When setting up a meditation area for relaxation, or for use in yoga classes, many people use incense, candles, and/or essential oils. Scent is a wonderful and powerful tool that can be used to fill a space or our bodies with qualities and symbolism to match the intentions or goals of any practice.
Sometimes during Savasana (or Corpse Pose), one of the most relaxing parts of the yoga practice in which the body is completely relaxed, many instructors use scents in the room to aid relaxation. My personal yoga instructor, for example, applies a small drop of lavender oil to our necks during Savasana. Lavender has many properties to help calm and relax.
So what kind of scents are available and what is used? It really depends on what your goals are for that particular meditation or yoga session. Are you trying to relieve stress? Then you could use Lavender… Have you been fighting a cold? Then you could try Hyssop. Are you trying to gain energy and wake up? So you could use lemon or mint.
Here is a list of some common essential oils and what they mean or can help you achieve to begin setting the right mood or intention for your practice.
lemon – Lemon is an energizer also helping as a disinfectant. It also has natural whitening qualities. Along with that, it also serves as an energizer. The oil is extracted from the rind and juice of lemon and has a rich, fruity and warm aroma.
lavender – Lavender is a great stress reliever, promoting peace and well-being. Due to its ability to relieve stress, it can be used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and stomach aches. The oil is extracted from the flowering spikes of lavender and has a sweet, floral, slightly pungent aroma. As mentioned above, this is a great scent for savasana,
Hyssop – Hyssop has been around for centuries. It has healing properties that have been used by many over the years. Helps with cold and flu. It can also be used as a skin-improving agent, helping to combat blemishes.
Jasmine – known for its relaxing and calming properties and can also sometimes be used as an aphrodisiac. The oil is extracted from jasmine flowers and has a dreamy sweet heavy scent. (Another good option for savasana!)
Basil – Helps concentration. It is also used in a wide variety of problems such as upset stomach, headache, flatulence, lack of appetite, lack of concentration, abrasions, sinusitis, muscle pain, migraine, gout, and bronchitis. The oil is extracted from the flowering tops and leaves of the basil and has a sweet and spicy aroma.
chamomile – It is used to promote sleep, relaxation and meditation. (That’s why so many people drink a cup of chamomile tea before bed!) It has relaxing properties and can be used to treat indigestion, peptic ulcers, nervousness, menstrual cramps, sore throats, burns and skin inflammations, vaginal infections, insomnia, sunburn, hay fever and sprains. The oil is extracted from chamomile flowers and has a sweet, fruity, and floral aroma.
Sandalwood – This scent is popular for burning incense and is still burned in many homes today. It is a very sweet woody aroma that helps promote relaxation and spiritual harmony. Also, it helps with dry hair and skin. It can also be used to treat depression, dry skin, nausea, skin problems, and stress. The oil is extracted from the sandalwood itself and has an exotic and slightly spicy aroma.
Pink – There are many different types of roses. All of them have some differences in healing properties. Rose oil has calming and calming abilities and can be used to treat scurvy and nervousness. It also promotes feelings of love and peace. The oil is extracted from the petals, rose hips and root bark of the rose and has a light, sweet and floral aroma.
Mint – A true energizer. It is often used to help with muscle aches, fatigue, pain, gas, sore throat, digestive problems, stomach ulcers, and nausea. The oil is extracted from the leaves of the peppermint plant and has a minty aroma.
Eucalyptus – Powerful decongestant. Used for centuries to help with cold symptoms. It also has antiseptic qualities and can be used to treat nasal and chest congestion, asthma, muscle aches, cuts and abrasions. The oil is extracted from eucalyptus leaves and has a strong, fresh and minty aroma.
ginger – An energizing scent, ginger is widely used to help with nausea.
nutmeg – Used by some to help with sleep and indigestion.
But what if your intentions are specific? What can scent do to solidify your practice intentions? If you are in a troubled relationship and you need to evoke positive feelings towards that relationship, you can start a meditation session on love and focus on that to heal that relationship. In this case, you would have several scent options to aid in that intention.
Here are several themes and ways you can specifically tailor your practice using aroma:
Love, companionship and relationship
The scents of apple, cinnamon, clove, copal, gardenia, jasmine, lavender, musk, orange, patchouli, mint, rain, rose, vanilla, white jasmine, and ylang-ylang essential oil represent the different aspects of a relationship, such as love. , companionship, affection and adoration.
Goals, profit, money and success
Scents signifying material success, along with money, profit, and goals, include the fragrance of allspice, almond, bergamot, basil, cinnamon, clover, dill, honeysuckle, lemon, pine, ginger essential oils. red and sage
Protection, Harmony and Well-being
The aromas of angelica, basil, bay leaf, myrtle, carnation, cinnamon, cloves, coconut, dill, dragon’s blood, eucalyptus, incense, gardenia, geranium, heather, juniper, lilac, myrrh, narcissus, sandalwood and violet essential oils.
Inspiration, Psychic Awareness and Intuition
If you are looking for scented essential oils that signify inspiration, psychic awareness, and intuition; Anise, cedar, chamomile, cinnamon, eucalyptus, frankincense, green tea, lavender, lemongrass, lime, lotus, musk, myrrh, mint, pine, rosemary, sandalwood, and valerian essential oils will be the best choice.
chakras
Perhaps your focus is working on one of the seven Chakras that concern you. The word Chakra in Sanskrit means wheel or disk. It means one of the seven basic energy centers in the body that are the openings for life energy to flow in and out of our aura. Each of these centers correlates to the main nerve within our spinal column. In addition, the Chakras also correlate with levels of consciousness, archetypal elements (Jungian concepts), stages of life development, colors, sounds, bodily functions, and more. Aromatherapy oils that target specific Chakras can be used to heal or work on those areas of concern during your meditation or yoga practices.
Aromatherapy has been used for centuries in different countries of the world. Many people have used aromatherapy to improve their mood, health, and general willpower. Many people in our face-rhythm society are rediscovering the natural benefits of aromatherapy in their yoga and meditation practices, as it helps further solidify their intentions for pure living and peace with oneself.