Having balance in our lives can be challenging. We are busy juggling work and study deadlines, the myriad of activities in running a household, not to mention the endless ‘to-do’ list racing through our minds.

Unfortunately, this outer world busyness can also affect our inner world, causing an imbalance in our emotional and spiritual selves.

The turmoil of life, within us, around us and far-reaching, can often cause us to feel overwhelmed and unbalanced. It’s important to shift the focus from tension and stress and focus on ways to bring balance into our lives – and for those around us.

Creating a balance of body and mind won’t happen just by wishing for it. Instead, it takes conscious effort to look for and work with tools that can support us in our efforts to create the changes that will bring us a greater sense of balance.

Aromatherapy and Essential Oils

I’m an avid user of Essential Oils in my home, for myself and my children.

Aromatherapy is a holistic therapy using essential oils to help improve the quality of life on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level.

Essential oils have the power to influence your moods and feelings and are increasingly being explored by the scientific community for treating various diseases.

Introducing essential oils into your life can be as simple as spraying a room with a wonderfully aromatic scent or perhaps a few drops onto a tissue tucked under your pillow for a calm night's sleep. Essential oils have been used for thousands of years for many purposes. So it is fantastic to see a resurgence of these oils as an option for our well-being and health.

Our grandmothers ironed bed linen with lavender spray to help remove wrinkles and scent the linen, which was also believed to deter moths in the cupboards. And medicinal gardens can still be found today around old hospitals and monasteries where the essential oils extracted from the plants were used for health and well-being.

As with so many things in our lives today, the choice of brands and then types of oils is immense. But most of the challenging work has been done for us, as we can buy pure essential oils for specific purposes, complete with explanations and blends for all situations.

So whatever you are looking for: balance, bliss, calm, energy, focus, confidence… it is there in a little bottle of oil, and it truly works.

Over the years, I have used many essential oils, but the two that I can highly recommend are Secret Scent Aromatherapy and Neal’s Yard Remedies. I have used Secret Scent for many years whilst living in Australia, and more recently Neal’s Yard now that I am in France. They are family-run businesses, but more importantly, they are fully transparent in what their products contain.

Secret Scent Aromatherapy provides 100% natural skincare and therapeutic products. Each item in the Secret Scent Aromatherapy range is hand blended by leading and highly qualified Aromatherapist Sharen Turner in Sydney, Australia.

Neal’s Yard Remedies list online all the ingredients used in their products, also the benefits and uses, with a product range that includes skincare and well-being.

Below are a few blends that can assist with bringing balance into your life.

Sharen from Secret Scent Aromatherapy has blended Bergamot, Neroli, and Rose Geranium together perfectly in a ready-to-use vial called Balance. There is also a handy roll-on pen that you can apply directly to your pulse points (temples and wrists) in times of stress. This gorgeous blend will help bring balance to you and those around you.

Some of my favourite blends:

Yang Essential Oil Blend: Use when you feel lethargic, weak, or fatigued. Contains Cypress, Petitgrain, Spearmint, Kaffir Lime.

Yin Essential Oil Blend: Use when you feel nervous, stressed, or anxious. It uses the scents of Patchouli, Pine, Geranium and Vetiver.

I love any Essential blend with Geranium. The Women’s Balance from Neal’s Yard Remedies is great to help with imbalances during menstruation and menopause, will also generally take the edge off your emotions, giving you inner clarity and poise. It’s ideal for vaporisation and can be used diluted on the skin. Contains: Rose and Geranium.

Try some scents that you love and experiment with new ones – you’ll be amazed at the healing and calming effects they will have on your body, mind, and spirit.

Namaste,

Maria x