Juniper is not an essential oil I use very often. However, it would always be my go-to choice for people who had arthritis, rheumatism, and gout. Mentally, it has a lovely bright and breezy effect, which is great for people who move into new jobs. Let’s look closer when we ask what is Juniper essential oil good for?
According to Salvatori Battaglia in the Complete Guide To Aromatherapy Third Edition Volume 1 Foundations Materia Medica, the most commonly cited actions for Juniper essential oil are:
Anti-catarrhal, antirheumatic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, cictritassant, decongestant, supportive, expectorant, lymphatic decongestant, nervine, rubefacient, sedative, stomachic, sudorific, tonic (nervous system) and vulnerary.
Clinical studies support its antirheumatic, diuretic, carminative, and antiseptic actions.
What is Juniper Essential Oil Good for in the Physical Body?
Pain
Any condition where there is an accumulation of toxins within the muscles. It’s wonderful for painful conditions generally: neuralgia, back pain, or leg cramps, supported by Roman chamomile, basil, or clary sage essential oils, as well as a bit of lavender to soothe the pain.
While fibromyalgia isn’t necessarily a condition of toxicity, I like how Juniper essential oil helps rid the mind of the mental toxicity that these people experience. It's easy to get stuck in a negative mind space when continually in pain. We will talk more about that when we discuss what Juniper essential oil is good for mentally.
Also Read: What is Lavender Oil Good for?
Fluid Retention
I like to use it for conditions where there is fluid accumulation. Clearly, this goes back to the toxicity in the joints of arthritis and gout and the muscles for rheumatism.
Cosmetically that also would be cellulite. It was so hot here in England yesterday that I got swollen ankles. I used Juniper essential oil in a footbath with peppermint to cool my feet and bring that swelling down. Without the extra fluid pressure underneath the skin, they felt more comfortable.
Juniper essential oil is a wonderful digestive essential oil. It would not be my first choice for stomach aches per se, but slow digestion and bloating it is wonderful.
Juniper is great for fluid retention from menstruation. You might want to combine it with geranium, Cypress, or fennel. Fennel, of course, has an estrogenic quality, so it would support the hormones too.
Also Read: What Is Eucalyptus Oil Good For?
Sinus Detoxification
It has a penetrating fragrance and is refreshing. It can be useful for unblocking the nose and for sinus congestion.
Urinary System
Any kind of urinary tract infection or urine retention can be helped by Juniper essential oil. However, review the safety at the end of the article if you have a kidney disorder.
Also Read: What Is Patchouli Oil Good For?
What is Juniper Essential Oil Good for Mentally?
Overall, Juniper essential oil has a detoxifying quality. Looking at the traditional medicines of Europe and the Americas, you’ll often see Juniper branches being smoked as fumigation. These are great ways to clear the spaces for spiritual practice and steady the mind.
In ancient European medicine, Juniper was placed under the rulership of Jupiter. Jupiter was the Roman god of thunder. Interestingly, if you look at ancient Cherokee medicine, burning Juniper branches were used to help people overcome a fear of thunder.
The Jupiter archetype speaks to the liver, anger, and how people relate to authority. It’s about how we view our outer world, learning, and spirituality.
Juniper essential oil speaks to all of these areas.
It engenders deep thought. It’s refreshing to people who worry about themselves and their inner world. Perhaps they feel guilty, depressed, or ashamed. Inhalation of Juniper essential oil blows away negative thinking and destructive thought processes. It’s great for stuck people. It’s a powerful ally for people who are worried about moving forward in their lives because they have a history of anger. Maybe, on one occasion, they lost their temper, and it blew their life up. Because of that, they continually worry about their temper. Juniper essential oil helps to separate the memory of that incident from a worry about it being an inevitable pattern for the future.
Also Read: What Is Oregano Oil Good For?
Stuck in the Mud
If you look through Ayurvedic Medicine, Juniper essential oil has a stimulating effect on Kapha dosha. Kapha dosha has a slow, heavy, stagnating energy. We saw that in the accumulation of toxins and constipation, we have it in terms of stuck people. They meditate on things and lack spontaneity in their lives.
Jupiter was known as Zeus in the ancient Greek world; he was the king of the gods. It was through his benevolence that the world was made manifest. However, the Greek myths are full of stories about how Zeus struggled to communicate well and fairly with mortals.
One of the key areas that Juniper essential oil can be useful is for people who are very good at creating clever ideas but have the communication skills to explain how to make them into concrete reality. It is helpful for people who are tremendous at the technical side of their jobs but are not yet very good managers. They are too busy working in the business to work on the business. This is also useful essential oil when somebody steps into a new leadership role and struggles to lead their team without ruling it.
Also Read: What Is Peppermint Oil Good For?
What is Juniper Essential Oil Good for Emotionally?
While it is not necessarily the best essential oil for depression (Bergamot, Neroli, Yuzu, or Geranium would all be better), I would always add juniper essential oil into blends for lingering dark moods and despair. Here the choice of oil is not necessarily looking to uplift the person but rather get that impetus to get emotional emotions moving again. Kind of like a big gust of fresh wind going through their psyche.
We spoke earlier of the Jupiter archetype and how it speaks to authority. Oils that come under Jupiter's rulership, such as Juniper and Melissa essential oil, help to balance one’s perception of what is fair and just in the world. They help other people who have overpowering bosses or fathers. Likewise, it can be useful for women who are very negative about the patriarchy or anyone whose viewpoint is limited because they see “the man” as an oppressor.
Also Read: What Is Cardamom Essential Oil Good For?
What is Juniper Essential Oil Good for Spiritually?
Probably this speaks to the same aspect as emotional distress. I am stuck. I don’t know how to move forward. I feel distressed and without vision.
Juniper is like the West Wind blowing the space between the clouds so you can see a new forward. It is positive and looks upwards and outwards into a bigger vision.
Maximum Dilation of Juniper Essential Oil
3%
Safety of Juniper Essential Oil
Clearly, the body has to put a great deal of pressure on the kidneys to detoxify them so quickly. Therefore, this is not an essential oil to use if you have any kind of kidney disorder.
In the same way, the body requires extra fluid during pregnancy, so I would advise against using Juniper essential oil topically during pregnancy. That said, it would be safe to use as an inhalation for people who feel very worried about labor from around 16 weeks.
Also Read: What Is Lemon Essential Oil Good For?
Conclusion
Overall, the answer to the question of what Juniper essential oil is good for is detoxification. It removes toxicity from the body, the mind, and the spirit. But it has a little about how you use Juniper essential oil and enjoy some of the recipes on our essential oil product listing.
