my many years of searching. The vary from a very small and highly portable model using a lithium battery to an industrial model suitable for remediation of very large spaces. In the past, I have rented out EMF meters, Geiger counters, and diffusers but they are often returned in poor condition which is very disappointing. I will consider this but only if there are consequences for mishandling high end devices.
Three of the models I ordered will attach to HVAC systems. They are on the expensive side as can be expected of a well-made device. Four are highly portable, two are very small, and one uses a diluted mixture. As you know, water and oil do not mix, so one needs both a carrier and an emulsifier. Only a few drops of essential oil are required, but this should be considered mainly by those who want to refresh their work place and/or sleep better at night.
The next model up plugs directly into a wall outlet. I considered it suitable for powder rooms, but its effective coverage is actually very large and will be sufficient for an entire house, especially if moved around from room to room. The next two are very heavy and highly programmable, Bluetooth compatible, and serious for both home and office use. For instance, if I were operating a clinic at this time, I would definitely run a diffuser in the waiting room, public restrooms, and anywhere surgery is performed. For instance, I would run the diffuser at night, keeping in mind that the inhibition with oils is completely different from UV disinfecting because the aroma lingers. If I were running a hospital or hotel, I would also disinfect every room, taking care to choose oils that enhance the aesthetics but are also effective.
Keep in mind that germs fly at least six feet when coughing and 20 feet when flushing the toilet so essential oils are a practical way to confer a high level of protection.
Over the weekend, my graphics team posted some new images and headers on bioethikaoils.com. I will, as I said, surely have more to add to this later in the week.
Smudging
Mold is very serious. In the twenty years since my encounter, I have learned so much. My journey is told on moldmisery.com and the products used are on moldherbs.com. I will post on this again after receiving the diffusers.
You know I have a personal style of writing because you are subscribers, not academicians combing journals in search of information, but for the same reason, I want to empower you to take more responsibility for your health and have added a lot of new products to Bioethika Oils. Some of these are very interesting to me. I will try to explain. When diffusing, one either needs to turn the diffuser on and off or have a timer built in. Generally, the rule is to sit about six feet away from the diffuser and run it for 3-5 minutes every half hour or hour. This is basically the safe limit when using full strength oils. For a peaceful sleep, one may want the aroma to linger. In this case, we dilute the oil with a carrier. Water is not a good carrier because most oils will float to the top. There are a couple of exceptions but generally oils are lighter than water. If mixing with water, shaking does not actually help much because there will simply be blobs and droplets, no real dispersion. So, one has to use either an emulsifier or solvent. One emulsifier that is very seldom mentioned is milk. I am not saying I recommend it, but milk contains water and fats and therefore emulsifies. High proof alcohol, witch hazel, and aloe gel may also work.
Much depends on the design of the diffuser so testing is necessary. For instance, with waterless diffusers, one generally cannot use resins like frankincense, myrrh, and the many balsams I have added to the site. However, if these resins are diluted with a light oil, like citrus oil, they may disperse but they may still need a carrier. The usual carriers are other plant oils like olive oil (heavy) and almond, apricot, and jojoba oil, but I recently added two different kinds of amla oil, two neem oils, and a Brahmi oil which I recommend for those who are nervous or concerned about their mind and memory. This is the very beginning of this adventure and I am excited. To make this a bit clearer, when people buy amla or neem oil for the hair or perhaps massage, these are usually made from seeds or leaves that are boiled in oil. What I have added is completely different. They are cold pressed oils from the seeds or fruit or leaves. I have amla, brahmi (bacopa), and neem and they can be used as carrier oils. Of course, I have the usual carriers also.
What I have also added are more oils for our current global situation. I want to give this a context. We know that Native Americans use smudge sticks, usually sage or a cedar like thuja. In churches, frankincense is used, and in India, one of the favorites in davana, an artemisia. I recently added Armoise, an artemisia distilled from leaves in Austria. This is a situation in which we recognize that the aroma and its impact on neurosensors is as important as the disinfecting properties. Let us say that this is the border between medicinal aromatherapy and the perfume industry, perhaps a little less pheromonal but not quite as therapeutic as an oil that may perhaps be taken internally in very, very small doses.
I am a fanatic because the usual oils found in chest rubs are not suitable for internal use, like wintergreen and camphor, but peppermint is, of course, much safer, but no oils should be ingested except in tiny, tiny amounts and with a proper understanding of the correct use. With a few exceptions, essential oils are environmentally friendly. Think of lavender, probably the most popular essential oil. The flowers are harvested at their peak, but the plants are not destroyed. The resins are collected in much the same way as maple syrup is harvested. Some oils are made from plants that do not generally live long but they may produce many seeds that guarantee a crop the next year. Coriander Seed Oil is an example and it has many therapeutic benefits. Some oils are produced from leaves, some from fruits or berries, but the trees survive and the plants’ gifts also are given an extended longevity, almost indefinite if kept in the violet glass bottles that we use.
Sorry if this is repetitious, but I am obviously happy that years and years of searching have brought me to this point. Going back to the attempted launch of the courses, I had two introductory topics: Oral Health and Mold. In my opinion, mold is the most dangerous because it is almost immediately debilitating and potentially fatal. In the modern world, a lot of synthetic building materials are used that do not breathe so moisture can accumulate in many different places. In addition, there are floods and hurricanes that devastate large areas without much forewarning. On top of this, we use air conditioners, and fungi are sneaked into our medications and even alternative food products. Essential oils are not the full treatment of infected individuals but they are very important in our living spaces.
Copyright by Ingrid Naiman 2021
First posted to subscribers on 26 January 2021
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