One of the many benefits of practicing Yoga is that it develops your ability to switch from the sympathetic nervous system (SNS or active) to the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS or passive/rest state). In a nutshell, this means that when it is time to rest and even when you're under stress, you are better able to cope remain calm and not get thrown off by "other distractions".
But what if you're not at that stage yet or everything is just TOO MUCH? That's where I would suggest harnessing the power of your olfactory sense -- your sense of smell -- with the use of essential oils.
The beauty of your sense of smell is that unlike your other senses, when your sense of smell is triggered by an aroma, it goes directly to the parts of your brain that deal with emotions (amygdala) and memory (hippocampus). This means that before your brain can even think about or process what's happening, your body is already reacting to the aroma.
You could already by sighing in relief and even feeling relaxed when seconds ago someone just dumped a whole stack of documents that need to be sorted.
So when it comes to stressful situations or when you just need to calm down... like your yoga teacher has already entered the room and you're still replying to a text message of a problematic client, a single whiff of the right scent after hitting that sent button can already bring your senses and focus on the mat just as your yoga teacher says "begin closing your eyes and relax".
Here's an effective oil recipe that I aptly called my YOGA BLEND. This is what I massage on my students at the end of their practice. Read on below to know how else I use this blend.
What you need:
- 3 drops Peppermint essential oil
- 9 drops Lavender essential oil
- 5 ml roller bottle
- 4-5 ml of V-6 or your carrier oil of choice
Here's what you do:
- Mix the drops in a 5ml roller bottle. Swirl it around, don't shake.
- Then fill the rest with V-6 or carrier oil.
Here's how I suggest using it:
BEFORE Yoga practice...
- Roll it over your hands and cup over your nose. Breathe in deeply and exhale with a long sigh. Do this 3 times.
- Rub the rest of the oil on the back of your neck, on your shoulders, and lower back.
AFTER or right before Savasana, repeat the process above and massage the oils onto your temples and earlobes as well.
This oil blend has a wonderful synergy. Lavender soothes and instantly quiets the mind while peppermint energizes you with its cooling feel. So during practice, you’ll notice that just about the time you’re feeling tired, the peppermint does its job of giving you that extra boost of energy.
At the end of the practice, they work to soothe tired muscles and cool down the body during Savasana giving you that cloud-9 feeling.
PS: This doubles as a travel mate especially in tropical countries.
Get back to me once you've made your own Yoga Blend. Let me know what you think and I'll give you a special gift once you do. ^_^ Enjoy!
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