My Story: The Why Behind Starting The Pondered Path Aromatherapy

Many years ago, I entered the world of essential oils. As I was attempting to learn about the oils, how they are produced, and the benefits of their usage, I became aware of what I would refer to as a dark side of the industry— new age/occult ideals. These ideals are often repackaged and relabeled to look like something innocent. This renaming and repackaging of religious practices mirrors the deception of putting lipstick on a pig, a wolf in sheep clothing, and even Satan disguising himself as an angel of light. The more you dive down into the waters of what these particular religious practices entail, the more you recognize their presence in the essential oil and aromatherapy industries.

I watched as many individuals were drawn into essential oil companies, excited to use and sell these products. Some of these companies even claimed to be “Christian”. I watched as people joined these companies and then cut off friends who refused to buy from them, wanted to research oils independently, or shared information that contradicted the company's teachings.

Many essential oil companies and oil-promoting websites promote information about the claimed frequencies and energies of oils. What they are actually promoting is the practice of alignment with nature— aligning yourself with the frequency of nature is the same practice as balancing your chakras. People seek to align with nature with a desire for what they would call “healing” and alignment with the “spiritual” realm—and ultimately interacting with it in some way. Within the essential oil and aromatherapy industries, you will hear terms such as energies, frequencies, grounding, aligning. All of these have spiritual and religious associations that contradict Biblical teaching.

I was shocked and discouraged to see these practices­— including Native American and Tibetan spiritual techniques for aligning energies—repackaged as "Christian" and touted as being innocent and holy. These practices have been accepted with open arms by many who profess to be children of the Living God— not realizing that these practices come from the spiritual aspects of worship in other cultures and religions. These are not new practices, but ancient. They are not innocent. Those who are children of the Lord are called to align themselves with Christ alone and should be aware of the compromise that comes with aligning themselves with these practices, even when under “Christian” labels.

I share this with love, not to embarrass or condemn. My goal is simply to make people aware of these practices and to explain the convictions the Lord has laid on my heart.

As I was looking into all of this information, some 10 years ago, I realized that there was knowledge that was not well communicated on the safety and wise use of essential oils. This knowledge basically boils down to a LOT of chemistry. I made a lot of phone calls and asked a lot of questions. I discovered so much information that seemed to be pushed behind a curtain while other information was placed out front and center as if it were gems of pure gold. This led me to seeking my Professional Aromatherapy Certification. I had the idea of starting an essential oil company that would sell oils with the goal of honoring God, recognizing the blessings that He has provided through His creation, helping to educate on the wise use of the oils, and providing a location to purchase oils that is not affiliated with any of these mystical practices or ideals. I purchased a certification course, but ended up setting it aside for many years while taking care of my elderly grandmother, having my last two children, homeschooling our children (7 in total), and a lot of moving.

I had a hysterectomy in March of 2025, and during my recovery time, I was struck with the motivation to finish my certification and to pursue the opening of The Pondered Path Aromatherapy company. Having had such a long break from these courses, I decided that it was best to start them completely over from the beginning. With God’s grace, my family pitching in so that I could study, and the volunteers who helped me complete my clinicals, I was able to complete my certification in six months. I had not expected to complete it so swiftly. I am thankful for the opportunity and humbled by the experience.

When I first began looking into these essential oils, two Bible verses stood out to me and supplied both the name and the defining ideal of The Pondered Path Aromatherapy.

Proverbs 4:26-27

26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

These verses tell us of the importance of walking through life with intention and purpose. We are not just to go through the motions and to accept all that comes along. We are to ponder things, through the lens of the teachings of the Word of God and to let all our ways be established. We have the loving gift of free-will that allows us to turn to the right hand or to the left if we want to choose not to walk in the ways of the Lord. We must choose to remove our feet from evil as the Bible instructs us to. It does not happen on a whim, but through purposeful and intentional living for the Lord.

When I consider the “why” behind getting my certification and starting this company, I can simply summarize it in the five guiding principles of The Pondered Path Aromatherapy:

1. The fear of the Lord- Operating from a foundation of reverence and obedience

2. Using God's blessings - Recognizing essential oils as part of His creation designed to support wellness

3. Education - Helping others understand the wise and safe use of essential oils

4. Intentional living - Pondering the path of our feet and encouraging others to do the same

5. Separation - Offering products from a company that has deliberately separated itself from those who promote spiritual concepts regarding essential oils

My heart-felt religious conviction is for The Pondered Path Aromatherapy to boldly stand apart from the mystical and ritualistic teachings and practices that are so prevalent in this industry. Instead of feeling stuck, purchasing from companies with behaviors that they do not support, or giving up and walking away from essential oils completely, I want customers know that they have another option. The Pondered Path Aromatherapy can help these customers know that they do not have to settle or do without.

Megan Tiehes

Certified Professional Aromatherapist

Founder of The Pondered Path Aromatherapy

Encouraging verses regarding the Biblical principles mentioned above:

Leviticus 19:31 | Deuteronomy 18:10-12 | Proverbs 1:10, 15 | Proverbs 4:14-15 | Proverbs 14:16 | Proverbs 14:22, 27 | Proverbs 15:9, 24 | Proverbs 16:3, 6, 17, 25 | Proverbs 22:3 | Isaiah 8:19 | Matthew 7:15 | Romans 12:2 | 2 Corinthians 6:16-18 | 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 | Galatians 5:19-21 | Colossians 2:8 | 1 Thessalonians 5:22 | 1 John 4:1

For your convenience, have posted each of these verses here