Introducing two beautiful essential oil blends for nourishing our yoga practice, on and off the mat, and to balance the Ayurvedic 'doshas'. Anything that can soothe, anchor and bring life into focus and support our journey into the depths of wisdom and blissfulness is worth exploring so lets dive in.
Sometimes we need a little something to set the tone for work and play, or snap us out of a not so great mood. Here are a couple of oil blends that let us
drop down out of high alert
step back from the sometimes uncertain flow of life
and settle
into a sweet, relaxed and grounded place of rest, a place we can feel solid and secure, and ready to reach back out into the flow with more confidence and focus.
Both of these blends are favourites among the yogis I share my practice with. Both lead with lavender - a 'common' yet precious oil - precious as it offers us so much, and its hard to imagine life, or yoga, without it. Of course we know lavender for its soothing, cooling and calming properties, making it ideal for promoting ease and grace in our movements and thoughts, but it draws the mind in to focus. On a subtle energetic level, Lavender balances the crown (Sahasrara) and third eye (Ajna) chakras, which are associated with spirituality, intuition, and mental clarity. No wonder its so powerful and prized. Its fresh, floral scent combines beautifully with citrus, woods, and other flowers, and thats what I've done here with 'Blanket Earth' and 'Tranquil Lime'.
Blanket Earth
This cosy, comforting and settling blend offers a blanket for your earthliness - for all your muscles and bones, the structure of the body that carries you all day long, and for all your organs that drive your metabolism and keep you in the body. It is a simplified and more affordable version of doTERRAs console blend, combining lavender, patchouli, sandalwood, and rose essential oils to produce a unique and calming blend that's sweet, uplifting yet also earthy and deep.
Lavender pairs beautifully with the warm, earthy aroma of patchouli, which has grounding and balancing qualities, and resonates with Muladhara, the base
chakra which gives us a sense of stability and primal safety.
Sandalwood is a highly prized oil known for its rich, woody scent, which promotes a sense of tranquility, reduces anxiety and promotes deep sleep. Finally, the sweet and floral scent of rose oil adds a luxurious touch to this blend. Rose oil promotes relaxation, reducing stress, and helps to balance hormones.
Together these four oils create a beautifully balanced aroma that is both calming and grounding, perfect for meditation, yoga, or massage. As a synergy (undiluted) it can be diffused, r taken as single drop dosage via the olfactory system (that is, place a drop in your hand, rub hands together and smell it!). As a blend combined with carrier oil, it can be massaged into the skin - say, on the collar bones, back of the neck - to help promote relaxation and deep sleep. This blend is ideal if you struggle with anxiety, insomnia or 'vata' typical states of being. It can also help to balance hormones, reduce inflammation, and promote overall well-being. Lavender and Sandalwood are both cooling oils that can subdue heat aggravated 'pitta' conditions like hot flushes and hot tempers!
Blanket Earth is best used towards the end of a yoga session to support grounding poses and yoga nidra. Also perfect before sleep, or even to start the morning off in a relaxed, sublime mode.
Tranquil Lime
This brilliant combo of vibrant lime with two 'tranquilizing' oils - lavender (again!) and Vetiver is a good oil to see you through a vigorous flow. Its mostly cooling, and will keep you calm and focused through your morning session and into your day. Great on warm days or when your space is toasty warm on a cold day outside.
Lime is refreshing and stimulating, bringing vibrance to the solar plexus (Manipura) chakra, the centre or store-house of our personal power, self-confidence, and motivation. More lime and less of the other oils will make this blend warmer and help balance the somewhat sedate energy of kapha.
Vetiver (or 'khusa' in sanskrit) belongs to the grass family, and is cultivated for various purposes. Its unique root system grows downwards, making it perfect for preventing erosion and stabilizing soil, unlike other grasses. It was also traditionally used for weaving mats on which to practise yoga and meditation - its unique aroma is said to keep creepy crawlies away so the yogi can do his or her thing undisturbed. That doesn't mean humans don't like the smell though! Vetiver essential oil has a sophisticated, exotic fragrance and is widely used in perfumes. As it has a calming and grounding aroma, it is well-suited for use in massage therapy. Rub it into the soles of your feet before bedtime to help induce a peaceful sleep.
According to Ayurveda, Vetiver oil is pitta pacifying, meaning it helps balance the Pitta dosha, which presents as heat and inflammation in the body. Due to its cooling effect on the body, Vetiver oil is often recommended in Ayurveda for conditions such as fever, hot flashes, and inflammation. It is also used in Ayurvedic skincare to soothe and cool the skin.
If you're keen to try either of these oils, I can make a blend up for you. get in touch via the contact links at the bottom! If we know whether you're needing more vata, pita or kapha balancing, the blend can be made heavier in the oils you need more of.
The full list of oils available is here. If you'd like lavender on its own, here are some of the best oils on the planet!
Comments