Using Essential Oils in Yoga

HOW DO ESSENTIAL OILS AFFECT THE BRAIN IN YOGA?

Your sense of smell is much more accurate than any of your other senses. Your ability to smell comes from sensory cells called Olfactory Sensory Neurons, found in a small patch of tissue very high in your nose. Those cells connect to your brain.

Each of those sensory neurons has one odor receptor – and molecules released by substances around us stimulate these receptors. Once your neurons detect your molecules, they send messages to your limbic lobe of your brain.

Our sense of smell is 10,000 more sensitive than our other senses. Scent travels faster to the brain with smell than it does with sight, or even sound.

The limbic lobe is a group of brain structures that is below the cortex of the brain – it includes the amygdala and the hippocampus. Your limbic lobe (system of brain structures) is directly connected to the parts of your brain that control many aspects of your body – hormone levels, stress, memory, breathing, heart rate, and more.

The only way to stimulate the emotional brain is through your sense of smell – which is one of the reasons why Essential Oils can work so incredibly well. Feelings of depression, fear, anger, happiness, joy and even anxiety all originate from the limbic lobe of the brain.

Essential Oils can help alleviate symptoms at a cellular level through their therapeutic properties–because that stimulation of hormones and chemicals can drastically affect physiology and behavior.

Essential Oils can be stimulating (Peppermint), calming (Lavender), sedative (Cedarwood), balancing (Frankincense, and so much more.

My Top Five Essential Oils for Emotions:

Roman Chamomile: Helps support feelings of peace, love and acceptance.

Cedarwood: Helps support healthy focus and encouragement while also grounding.

Lavender: Helps support relaxation and calming. This one also helps with communicating feelings.

Bergamot: Uplifting and will help support healthy confidence levels. This one also helping foster self love and self worth.

Frankincense: Powerful cleanser of the spirit – grounding and can help during times of negativity.

REFERENCES:

How do Essential Oils Affect our Mind and Our Emotions. Retrieved from http://www.biospiritual-energy-healing.com/essential-oils-affect-our-minds.html

Using Essential Oils in Yoga

The Foundation

It is not the beauty of a building you should look at; it’s the construction of the foundation that will stand the test of time. ~ David Allen Coe

This time of year is ideal for getting back into ourselves after a summer season of play, vacations, kids home, and way less structure. This is the time where we reclaim our sense of self and rediscover the aspects of ourselves that support us in our everyday life. 

As you experience a more predictable schedule and life begins to resume some sort of normalcy, take a few minutes to consider the four walls, or four main roots of a tree, that represent your foundation. This is the scaffolding which supports all the other parts of our home, or tree, during times of turbulence. 

Here are some ideas– faith, service, accountability, kindness, diligence, love, fulfillment, action, compassion, determination, optimism, etc. 

Take a listen to this short podcast on how this powerful understanding can bring much stability to your life.

Foundation Essential Oil Blend

You may know if you stop here often that I believe in the power of aroma to shift our chemical response in our brain. We can influence our state of arousal and our emotional state simply by smelling something. How cool is that?

Not sure where to start? Grab one of these blends, take 4-5 deep breaths, apply it to your spine and under your nose and then listen. You already know…now, you just need to listen.

By the way, check out the emotional benefits of these oils:

  • Douglas Fir.This one invites you to invoke your high wisdom and learn from the past experiences and people who may have crossed your path. This essential oil is perfect for turning inward in the season of more introspection.
  • Frankincense.Frankincense asks you to welcome in feelings of protection, wisdom, discernment, and a spiritual awakening. This sacred essential oil invites individuals to shed the lower vibration feelings that are often negative and draining. This truly brings our your own magnificence.
  • Ho Wood. This peaceful oil brings out a sense of calm and helps to quiet the mind. By clearing the mind of anxious thoughts or simply clutter, we can fine tune into the deepest parts of who we are. This helps us to live in alignment with our principles and aspects of our foundation. 
  • Blue Tansy. This one is a powerful aroma that helps to bring out inspiration and the committed response of tacking action. This helps to be more purposeful and responsible, which is such a beautiful aspect to a solid constitution. Blue tansy welcomes in a sense of freedom and sense of walking towards your deepest dreams and desires. 
  • Blue Chamomile.This sweet and delicate flower is commonly known as German chamomile and offers a beautiful blue hue to the oil. Like its counter part Roman Chamomile, this flower oil is the perfect choice for bringing out a peaceful and serene mental state. This brings out emotional harmony and illuminates the wisdom with your soul.
  • Spruce. This stable, grounded aroma brings out an enduring balanced outlook to life while also giving strength through your wisdom. When we soak in this aroma we are reminded of the rhythms and ancient wisdom the earth offers. 
  • Cassia. This bold oil which a friend of cinnamon is warm and earthy as it invites you to feel courageous, strong, self-assured and confident in your authentic self. This brings an embracing warmth to the confident and meaningful connections in our life. 
  • Petrified Wood Chips. It helps to create balance and offers a foundation from which to launch new goals or undertake a different path. This grounding stone helps to calm scattered energies and look closely at the essence of what guides our decisions.

These beautiful oils and solid gemstones will be a constant as your dive into the fall season of a slower pace, a calmer mind, and as you seek out the principles in which your life is sustained by. To learn more about the principles I have chosen for myself, check out this blog post.

You can purchase this blend here and it will soon arrive in your mailbox with lots of grounding love.

Ylang Ylang Essential Oil

For the last few months I have been so drawn to a specific and potent aroma. I can’t stop reaching for it and I got really curious about why my brain and my body has been wanting this one so much.

This divine floral is all about the heart, being vulnerable, and finding sweet moments of childlike joy.

This year has been a little rough in my world. Some aspects of my life have flourished into greatness, while other areas have been heart breaking and have brought about quite a bit of grief and sorrow.

Truth is, my heart has been hurting. There I has been some loss and with that opportunities for acceptance that are seeking to emerge.

Ahhh. So that is why my spirit has been craving this smell. It’s sweet floral is an instant soothing to the soul. And the heart.

One of the most fragrant among essential oils. In fact, it is being used as a critical ingredient in the legendary perfume Chanel No. 5.

Ylang Ylang helps us connect to our heart and become balanced by releasing negative emotions and deep emotional sadness. It calms the heart and balances emotions during times of high stress, crisis, tension, or depression.

More importantly, it opens the heart to receive more love and acceptance. 

As a reflection of Ylang Ylang’s ability to restore a healthy flow of positivity in the heart, the essential oil helps encourage a healthy circulatory system. It improves blood flow, fights inflammation, and assist with other heart problems.

The Emotional Benefits:

The oil of a childlike heart
• Powerful for melting the walls around your heart
• Increases love, compassion, trust, empathy, and intimacy
• Softly releases any negative emotion or trauma you’re carrying within
• Use when you’re struggling to connect, put yourself out there, or be vulnerable and tender

Ylang Ylang, meaning “flower of flowers”, has its petals used in Indonesia to decorate the beds of newlyweds due to its aphrodisiac properties. Just so ya know.

Other health benefits::
• Promotes libido and hormonal balance
• Favorite for heart health, including healthy blood pressure, healthy heart rate, and more
• Calms the stress response in the body
• Used for a very restorative sleep

It is just so good. The investment is so worth it because it is so versatile for uses. Check out this gorgeous ebook that breaks down the many uses.

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How Fast Do Essential Oils Work?

when you know better, you do better

Maya Angelou

Think essential oils just smell good? Back when I first started using them, I did too. I have learned through the years that they are actually working inside your brain and body to support every cell within our body. Crazy, eh?

Think about it. Long before pharmacies came to town, our ancestors used plants to help our bodies. Peppermint plants, homemade salves from herbs and tree parts, teas and much more. We strayed from these methods but I think more and more people are coming back to them.

People often get overwhelmed when learning about essential oils and I admit, it can be confusing at forest. But, using essential oils is really pretty simple.

Stop for a second.

Ask yourself what you are feeling. (Stressed, tired, overwhelmed, in pain, etc)…..then ask yourself what you WANT to feel. (Happy, calm, energized, peaceful, content, etc), then grab an oil that will offer that.

The simplest terms of beginning to learn about aromatherapy is to think of a tree. The higher up on the tree you go, the more uplifted and energized you’ll feel (citrus), the lower to the ground and close to the tree the more grounded and calm you’ll feel. (trees, roots, barks, flowers). Mints and herbs are low growing and provide unique properties. Mints will be both soothing and uplifting and herbs are typically used for ailments and brain support (basil and rosemary and excellent brain supports).

Pick one.

Put a few drops in your hands. Cup your nose and breathe. Apply the extra to the back of your neck and chest.

There ya go. Aromatherapy 101! I have a great downloaded ebook that explains it all. Once you get started, I will hook you up with education and mentoring plus a fabulous welcome gift.

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Applying Essential Oils

When I first started using essential oils, I mostly used a diffuser or I would slap the oils on my body with random intent.  I liked how good the essential oils made my house smell, and I loved the aromatherapeutic benefits I was experiencing, like lavender helping me sleep better at night, or peppermint helping soothe a headache. I loved how my body smelled, also. At that time, I had no idea that there are benefits to using essentials in a physical well-being way. Once I dug deeper into the natural world and had been using essential oils over time I learned that it is beneficial to apply essential oils directly on the body, like when trying to ease an upset stomach or when treating thinning hair. Once I realized that plant medicine came long before drug-store medicine I was hooked on learning more. I got a giant resource book and began learning everything I could and started to swap out over the counter stuff for these precious little plants.

I needed to learn when to put essential oils on the body, where to apply them, and how to dilute oils properly so they are effective without causing harm. I committed to learning about essential oils much like a person grabs a cookbook and learns how to cook. In time, it became intuitive, much like cooking.

Where Is the Best Place on the Body to Apply Essential Oils?

There is no single perfect place on the body to apply essential oils.

  • If it’s a localized issue like stomachache or sore muscles, then apply the essential oils directly to the part of the body where the issue is occurring.
  • However, if it’s a more generalized issue like lack of focus, trouble sleeping, or anxiety, then apply essential oils at your pulse points: wrists, temples, behind the ears, neck, chest, or inner elbow.  Pulse points are the parts of the body where major arteries run closest to the skin. Applying essential oils at pulse points gets the essential oils into the bloodstream the fastest, and you start feeling the benefits of the essential oils sooner.  This is because pulse points of the body are like roots of a plant.  When feeding or watering a plant, you target the roots because that is where the plant absorbs nutrients and distributes them to the rest of the plant.

If you’ve been researching aromatherapy, you might have come across pulse points. These are places on the body that provide a direct route for essential oils to access your bloodstream and, in turn, your brain. 

Pulse points in aromatherapy refer to a few specific locations on the body where major arteries run closest to the surface of the skin. This means that anything applied to the skin at these points diffuses more quickly into the bloodstream than anywhere else. 

So, if you’re planning to apply essential oils topically, it’s best to do so at one of your pulse points.

How Do You Apply Essential Oils Directly to the Skin?

When applying essential oils topically to skin, always dilute them with a carrier oil ( coconut oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba, or olive oil).  Essential oils are very powerful, so it’s better to be safe than sorry. My favorite carrier oil is generally fractionated coconut oil, but for my face I love rosehip oil. Recently I had a horrific stomach bug and in my desperation for relief I was dumping oils straight on my skin and I sure paid the price. On day two of the stomach bug, my belly had broke out in a horrible rash. So, USE a carrier! Believe me, I know this and I still screw up.

I came across this chart and it is a must have.

Using essential oils with intention has been a part of my practice (aside from the desperate stomach bug mishap) for many years. I try to tune into what my body is wanting to feel, and then choose the plants accordingly. Once you have a general idea of which essential oils support which area of our body then we can choose which oils more deliberately. You grab the essential oil that most closely fits what you are wanting to feel and then apply!

For people just getting started using essential oils, I recommend this gorgeous ebook and then I supply education and mentoring along the way as part of my VIP community.

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Rose Essential Oil

You may not realize this, I know I didn’t at first…but now I know that Rose essential oil is a POWERHOUSE and a must for my daily regimen.

This powerful oil is the total package: Skin support, mood support, and hormone support.

? Rose has been known to promote a calm and relaxed state of mind. Roll this incredible oil on your abdomen for menstrual discomfort, hormone support, and libido support.

I did a little digging and found that according to Health Line Rose oil has had quite a few studies done and the results are promising.

Check out all that Rose oil supports:

Anxious Feelings and Stress

Rose oil has a relaxing effect on many people. 

In one studyTrusted Source, researchers applied rose oil to the skin of each participant, and then measured its effects on the most common symptoms of anxiety. Blood pressure, heart rates, breathing rates, cortisol levels, and blood oxygen levels all decreased. The subjects also reported feeling much more relaxed after the oil treatment. 

Another studyTrusted Source involving over 100 women who were giving birth found that rose oil lowered their anxiety levels during delivery. 

Antibacterial, antifungal properties

Researchers have found that essential oil distilled from roses can be effective against a wide range of microbes that cause infections. This includes E. coli, as well as some strains of the bacteria that can cause staph infections (Staphylococcus) and strep throat (Streptococcus). 

Additionally, the study found that rose oil was effective against Candida albicans, which can cause fungal infections in the mouth, gut, and vagina.

Stimulates sex drive

Two studies have found that inhaling rose oil increased sexual desire and sexual satisfaction among men and, to a lesser extent, women. One studyTrusted Source involved male participants with a major depressive disorder who were taking antidepressants, and the other studyTrusted Source involved female participants with the same disorder and also on antidepressants. 

Researchers believe that the release of dopamine in the brain, a known motivator, may be what spurs the increase in sexual desire, while simultaneously alleviating symptoms of depression.

Eases depressive symptoms

A number of clinical studies have found that rose oil helps to improve the symptoms of depression. In a 2012 studyTrusted Source, a small group of postpartum women underwent treatment for depression.

One group received aromatherapy in addition to conventional medical treatments. The women who used aromatherapy improved significantly more than women who used conventional medicine alone. 

Studies have also found that rose oil stimulates the release of the chemical dopamine. Researchers believe this chemical plays a pivotal role in helping to relieve the symptoms of depression. 

I love the emotional side of Rose oil as well. I love to apply it to my heart when I am feeling a need for some extra compassion either for myself or for others.

Where will you be keeping Rose now? ?

Me? 
? my desk
?my nightstand
?my purse/on the go

Ready to get your hands on some Rose? It is pricey but SO worth it! You won’t be disappointed.

Citrus Bliss Blend

Mmmm!!! This is one of my all time favorite essential oil blends and my easy diffuser “go-to”. I reach for Citrus Bliss in the mornings more than any other. I love to share this blend with my students because it is an instant smile generator.

When I share this one, I like to have people close their eyes and imagine being a little kid and hearing the sound of the ice cream truck and then as they inhale this blend, I ask them to think of something on the truck that it smells like and 99% of the time I get an excited “creamsicle!” answer.

Citrus Bliss is also known as the Invigorating Blend.

This blend expertly combines the powerful scents of Wild Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Mandarin, Bergamot, Tangerine, and Clementine with a hint of Vanilla Absolute. This unique and harmonious blend is uplifting and an instant mood changer. If you have a case of the grumps, this is a great choice.

While it smells like creamsicle…Citrus Bliss has incredibly potent yet natural cleansing properties. All those citrus oils in one bottle make for a great surface spray cleaner. Diffuse for an uplifting aroma that cleanses the air, or add it to a spray bottle of water to wipe down countertops and sinks.

Would you love to add this to your collection? To learn the basics of using oils, check out this awesome ebook, too!

Balance Essential Oil Blend

Feeling a little crazed? Need a bit more grounding in your life? Balance essential oil blend is one that every single person should have at their fingertips for daily use (in my humble opinion).

What is Balance Essential Oil Blend?

The combination of Spruce, Ho Wood, Frankincense, Blue Tansy, Blue Chamomile and Osmanthus will keep you feeling grounded all day long. I like to share this one and as we breathe into the palms of our hands imagine that we are deep in the forest. It is amazing how aromas can transport us into memories and adjust our mood.

Diffusing this blend is one of my favorite ways to use it. I love the calm, forest like smells that fill my space. I especially like to use this one after a long day while I am chilling in the evening. Try this diffuser blend for a zen-like atmosphere:

Zen Diffuser Blend

? 3 drops Balance

? 3 drops Serenity

Also, before your feet even touch the floor, ground yourself first thing in the morning by applying Balance to the bottoms of your feet. Use throughout the day as needed. I double-up and use this as an all-natural pure-fume! I love to add a few drops to my unscented lotion. The woodsy, grounding aroma of this blend is an instant calmer.

And my best tip… if you struggle with natural deodorants, try a drop of Balance directly on your armpit! It’s amazing!

Would you love to use Balance? Easy! Also, check out this amazing ebook for the basics of using essential oils!

Foundation

It is not the beauty of a building you should look at; it’s the construction of the foundation that will stand the test of time. ~ David Allen Coe

This time of year is ideal for getting back into ourselves after a summer season of play, vacations, kids home, and way less structure. This is the time where we reclaim our sense of self. We aim to rediscover the aspects of ourselves that support us in our everyday life.

As you experience a more predictable schedule and life begins to resume some sort of normalcy, take a few minutes to consider the four walls, or four main roots of a tree, that represent your foundation. This is the scaffolding which supports all the other parts of our home, or tree, during times of turbulence.

Here are some ideas; faith, service, accountability, kindness, diligence, love, fulfillment, action, compassion, etc.

You may know if you stop here often that I believe in the power of aroma to shift our chemical response in our brain. We can influence our state of arousal and our emotional state simply by smelling something. How cool is that?

Not sure where to start? Grab one of these blends, take 4-5 deep breaths, apply it to your spine and under your nose and then listen. You already know…you just need to listen.

By the way, check out the emotional benefits of these oils:

  • Douglas Fir.This one invites you to invoke your high wisdom and learn from the past experiences and people who may have crossed your path. This essential oil is perfect for turning inward in the season of more introspection.
  • Frankincense.Frankincense asks you to welcome in feelings of protection, wisdom, discernment, and a spiritual awakening. This sacred essential oil invites individuals to shed the lower vibration feelings that are often negative and draining. This truly brings our your own magnificence.
  • Ho Wood. This peaceful oil brings out a sense of calm and helps to quiet the mind. By clearing the mind of anxious thoughts or simply clutter, we can fine tune into the deepest parts of who we are. This helps us to live in alignment with our principles and aspects of our foundation.
  • Blue Tansy. This one is a powerful aroma that helps to bring out inspiration and the committed response of tacking action. This helps to be more purposeful and responsible, which is such a beautiful aspect to a solid constitution. Blue tansy welcomes in a sense of freedom and sense of walking towards your deepest dreams and desires.
  • Blue Chamomile.This sweet and delicate flower is commonly known as German chamomile and offers a beautiful blue hue to the oil. Like its counter part Roman Chamomile, this flower oil is the perfect choice for bringing out a peaceful and serene mental state. This brings out emotional harmony and illuminates the wisdom with your soul.
  • Spruce. This stable, grounded aroma brings out an enduring balanced outlook to life while also giving strength through your wisdom. When we soak in this aroma we are reminded of the rhythms and ancient wisdom the earth offers.
  • Cassia. This bold oil which a friend of cinnamon is warm and earthy as it invites you to feel courageous, strong, self-assured and confident in your authentic self. This brings an embracing warmth to the confident and meaningful connections in our life.
  • Petrified Wood Chips. It helps to create balance and offers a foundation from which to launch new goals or undertake a different path. This grounding stone helps to calm scattered energies and look closely at the essence of what guides our decisions.

These beautiful oils and solid gemstones will be a constant as your dive into the fall season of a slower pace, a calmer mind, and as you seek out the principles in which your life is sustained by. To learn more about the principles I have chosen for myself, check out this blog post.

You can purchase this blend here and it will soon arrive in your mailbox with lots of grounding love.

Follow me for more goodness!

Say Goodbye to Toxins

I used to be such a candle addict! Especially from fall through Christmas! I always had a candle burning and plug in things in the wall spewing out even more toxins. GAH!

I had NO idea that I was disrupting my own hormones and my family’s! (Yep! Hormones aren’t just a woman thing!) In fact, our homes are one of the most toxic environments we spend the most time in!

I have a friend whose son was suffering from chronic breathing issues. Lots it discomfort and costly doctor appointments. But wouldn’t ya know when she ditched the synthetic fragrances in candles, air fresheners, car fresheners, laundry soaps and personal care items… his breathing troubles pretty much disappeared!

Maya Angelou says, “ When you know better, you do better.”

Diffusing essential oils can’t not only make your house smell amazing but it will bring great benefits to everyone in the home!

DoTERRA just released a new bundle that will replace all your smelly things with natural, safe and health benefiting aromas AND a diffuser. Remember, if you’re diffusing essential oils that you cannot openly view the testing, you have no idea the potentially toxic stuff you’re breathing in. I choose only the purest.

Order this new bundle here. When you do, I plug you into education and mentoring and send you an awesome welcome package. Not sure just how versatile essential oils can be? Check out this free ebook!