With winter quickly approaching, many of us look for ways to reinforce our amazing immune systems. Two particular essential oils keep coming to my attention recently: oregano (Origanum vulgare/compactum) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris). Both oils are fantastic options for supporting the immune system. In the world of Raindrop Technique we sometimes refer to oregano and thyme as the “Dynamic Duo,” as these are the first two oils dropped and feathered on the spine of the Raindrop receiver. While the “Dynamic Duo” known as Batman and Robin are busy fighting crime on the streets of Gotham, oregano and thyme occupy their days with taking on some of the toughest bacteria and viruses known to mankind.

When Gary Young was creating Raindrop Technique decades ago, he was very interested in the antiviral and antibacterial properties of oregano and thyme (among other oils used in Raindrop). He had the idea – which has since been explored and verified by several scientific studies – that some spinal misalignments were possibly initiated by viruses and bacteria that lay dormant in the spine causing inflammation, which can then lead to contortions in the spinal column.

It’s interesting to note that in more recent years the scientific community has confirmed many of the health benefits of both oregano and thyme essential oils. Even if you take just a casual look at the numerous studies that have been done on these two powerful oils you will easily find that it is well established and generally accepted that, in addition to being antiviral and antibacterial, oregano and thyme EOs are powerful antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and even antidiabetic and cancer suppressing agents (just to name a few benefits).

Oregano oil has been successful in killing a dozen or so multidrug-resistant (MDR) microbes (and probably more), including the infamous MRSA, the drug-resistant form of Staphylococcus. One of the biggest problems with drugs such as antibiotics is that threatening organisms like bacteria eventually mutate to develop a resistance to them due to the fact that antibiotics are typically a combination of just a few simple chemical compounds. Essential oils are much more chemically complex than antibiotics, being composed of hundreds of compounds, and this makes the microbes’ job of developing a resistance much more difficult. In addition to their complex chemistry, essential oils are not entirely chemically consistent from one harvest to the next. There are always slight variations from one batch of oils to another depending on many factors, such as varying amounts of rainfall, sunlight, humidity, atmospheric temperature, etc., from harvest to harvest. And so, the chemistry of any batch of essential oil will never be identical to a previous or future one. While drug companies strive for 100% consistency, it is actually desirable to have some variance like what we find in essential oils. This factor alone makes it virtually impossible for microbes to develop resistance to essential oils. And this is a beautiful thing! Just the way God intended.

Being the dynamic duo that they are, oregano and thyme have a special relationship. Pull out a bottle of these two oils and smell each one separately. They do smell different, but you may also notice the similarities. While there are many species of oregano and thyme, oregano oil from Young Living is the species Origanum vulgare (aka Origanum compactum) and thyme is Thymus vulgaris. What you may not know is that Young Living harvests special chemotypes (CT = significant chemical variations of the same species due to certain natural conditions) of both of these oils. YL’s oregano is grown in areas of the world that naturally produces a high content of the compound carvacrol, thus its chemotype is labeled as “CT carvacrol.” Similarly, YL’s thyme is grown in areas that produce higher levels of the compound thymol (CT thymol). Interestingly, carvacrol and thymol are what chemists call “isomers.” They have the same chemical formula of C10H14O, but a slightly different configuration of these elements (see diagram below) that form the molecules. Many of the studies show that much of the beneficial properties of oregano and thyme are due to their high content of these two compounds within the plants.  In one particular study testing several essential oils, including oregano and thyme, against foodborne pathogens, such as Staphylococcus, Listeria sp., E. Coli, and Salmonella sp., showed that the combination of thyme and oregano together had the most significant antimicrobial effects against these pathogens. And so, the Dynamic Duo saves the day again!

Now, I’m not really what you would call a chicken rancher, but you could say I’m the male version of what chicken enthusiasts call a “chicken mama” (aka chicken daddy). I raise a few chickens for eggs in my front yard, and I’m always looking to learn more about raising healthy chickens. It seems that more and more chicken-folk are using essential oils to benefit their fowl. Even large companies like Perdue Farms use natural means like oregano in place of antibiotics. Oregano and thyme are used by chicken mamas and daddies to help aid in digestive, respiratory, and immune system health. It is also believed that these oils, or even the raw plants, have antibacterial, antioxidizing, anti-parasitic effects, as well as increasing laying production.

Needless to say, this chicken daddy has added oregano and thyme to his chickens’ regimen to witness these benefits firsthand. Some experienced chicken ranchers add about one drop of oregano and/or thyme per gallon of chickens’ drinking water. You could say it makes their health a little less “fowl.” But I digress.

With all this said, we can boost and support our own immune systems with the Dynamic Duo of oregano and thyme essential oils. The FDA considers both to be in the category of GRAS (generally regarded as safe). Young Living has both of these oils in their Vitality™ line, meaning they are approved as safe to take internally. To utilize the health benefits of oregano and thyme essential oils, we can breathe them by diffusing, take them internally in a vegetable capsule or by adding to food, drinking water, or almond milk, or by applying topically. It’s important to note that oregano and thyme are very powerful, so it is best not to apply them to sensitive areas on the body, as they can be quite “hot.” Always have some V6 (a vegetable oil blend from Young Living) or some other seed oil, like extra virgin olive or coconut, just in case the essential oil feels too intense where applied. Generally, applying oregano and thyme to the soles of the feet is a safe bet.

If you know someone that can do the Raindrop Technique, this is a fantastic way to harness the benefits of oregano and thyme, along with all the other oils used in this amazing technique. There is a directory of CARE Approved Raindrop Facilitators on our website at www.raindroptraining.com where you can find experienced Raindroppers that have passed thorough testing in Raindrop Technique as well as Vitaflex.

Get that extra boost for your immune system with the Dynamic Duo: oregano and thyme. Fighting microbial thugs since time immemorial.

A couple favorite books that I refer to in my practice are “Releasing Emotional Patterns with Essential Oils”  by Carolyn Mein and “Feelings Buried Alive Never Die” by Karol Truman.  I find there is usually an emotional link to one’s ailments.  My clients are sometimes surprised when they see the link and they have that “A Ha” moment.

I love to garden in the summer.  This year I tried something different on my garden.  As I live just down the road from Young Living Farms I had them deliver some of their mulch/bark from the distillation process.  I spread it out on the garden and did nothing else.  It releases nitrogen into the garden and boy did I have a great garden this year!  I grew some fantastic butternut squash, and will share that recipe below.

It’s great to have the Messenger back!  Enjoy your monthly edition and please share with your friends.

Penny Cosner, LCCI, MT, MASI

Penny also has a website:

Every year CARE Instructors come together for our Annual CCI Summit so that we can refresh, learn, and grow. What better way to further our love and knowledge of essential oils than to experience firsthand how essential oils are grown, harvested, distilled, tested, and bottled! In early August we gathered at the Young Living Highland Flats Tree Farm and Distillery in Naples, Idaho. CARE Instructors traveled from as far as Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia to attend.

As you drive down the gravel road leading to the distillery you will see young evergreens to the right, many of which were planted by CARE Instructors years ago. Just beyond the entrance you can see a building to the left where Idaho Blue Spruce and Grand Fir are distilled, with a gorgeous mountain view in the background.

CARE Instructors and Interns enjoyed the full experience of harvesting Idaho Grand Fir and then followed the load of evergreen material to the distillery where it was steam distilled into essential oil. Each of us filled and capped our own bottle of Grand Fir during the tour.

In the hours and days that followed, CARE Instructors heard from speakers such as Christina Hagan, LCCI on ethics and “All Things Raindrop”; from Dr. Tamer Zakor from Malaysia, who is an expert on resonance and its healing power in the body. Dr. Zakor did a brief yet profound demonstration of how our intentions can affect the power of essential oils.

Marie Keopke, LCCI lead a discussion of the book The Body Electric by Robert O. Becker, MD and Gary Selden, followed by an explanation of the physics relating to this book by Rihab Sawah, FCCI. Other presenters included Amy Pittman, CCI, Ismenia Azcanio, CCI and Kristina Zittle, FCCI.

CARE Instructors also spent time together demonstrating and testing our Raindrop and Vitaflex skills. This helps us all as CARE Instructors to maintain consistency in teaching and preserves the integrity of the techniques as originally taught by D. Gary Young and passed on by CARE’s founders David and Lee Stewart.

Summit is always a rejuvenating and renewing experience. But this year, in addition to learning together, we had the opportunity each day to sit in the three hot tubs on the farm, all of which were filled with floral waters from the distillery. This three-day retreat was an experience like no other.

CARE’s Annual Summit is open to all Certified CARE Instructors and CARE Interns. If you would like to become an instructor for CARE, contact your local CARE Instructor, or click here to learn more about becoming a CCI.

The day preceding the CARE Summit, Anthony Stewart, FCCI taught Advanced Bible Oils, which is an 8-hour in-depth training on how to teach CARE’s History of Anointing and Laying on of Hands class to diverse groups of people, and how to field questions that may come from students. It also explores much of the Bible’s rich history.

In the three days following Summit Anthony also taught Advanced Emotional Release, where students learned extensively how emotions are linked with our bodies, how unresolved trauma can negatively affect our lives, and how we can find personal freedom through emotional release. During the training, we had the wonderful experience of practicing facilitated emotional releases on one another.

CARE’s advanced classes are open to anyone who has previously attended CARE classes. Advanced Bible Oils will be set for the day before CARE’s Annual CCI Summit in 2024 (dates to be announced). Advanced Emotional Release dates have not yet been set for 2024, so keep your eyes on the CARE Calendar and future issues of the Raindrop Messenger!

When I’m not talking oils or seeing clients at our therapeutic bodywork office, I like to work in the garden, go hiking, swim or paddle board at the lake and cook with my family.  We’ve been living in the Raleigh area for 15 years now.  Talk about seeing some changes!  Our little town is simply exploding.

My interest in gardening and our southern location has led me to grow quite a few cucumbers!  If you have an abundance of cucumbers this summer, one of my most recent favorite recipes is from a southern grandma.  It is for refrigerator pickles.  They are easy to make and just as easy to eat!

I hope you are excited to receive the Raindrop Messenger in your inbox again.  Don’t forget to tell whatever email server you use that you trust emails from RaindropTraining.com – These emails are way too good to end up in your Junk File!

I hope you are enjoying the end of summer, and as we slide into the fall – don’t forget to use Raindrop as a tool to support you and your family’s health!

Many Thanks,
Christina