Not a day goes by where I don’t use essential oils.
For me they are a part of my life. I use them as perfumes; in my skin and care routine, I even make DIY deodorant and cleaning products with them! I also simply use them to support for my day-to-day emotional well-being. Did you know there is vast, actual scientific evidence that (pure, high quality) essential oils can have a powerful impact on our wellbeing?
How our sense of smell and emotions are linked
Our sense of smell is our most primal sense and can have quite a profound influence over our emotions. It’s one of our first senses developed and can bring on strong emotional memories before we’ve had a chance to logically process them. That’s because scents are processed through the brain via different pathways compared to our other senses.
I came across this quote from Kate Fox who explains it really well in ‘The Smell Report‘:
“Our olfactory receptors are directly connected to the limbic system, the most ancient and primitive part of the brain, which is thought to be the seat of emotion. Smell sensations are relayed to the cortex, where ‘cognitive’ recognition occurs, only after the deepest parts of our brains have been stimulated. Thus, by the time we correctly name a particular scent as, for example, ‘vanilla,’ the scent has already activated the limbic system, triggering more deep-seated emotional responses.”
Many studies done on how simply inhaling a scent can change your nervous system’s biochemistry. If you’re interested, I encourage you to continue your own research in better understanding how emotional healing with essential oils works – it’s fascinating. For me, the proof is in the pudding.
For me, I keep using them because I love how they make me feel. I’ve even made my own ‘Empowered Happiness’ blend.
Here are my top essential oils for emotional balance, based on whether your desired result is to:
INVOKE SELF-LOVE
To me, anything that you love is great for self-love but especially rose, ylang ylang and patchouli can evoke those blissful feelings of being hugged by the universe. You can even blend these three together for a beautiful perfume.
CULTIVATE HAPPINESS
Anything that is uplifting and reminds you of happy times will work to increase your levels of happiness. For me all the citrus oils are great but I especially like my own Empowered Happiness blend. Some of the citrus oils that you may like to try are lemon, orange, lime and bergamot.
See also What It Was Like To Be Depressed & How I Found Happiness Again
EMBODY CREATIVITY
To be really creative there are a few factors we need to consider. We first need to build our energy so an oil like Eucalyptus can help, but then oils like grapefruit, orange, blue tansy, lemon, clove and frankincense can stimulate you right brain into action.
CONNECT TO YOUR SPIRIT
I love meditating. I love the feeling I have after I have spent some time relaxing and breathing. There’s a sense of calmness that happens after meditating that you just can’t get any other way. My absolute favourite would be frankincense. You can also try neroli and rose.
See also A Beginner’s Guide To Meditation & The Best Essential Oils For Meditation
ELIMINATE ANGER
When we get angry it can be hard to calm ourselves down, especially when we’re in the middle of a temper tantrum. But the first thing to remember is to breathe. Once we start breathing, why not inhale some oils that can help you calm down? Essential oils for anger issues include: lavender, chamomile, bergamot, neroli, orange or another favourite of mine, palo santo.
EASE ANXIETY
It can be difficult to calm ourselves when we are feeling anxious but the first thing to remember, just as I mentioned above is to breathe. Anxiety can cause shallow breathing which does not help our ability to think clearly. Again soothing oils may help you calm down. Try lavender, chamomile, jasmine, frankincense or ylang ylang. Meditation is also a great way to treat anxiety.
INCREASE FOCUS
Trying to focus on an exam or on a task at work can sometimes be difficult when our mind is wandering all over the place. Oils like basil, rosemary, cinnamon and cypress can bring us back to the present moment and the task at hand.
CULTIVATE ENERGY
I absolutely love anything citrus for energy. Essential oils such as lemon, orange, grapefruit or lime. Peppermint, spearmint and eucalyptus also work well for that extra boost when we need it.
See also Are You Suffering Adrenal Fatigue? Here’s What To Do
RELEASE STRESS
I personally can’t go past the blend from Young Living called Stress Away. It includes the essential oils of vanilla, copaiba, lime, lavender and cederwood. Other essential oils for emotional stress release include: chamomile, rose, sandalwood, frankincense and valerian.
Remember – the more you use essential oils for emotional issues the quicker they will work for you because of the association you create with the smell and the feelings. Experiment, see what works for you and have fun! I would love it if you were to pop back and let me know how you go.
Lastly – a few precautions to remember:
- The quality of oil you use is incredibly important
- Releasing emotional patterns with essential oils can be powerful, but if you don’t like a smell or have a negative memory associated with the scent then choose another oil that you do like. We don’t want the smell to exacerbate an emotion you are experiencing.
- Some oils such as citrus oils are photosensitive so you shouldn’t put them on your skin before you go outside.
- If you are pregnant, have high blood pressure or are epileptic, please consult with a health care professional before using essential oils.
- Whether you absorb oils via your skin or inhale them, they will reach your blood stream at some point (which can be a great thing if they’re pure, but not so great if they contain nasties). As a result, I believe that the quality of oil you use is incredibly important – the more pure the better, and organic is best. Take your time and do your research.
Need to buy essential oils? The doTERRA Essential Oils hub has information on how to sign-up and order your first set of the best oils in the biz. doTERRA oils are pure, organic and sustainable, not to mention powerful. Get started here.
Need help in picking an oil or blend? We’re happy to help, so please reach out any time. Or if you have your own blend that you’d like to share, we’d all love to hear it – please pop it below.
Do you have a question about using therapeutic essential oils for emotional healing? Pop them in the comment section below and we’ll get back to you right away.
P.S. Don’t forget to check out this podcast: Everything You Need To Know About Essential Oils
