Bring some Balance to your Yoga Practice

Two of my favourite things! I love being able to add essential oils to my yoga practice. .

This is a list of my favourite oils to use during my practice. If you are looking to purchase some oils of your own, you can get a 25% discount off doTERRA oils, without the yearly membership here

1. Lavender is one of my favourite Oils to use during a Yoga Class. I will often use Lavender at the end of the class, and offer it to my students to use on the soles of their feet, or to add a few drops to their palms, rub them together and gently inhale the scent prior to Shavasana. Lavender is known to reduce stress and calm the nervous system. It is one of the most versatile Oils to have in your Yoga Tool Kit. Imagine how relaxing this oil is during Savasana!

2. Just the name, Cedarwood, brings up feelings of fresh wood chips and hope chests for me... amazing how smell can do that! Cedarwood Essential Oil is extracted from trees (one of my favorite things) and is known for its calming, sedating effects on the mind. Any of the "tree" oils make for a very grounding and nourishing experience during yoga, think of the tall cedar trees as you root into your tree pose, or stand strong in your mountain pose. Cedarwood Essential oil is also very calming for a meditative practice. Again, think of grounding and rooting down through the earth as the trees that offer their relaxing scent. Inhale deeply, taking the time to savor your inhale of this subtle outdoorsy aroma, exhale and root yourself deeply into each yoga pose.

3. Peppermint essential oil is such an invigorating scent! Apply to the collarbones during a yoga practice or during meditation. This oil is great to use in Heart-Opening poses, as these poses tend to elongate the torso, opening the chest to improve circulation and open the respiratory system. Think about using this oil while in bridge pose, sphinx or cobra pose, fish pose and for the very brave, camel pose. Sitting in meditation with the palms together at heart center in Anjali Mudra, and peppermint oil on the collarbones, acts as a gentle reminder to breathe deeply and slowly. DoTERRA offers the "Touch" Line, which is the perfect blend of Peppermint Essential Oil and Fractionated Coconut Oil in a rollerball that can be applied directly to the skin!

4. Balance Grounding Blend creates a sense of calm and well-being. Perfectly blended Spruce, Ho Wood, Frankincense, Blue Tansy, and Blue Chamomile with Fractionated Coconut Oil offers an enticing fragrance that promotes tranquility and relaxation. Spruce, one of the oils in dōTERRA Balance, was used by Native Americans for health and spiritual reasons and is still used today to bring harmony to the mind and body. Imagine how wonderful this blend would be on your pulse points or on your feet as you balance in your warrior poses, or in tree pose.

5. doTERRA has come up with their own personal blends of special oils to use during yoga practice. They were put together with the help of Elena Brower, who is an amazing and inspirational Yogi. She my second all-time favourite yoga person (under Seane Corn of course). If you haven't heard of her, I suggest you you-tube and google her for some amazing Yoga inspiration!

In the meantime, these are her oils: "Combining the best of yoga and aromatherapy, the doTERRA Yoga Collection is the perfect addition to your practice or daily life. doTERRA Anchor Steadying Blend brings a firm trust in yourself so you can approach your practice and life with calming strength. Incorporating Lavender, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Cinnamon, Frankincense, Black Pepper, and Patchouli in a base of Fractionated Coconut Oil, this blend supports your connection to yourself and your innate wisdom. doTERRA Align features Bergamot*, Coriander, Marjoram, Peppermint, Jasmine, and Rose essential oils in a base of Fractionated Coconut Oil. This centering blend helps you to trust in yourself and stay open to all possibilities. doTERRA Arise Enlightening blend supports your stability as well as your freedom. Bringing together Grapefruit, Lemon, Osmanthus, Melissa, and Siberian Fir in a base of Fractionated Coconut Oil, doTERRA Arise inspires moments of reaching for your highest potential."

Please feel free to message me if you are interested in getting your own oils to add to your practice, and if I see you on the mat for a class, I will probably be carrying one or all of these oils in my bag for you to try!