Aromatherapy For Stress: Recipes and Best Practices For Energy Healers

Using aromatherapy for stress reduction is one of its best and most reliable uses. On this page you'll find idea for relaxing essential oils, essential oil recipes for stress relief, and some best practices to follow specifically within an energy healing setting.

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Using Aromatherapy In An Energy Healing Setting

If you're an energy healer using aromatherapy, I recommend you only use it environmentally (in the air), unless you're also a certified aromatherapy practitioner. Applying EOs to the skin carries too much risk of an adverse reactions (e.g a rash). Since in an energy medicine context the effect is vibrational/energetic rather than chemical, why take that risk? Smelling them will do just as much good as using them topically, without the risk. (And never use EOs internally.)

Using aromatherapy environmentally is easy. You can:

• Make a spray using a few drops of essential oil in an alcohol base (vodka works well) or witch hazel (you can buy it at most drug stores).
• Put a drop or two on your own hands (assuming you know that you aren't reactive to that particular EO)  and hold your hands near your client's face (not too close, though)
• Put a few drops on a tissue or cotton ball and place it on a nearby shelf in your treatment area.
• You can also use a diffuser, but it's not necessary.

See? Easy.

Be sure you always ask clients if they're OK with you introducing aromatherapy for stress (or any other purpose0 into the session. Some people just don't like or respond well to scent. Also, don't overwhelm people with your essential oils. Remember that a little goes a long way.

Aromatherapy For Stress Relief: 12 Good Choices

Here are some good essential oils/aromatherapy for stress and relaxing, their effectiveness supported by experience and in many cases scientific data. But remember that how scents affect us is highly personal, so of course feel free to look beyond this list.  Whichever oils you purchase, make sure that they are true essential oils and not perfume or fragrance oils (which are artificial). Perfume oils may smell nice, but they don't have the same therapeutic benefit.

Basil
Calming and stress relieving. Helps to restore the energy that stress drains from us. Also promotes mental clarity and focus, which stress can wreak havoc with, so it's especially good if stress is making it hard for you to think clearly. Pregnancy and epilepsy are contraindications.

Cedarwood
Comforting and strengthening. Like most wood-based EOs, it is very grounding, which helps especially with the "spin-out" aspect of stress. It has sedative effects, which make it especially useful before bedtime. Avoid during pregnancy.

Clary Sage
Helps with stress and anxiety, as well as depression, migraine and fatigue. Also aids creativity and calms the nervous system. Note: Do not use during pregnancy. Also, because it's  a mildly intoxicating, euphoric, do not use while driving and do not use a lot in any circumstances.

Cypress
Calms, relaxes, aids concentration. Especially useful for emotional stress, trauma or shock. Again, like most wood-based EOs, it's very grounding, which helps dissipate the jittery, excess energy of stress.

Frankincense
Reduces stress response, helps with depression, enhances immune system. Grounding, spiritually supportive. Helps to give higher, broader perspective and clarity.

Geranium
Calms the nervous system; relaxing; uplifting; balancing; anti-depressant. Also excellent for the physical skin and supportive of energetic and emotional boundaries. Strong boundaries help us feel safe, which calms the nervous system and reduces feelings of stress. It's very sweet, and in my experience, a little goes a long way. Not advised if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.

Lavender
Reduces stress, tension; anti-depressant; calming; helps with insomnia; relaxing, balancing. If you purchase only one EO, make it lavender. Besides being one of the best relaxers, it's strongly anti-inflammatory & antiseptic; a cell regenerator, a skin balancer; an immune stimulant; helps with headaches; and is good for the skin.  It's also relatively affordable and accessible.

Orange
Uplifting as well as calming; balances stress; helps with insomnia; relaxing; restorative when you’re feeling "wiped out"; balances nervous system. Like most of the citrus EOs, it's very cheerful, and cheer is an emotion severely lacking when we're stressed out. It also supports the immune system, which needs that support when we have been chronically stressed. Note: If you've used it topically (on your skin), avoid sunlight. Citrus oils are photo-sensitizers.

Patchouli
Good for stress; relaxing; antidepressant; very calming and grounding. Promotes a sense of tranquility. A sedative, so good for helping you rest. Boosts the immune system, which is compromised by chronic stress. Energetically strengthening. Gently supports our physical skin as well as our energetic boundaries.

Rosemary
Although best known for enhancing memory and cognitive performance, it has also been shown to lower the stress hormone cortisol almost immediately.

Sandalwood
Calms body and mind. Centers. Spiritually supportive. Promotes a sense of serenity. Helps you stay calm and clear-headed under stress. Like many of the "spiritual" EOs, it also helps in getting clarity on your situation. A higher, broader perspective on what is stressing us can often be helpful.

Ylang Ylang
Anti-depressant; soothing; euphoric; uplifting; soothes fearfulness; helps when you’re feeling over-loaded; good for stress; relaxing. Helps shift focus to gratitude. I have to use this in very small amounts, as it tends to be overwhelming in larger doses. Avoid if you have low blood pressure.

Learn how to use your oils and blends safely.

Recipes: Aromatherapy for Stress

While each of the oils above can be used alone, you may find that you enjoy blending them as well. The recipes below are ones that I personally find pleasing and effective, but preferences in the world of scent are very personal, so experiment to find what works for you. 

Blend the EOs in small glass containers. As I've described above, I recommend that you use the blends environmentally rather than topically, unless you really know what you're doing. Unless otherwise indicated, proportions of each oil are equal.

Relax  1
Orange
Lavender
Frankincense

Relax 2
3 drops Lavender
3 drops Sweet Orange 
2 drops Patchouli
optional: 1 drop Ylang Ylang

Calm


4 drops Lavender
2 drops Sweet Orange
1 drop Geranium 

Calmly Creative
Clary sage
orange

Soothing and Uplifting
3 orange
1 ylang ylang
1 lavender

Sleep Well

Lavender
Cedarwood


Relaxed and Alert 
Rosemary
Basil
Orange
Lavender

Anxiety
Lavender
Orange
Cypress

Meditation
Clary sage
Frankincense
(This gets better after it has a chance to "breathe" for a while)

Deep Grounding
Patchouli
Cedarwood
Clary sage

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