The Importance of Essential Oils for Body, Mind, Soul, and Space
Essential oils have powerful effects on our mind, body, soul, and space. Using essential oils can be an easy way to reduce the toxins in your home, and uplift the energy of all who reside there. As an integrative life coach, I base my view of people on the feng shui foundation of attending to the mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, and the home environment. The whole being.
Essential Oil Wisdom
As a yogi and general free-spirited gypsy kinda gal, I have lots of friends with lots of awesome skills in health and wellness that I incorporate into my work. One of these amazing people is Lindsay Luker, essential oils expert and owner of Good Leaf Life, an integrative wellness company. Having both a yoga and science background has made Lindsay my trusted go-to for all things oil-related. So, when I wanted to share some of the essential oil awesomeness that I’ve learned, it made sense to get some recipes and hints directly from Lindsay for your mind, body, soul, and space.
Essential Oils to Uplift the Mind
According to Lindsay, “When our minds feel like they’re trying to run away with us, we need all the help we can get to adjust that energy.”
- Uplifting and energetic: lemon, grapefruit, wild orange, lime, mandarin, and peppermint.
- Focus and concentration: lemon, rosemary, and spearmint.
- Rest and restore: lavender and cedarwood.
- Calm anxiety: frankincense, wild orange, and laurel leaf.
Any of these oils can be combined into a roller ball bottle and applied topically. Apply to pulse points (wrists, neck, eye of elbows, even bottom of feet) 1-4 times per day.
- 10 ml glass roller bottle
- 15-20 total drops of essential oils
- Fill with fractionated coconut oil
- OR diffuse 3-8 drops total
Use your third eye (6th chakra) intuition to lead you to the individual oils or combinations that meet the need of your mental state. That lavender and cedarwood combo is one of my favorites and is always in my bedstand drawer waiting for me.
Essential Oils for the Body
Lindsay shares the following wisdom, “The products we put in our bodies and onto our skin become a part of us. Moving toward a simpler, more natural system for your body will help ensure your overall health. Finding the right products for your face can be a lifelong search….especially as its needs change with more birthdays!”
- Lavender Oil: This floral oil is filled with anti-inflammatory components. Excellent for red, blotchy skin or puffy face, the relaxing aroma also decreases the inflammation found between you and your truest self.
- Tea Tree Oil: This is the mother of anti-everything! Antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory. Tea Tree is a medicinal oil that is great for a deep cleansing during outbreaks and/or acne. Meanwhile, the fresh green aroma cleanses negative energy, especially from relationships. *Be careful if you have a pet who likes to give you kisses. This oil is not okay for them!
- Cedarwood Oil: This oil is filled with broad spectrum antibiotic activity and anti-inflammatory properties. It mixes beautifully with lavender after a really fun, late night with your buddies! Its earthy aroma reminds you that you are connected. You are loved. You are not alone in this wild world.
- Frankincense Oil: The king of oils, this rich resin-derived oil is known for cellular regeneration. Use frankincense oil to get rid of dead cells and support a healthy glow. The musky, yet sweet aroma also goes straight to the brain to calm anxiety induced by cyclical thinking.
How to use body oils
- Mix 1 drop in your palm with your favorite unscented face cleanser or facial moisturizer.
- Go about your routine as you normally would!
- You can even mix them depending on what you need on a particular day.
I spent years trying many different face products before settling on a set routine of a few targeted products. Now, by following Lindsay’s advice I’m upping my face game. My favorites are adding frankincense to my moisturizer, and using tea tree oil on cold sores.
Essential Oils to Soothe the Soul
When it comes to soulful use of essential oils, Lindsay says, “The simple use of essential oils can enhance your journey of spiritual exploration, too. Apply 1 drop of any of the following oils to your third eye (6th chakra) and/or your crown (7th chakra) during meditation.”
- Frankincense
- Sandalwood
- Myrrh
- Rose
- Roman chamomile
These can also be combined into a roller ball bottle and applied topically. Apply to pulse points (wrists, neck, eye of elbows, even bottom of feet) 1-4 times per day.
DIY Your Roller Ball Essential Oil Blend
- 10 ml glass roller bottle
- 15-20 total drops of essential oils
- Fill with fractionated coconut oil
- OR diffuse 3-8 drops total
I’ve always been drawn to sandalwood, but I was surprised when, with a recommendation from Lindsay, I discovered an affinity for roman chamomile in my diffuser recipes. The experience reminded me how important it is to continue to expand ourselves and try new things.
Essential Oils to Enhance Your Space
Your home is the nest in which you nourish and nurture loved ones, including yourself. Somewhere along the way we evolved to clean our homes with toxins… literally, poison.
The surfaces in our homes and the air you breathe might be doing as much harm to your body and mind after cleaning, and burning synthetically scented candles than if you left the dust and funk there.
Happily, step by step you can move toward a purely clean home in which you can live with peace in body and mind.
Essential Oil Based Household Cleaning Spray
Citrus oils contain d-limonene, an antiseptic, and it supports the white blood cells in your immune system for extra safeguard against germs. Meanwhile, the uplifting zesty citrus aromas cleanse negative mental energy and invigorate your mind!
- Lemon
- Wild Orange
- Lime
- Grapefruit
- Mandarin
What you will need to create your spray:
16 oz dark glass spray bottle (light can break down the compounds in oils and shorten their shelf life; plastic can be broken down by the oils and sprayed into your home’s air).
- A spoonful of white vinegar
- Distilled water
- 40 drops of essential oils
Liquid Hand Soap Antiseptic oils:
- Lemon
- Grapefruit
- Juniper berry
- Tea tree
Anti-infectious oils:
- Geranium
- Lavender
- Tea tree
- Ylang ylang
What you will need to make your soap:
- 8 oz dark glass bottle with pump
- Unscented castile soap
- 40-80 drops total of oils, depending on your liking.
We all know how important hand soap became to us in the past year so I had to add this is as an extra for you.
An important point Lindsay made to me when I began making my own cleaners was to stick to the ratios she has outlined here.
We can be prone to thinking more is better, however, as she explained to me, too much actually impedes the usefulness of the oils and the purpose of the solution.
Living a Toxin-Free Life
In my own journey I went from Neutrogena and Mary Kay, to Grown Alchemist and Sahara Rose, two paraben and sulfate-free, cruelty-free companies. I went from Formula 409, to Mrs. Meyers plant-derived products, to my own energizing lemon and mandarin oil cleaning spray. All of our journeys look different. I love knowing each of my own steps have gotten me closer to non-toxic living.
Homemade and all-natural products can be found in every room of my house now.
Try some of Lindsay’s recommendations and let your root chakra (1st chakra), with its grounding sense of safety, guide you to the solutions that are best for your own mind, body, soul, and space.
Kate Evans is the owner of Soulful Space, a virtual life coaching and decluttering company. Kate helps overwhelmed women declutter their lives and homes. She has worked in the field of psychology since 2004, is an RYT-200 certified yoga teacher, and a writer currently working on a book bringing self-help and decluttering together for lasting change. To learn more about Kate, the work she does, and to read her weekly blog for your mind, body, soul, and space, go to www.soulfulspacecoaching.com. Kate can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @soulfulspace.coaching.