Using Essential Oils to Enhance Your Meditation Practice • Yoga Basics

Meditation can be challenging, especially when you need it most. Fortunately, a few drops of essential oils can help you get the most out of your meditation practice. There are many aromatherapy essential oils that can reduce stress and tension, increase your focus and concentration, deepen your breathing, and help eliminate negative thoughts. We have found ten essential oils that you can use individually or in a mixture to make your meditation time more effective and enjoyable.

How to use oils for meditation

There are two ways to use essential oils in your meditation. The first is by diffusion into the air. To do this, you can use an aroma oil diffuser to let the scent of the essential oil permeate the room. You can also find scented candles or incense to burn while meditating. The second method is to rub diluted essential oils into your skin. Note that essential oils are extremely volatile and must be diluted with something like skin cream, carrier oil, or water to be safe to use. When using a new oil, try a tiny test point on your skin with the diluted oil. If your skin has a reaction, you should see it in 45 minutes. If you have a reaction, you'll need to dilute the oil further or choose a different fragrance.

The best essential oils to improve mediation

Sandalwood oil.
Sandalwood has a sweet woody scent and has been used in the spiritual rituals and practices of Asia for thousands of years. Sandalwood oil has a wide range of properties, from antiseptic to aphrodisiac, and its soothing scent also acts as a natural sedative. That makes it perfect for relaxing your body and clearing your mind for a successful meditation practice. Unfortunately, sandalwood is over-harvested and endangered, so we recommend choosing another fragrance with similar properties (such as lavender, chamomile, vetiver, frankincense, myrrh or palo santo) if possible.
Patchouli oil.
Patchouli is a traditional fragrance used in meditation for a feeling of protection, grounding, and warmth. This calming oil has a round, full-bodied scent. It also pairs well with sandalwood, lavender, and many of the other oils we recommend, so you can use it as a base for a meditation essential oil blend.
Lavender oil.
Lavender is a popular oil that is most commonly used for relaxation and promoting a good night's sleep. Many people use lavender in "dream bags" that they place under pillows to encourage good dreams and restful sleep. If you're meditating to relieve stress and anxiety, or to help you sleep, lavender is a great choice for an essential oil.
Chamomile oil.
Chamomile, especially Roman chamomile, is another essential oil that is perfect for promoting rest and sleep. As anyone familiar with chamomile tea can tell you, chamomile is great for relaxation and can help you fight anxiety and gain clarity. This oil is helpful for meditating in times of stress, anger, insomnia, headaches or depression. Note that chamomile is contraindicated for use during pregnancy.
Peppermint oil.
Peppermint is a familiar fragrance that soothes and deeply cools and soothes the nerves. If you often feel dull or sleepy while meditating, a few drops of this oil will increase your alertness. If you feel a bit congested or just want to improve your breathing, put a small amount on your chest or under your nose before sitting. It also promotes mental clarity and helps you focus and mental focus.
Ylang Ylang Oil.
Ylang Ylang is a powerful floral fragrance that is known to reduce tension in the body. Ylang-ylang has also been suggested to be helpful for improving flexibility during your yoga practice, and even triggering negative emotions like depression, frustration, and sadness. Use this oil to add a little more joy and happiness to your meditation practice.
Rose oil.
If you're looking for a boost in the self-confidence department, try some rose essential oil in your next meditation session. Rose is known as the scent of love. It can help open your heart and make you feel open and receptive to romantic and spiritual connections. Rose oil also reduces stress, anxiety, pain, and scaling cramps.
Sage oil.
If you are having trouble staying in the moment or if you are feeling overwhelmed by the negative aspects of your life, clary sage is great for creating clarity and banishing negative influences in your life. It's also good for restoring energy, keeping you grounded, and maintaining overall mind and body balance.
Orange oil.
Orange goes well with many of the listed fragrances and, like peppermint, is another fragrance that awakens the senses and mind. This oil is great for improving your energy levels and promoting awareness, focus and concentration. It's also a great mood booster and helps with stress, insomnia, anxiety, pain, and depression.
Cedarwood Oil.
Cedarwood is a woody, sweet, and grounding scent that can protect you from negativity, chaos, and instability. It's great for promoting the mind-body connection that is so important to your meditation. If you're struggling to focus on your breathing, this calming oil can help you get in the right mood.

Conclusion

Meditation is good for health, decreases the effects of stress on your body, and helps you get good sleep, stay more productive at work, and improve your circulation and immune system. You can increase the benefits of meditation and make it easier to meditate by using one or more essential oils. Bonus – add one or more of these meditation scents to your yoga mat spray to give your yoga practice a similar boost!