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Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine practice that makes use of essential oils or aromatic plant compounds. This form of therapy is said to affect the part of the brain responsible for emotions, creating a sense and feeling of calmness and relaxation.
Integrating aromatherapy to yoga provides the practitioner with several physical, spiritual, and mental benefits. It can help improve performance, concentration, and depending on the type of essential oil used, it can make one become more relaxed.
What are Aromatherapy Essential Oils
Essential oils are among the basic elements of aromatherapy. These are volatile aromatic compounds found in the seeds, roots, stem, bark, flowers, and other parts of the plant. They are considered to be volatile because their small organic molecules make them change their state quickly from solid to liquid and then to gas.
Essential oils have been used for thousands of years because of their healing and uplifting properties. Using essential oils have been proven to have both mind and body benefits.
There are thousands of essential oils to choose from depending on the purpose of using them. There are essential oils that can help you feel calmer when you’re under stress and there are also those that can be used to neutralize extreme emotions like anger or uplift you when you’re feeling down.
Amazing Scents for Enhancing Yoga Session
As there are different types of yoga, there are also different types of essential oils that you can use to enhance your yoga session. There isn’t a good or bad choice as each essential oil provides a unique set of benefits to the user.
In yoga practice the following scents can help you make the most of your yoga session:
1. Flowery and citrus scents
Essential oils with flowery and citrus scents can help you feel calmer. This type of scent is for practitioners who find themselves easily stressed with things and emotions going around them.
Essential oils with flowery and citrus scents include sweet orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, bergamot (one of the most expensive cold-pressed citrus oils), and petitgrain essential oils. These aromatic oils must be diluted well upon use.
2. Sweet or astringent scents
Yogis who are prone to feeling extremes of emotions such as anger can benefit from incorporating sweet or astringent scents in their yoga practice. Essential oils with this type of scent include jasmine, rose, ylang ylang, chamomile, and vetiver.
3. Earthy scents
Essential oils with earthy scents can uplift the mood of those feeling down. If you’re one of them, you can benefit from the earthy scents brought by pine, eucalyptus, myrrh, citronella, and patchouli.
How to Use Essential Oils During Yoga Session
There are several ways to incorporate aromatherapy in your yoga session. The choice of application depends on your desired effect and the type of essential oil used.
Essential Oil on the Skin
Applying essential oil directly on the pulse points of the skin can help in relaxation. It can also help in soothing away muscle aches and soreness. A good example of essential oil that can be applied on the skin is chamomile. It’s great to use if you want to feel more relaxed. Another example is juniper which is ideal to use if you’re suffering from muscle tension.
Essential oils can be potent that they need to be diluted in a carrier substance before applied directly into the skin. It can be diluted in vegetable or nut oil or water.
Yoga Mat Spray
Another way to incorporate aromatherapy in your yoga session is through using a mat spray. You can easily make a yoga mat spray at home. The key in making good quality mat spray is to use high quality ingredients. This means using 100% all-natural oils and distilled water.
You can infuse calmness and relaxation in your practice by using lavender oil, more energy with citrusy essential oils, or mood-lifting effects of earth scents like sandalwood.
Creating a More Relaxed Yoga Room Using a Diffuser
If you want to enter into your yoga room and be filled with bliss and calmness, then using a diffuser can be a good choice. These days you can find different types of essential oil diffuser. There are those that release more concentrated essential oil in the air and there are also those that come with additional features.
Both aromatherapy and yoga are holistic practices. Combining these two can provide you with benefits that aren’t just good for your body but for your mind and spirit as well.