Aromatherapy Raindrop Technique and Essential Oils Guide

History and Origins of the Raindrop Technique

The Raindrop Technique of applying essential oils was developed in the 1980s by D. Gary Young. He based his research on the use of essential oils as antimicrobial agents, inspired by knowledge he gained from Lakota Elder Black Elk. Today, the Raindrop Technique continues to grow in popularity on a global basis. In many ways, the story of the technique is the story of Young himself.

In 1973, Gary Young suffered a logging injury that left him in a coma for three weeks and required four months of intensive care. Doctors declared him paralyzed and confined him to a wheelchair for life. The following two years were marked by depression and three suicide attempts. However, Young eventually resolved to regain control of his life. He fasted on juice and water for nearly a year until he finally regained sensation in his toes — the first step on a long and painful road to recovery.

After this experience, Young devoted himself to studying herbology, natural medicine, and acupuncture, pursuing his research across the globe. He was eventually able to walk again, though the process was painful. It was this persistent pain that led him to discover essential oils. Within a short time, Young was able to eliminate pain that had been with him for nearly thirteen years. From that point forward, he devoted his life to the study of essential oils — a pursuit that ultimately led him to embark on a worldwide search for knowledge (excerpted from Young, 2003b).

During the mid-1980s, Young traveled the world investigating both traditional and modern uses of essential oils. He perfected every phase of oil production and began producing his own high-quality oils. In 1993, he purchased a farm for the cultivation of lavender, peppermint, lemon balm, clary sage, and other herbs. In 1995, he was invited to speak at a United Nations conference on organic farming, and that same year he also presented research on the antibacterial properties of essential oils at a university forum. It was through these worldwide travels that Young developed his now-famous Raindrop Technique for applying essential oils to achieve maximum therapeutic benefit (excerpted from Young, 2003b).

The Raindrop Technique combines three separate disciplines: essential oil application, Vita Flex Massage, and basic back massage with heat application. The technique is most effective for systemic ailments, spinal alignment problems, viral infections, and detoxification. Essential oils contain elements that are absorbed through the skin upon application, and the specific oils used in the Raindrop Technique were chosen for their ability to fight bacteria and viruses (excerpted from Young, 2003b).

How the Raindrop Technique Works

The technique depends on applying certain oils in a specific sequence. The first oil applied is oregano, placed on the bottom of the feet. According to Raindrop Technique theory, this oil begins fighting viruses immediately. The subsequent oils — thyme, basil, birch, cypress, peppermint, and marjoram — are dropped from six inches above the spine without touching the skin, allowing the energy of the oils to interact without interference.

Thyme is used for its antiviral properties; basil serves as a muscle relaxant; birch supports bone repair; cypress addresses inflammation; and peppermint functions as a topical analgesic. Marjoram acts as an antispasmodic (Young, 2003a). In strict Young-method practice, these are followed by Valor, a blend used for spinal alignment, and Aroma Siez, used to relieve muscle problems associated with sports injuries, fatigue, stress, or headaches.

After the oils are applied, Vita Flex massage is used to enhance their benefits. Vita Flex technique originated in Tibet; its name means "vitality through the reflexes." In this approach, energy is released through contact between the fingers and reflex points — of which there are more than 1,400 throughout the body (Young, 2003a). Vita Flex differs from other massage techniques in that its application releases an electrical charge that travels along nerve pathways until it encounters a disruption caused by toxins, damage, or oxygen deficiency.

The proper Vita Flex technique involves a roll-and-release motion with the fingertips, rolling over onto the fingernails to release the energy stored in them. It is applied on the feet and along the spine. Following this, hot compresses are applied to the back for five to thirty minutes to assist oil absorption. Afterward, four of the original oils are reapplied to the inside of both legs, and Vita Flex is used in that area to stimulate the digestive meridian for additional systemic clearing.

The Raindrop Technique involves a precise sequence of steps designed to help the body achieve maximum benefit from the oils. The first step involves applying Valor to each foot. This works best with two practitioners: one applies six drops to each shoulder while the other applies six drops to each foot simultaneously. The palm should be held flat against the bottom of the foot with as much skin-to-skin contact as possible. The assistant at the head — either sitting or standing — places the right hand to the client's right shoulder and the left hand to the left shoulder, again maximizing skin contact. The practitioner should not attempt to direct their thoughts but should allow the mind to remain open and let the body's energies align naturally. A sensation of heat or tingling indicates that energies are readjusting and may course through the entire body. These initial steps form the foundation for everything that follows.

Step-by-Step Application of the Raindrop Technique

The dropping technique used for thyme and oregano is critical to the treatment's effectiveness. Each oil is applied by holding the bottle six inches above the skin and allowing five drops to fall evenly along the spine, from the sacrum to the first cervical vertebra. The order in which these two oils are applied does not matter. After both oils are applied, it is recommended that the practitioner add ten to fifteen drops of V-6 Mixing Oil over the same area to prevent skin discomfort.

The oil is worked in using four-inch strokes and a light brushing motion with the nail side of the fingertips. The motion should be light and feathery, following the curvature of the spine. This feathering technique is repeated two or three times, always beginning at the sacrum and working upward. The feathering is then repeated again starting at the sacrum, this time flaring the fingertips outward to each side of the body. The right and left hands should not cross the midline, with each staying on its respective side. This sequence is repeated two or three more times.

Cypress, wintergreen, basil, and peppermint are applied next, in that specific order. Four or five drops of each are applied along the spine — again held six inches above the skin to remain within the person's electrical field — and layered evenly. These oils are worked in using gentle massage along one side of the spine, with the fingertips moving in a circular motion beginning at the sacrum and working up to the atlas. Direct pressure should never be applied to the spine itself; rather, the technique creates space for the spine to move by manipulating the surrounding tissue. The practitioner works one side of the spine, then the other, repeating the process two more times.

Next, the middle and index fingers of each hand are positioned to straddle the spine, beginning at the first cervical vertebra. Using a gentle side-to-side sawing motion, the fingers are rocked along the full length of the spine down to the sacrum. This is repeated two more times, followed by three repetitions of the Vita Flex feathering technique.

Five to six drops of marjoram and Aroma Siez are then applied to each side of the spine — not directly on it — and massaged gently for a few minutes. The client is allowed to rest briefly before Ortho Ease is applied to the back of the legs, followed by hot compresses to the spine. Heat will begin to build gradually.

The next step focuses on the legs. Two to three drops each of wintergreen, cypress, basil, and peppermint are applied to the inside of the lower legs along the shin, from the bottom of the knee to the top of the big toes. Each oil application is completed before the next begins, and the oil is worked in using the Vita Flex technique along the inside of the shinbone to the ankle and then along the top of the big toe.

The final step can involve two practitioners. One person stands at the client's feet and holds each leg firmly above the ankles; the other stands at the head, placing one hand under the base of the skull and the other around the chin. A gentle pulling tension is created and held for several minutes, with the person at the feet acting as an anchor. The person at the head then performs a mild rocking-and-releasing motion, lasting four to eight minutes. Care must be taken not to pull too hard.

The client should then be allowed to rest. The practitioner may sense that additional work is needed, but some adjustments may already be apparent. The body will continue to adjust over the following days. Changes may be gradual or immediately noticeable. There are variations to the Raindrop Technique, but the description above represents the most widely accepted version, as described and taught by Gary Young.