To set your intention even before your yoga practice begins, supplement your practice by carefully applying an essential oil per the instructions on the bottle.
What essential oils should I be using? Any essential oil can enhance your practice by stimulating your senses while calming your mind. However, some essential oils will pair better than others with your intention, or mantra. If you want to strengthen your intention as well as your practice, match an essential oil to the result you’re after.
You tailor your yoga practice to your mind, body, and spirit. Different essential oils meet different needs as well. Whatever your goal is for your yoga practice, essential oils can help you achieve it. But first, make sure your intention and your essential oil are complementary.
Vetiver Calms You in Preparation for Yoga
According to Dr. Axe, Vetiver Oil Improves ADHD, anxiety, and brain health (and repels termites, too!). It is a proven anti-oxidant, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, and termite repellent.
Studies have shown that its calming relaxation effects provide relief from stress, anxiety, and ADHD symptoms in children. To calm your mind and body during your yoga practice, vetiver is a top choice. Of course, yoga itself has incredible calming effects.
Clary Sage Relaxes the Whole Body
The medicinal benefits of clary sage oil have been backed by numerous studies, and you can find information of a number of them in Medical News Today.
The powers of relaxation associated with clary sage oil have been linked to reduced blood pressure, lower respiratory rates, and a healthier bladder. Clary sage oil is about balance as well. Additionally, it is commonly found in hair products, and it is recommended for use during menstruation.
Geranium Relieves Anxiety
Studies have shown that geranium oil is effective for relieving anxiety. In particular, one study showed it to have relieved anxiety during labor. If your intention is to reduce anxiety during your yoga practice, geranium oil is a good choice for a helpful assistant, in addition to the pleasing aspect of its light and lovely fragrance.
Eucalyptus Helps You Breathe Better and Restores Your Muscles
As a natural anti-inflammatory, eucalyptus is commonly found in massage oils and other types of aromatic oil blends meant for muscular relief. Its soothing analgesic properties makes it the perfect candidate for your yoga practice if your goal is to restore and revitalize your muscles.
Eucalyptus has a lengthy history of medicinal use, especially in regard to lung health. Breathing is such a profoundly important aspect of yoga that by simply aiding your breath, eucalyptus helps you achieve greater relaxation during your practice. Truthfully, this oil is a great candidate if you are looking to get the most benefits from a single essential oil during your yoga practice.
Peppermint Settles Your Stomach and Provides Pain Relief
The pain-relieving massage oils with eucalyptus often have peppermint as well, and not just because the two scents are so perfectly matched. Both eucalyptus and peppermint are among the top recommendations for muscle relief and rejuvenation.
Like eucalyptus, peppermint is a natural anti-inflammatory and analgesic and even has properties that make it desensitizing, like a local anesthetic. Web MD describes a litany of medicinal uses for peppermint, including relief from indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome.
Whether you’re looking for more muscle relief during your yoga practice or less growls from your stomach, peppermint oil could be your solution.
Cypress Aids Your Recovery
Like an evergreen tree, cypress symbolizes everlasting life and longevity. Its oil has a wide variety of healing powers, providing a speedier road to recovery from wounds, respiratory problems, and joint pain.
Another great power this oil will provide you during your yoga practice is better blood circulation. Its stress-relieving and healing properties should help you with your intention to rejuvenate your spirit, as you allow yourself to ponder a life ever after.
Since essential oils have a rich history of use for ceremony and religious rites, they have a natural link to spirituality. If you’re looking for something to aid your meditation or spark your spirituality during yoga, cypress oil should do the trick.
Cardamom Inspires Passion and Wisdom
Cardamom oil is associated with centering the mind as well as for inspiring passion. Its capacity for evoking both passion and wisdom at the same time makes it well-suited to a yoga practice focused on the sacral and crown chakras.
The sacral chakra harnesses emotional and sexual energy. The crown chakra is the energy wheel in which you can harness your highest level of consciousness.
Of course, cardamom’s health benefits go beyond its use as an essential oil. Cardamom is said to be an herb of the heart, sometimes considered an aphrodisiac. It is also known for lowering blood pressure, aiding digestion, and detoxifying (all on top of being an all-around great addition to killer recipes).
Rosemary Enlivens Your Spirit
Rosemary oil is recommended for focus on the third eye chakra, which strongly influences spirituality, among other things. Due to its associations with magic, healing, and the third eye chakra, rosemary oil is an obvious go-to essential oil if your intention in your yoga practice is to open up your spirit.
Chamomile Helps You Meditate
You have probably experienced the calming powers of chamomile by having a cup of chamomile tea before bed. Chamomile oil is widely believed to be a sedative. It is used as a stress-reliever and a sleep-aid.
If you’re trying to get to a place of deep relaxation for a restorative yoga class, or you’re trying to bring some deep meditation to your shavasana, chamomile oil will help you accomplish your goal.
Lavender Helps You Sleep After Yoga
According to The Sleep Doctor, lavender oil works as an anxiety-relieving sedative that calms your mind through its interactions with your brain and nervous system. It is a popular choice for sleep and deep relaxation, so if it’s the relaxation you’re looking to achieve from your yoga practice, you will benefit from a little lavender oil.
Because lavender and chamomile are considered natural sedatives, you may want to stay away from them if deep relaxation is not your intention during your yoga practice. However, you should still consider lavender and chamomile top choices when you’re looking for serious rest and relaxation after class, or to supplement your meditation practice.
Ylang Ylang Balances Your Emotional Energy
Ylang Ylang oil is used as an anti-inflammatory and to reduce insomnia. Cosmetically, it’s a great contribution to your facial mask, hair conditioner, perfume, and salt bath. Known for its calming energy, ylang ylang is believed to reduce stress, anger, jealousy, and even insecurity.
During yoga, it is important to focus on your own mat, body, and practice. Use ylang ylang to calm your wandering eyes, so that you do not disrupt your own practice by comparing yourself to others.
Jasmine Oil Gives You an Energy Boost
Much like ylang ylang, Jasmine oil is known for calming your emotions so that you can feel more balanced. Beyond that, jasmine oil can lift your spirits. It relaxes your mind, but boosts your energy by invigorating your love of life. It works as an antidepressant, rejuvenating your joy for everything you do, including your yoga practice.
There are plenty of resources to help you perfectly pair yoga and essential oils. The important thing to consider is your intention. If you’re after restoration, you should consider an oil with healing and calming powers. However, if you are looking for an energy boost, you might not want to use sleep-inducing essential oils. Especially if you’re interested in balancing your chakras with your yoga practice, essential oils can be a big help as long as you’re finding the right pairing.