With all the hustle and bustle of modern day life we all need to take a moment to remember how incredible and complex we are as beings. Our abilities and our senses are still being researched and tested to this day. The sense of smell is the quickest way to change your mood, so by using essential oils we are able to change and craft the way we want to live our lives; be it busy and fast or a more relaxing speed of life. This process happens within the olfactory system, which allows us to smell a scent and our brain to be able to react to it accordingly, with it being a good or bad reaction (this is personal) or it could take you back to a memorable time such as a flower scent from a wedding bouquet. Our chemical make up can be changed and altered with stress induced environments, busy home lives or payment deadline.
So how can settle your internal world?
Talk of meditation, yoga, mindfulness, pilates, tai chi, crystals are popular and wonderful responses; however not all of us have time or maybe the space to accommodate such activities. Using essential oils is a quick and effective way to alleviate stress symptoms, reduce blood pressure, calm the mind and many more properties.
So how to use them?
Depending on where you may want to use to the essential oil it is always advised to use a carrier oil with the essentials when you are using it on your skin. This is so you can get an even skin coverage & that is the essential oil is diluted hence forth it isn’t too strong for your skin. Never drink the oils – this isn’t Alice in Wonderland, nothing magic will happen but it could be fiercely painful to your internal organs.
For the busy lifestyler it is just as easy as opening the bottle and smelling the beautiful fragrance or by applying one drop to the palm of your hand and then rub both hands together, cupping them around you nose and mouth so you are able to inhale. If you are on the move a lot, a roller ball bottle might be a good idea, this would be an oil blend with a carrier oil so you are able to put it onto your skin or your clothes to minimise the stress you’re in. Or ask a local aromatherapist to make you a unique blend.
If you wanted to focus on your respiratory
system you may want to apply a Eucalyptus or other form of mint essential oil
to a carrier oil to your chest area, so 5ml of carrier oil mixed with 2 drops
of essential oil and you have yourself a little home-made remedy.
Before bed it is a nice idea to use this same oil blend and put them on the
soles of your feet. This is because the pores in the soles of your feet are
thicker and are able to suck it up the oil blend like a straw. Which means in
just 20mins each cell in your body has detected the oil and can start to work.
If you are feeling you want more mental clarity, you’ll need a large glass bowl, containing 4 drops of focusing oils (e.g. Rosemary – good for memory, Lemon – can help with focus, Basil – can help increase mental alertness) or your choice, & some boiling water, would be the perfect remedy. Add the water and oils to the bowl, bring your head over the bowl, covering the back of your head with a tea towel or material so you are able to inhale the scents from the steam. Doing this for 5mins maximum at a time could help reduce the ‘brain fog’ feeling & support new ideas coming in.
Adding oils to your bath is a delightful way to encourage a blissful nights sleep. I would suggest Chamomile, Lavender, Patchouli, Ylang Ylang, Sandalwood or Frankincense for their calming properties. In an average size bath it is recommended to use 15 drops of essential oils, it is best to add the oils to a carrier oil or coconut oil before adding it to the bath water, so the oils are able to bind together.
For at home or in the office a diffuser or oil burner is a good way to allow the soothing scents to cary through the home so you and naturally others can enjoy the benefits. Using Lemongrass is a great way to give the space a little zest of life it brings up the general mood & the lemon gives a clean feel so helps giving the mind some clarity.
What to use?
With oil it is best to ask a local aromatherapist for their knowledge, as too much of an oil can cause irritation to the skin. Also some oils can counterbalance any medication you are already on, so it is best to check, for example anyone with high blood pressure is advised to stay away from any oils that increase circulation which include Rosemary, Peppermint, Thyme. In this day and age we are lucky to be able to have the whole internet to search for the answers, just take caution with yourself and where you are sourcing information.
I have listed a few oils in common problem areas:
Calming: Chamomile, Lavender, Sandalwood, Frankincense, Ylang Ylang, Neroli, Clary Sage, Lemongrass – now this is a adaptogen which means it will adapt to whatever your body needs. Therefore if you were feeling low and needed a boost this oil would help, on the other hand if you needed to help unwinding after a long day Lemongrass could help.
Uplifting: Lemongrass, Bergamot, Orange, Lime, Myrrh, Frankincense, Helichrysum.
Aching muscles: Black Pepper, Ginger, Turmeric, Rosemary, Eucalyptus, Lavender.
For headaches: Lavender, Rosemary, Peppermint Eucalyptus
Reducing anxiety and depression: Vetiver, Patchouli, Bergamot, Jasmine, Rose, Geranium
Where to get your oils from?
You deserve to ask all the questions about the oils to the shop assistant – you want to make sure the oils are 100% pure, from a recognised brand or company where you can do your research online with them to make sure you are getting the best quality. Here at Happy Buddha we stock our essential oils from Ancient Wisdom – whom have been fair trading since 1995 & oils are 100%. and extracted from the best quality plants and flowers from across the globe!
Written by Kimi Gordon, Happy Buddha Poole