Juniper essential oil grows mainly around North America, northern Europe and from Siberia to southwest Asia. Extracted from blue-black berries Juniper is known by the ancient Egyptians and Greeks to combat epidemics. Around the time of the First World War French hospitals used Juniper in the sick wards to combat diseases such as small pox. Juniper berries are also used in making gin.

Properties: Antispasmodic, antirheumatic, depurative, diuretic, detoxifying, emmenagogic, purifying, rubefacient, stimulant and tonic.

Digestive System: Useful for indigestion, minor stomach upsets, flatulence, and colic.

Urinary System: Juniper is a strong antispasmodic and diuretic for treating cystitis and kidney inflammation. Good for alleviating water retention.

Respiratory System: A respiratory tract antiseptic, juniper is also good for convulsive coughs.

Skeletal System: Arthritic and joint problems such as gout will benefit from Juniper.

Skin: Good for disorders of the skin. Cleansing and toning Juniper is especially useful for treating oily skin and acne. Detoxifying for cellulite.

Emotion: Useful for treating sleep difficulties due to worry and tension. Juniper strengthens anyone feeling emotionally drained. It is particularly good for cleansing the mind of negative vibes accumulated from others. It revitalizes people who are cold and aloof and feel as though they are misunderstood and unsupported.

One of the most common problems we see people suffer with is neck aches and pains. It can be extremely uncomfortable and is also usually accompanied by headaches, upper back aches and fatigue. There may be several reason reasons why people suffer from this such as poor sleeping positions, stress, etc. however to understand why neck pains actually occur we may need to dig a little deeper to see what's really going on inside you for it to have manifested in your physical body.

Your neck is that part of your body which enables you to turn your head to the left and right so that you can have a clear view of the world around you. Usually if someone is suffering from neck aches because you may be "unable to see the world around you the way you like it". It is often associated with inflexibility and unwillingness to see situations from another perspective. If you are someone who is very rigid in your way of thinking or likes things done in a certain way, refusing to accept others' standpoint overtime you will quite likely develop neck pains. It is not to say that the people around you may be right or wrong in what they are saying, you may be completely right, however it's the "struggle" that creates the problem. So you may want to ask yourself, is someone or a situation being a "pain in the neck"?

The affirmation you can repeat to yourself regularly is: "It is with flexibility and ease that I see all sides of an issue. There are endless ways of doing things and seeing things. I am safe."

Most neck pains are associated with a sense of feeling overburdened, a constant need to trying to fix people and situations, constant resistance and inflexibility. The pain usually intensifies when fears and feelings of helplessness start to kick in.

Some other affirmations to tell yourself which are also very effective are:
1) "I lovingly release others to their own lessons. I lovingly care for myself. I move with ease through my life."

2) "I have the right to be me. I forgive the past. I know who I am. I love myself and others."

Give yourself a few minutes to ponder over what is stated above. Are you feeling feelings that nobody understands you? Are you feeling a constant struggle within of being overloaded and helpless? This could apply to a family situation, friends and/or work. As these new belief systems get embedded into the mind, you will start to notice some drastic differences with the pain your neck. If you continuously repeat the suggested affirmations you are telling your mind that you are safe and flexible and it is okay that others think differently. It is essential to understand that it is not about agreeing with them, it is about understanding that it is okay for it to be different and even if you may not agree you can still accept it to be different and move past it.

Undoubtedly, you will notice the pain dissipate and you will be faced with the core issue of the pain that you can understand, learn and then release.

Note: If you are on medications or seeing a medical doctor, by no means should you stop. Please continue to seek medical help if the pain is very severe, however this article is intended to give you a better understanding of the condition from the mind and body approach.