Adding essential oils to your personal practice or studio is a great way to engage the senses, refine your pranayama (breathing) and instil a particular emotional response while on the mat.
The easiest way to incorporate essential oils is to place a drop in your hands, rub them together and then cup over your nose and inhale deeply. Alternatively applying oils with a roller bottle on pulse points, on your chest or under you nose allows you to breathe them in while still keeping them as a personal practice. This can be done before you start your practice or class, helping you prepare for your time on the mat.
When using oils in the studio, it is always best to ask your students if they wish to use the oils. For some, they may have sensitivities or may be opposed to the aroma which may distract or cause an adverse reaction.
With the student’s permission, you may like to atomise some essential oils in a misting bottle for savasana or at the beginning of a class. You may prefer to use a diffuser in the space again, just before class starts, or perhaps for savasana at the end.
Different aromas will instil a different emotional response and different oils will have varying benefits. Thinking of the time of day that you are on the mat, if there is a particular focus of the class or special need will help inform your choice of essential oil.
Below are the top 5 oils I recommend for yoga practice:
Easy Air/ Breathe
This is a blend made by doterra and is a blend of laurel (bay), eucaplytus, peppermint, tea tree, lemon, cardamon and ravensara. I like to think of this one as an allrounder. Use it any time of the day/ night and with anyone. It is great to open the airways and provide a sense of deeper breathing. It has a clean smell about it and doesn’t seem to offend many people. The positive emotional properties of this blend is that it allows people to feel loved, supported, healing, solace, embracing life, trusting, open.
Chakras: Heart
Yoga styles: All styles
Balance
This blend is a grounding mix of spruce, ho wood, frankincense, blue tansy, blue chamomile, and Osmanthus. Being a blend of woods, Balance has a very steady and gentle energy that is not in a rush. Calming, and grounding, this blend is perfect for those with overactivity of the mind or anxiety and helps people to focus on the present moment. Balance will help to connect the lower body with the earth
Chakra: Root
Yoga Styles: Yin, Anxiety, Therapy, Vinyasa, Post-natal, Pre-natal
Elevation
This is a very joyful and optimistic oil blend and helps people to feel carefree, bright, cheerful and abundant. The oils in this blend include lavandin, tangerine, lavender, amyris, clary sage, sandalwood, ylang ylang, ho wood, Osmanthus, lemon and melissa. These oils can help redirect the mind from feelings of despair into happiness.
Chakras: Solar Plexus
Yoga Styles: Vinyasa, Hatha, Ashtanga, Post-natal, yin
Grapefruit
Grapefruit is a great citrus. It is bright and light. Emotionally, Grapefruit helps us to honour our bodies and to truly listen to our needs. It allows us to accept our bodies, and encourages integrity through love, respect and tolerance.
Chakras: Sacral
Sandalwood
Sandalwood assists with prayer, meditation and spiritual worship. It has a powerful ability to calm the mind, still the heart and prepare the spirit. Sandalwood helps raise us into higher levels of consciousness, reaching beyond our confines and belief systems.
Chakras: Crown
Bergamot
Known as the oil of self acceptance, bergamot has a cleansing effect on limiting beliefs and stagnant energy. Bergamot helps people to feel confident, hopeful, lovable, optimistic and good enough.
Chakra: Throat
Frankincense
Considered as the oil of truth, Frankincense has been used since biblical times. Frankincense helps reveal deceptions, falsities and lower vibrations/ negativity. Frankincense assists to “pull the scales of darkness away from the eyes” and recall spiritual understanding, gifts and wisdoms. Enhancing practices of prayer and meditation, we can draw closer to divinity and the true self.
Chakras: Third Eye
