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For those of us living in the Southern Hemisphere, winter has well and truly made an entrance. Cold nights, stormy skies and biting wind. It’s over these months that we tend to hibernate, turning to the warmth, security and seclusion of our homes.
So what better time (given the increased hours spent indoors) to give your living space a tune up, and make sure that the environment you’ve created is both warm and inviting for others when they visit - but also one that allows you to retreat and recuperate in comfort, to enjoy the simple pleasures of life.
Heating, lighting and decor deserve attention of course. But so too does aroma. For the way your home smells plays a huge role in how it feels. Not just for you, but for your family and friends too.
If you’re at all unsure about the power of scent, I’d urge you to read an illuminating report from the prestigious Social Issues Research Centre in Oxford, UK (see link below), explaining how aroma can ‘improve our mood and sense of well-being' due to the ‘primal’ and ‘deep-seated' emotional responses involved in our sense of smell.
It’s true that olfaction is our strongest sense, with the longest memory recall. It also works on all of us, all the time (24/7, even while we are sleeping) - so I say, put it to good use!
Without a doubt, incorporating essential oils into your daily routine can go a long way towards warming your home, creating comfort and lifting the spirits during the gloomy months. We tend to favour richer, deeper and more diffusive scents in winter, reflecting the feeling of the season. Here are a few wonderful suggestions to try...
(NB: always remember to select essential oils that are organic and of the highest medicinal quality. These oils will have been distilled slowly at low temperature and the molecules will be small and easily absorbed, so the affect on the brain - both mood & memory - is maximised.)
Eucalyptus Australiana (Organic): Stimulating and expansive, this oil has a warming and refreshing effect on the nervous system and can be used to support natural respiration.
Lavender Sweet (Organic): Calming and relaxing, Lavender is the most versatile and well-used of all essential oils, a gentle remedy for everyday use.
Pepper Black (Organic): This hot and spicy oil has energising and warming qualities and can be used to create a fortifying, revitalising atmosphere.(NB: only a small amount is neded, up to 5% in a diffuser blend.)
Ginger (Organic):An inviting, arousing aroma that soothes the soul and complements vital energy and strength. (NB: as above only a small amount is neded, up to 5% in a diffuser blend.)
Orange Sweet (Organic): This warm, cheerful essential oil can be used to help promote a positive outlook and encourage harmony, strength and emotional balance.
Sandalwood: This exotic oil is relaxing and uplifting. It is great for use in a diffuser blend to help nurture a calm atmosphere.
Bergamot (Organic): Uplifting and balancing, this oil calms the emotions and also serves as a pick-me-up (a great tonic for the winter blues).
As an alternative to juggling multiple oils, you could choose one of our certified organic, pure essential oil blends. These have been expertly developed over the past 25+ years within our professional clinics, and they yield results that are greater than the sum of their parts - so I would definitely recommend a more potent combination of well-chosen oils, over just selecting one or two.
Harmony (organic) is one of our most popular pure blends, and is formulated to enhance your living space with friendly, relaxing, reassuring tones. It contains individual oils that work together seamlessly to create a sense of warmth and lift. Each has its own merit, for example, Palmarosa is comforting and restorative, Cedarwood promotes relaxation, harmony and balance and Ylang Ylang encourages mental quiet and positivity.
The synergy that we have developed in Harmony offers a versatile prescription that can be used to suit your lifestyle: diffused into the living space, daubed on pulse points, or applied to the body via a wet cloth, post-shower.
Uplift (organic) and Tranquility (organic) are two more pure blend options that are particularly popular at this time of year.
As mentioned, make sure you only buy 100% pure, medicinal-grade essential oils, preferably certified organic, from an authentic natural health care store or directly through us here online. The more natural and pure the scent, the deeper and more therapeutic the effect.
* The Smell Report: Social Issues Research Centre in Oxford, UK
http://www.sirc.org/publik/smell_emotion.html