Wellness Resources and Coaching

For a number of years I’ve had the privilege of working with Young Living as a wellness coach, helping numerous individuals achieve mental, physical and emotional wellness. (For some of the other things I do, see here).

Through my work I have come to believe that one of the reasons many of us are failing to live up to our full potential is that we haven’t given attention to the total person. Maybe we are focused exclusively on physical fitness, or emotional health, or nutrition or brain fitness. In my coaching, however, I follow a holistic approach that takes seriously the human person as an integrated whole. Thus, I help people with a wide variety of issues, ranging from getting a good night’s sleep to overcoming procrastination

Below are some of the resources I use in my wellness coaching. Feel free to browse! If you have any questions or would like to purchase a coaching session on any of these topics, send me an email or reach me in the chat box in the lower left-hand corner of this page.

Young Living Starter Kit. Aromatherapy plays a key role in many of the wellness protocols I use. The best way to get the highest quality essential oils is to sign up as a wholesale customer with Young Living and then purchase their Premium Starter Kit. Once you join Young Living as a wholesale member, you get 24% off the retail price on all their products. Being a member of Young Living comes with no obligation to buy every month or to introduce others to the opportunity. Moreover, the Premium Starter Kit will get you $320.00 worth of products (including a diffuser) for only $160.00. You can learn more about the contents of this kit by clicking here. Moreover, if you join with a Premium Starter Kit and put in my Young Living number as the one who referred you (#1297759), then I will personally send you a small gift and offer free support as you begin learning about these products. It gets even better: joining Young Living with the Premium Starter as part of my team will automatically qualify you one free coaching session on any of the following topics: (1) overcoming insomnia, (2) eliminating procrastination, (3) increasing your memory and learning potential.

Life Coaching for Students. Many students find themselves unable to accomplish their goals because of problems with time-management, procrastination, memory and learning difficulties, and other difficulties. Through my life coaching services, I offer science-based counseling to help students overcome these problems and reach their goals. All coaching sessions last an hour and cost $75. During the first 20 minutes, I listen to the student explain about his or her issues. During the next 20 minutes, I chat with the student about the neuroscience behind a particular problem (i.e. procrastination). During the final 20 minutes, I work with the student to help him or her apply the scientific research to their own life and put together a personalized treatment plan. Coaching sessions occur through Skype and are billed via PayPal or Venmo. To learn more about coaching, or to purchase a session, contact me in the chat box in the lower right-hand corner.

Essential Oils and Sleep. Insomnia is an ever-increasing problem. In this booklet, I have addressed the common causes of insomnia and how you can use Young Living’s products to get a good night’s sleep. Click on the following link for a free download: Using Young Living Products to Get a Good Night’s Sleep (pdf)

Develop a Youthful Brain Through the Power of Ningxia. In this booklet I share ways that you can keep your brain youthful, using a combination of neuroplasticity and nutrition. In the process, you will learn about the secrets of the Ningxia Wolfberry and why people in Northern China remain healthy into their hundreds. Click on the following link for a free download: Develop a Youthful Brain Through the Power of Ningxia (pdf)

Overcome Anxiety. Anxiety is now the most common disorder in our society. But science-based techniques used by the Special Forces offer hope for those crippled by anxiety. This article combines these techniques with the teachings of the Bible to offer practical steps for overcoming anxiety. Use Positive Self-Talk to Overcome Anxiety (pdf)

Using Young Living Essential Oils in the Kitchen. If you like essential oils, you may be surprised to learn that there are yummy ways to incorporate them into cooking. In this booklet I share some of my own great-tasting and great-smelling recipes using Young Living Essential Oils. Robin’s Essential Oil Recipes (pdf)

Brain Fitness Interview. In 2016, Dr. Graham Taylor interviewed me about brain fitness. During our conversation I suggested that the notion of “being smart” often invokes a one-sided paradigm of mental ability that may not be consistent with overall cognitive health. I explained why a proper understanding of brain fitness should also include such things as imagination, intellectual curiosity, mental focus, the ability to think outside the box, emotional intelligence, and many other aspects of a healthy brain that are often overlooked in our culture. Read our entire conversation at the following link: “Graham Taylor’s Conversation With Robin Phillips about Brain Fitness.”

Time Management Tips. Do you find yourself overwhelmed with too many projects? Do you find yourself with a to-do list that never seems to get any shorter? In this video you will learn the secrets of harnessing the power of aromatherapy and effectively managing your time so you can accomplish everything you need to do. Watch video at YouTube.

Overcoming Procrastination Video. If you find yourself unable to accomplish your goals because of continual procrastination, then the tips in this video may transform your life. In this video, I discuss the latest findings from neuroscience on why we procrastinate and what you can do about it. Watch Video on Overcoming Procrastination

Essential Oils and Brain Fitness. Many people are not aware of the incredible power found in essential oils for achieving mental and emotional wellness. To address this need, I have published an ongoing series of articles pm how to combine aromatherapy and neuroplasticity to create a better brain. To read these articles, visit ‘Series on Essential Oils and Brain Fitness.’ I have also created a Facebook group as a forum for personal sharing and education on using essential oils for brain fitness. You can visit our group by clicking on the image below.

Essential Oils and Brain Fitness (Part 4): Breathe, Smell, Enjoy the Present Moment

This is the third post in my series on essential oils and brain fitness. To see other posts in the series, click here.

As I continue this series of articles on essential oils and brain fitness, it may be helpful to ask, why is brain fitness even important? Why devote time out of your busy life to developing a healthy brain?

One very good reason to start developing a healthy brain is that scientists have found that if your brain is unhealthy, there is a greater chance that the rest of our body will also deteriorate.

Listen to these words from neuroscientist and brain-researcher, Dr. Caroline Leaf, who wrote in her book Switch On Your Brain about the wide-ranging consequences of how we use our brains:

“You think all day long, and at night as you sleep, you sort out your thinking. As you think, you choose, and as you choose, you cause genetic expression to happen in your brain. This means you make proteins, and these proteins form your thoughts. Thoughts are real, physical things that occupy mental real estate. Eric R. Kandel, a Nobel Prize-winning neuropsychiatrist for his work on memory, shows how our thoughts, even our imaginations, get ‘under the skin’ of our DNA and can turn certain genes on and certain genes off, changing the structure of the neurons in the brain…. Our brain is changing moment by moment as we are thinking. By our thinking and choosing, we are redesigning the landscape of our brain.”

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Get Essential Oils at Discount Prices

Hello, I’m Robin Phillips, the proprietor of this blog. This website is supported entirely through the sale of Young Living Essential Oils. Here’s how it works. When you use my referral link to sign up to Young Living’s wholesale buying club, then Unpragmatic Thoughts gets a cut of the profits without it costing you anything extra. This money is then used to subsidize the writing of articles for this website.

It gets even better than that. Once you join Young Living as a wholesale member, you get 24% off the retail price on all their products. Some of you are wholesale members at Sam’s or Costco, so you understand the benefits associated with wholesale buying. However, with Young Living you don’t have to pay a registration fee to join. When you buy one of Young Living’s starter kits, your first purchase of essential oils is your registration fee. How cool is that?

Being a member of Young Living comes with no obligation to buy every month or to introduce others to the opportunity. As long as you spend $50.00 a year, you will maintain your wholesale membership. If for some reason your membership expires, that is okay too: you can simply reactivate your membership with a single order. If that sounds exciting to you, then click HERE and follow the directions below. (Note: The Young Living sign up page will open as a new page.)

1. Select the “Member” membership type. This choice allows you to get discounted pricing and it qualifies you for the potential of referral commissions, or what my friend Stacy McDonald’s calls The Accidental Paycheck.) Choosing this type of membership does not obligate you to ever sell products or refer anyone to Young Living.
2. Enter my member number: 1297759 into both the enroller and sponsor fields (this should pop in automatically)
3. Select your country and language.
4. Click “Continue”.
5. Fill out your shipping information. Click “I agree” to the terms and conditions, and click “Agree and Continue.”
6. Choose the Premium Starter Kit of your choice, which will qualify you for a fun welcome packet from me!
7. Once you’ve completed this process, you will be given your own member number, which will allow you to start shopping with wholesale prices immediately. At this point, I recommend you sign up for the Essential Rewards program so that you can earn FREE oils and enjoy discounted shipping every month! )

If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email or contact me through the chat window in the lower right-hand corner. Or phone Young Living directly at 1-800-371-3515. (Please be sure to tell them that I referred you and to give them my member ID which is 1297759. That way this website will get a commission on the sale.)

To help you find out more about essential oils and the benefits of Young Living, please visit my Wellness Resources and Coaching.

Further Reading

• Aroma and the Enlightenment
• The Power of Positive Smelling
• The Spirituality of Scent
• Essential Oils and Brain Fitness (Part 1): My Aromatic Journey to Brain Fitness
• Essential Oils and Brain Fitness (Part 2): How to Develop a Peaceful Brain
• Essential Oils and Brain Fitness (Part 3): Developing a Youthful Brain
• Essential Oils and Brain Fitness (Part 4): Breathe, Smell, Enjoy the Present Moment
• Wellness Resources and Coaching

Essential Oils and Brain Fitness (Part 2): How to Develop a Peaceful Brain

This is the second post in my series on essential oils and brain fitness. To see other posts in the series, click here.

We all want our brains to work at peak capacity. We want to be able to remember what we learn in school. We want to stay mentally sharp as we age. We want to be able to understand ourselves, other people and the world around us. We want our brains to be able to function under stress.

Although these are the things we want for our brain, we usually neglect the very thing that makes all of this possible.

The foundation to all brain fitness is having a peaceful brain.

In this post I will explain why mental peace is foundational for a healthy brain and how you can use essential oils in your journey towards mental peace. I will also be offering specific step-by-step activities you can do to increase the peace of your brain. (Since the techniques in this post involve interactive activities, I recommend you first print this post.)

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The Accidental Paycheck

Stacy McDonald, one of the leaders in my Young Living upline, has put together this informative video about how you can make a business through Young Living essential oils just like I have. If you are interested in learning more, see my post ‘How to Buy High Quality Essential Oils at Wholesale Prices‘ or contact me here.

How to Buy High Quality Essential Oils at Wholesale Prices

If you want to skip this page, CLICK HERE to order your starter kit now! Or, if you have questions, please feel free to contact me.

Becoming a Young Living wholesale member is quick and easy and gives you an instant 24% wholesale discount on hundreds of products!

Some of you are wholesale members at Sam’s or Costco, so you understand the benefits associated with wholesale buying. However, unlike with Costco or Sam’s Club, with Young Living you don’t have to pay a registration fee to join! Your first purchase of essential oils is your registration fee.

And forget about a yearly renewal! As long as you spend at least 50 pv (approx. $50.00) during the year, you’ll maintain your wholesale status! It’s that easy! No selling. No monthly requirements. No headaches!

In other words, all you have to do to get wholesale prices is order a starter kit. It’s that simple!

What You’ll Get with Your Starter Kit…

• Your choice of Diffuser (see choices, kit costs, and savings above)
• Lavender 5-ml
• Peppermint 5-ml
• Lemon 5-ml
• Copaiba 5-ml
• Frankincense 5-ml
• Thieves® 5-ml
• Purification® 5-ml
• R.C.™ 5-ml
• DiGize™ 5-ml
• PanAway® 5-ml
• Stress Away™ 5-ml
• AromaGlide™ Roller Fitment
• 10 Sample Packets
• 10 Love It? Share It! Sample Business Cards
• 10 Love It? Share It! Sample Oil Bottles
• 2 NingXia Red® 2-oz. samples
• Product Guide and Product Price List
• Essential Oil Magazine
• Essential Edge Member Resources
• The value of the Premium Starter Kit is well over $300, while the initial investment starts at only $160! THIS IS AMAZING!

In addition, when you choose the Premium Starter Kit, I will personally send you a WELCOME PACKAGE filled with all sorts of helpful and valuable goodies. I do this because I want you to be well-equipped! Your oils won’t do you much good unless you know how to use them! I will also personally invite you to join my Facebook group ‘Mental and Emotional Fitness With Essential Oils.‘

Young Living’s Premium Starter Kits represents over $300 worth of oils and products that will be a great blessing to your family. But, depending upon which premium starter kit you order, the cost of the kit is as low as…$160! (You get to choose your kit based on your favorite diffuser or products.)

That’s right, by simply securing a $160 starter kit, you will be able to purchase your future oils at wholesale prices! How cool is that?

Get started now! Simply follow the directions below or feel free to contact me for personalized helped. (To get my contact details, click here.)

Click HERE and follow the directions below. Note: The Young Living sign up page will open as a new page.

1. Select the “Member” membership type (this choice allows you to get discounted pricing and it qualifies you for the potential of referral commissions, or what we call The Accidental Paycheck.) Choosing this type of membership does not obligate you to ever sell products or refer anyone to Young Living.
2. Enter my member number: 1297759 into both the enroller and sponsor fields (this should pop in automatically)
3. Select your country and language.
4. Click “Continue”.
5. Fill out your shipping information. Click “I agree” to the terms and conditions, and click “Agree and Continue.”
6. Choose the Premium Starter Kit of your choice, which will qualify you for a fun welcome packet from me!
7. Once you’ve completed this process, you will be given your own member number, which will allow you to start shopping with wholesale prices immediately. At this point, I recommend you sign up for the Essential Rewards program so that you can earn FREE oils and enjoy discounted shipping every month! You can read more about this program on my friend Stacy McDonald’s blog here.)

If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email or contact me through the chat window in the lower right-hand corner. Or phone Young Living directly at 1-800-371-3515. (Please be sure to tell them that I referred you and to give them my member ID which is 1297759. That way this website will get a commission on the sale.)

Further Reading

• Wellness Resources and Coaching
• Essential Oils and Brain Fitness (Part 1): My Aromatic Journey to Brain Fitness
• Essential Oils and Brain Fitness (Part 2): How to Develop a Peaceful Brain
• Essential Oils and Brain Fitness (Part 3): Developing a Youthful Brain
  
• The Power of Positive Breathing
• The Power of Positive Smelling
• Entire Series on Essential Oils and Brain Fitness

Essential Oils and Brain Fitness (Part 1): My Aromatic Journey to Brain Fitness

This is the first post in my series on essential oils and brain fitness. To see other posts in the series, click here.

In 2010, when I began working on my Ph.M. from King’s College London, I became fascinated by new discoveries showing that the wiring of the brain is not static or fixed. Rather, our brains are flexible and continually changing based on how we use them and what we encounter in our environment. The practical ramifications of these discoveries are huge. It means that many of the mental and emotional problems we’ve come to accept as inherent to ourselves – forgetfulness, anxiety, lack of focus, stress, rigidity, etc. – can actually be overcome through knowing how to rewire the brain.

After spending a few years studying these discoveries, I began wondering what role essential oils might play in helping to rewire the brain towards higher levels of mental and emotional fitness. It turns out that there is a large and growing body of research showing the important role essential oils can play in helping our brains and heart achieve their full potential.

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Aroma and the Enlightenment

In my article on the psychology of aroma I pointed out that the sense of smell is one of the most important—though overlooked—components to human well-being.Throughout human history doctors have recognized the therapeutic properties of aroma. The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates reflected widespread understandings when he noted that “The way to health is to have an aromatic bath and scented massage every day.” By contrast, the modern practice of aromatherapy is often looked upon with skepticism by the medical establishment. As a culture in general, we are probably the least smell-conscious society ever to have existed on the planet. Why is that?

According to “The Smell Report“, published by Social Issues Research Centre, the problem is partly traceable to the period of history known as “the Enlightenment.” During this period, they suggest “the emotional potency of smell was felt to threaten the impersonal, rational detachment of modern scientific thinking.” Under the philosophy of empiricism, the organs of sight and hearing achieved unprecedented primacy, leading to a widespread marginalization of the important role that smell could play in human well-being.

As a Christian, I’m interested in the religious implications to the ongoing influence of the Enlightenment, especially since the 18th century approach to smell was so antithetic to our own spiritual tradition. In 2006 Susan Harvey wrote a monograph on smell in the early church while Vigen Guroian explored the spirituality of scent in his little devotional book The Fragrance of God. The attitude of early Christians (as summarized by Susan Harvey in her work on the olfactory imagination of the early church) was that “Smells mattered because they were invisible, because they were transitory, because they were mobile, because they lingered, because of their potency to change substance or experience or meaning.”

Further Reading

• The Spirituality of Scent
• Aroma and Human Flourishing
• The Power of Positive Smelling
• All Blog Posts About Aroma

Aroma and Human Flourishing

At my old blog I did a series of articles on the spirituality of scent. (To get a complete set of links to this series, click HERE. More recently I’ve become interested, not in the spirituality of aroma, but in the psychology of aroma. I had the opportunity last week to publish some of my research on the psychology of scent for the Taylor Study Method in an article titled ‘The Power of Positive Smelling‘. Here is a selection from the article:

Researchers at the University of Virginia found that the aroma from flowers are no longer being carried on the wind like they used to but are instead neutralized by pollutants. Their research, which was published in a 2008 edition of the journal Atmospheric Environment, showed that scent molecules produced by flowers in a pre-industrial environment could travel as far as half a mile from the flower. By contrast, in today’s polluted environment downwind of major cities, the scents of flowers may travel less than about 600 feet. This has led smell expert Avery Gilbert to lament that in our sanitized world, pungent smellscapes of the past are disappearing. The vacuum created by the loss of natural smells has been filled with many artificial substitutes. Some of these substitutes are intentional, like perfumes and air-fresheners, while others come as unintentional byproducts of our industrialized lifestyle, such as the smell of gasses emitted through vehicle exhaust. Many of these artificial smells have become so ubiquitous that we often don’t even recognize them. By contrast, odors that would have been considered perfectly natural throughout most of human history, such as the smell of people and animals, are painstakingly banished from modern life. This has had tragic consequences because the sense of smell is the sense that is most closely tied with the area of the brain associated with emotion, memory and a sense of well-being. Because we don’t understand the important role that smell plays in human well-being, the institutions that ought be the most concerned about offering a welcoming and soothing aroma to troubled individuals, including hospitals, doctor’s offices, therapy clinics and psyche wards, often smell more sterile and “dead” of anywhere….

One of the reasons why aroma plays such a crucial role in human flourishing is that our sense of smell is the sense that is most closely tied with the area of the brain associated with emotion and memory. Both emotion and smell share the same network of neural structures in the limbic system, the most ancient and primal part of the human brain. As David Myers explains in his book Psychology, “A hotline runs between the brain area that gets information from the nose and the brain’s ancient limbic centers associated with memory and emotions.” (For a scientific discussion of what happens in the brain when we smell different aromas, see the section ‘Olfactory processing streams in the brain’ in the article ‘Effects of odor on emotion, with implications.’)

Many people don’t realize it, but even what we perceive as flavor in food originates with the sense of smell. (For more information about this, see Anne Underwood’s Newsweek article ‘A New Book Explains the Science of Smell.’)

Further Reading

• All Blog Posts About Aroma