Smells Like Flower Power
Close your eyes and take a big whiff, because this spring we're focusing on the power of flowers. In addition to visualisation exercises, you can also bring a floral flavour to your at-home meditation practice by incorporating essential oils.
Ancient civilisations like Egypt and Greece used plant oils for their healing properties. And now an increasing number of modern scientific studies have determined that aromatherapy, using concentrated plant extracts to aid the natural body, has been proven to alter moods.
If you're looking to explore the use of essential oils in meditation, enhance the potency of your sit session, and improve your mood (or just be a little extra) here are our top four floral essential oil picks and their purpose.
1 // Geranium
(for balancing the brain at the start of the day)
This herby sweet scent can help set you up for the day with its equally calming and grounding effects. It also helps keep insects away, perhaps whilst practicing your morning meditation in the garden.
2 // Ylang Ylang
(for when you've got a big meeting)
Historically used in special ceremonies and often found in ladies' cosmetics, this uniquely sweet scent is used to ease stress, tension, and anxiety, and just so happens to be our Founder's ultimate favourite.
3 // Jasmine
(for uplifting your bad mood)
Often mentioned in romantic poems, this sultry sweet scent is said to help increase serotonin levels, which can also help get you "in the mood".
4 // Lavender
(for relaxing after a long day)
Okay, duh! We know. But it's a favourite for a reason. Tried and true, this purple bud and its fresh soft scent makes for the most lovely way to unwind. It invokes a sense of calm, making it the perfect way to prep before bedtime, and can even be added to a nighttime bath.
To use essential oils in your practice, place a diluted* drop in your palm, rub your hands together and breathe in the scent, just before you start your meditation. Or add a few drops to an aromatic diffuser, like the VicTsing Aroma Diffuser, to spread the scent across the entire room.
*It is highly recommended that you dilute any oil that touches the skin with a carrier oil, like almond oil or coconut oil. Additionally, we urge you to read all essential oil manufacturers' safety and precaution labels and notes, as negative side effects are rare, but possible.
Image credit: @elleuk (Instagram)
