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Life's challenges can sometimes leave us feeling overwhelmed, down, or lost, but fear not! By becoming an active participant in your own healing journey, you can discover renewed hope and joy. In today’s post, we're going to explore the incredible potential of natural remedies to uplift your mood, reignite your spirit, and guide you towards a brighter tomorrow.
Nature has an amazing ability to nurture and heal our souls. By reconnecting with the natural world, we can find solace, peace, and a renewed sense of purpose. I have included aromatherapy suggestions for you, to help bring in the sunshine and rebalance your energy and resilience.
The fragrant essences of certain essential oils can work wonders in uplifting your mood. Scents like cypress, citrus, and ylang-ylang are known to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and increase feelings of happiness. Let’s look at some joyful essential oils, and a few ways that you can Incorporate them into your daily routine.
1. Benzoin (Styrax benzoin)
With its warm, sugary, vanilla like scent, benzoin is a popular favourite when people begin to study essential oils. Benzoin can soothe overthinking and worry. It is beneficial for nervous anxiety and worry that is made worse by exhaustion. This resin can help in times of physical and emotional upheaval. You can use the resin on a clay diffuser to help steady the mind for meditation. Benzoin is often used by those seeking the spiritual journey, and is available as an incense and in powdered form that can be sprinkled on charcoal and lit as incense.
Benzoin is a warm, inviting base note. As a resin, benzoin is a thick oil, with a golden brown colour. It can be sticky and messy to work with, so I recommend planning on diluting it. However, just as the resin heals the wounds of the tree, resins can provide us with emotional healing. Do not use benzoin in a water filled diffuser as you may clog your diffuser before its more natural expiration date.
2. Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)
Bergamot is the first of the citrus oils on our list. Memories of tea come to the minds of many of us when we think of bergamot’s relaxing yet uplifting, scent. Bergamot allows the Qi, or Prana to flow - the lifeforce that flows through the body. This makes bergamot a great choice for those who feel stuck. It’s soothing scent can relieve tension, and irritability. This oil helps us to let go of things that we are holding on to for too long, and replaces it with optimism.
Check out our Zen Blend aromatherapy roll-on
3. Clary sage (Salvia sclarea)
The name clary sage comes to us from the Latin term “clarus” meaning clear and “salvia” meaning salve or heal. A traditional herbal treatment was made from the seeds and applied as a compress for tired and sore eyes. The essential oil is known as “a woman’s oil”, as clary sage is particularly good for women’s health concerns, including abdominal cramping.
On an emotional level clary sage helps us to come to terms with loss. It is beneficial for nervous tension, and has been found to be emotionally uplifting. Clary sage is a great oil to use for stressful times that are difficult to change. This oil is a fairly strong middle note which you may want to lighten with your favourite top note such as grapefruit or orange.
4. Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)
If you are looking for a more masculine scent to add to your blend, cypress might be right for you. Steam distilled from the cypress tree, this essential oil has an herbaceous, woody scent. Cypress can comfort those in bereavement. It helps us in times of grief, and is supportive for those going through life changes. Let it soothe overwhelm. Use this oil if you are needing a new direction in life. Cypress is a good choice when you need confidence, willpower or motivation. Consider this oil if you love to spend time outside, in particular in forests and wooded areas.
5. Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens)
The floral yet slightly sharply scented geranium is a hormonally balancing oil. Use geranium when you are feeling anxious or overworked. Geranium reconnects us with creativity and intellect. It can provide us with a renewed interest in pleasurable experiences and experiencing joy. Geranium encourages us to give and take. This is a great essential oil to use for people who want to avoid rose, as you can use the two oils for many of the same benefits.
6. Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi)
Out of all of the citrus oils, grapefruit is my favourite. It has a clean and refreshing scent that brings the light and sunshine to my day. Grapefruit provides a lightness of spirit and can release us from self blame. Grapefruit essential oil can add a dash of motivation to your day, when you otherwise are having difficulty accomplishing tasks. Like the other citrus oils, grapefruit will infuse positive energy into your space.
7. Lemon (Citrus limon)
The sharp and cleansing scent of lemon essential oil sharpens our focus and can reduce mental confusion and mental fatigue. This oil can be calming, and yet uplifts the spirit. If you are feeling the weight of obligation and the many things that need to get done, look to lemon essential oil to alleviate the sense of burden.
8. Sweet Marjoram (Origanum majorana)
In the past marjoram has been used as a funeral herb, and was thought to bring peace to the dead. Marjoram helps us to accept loss. It increases our desire to look after ourselves better and open our heart to the next experience. Sweet marjoram is my favourite essential oil to use for freedom from overthinking and to calm a restless mind.
9. Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha)
Another resin to add to the list is myrrh. It has similar healing qualities to benzoin. As one of the ancient essential oils, myrrh has been used in Ancient Egyptian embalming. It was thought that delaying the onset of body decomposition would ensure immortality. Myrrh is one of my favourite chakra connectors. You can use this oil in any blend for healing chakras individually or in a blend for general chakra opening and healing. Myrrh eases the sense of sorrow from grief and loss. It can provide relief from the distractions that are caused by overthinking, worry and nervous exhaustion. Myrrh can be especially useful for those on a spiritual journey.
10. Orange sweet (Citrus sinensis)
Warm and uplifting, sweet orange essential oil is the colour of sunshine, and, like all of the citrus oils, brings the sunshine into our lives. Sweet orange essential oil is encouraging us to take a more relaxed approach. This is a great oil for the perfectionist. It helps us to stop the desire to do everything ourselves or it won’t be done right. Find more flexibility with the use of sweet orange oil. Orange essential oil helps us to reconnect with the cheerful side of life.
11. Rose (Rosa damascene)
Rose is unique on our list today, as the only essential oil that is solvent extracted. Although it can be, and is, steam distilled, the distillation process is quite expensive for this queen of the flowers. The comforting and beautiful scent of rose is one that I wish everyone loved because it is so useful for healing. For those who like the scent of rose, this oil can bring comfort to the heart. It is a great choice for those who need restored faith and hope. Rose can be useful for those suffering from insomnia, and can provide stress relief.
12. Sandalwood (Santalum spicatum)
There is something very special about the wood oils. Most wood oils are considered to be sacred and we, as consumers and practitioners must be cautious when using them. Where essential oils that are derived from leaves and flowers allow the plant to continue its life cycle, wood oils are different. It takes many years for the tree to grow and the popularity of tree oils make them a target for overharvesting. Indian Sandalwood has been overharvested close to extinction, causing stricter laws to be put in place. Australian sandalwood is easier to find but does not have the same scent, although it is similar and remains a lovely essential oil.
In symbolic terms, trees are often seen as patience, strength, wisdom and longevity. Tree oils are seen as grounding. Many cultural histories believe that spirits live within and / or among the trees, and forests have been seen as magical places.
Sandalwood is a calming oil that enhances wellbeing. It provides us with peace from the hectic hustle and bustle. The delicate scent of sandalwood helps us to accept the world as it is… and that’s a pretty big statement if you sit with it for a while.
13. Ylang ylang (Cananga odorata)
Ylang Ylang is an essential oil with a very strong scent profile. If you plan on blending with it, use it sparingly. One drop too many will overtake the synergy. With the correct balance however, ylang ylang can lend a floral yet powdery, exotic quality to a blend, and as we will see, great emotional qualities as well.
Ylang ylang helps us to reignite that sensual spark. Ylang ylang helps our emotions to flow, which will help you to release them. It is a great oil for fear and anxiety, and helps with heart palpitations. Gabriel Mojay describes ylang ylang as “a peaceful paradise”, which I think is the perfect description for this oil.
How to use essential oils to uplift the spirit
Here are a few ways that you can use the essential oils listed above to create a blend that you love to help uplift the spirit.
a) Make an essential oil blend using 3 to 5 of the oils listed above. Add up to 5 drops to a room diffuser.
b) Add 2-3 drops of your blend to a tissue or handkerchief and use as a personal inhaler.
c) Add 1-2 drops of the blend to aromatic jewelry for an effective way to bring the scent with you through your day.
d) Add up to 5 drops to one ounce of unscented lotion. Make sure to try a small amount at a time to ensure that the lotion can handle the addition of the oils without separating. Apply the lotion to your arms or a part of your body that will allow it to be absorbed through the skin, instead of being washed off like it would on your hands.
e) If you have more time, add the essential oils to the carrier oil of your choice and relax in a warm bath. I like to add soft lighting a gentle music for an overall immersive experience with my oils.
Whichever way you choose to use your oils, I wish you the best in creating an uplifting atmosphere. Remember that aromatherapy is a great complimentary modality to other things that you are doing in your life. If you or someone you know needs more help talk to a professional.
There are people out there who can help you. Here are some resources to get you started.
Provincial mental health support
Sources
Mojay, Gabriel, Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit, Rochester, VT, Healing Arts Press, 1997
Battaglia, Salvatore, Aromatree, Banyo, QLD, Black Pepper Creative, 2019
Disclaimer
I am not a doctor or therapist and I do not provide medical or counselling services. The information on our website is not intended to cure, diagnose or treat medical conditions, nor is it a substitute for medical advice. Please consult with a physician before beginning this or any other new health care program. The information contained on this site is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be substituted for the advice provided by your doctor or other health care professional. If you rely upon any programs or techniques, or use any of the products and services made available by or through the use of our website for decision making, without obtaining the advice of a physician or other health care professional, you do so at your own risk. The views expressed on Standing Stone Wellness have not been evaluated or endorsed by any private or public entity. The information on our website is not legal advice. Please consult with a licensed legal professional for adherence to legal guidelines.
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