Sometimes we can learn a great deal about an oil by noticing when and where it appears within blends of multiple oils. Such is the case with dōTERRA® Black Spruce. Just by sharing with you the names of two blends in which this oil appears, you will quickly become acquainted with its general qualities and uses! Here we go: Black Spruce is front and center in Balance® and Northern Escape®. Even the names of the blends themselves evoke earthy feelings of grounding, along with the tranquility of the wild woodlands.

The main chemical constituent within Black Spruce oil is bornyl acetate, which produces a calming effect. Who doesn’t need a green, woody aroma to remind them to slow down and embrace calm during this holiday season? Black Spruce oil’s calming effects are physical as well as emotional. Use it as part of a massage to soothe tired muscles, and also to help calm minor skin irritations. Even the rhythmic in-and-out flow of our breathing can benefit from the feelings of clearer airways brought on by invigorating Black Spruce oil. Think harmony and relaxation when you picture Black Spruce, a sweet member of the pine family.

Deep within cold Canadian forests, woodland caribou feast on black spruce as an important food source. Fortunately for them, dōTERRA sources Black Spruce oil from those needles and branches that are byproducts of the logging industry in the great white north. It takes almost five pounds of black spruce plant matter to distill just 5 mL of essential oil; and as always with dōTERRA’s relationships to farmers and harvesters around the world, environmental stewardship and resourcefulness are key.

Now, I know what I’m about to do is super out of character: we usually only include about three single oils in our diffuser blends, and we usually share two different blend combinations. But there’s just something about Black Spruce’s harmonious ability to merge with other aromas and create new sensations that I want to combine it with a whole host of others! Let’s use it to build a welcoming and relaxing place to rest this season. Start the following diffuser blend flowing through your home to make it a happier place — and don’t let my long list of oils intimidate you: just use the ones you have, and make your own place of refuge deep within the forest.

Woodland Refuge

• 3 drops Black Spruce

• 3 drops Tea Tree

• 2 drops Cedarwood

• 2 drops Wild Orange

• 1 drop Tangerine

• 1 drop Spearmint

Totally grounding and sweet, Black Spruce oil is also fruity and woodsy. Its relaxing and harmonious nature makes it the perfect base for any balancing blend, which explains its presence in the blends we mentioned earlier.

The story of dōTERRA Black Spruce makes me extra grateful for the way this company does business, both around the world and within these beautiful Canadian forestlands. Respect and resourcefulness characterize their relationship with nature, as well as with those who steward it! From skin to muscle support, and from a place of heightened emotions to balanced calm, let Black Spruce take you deeper.