Yoga is disciplined practice for well being of both body and mind. Disciplined practice helps us to connect, align and balance the body and mind. Yoga helps us to rejuvenate body by overcoming the impurities while stretching and balancing. The focus of yogis is to achieve overall wellness and to overcome negative thoughts to achieve mental clarity. Sometimes one can practice yoga combining with certain essential oils as essential oils helps to bring positive emotional state and mental clarity. Essential oils are product of plants and help both physically (to relax muscles) and energetically (by creating energy channel).

When used properly with yoga practice, essential oils can be powerful in terms of healing body and mind. Essential oils that support yoga practice -,

1. To feel grounded: Yoga practice helps us be grounded. To achieve this use tree derived oils. Because tree oils will connect our roots to earth and keeps us balanced. Use cypress, vetiver or cedarwood. Ginger essential oil also helpful if this is your purpose.
2. For creativity: To open creative chakras use tangerine, peppermint, patchouli, orange, citrus oils.
3. To achieve intuition: Frankincense, sage, rosemary, rose, lemon essential oils help to enhance intuition in third chakra.
4. To connect to universe: Sandalwood, basil,  ginger and lotus oil will help in opening crown chakra. Crown chakra is what gives us experience of presence of divine and highest self.
5. Gratitude: Clove, orange oil, bergamot, ylang-ylang oil, grapefruit oil opens heart and keeps mood balanced by bringing the feeling of gratitude in mind.
6. To promote sleep: Use lavender, neroli, ylang-ylang, eucalyptus oil calms the mind. If you are practicing Chaduranga dandasana and Vinyasa then these oils are good to achieve relaxation after intense practice.
7. To achieve peace and calm: Use Frankincense essential oil as it is regarded as one the most spiritually charged oil
8. For meditation session: Use rose oil as it is helpful for those who want to feel the self worth and boost self-confidence. As we know rose fragrance indicates love and opens up heart.
9. For total relaxation: Lavender oil is good for relaxation purposes. It is also known as starter oil as it is preferred for beginners of yoga.
10. To reduce tension: Any tension during yoga practice can disturb the pose. To reduce tension and get into meditation and to improve flexibility use ylang-ylang or chamomile essential oil.
11. To improve breathing technique: Peppermint oil has positive influence on respiratory system. Apply peppermint oil on wrist before breathing practice to improve breathing session.
12. For uplifting: Orange essential oil is helpful to uplift your spirit during yoga practice. It helps in focusing and boost concentration by reducing stressors.

One can use essential oil in different ways during yoga practice. To use essential oil in yoga practice, make sure you are not allergic to that essential oil. Or if you are a yoga instructor get consent from students and tell them what type of essential oil you will be using. If they don’t want to use essential oil they can opt out.

• Dilute oils with proper carrier oil before applying it on the skin.
• Before beginning of yoga apply the oil on feet, temples, back of neck, back of wrist
• Spritz the blend in the space at beginning and end of class
• Keep diffusers in the corners or in spaces
• Spray blend of essential oils on the mat before or after the class.
• During shavasana apply on temples or feet and continue with shavasana. With students permission, apply it on their forehead or feet.

There are hundreds of essential oils available. Check the source and purity, understand how to dilute the essential oil and use it for your yoga practice. To optimize yoga practice session, to achieve peace, balance, well being of body, one can incorporate proper essential oils during yoga practice and thus get best health benefits of both yoga and aromatherapy!

Image credit: yoga pose: Photo by Sonnie Hiles on Unsplash (Free for commercial use)

Lavender Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash (Free for commercial use)

Floral image -Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash (Free for commercial use)