Gary Young's Blog

My head was spinning, trying to figure out what this was all about and what I was going to do, since it appeared that my first opportunity to be in Egypt looked like it was headed for disaster. I so wanted to know why Christ, as a child, fled to Egypt, since I’m sure there were other places he could have gone. What was the frankincense story all about? I had hoped to discover why frankincense was found in Tutankhamun’s tomb when it was opened by Howard Carter in 1922.

Why was Christ the only child recorded in historical writings to receive frankincense, myrrh, and gold at his birth? Yet, even that was shrouded with mystery as the definition in the Sabaic Dictionary, published by the University of Sana’a in 1982, states: “Gold, a type of incense.” That was a clue to something new that really piqued my interest.

Historically, at that time, incense was far more prized than gold. If frankincense and myrrh were given as precious gifts, why would gold, a much lesser commodity, be given as well? How did frankincense and myrrh equate to gold? As I started putting together what I had learned with what had been written, it just didn’t make sense.

Through my research and in asking questions in that part of the world, I learned that balsam oil was anciently called “liquid gold.” That seemed to be common knowledge in the Arabian world. So then I had to ask myself, “Did the translator leave out the word liquid because it didn’t seem important, or was it simply not understood?”  I was fascinated with it all and was driven to find the truth.

To be continued . . .

You can find more Egyptian photos here.

My journey began 18 years ago when I traveled to Egypt in search of the answers to many questions about the mysteries of essential oils hidden in the ancient ruins and hieroglyphics of Egyptian history. I was excited to study essential oil chemistry with Dr. Radwan Farag, PhD, dean of the Biochemistry Department at Cairo University, who at that time was the most published authority on essential oils in the world.

Tourism had already been greatly restricted in Egypt when I heard the announcement in the London airport requesting that all passengers traveling to Egypt report to the Customer Service Counter of Egypt Air immediately. All nonresidents were being advised not to travel there because there was tremendous tension and upheaval in the country, and it was extremely dangerous. Tickets were being changed and refunded for all foreigners except one. I knew I had to go, and I just couldn’t let this stand in my way of what I felt was to be a great adventure into the discovery of the unknown.

As I boarded the Egypt Air flight to Cairo, all eyes of the 38 Egyptian citizens were on me as I placed my camera bag in the overhead compartment. As the plane lifted off the ground, I had a strange feeling of anticipation, wondering what would happen to this lone American. When the jet landed and came to a stop, the stairs were rolled up to the door, but as I moved towards the exit, the head flight attendant asked me to let all the Egyptian citizens off first.

As the last passenger to leave the plane and walk down the stairs, I saw why I was detained. A military escort was waiting on the tarmac to go with me to pick up my luggage and take me through immigration, customs, and then into a black car waiting in the taxi lane. The military police drove me to a downtown hotel where I was checked in and told not leave the premises until my departure two weeks later.

To be continued…

Utah’s I-15 freeway runs parallel to the Young Living lavender fields. So many people simply pull to the side of the freeway and gaze in amazement at the purple beauty stretching across 200 acres.

Lavender harvest time in Mona, Utah, and St. Maries, Idaho, is the perfect time to reflect on all that this fragrant flower gives us.

A 2009 study at the Department of Biosciences of Saurashtra University in Rajkot, India, tested essential oils from palmarosa, evening primrose, ruberose and lavender. The scientists noted that “gram positive bacteria are more susceptible to essential oils than gram negative bacteria.” But lavender and palmarosa oils had a potent effect on gram negative organisms at all concentrations tested.¹

Lavender has so many more applications than that! I was told that the August issue of O: The Oprah Magazine has a nice recipe for fighting the stress that surrounds our busy lives:

“Take a whiff of lavender. In 2008 Japanese researchers reported that the aroma reduces stress levels in people forced to do tough math problems. Keep a small bottle of lavender oil or lotion in your purse for when you’re feeling overwhelmed.”²

Like frankincense, lavender has properties that adapt to your body’s needs. This is one essential oil you should always have on hand!

^{1. MH Lodhia, et al., “Antibacterial Activity of Essential Oils from Palmarosa, Evening Primrose, Lavender and Tuberose,” Indian J. Pharm Sci. 2009 Mar-Apr; 71(2):134-136.}

^{2. “Find Your Best Stress Zone,” O: The Oprah Magazine, August 2010, p. 138.}

On a recent trip I took into the jungle in Ecuador, I was shown a huge vine that has promise as a future source of new essential oils. It’s a heavy vine that grows high into the canopies, but it puts on an orchid-looking flower about four inches in diameter and black in color. This vine starts coming out the end of September or October and is in full bloom by November. The people said it gives off one of the most beautiful, exotic fragrances that can be smelled for one kilometer—just absolutely beautiful—and the natives gather it and press the oil out of the flower. They use it for perfuming themselves for wedding ceremonies and special events.

According to the natives, there’s just a symphony of aromatic fragrances during those months of the rainforest when this vine is in its flowering state. So I’m looking forward to going back during that time to gather some of these flowers and do further studies and exploration of some possibilities for beautiful future essential oils and future products!

When I’m not traversing the rainforest, we’re keeping ourselves very busy here at the farm in Ecuador. Currently we’re busy distilling Dorado Azul essential oil, and we just finished distilling lemongrass and basil essential oils.

Whatever you do, whether you can join us here in Ecuador or not, you don’t want to miss out on Grand Convention in September; it’s going to be very, very exciting. I can’t wait to see you there and share more of my recent adventures with you and recount our explorations as we have been searching out new essential oil-bearing plants for Young Living, proving that we are truly are the world leader in essential oils!

Essentially Yours,

D. Gary Young