Yoga and Essential Oils~ Integration

I was talking to a couple of people in my Young Living group the other day about sharing essential oils, and one of them said that she brings her oils to her yoga class.

Without fail, it seems, the other students dab, slather, and anoint themselves with great enthusiasm and, apparently, gratitude.

This bespeaks the natural affinity between spiritual practices and pure essences. There is an intimate relationship between the part of our nervous system that senses smell and the part that processes emotion, and there are some oils that even impart physiological responses that facilitate certain yogic practices, like turning within, and working with the breath.

Frankincense is a calming and somewhat warming oil that has been traditionally associated with yoga and meditation for thousands of years (and every culture that’s had access to it has mentioned it in their ancient texts as a holy anointing oil).

Sandalwood has similar associations with meditation, and has certain cooling properties. Interestingly, sandalwood is high in a compound called “sesquiterpenes”, which have the rare ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. It makes me wonder if this is why it has such calming effects on the nervous system (it’s also amazing for the skin!).

Many meditators are familiar with a scent called “khus”, which is a cooling oil with a deep, earthy scent. In the Young Living lineup this oil is known by its latin name, Vetiver. Knowing its history in helping pitta states cool off, is it any surprise to learn that modern researchers are using it to bring natural relief to children labeled ADD/ADHD?

Hmmm....

At any rate, these ladies went on to ask whether there are resources about using oils in conjunction with a yoga practice. I told them about the oils/yoga integration I experienced at Convention a couple of years ago (that blogpost is here) but I didn’t really know where to send them for “how to” information. I’ve since discovered that Young Living’s website has a section on yoga which is pretty nice, (that's here) and here’s my official shout out (do people still say that?) to the yoga teachers and students in my group to write to me with your ideas.
Let’s see what we can learn from eachother!

In the meantime, I imagined myself running a yoga class to see what my intuitive impulse would be. While I am nowhere near qualified to teach yoga (surprisingly, I am much more limber in my imagination!), I’ve done aromatherapy classes with massage clients and the premise is pretty much the same.

I really like to work with a theme, or an intention for each session. It might spring from choosing a random passage from a meaningful book, drawing an “inspiration card”, or it might evolve naturally through the type of work being done (for instance, if it’s a class on releasing stored negativities, Release blend would be a natural choice.).

I open the class by asking participants to take a moment to listen to the reading, the card, or to let themselves contemplate their relationship with the theme, and I pass around the corresponding oil. Sometimes I suggest putting the oil on a certain spot for a certain effect, or so that everyone has the same experience (for instance I might say, “We’re passing around Joy oil. When you receive your Joy, place it in your heart region. Take a deep breath in, and notice what you feel”).

I'd then proceed through the session, perhaps offering additional oils to enhance the experience of the poses (I have a strong affinity for Valor in Warrior posture, for instance). I think I might consistently use the same oil for the concluding every session with savasana, but I don't know for sure. It might seem right to mix it up from time to time.

If I have anything I know for sure, it's this: there is no one “correct” way to associate oils with themes when you are doing yoga, bodywork, emotional work, or any of the other healing arts. I've actually had someone who could really benefit from the oils miss out on them all together because I could not hand them an oil based on their zodiac sign. Don’t cheat yourself looking for a list that’s already been made by someone else! Just look at the oils you have on hand, and see what suits you best in the moment. Certain associations will evolve over time, and they will be right for you.

Here’s how I start:
I hold my theme in mind while approaching my oils, and scan the bottles to see if any names jump out. (Inspiration, Harmony, Surrender, Gratitude, SARA, Humility, Hope, Joy, and Valor all make frequent appearances). Sometimes one stands out as the obvious choice, and the only oil I need for a session. Other times, several present themselves... so, I gather them together and pick three or four at “random”. I’ll start with one and be open to offering the others throughout the session, if I get the sense that it’s the thing to do.

If you’re still building your oils collection and want to know which ones to add next, try this: Get out your Essential Oils Desk Reference (If you don’t have your EDR yet, put it on your wishlist right away... there's more info at the end of the post) and look at the descriptions of the single oils and blends. I love to use the blends in yoga because they have such great inspirational names, and they were crafted by experts to help us achieve the states evoked by their names (of course Thieves won’t make us thieves, so it’s the one exception to that rule- but every yoga studio should have it anyway, for housekeeping and sanitizing surfaces).

Look up and become familiar with the oils whose names appeal to you or pique your interest. The EDR will show you what oils are in each blend, and what benefits they impart, so you can prioritize your next order. This was one of my favorite parts of the month when I first went on the Essential Rewards program (plus the free products helped me build my collection faster)!

If you don’t have your EDR yet, your Product Guide will suffice (Don't have one on hand? Here's the 2011 online version). Let yourself graze through the pictures and descriptions for things that ring a bell for you, and have fun with it!

Next Post:

Gary Young’s “Never Have a Bad Day Again” oils protocol (which is a sublime way to open a class of any kind!), and the "Feelings Kit" from a yogic perspective.

To see what the Essential Oils Desk Reference is all about,
go to our website learnaboutessentialoils.com. Once you're there, click on the yoga link (see the big pink arrow? That's the spot!)

How to Use Essential Oils

There are three main ways to use essential oils: by topical application, by inhalation, and by ingestion (don’t do this with just any oils though! Read on for more). Please keep in mind we are talking about Young Living oils. The information might not be applicable to other brands.

Topical~

Putting the oils directly onto the skin of the affected body part. It’s kind of a no-brainer... we put the oil where the problem is. We choose this method for scrapes, burns, wounds, bug bites and other skin irritations. For this kind of application we might choose Lavender, Thieves, Purification, Melrose, Melaleuca Alternifolia (“tea tree”), or Frankincense. Some of these oils exhibit soothing properties, others are naturally high in anti-infectious compounds.

Muscle and joint pain is another strong indicator for topical application. We use oils such as PanAway, Wintergreen, Peppermint, Aroma Seize and Valor for muscle aches, Helichrysum for nerve pain, and Lemongrass for ligaments.

When people are starting out using oils topically, we suggest they start with small amounts at a time and dilute as necessary. The Essential Oils Desk Reference has a number of charts with recommended dilution ratios, which make a great starting point. The User’s Guide brochure has a starter chart as well.
We are a little bit fearless in our topical applications; we’ve been using the oils for a while and have a good sense of how much we need in a situation.

When diluting, use a fatty oil such as Young Living’s V-6 blend (our fave) or whatever pure oil you might have in the kitchen (coconut, olive and almond work well). Don’t dilute with water for topical use; it actually drives the oils in further instead of dispersing them evenly.


Inhalation and Diffusing~

Yum! This is the method of choice when you want to influence the mood, atmosphere, and/or emotions. We are hardwired in such a way that scent affects our emotional experience in real, tangible ways. This is the application method where we can get really creative. I have a friend who starts each day with her “Never Have A Bad Day” ritual of Valor, Harmony, Joy and White Angelica (she added Stress Away when it came out at Convention last year). She has challenged many of us to try having a bad day when we start off slathered in mood supportive oils.

I love this method of “personal inhalation” for a quick fix: I put a drop or two of my chosen oil in the palm of my left hand. With the fingertips of my right hand, I make three clockwise circles then rub the palms together. Then I cup both hands over my nose and inhale deeply several times. I re-remembered the three circles when I was at a conference with Gary Young recently. We always did it that way in the early days, and I’d fallen out of the practice. I was reminded that with this simple gesture we imbue the process with our intention and activate the healing centers of our mind.

We use the oils this way for so many reasons. Whether we are doing a complete emotional release protocol with the Feelings kit, rubbing Clarity on our temples while we study, or putting Peace & Calming on the kids before bedtime, we are using inhalation to our benefit. Some kids who are labeled as being on the autistic spectrum do really well carrying an oil or two that they can smell throughout the day.

While inhalation does not require a diffuser, for filling a room nothing else compares. Young Living has several styles which we love for different reasons.

There are strong indicators for diffusing when you want to disperse the anti-infectious properties of an oil throughout an entire house or room. The Theives blend in particular has been studied for its effectiveness in eradicating toxic black mold in environments where other, harsher methods failed (we would use the TheraPro diffuser for this). When someone in our house is fighting off a cold or flu, we alternate diffusing between Thieves, Immupower, Raven and RC.


Internal~

We should start by saying that we do not recommend this with oils other than Young Living. If you are using Young Living oils, consult the bottle before consuming. Look for the “supplement serving size” section on the label. If it’s not there, it means the oil contains plants that the FDA has not signed off on as edible. As a general rule, if you can eat the plant (peppermint, lavender, rosemary, etc - and yes, all the oils in the Thieves blend are edible) you can ingest the oil.

For the most part it is recommended (we refer to the Essential Oils Desk Reference here) to dilute oils prior to ingestion. They work best in a fatty base, so a carrier oil like Young Living’s V6 (or olive, coconut, etc. oil from the kitchen). The recommended oil can be added to an empty capsule (starting with a drop or two) and the capsule then filled with oil before swallowing.

To make matters simple, Young Living has gone ahead and encapsulated a couple of targeted-result blends for easy ingestion: SleepEssence, Digest and Cleanse, Longevity, and Inner Defense (Thieves plus Oregano, Thyme, and Citronella- hello, immune system!) are a few examples.

There are some oils we take orally “straight up”. They are surprisingly strong to the uninitiated, so again- start small. We like peppermint to freshen breath, Thieves if we’re feeling depleted, lavender or frankincense if we burn our tongue.

Other oils we add to water for a cool beverage or hot tea. We always bring lemon to restaurants (our oil is a lot cleaner than that lemon wedge, I’d wager) and people traveling overseas have used it to kill bacteria in water that might compromise their health otherwise. We make tea from Peppermint, Lavender, Frankincense, Orange... you name it.

Cooking with the oils is another great option. We suggest (you guessed it) starting small (these are potent!) and add your oils after the main cooking has taken place.

There’s so much more to share! Thank goodness we’re a-blogging now.

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Integrative Healing

The word integrate comes from the latin word meaning both “whole” and “holy”.
It implies the bringing together of different or disparate parts to form a cooperative, cohesive whole.

So when we use it in relation to healing, we are really saying two things. One is that the person is being brought into a state of wellness in which all the varied systems are unified. We are saying that, while the body is one important means of expressing health, that the mind and spirit (or heart) also play a role in authentic well-being and must be addressed as well.

The other thing “Integrative Healing” implies is that the methods being used to bring about healing are chosen from a broad range of disciplines and applications. Typically “Integrative” modalities have the aim of addressing the trio of body/mind/spirit as the single whole being that is the patient.

Integrative modalities include massage (in all its forms from cranio-sacral to rolfing, energy-muscle technique to zero balancing and polarity) or physical therapy, acupuncture, homeopathy, talk therapy, reiki, chiropractic, sound or color therapy, yoga (and its counterparts, chanting and meditation), movement therapy, emotional release work, kinesiology, art therapy, and more.

What is significant from the perspective of an essential oils user is that each of these modes of healing can be amplified and hastened by integrating oils into the treatment.

There are situations in which a physical complaint might respond best to an oil applied topically for physical benefit. For instance, if I strain my knee doing yoga I get PanAway on it right away. The wintergreen eases the pain, the helichrysum protects the nerves and I don’t have to manifest an actual injury because the healing’s already underway.

It’s pretty rare that any one aspect of body/mind/spirit requires healing independent of the others. Physical suffering weighs on the mind and spirit, mental suffering can manifest in the body and alienate the spirit, spiritual suffering can make us miserable through and through. The beauty of essential oils is that they travel along the pathway in the body that unifies these elements and encourages healing on a truly holistic (integrated) way.

Here’s the science bit:
When we encounter a scent, its message travels through the nose to the olfactory bulb, which is the bundle of sensory nerves that interprets it. This is tied into the amygdala, which is the part of the brain that takes care the processing of the scent.
Here’s where it gets interesting: the amygdala is part of the limbic (or emotional) system of the brain. It is thought to associate scent with memory. Catching on?
Ever notice how you can get a whiff of some scent from the past and be transported to that bygone time (think: patchouli and leather. Uh-huh. Were we at the same party?)?
Add to this that the limbic system, in its turn, influences the endocrine system (hormones, anyone?) as well as the immune system in the physical body... and you may come to the startling conclusion that how you feel actually does affect how you feel.

And here’s an insight from the desk of my inner geek:
Assuming you’re using Young Living, you are working with essential oils in which the integrity (wholeness) of the original plant has been kept intact. Because of their involvement at every step of the way and their insistence that nothing ever be added or taken away, the make-up of the plant’s compounds is unaltered. When I’m healing, that’s the stuff I want on my side!

Young Living has formulated dozens of oil blends with the goal of helping to facilitate emotional healing and overcome beliefs that limit us in achieving our full potential. There is even a collection of oils dubbed the “Feelings Kit” which includes a well-thought out protocol we can do with others or for ourselves. The names of the blends are so evocative that they often serve as contemplation exercises in themselves.
I like to select a few at random and consider their connections as I apply them. Today: Abundance, Forgiveness and Valor. Hmmm.

I often say that when you use the right oil the right way you will get results.
It’s often helpful to experiment with a variety of oils to choose the one(s) you want to work with at a certain time (of course, observe proper application and dilution methods)

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Yoga and Essential Oils

The last time I had a steady yoga practice (and I’ll admit it was only four days in a row, but at the time it was revolutionary), I was traveling to attend the annual convention of the essential oil company with which I’m aligned for my health and livelihood (ok, cat out of the bag- it's Young Living).

I was heavier than the previous year, attending without my partner and rooming with someone I’d never met before (who was a delight as it turned out). I was a bundle of insecurity on a mission to untangle myself by engaging fully in all the sessions and “putting myself out there” socially (NOT my forte! I’m a recluse in the disguise of a gregarious teacher type).

Since the Convention experience (3,000 people heading to keynote engagements, expo demonstrations, and trying to choose 6 of the 12 available breakout sessions) is pretty much an exercise in distractibility and busy-ness, you’d think I’d have my whole “not-gonna-do-yoga” excuse in top form.

Ah, but not so. All of the equanimity, stamina, and focused attention that expressed itself through me I attributed to the the 6 am yoga classes taught by other Convention attendees who were also yoga instructors, and who were using essential oils in their personal practices as well as in their classes.

The whole thing probably came into being because Rodney Yee was teaching one of the break-out sessions; a 90 minute on-the-mat yoga class which incorporated essential oils throughout.

In the hustle and bustle I never made it to Yee’s class. But I did make it out the door, across the street, down the block and up a formidable set of stairs to class by 6 am each day to stretch, honor, and care for my being. We were a diverse bunch; from the fit and toned to the brave unfit, and never was there a better smelling bunch of sweaty people!

We began by sanctifying our practice with intention and frankincense, which heightens spiritual receptivity. Each participant duly anointed, the entire energy in the space shifted in a matter of 90 seconds. Suddenly we were on holy ground.

There’s a lot I can say about essential oils, and a lot of reasons I only use and teach about Young Living’s oils... matters of purity and integrity and authenticity and validation, and so on. I could (and do sometimes) go on for days. It’s all on the upcoming site.

What it came down to for me in that moment, was that because the integrity of the plant is honored and never distorted with all the chemical alterations that other companies do, the holy component of this oil is still intact. It doesn’t just impart the smell, it actually has the mojo. It’s the closest thing you can get to when the yogis of old would simply rub the resin on themselves in preparation for meditation.

This stunning moment was mine to cherish each of the four days of Convention. It was followed every morning by an experience of Valor when we did a more challenging pose, Peace & Calming with Savasana, and Deep Relief when I paid later for having gone deeper than good sense would have indicated.

Of all the astounding amount of information imparted to me those four days, what struck me most deeply was the impact of using the oils during yoga practice. Every day I looked forward to putting my body through a difficult challenge with the subtle emotional-spiritual support of the oils chosen to compliment the day’s routine. Once home and asked to declare what one thing stood out the most from the entire experience, I could only point to the pouch in which I carry my oils about and declare, "this stuff is holy!"

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