Essential Oils in Yoga Practice
Essential Oils in Yoga Practice
By: Katherine Pye, Young Living Essential Oils
Essential oils have been used to ground and find peace for thousands of years. Ancient meditation practitioners valued the use of Earth based materials to bring them into connection with themselves and their practice. In our fast-paced world, being able to escape the busyness and focus on your practice can be difficult. Enter essential oils – old elements we can use in new ways!
Essential oils are pure plant essences, distilled through steam and cold-pressing from the roots, stems, flowers, and rinds of various plants. Sourcing and testing are of great importance when choosing essential oils, as the industry is not uniformly regulated. Great care should be taken in finding a company whose oils can be traced from seed to seal to ensure the land the plants were farmed on was pure and no additives or fillers were added to the oils.
To experience grounding and centering, consider the following essential oils: Frankincense, Sandalwood, Cedarwood. Ginger, Patchoili. To help bring awareness to your breath, use oils with high menthol levels which open our airways and stimulate blood flow in our respiratory system such as Peppermint, Eucalyptus Radiata or Globulus, Basil, and Rosemary. These oils encourage oxygen flow to the brain and can be smelled with the changing of poses as well. Specific essential oils can also be used to expand chakras in practice.
I have been an avid user of essential oils for over five years and have enjoyed specifically Young Living oils for their wide array of blends and high quality of production. They produce a beautiful blend known as R.C. that contains Northern Lights Black Spruce, Cypress, and Pine which will make you feel like you’re standing in a deep forest, cooled by the freshness of Peppermint and three types of Eucalyptus oils. Lavender, Myrtle, and Marjoram sweeten the scent. Bergamont is great for uplifting and invigorating. Citrus Fresh Essential Oil Blend and Purification Essential Oil Blend are two other options for purifying and cleansing mind and body before practice.
You can experience these plant essences in many different ways. A simple cold mist diffuser is the best option for multiple people to enjoy the benefits of the essential oils. You can also make mists for your yoga mats and towels – adding oils like Tea Tree for added health benefits! Diffuser jewelry made of wood, leather, or stone are great options for inhaling the aromas throughout your day. Using oils can be as simple as putting them on natural cotton balls and smelling them throughout your practice to enjoy the benefits.
I discussed essential oils in yoga practice with a local studio that uses them daily. This is what they had to say, “Essential oils have played a role at Yoga Synergy for the 12 years we’ve been open. I add them to the towels prior to class and it’s a nice way to help relax us with the added health benefits. We are a Young Living Studio and love our oils!” Kristina Bauer, YogaSynergySpa.com
You can use oils in your practice and then the same oils later in your day to generate an olfactory response to bring the peace and invigoration you feel through yoga into the rest of your day! The olfactory bulb has access to the amydala and hippocampus in the brain, which stimulate emotions and learning. The human brain is an amazing puzzle that we can use scent to unlock a small piece of.
Please contact me with any questions. I would be glad to guide you in the incorporation of oils in your yoga practice. Namaste.
Contact Information:
Katherine Pye
Young Living Essential Oils
Sources:
https://www.youngliving.com/blog/6-reasons-to-love-r-c-essential-oil/
http://www.yogabasics.com/connect/yoga-blog/using-essential-oils-in-your-yoga-practice/
https://www.youngliving.com/blog/energize-your-morning-with-aroma-yoga/
