Four Ways to Combine Yoga and Essential Oils

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Essential Oils for Yoga

Yoga is a wonderful form of exercise because it is one of the few that provides both mental and physical benefits. Yoga improves focus and mindfulness, enhances mental acuity, and increases blood flow, flexibility, and muscle tone. While practicing yoga alone is excellent, essential oils enhance the workout experience. Let’s talk about four ways to combine yoga and essential oils.

Why Combine Yoga and Essential Oils

We are plagued with chronic stress. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 75% of physician visits in the US are due to stress. People come in –complaining of everything from headaches to anxiety to dizziness– and the root cause is all stress. 

The practice of yoga combines postures with slow, rhythmic breathing. This decreases cortisol and reduces the manifestations of stress. With time, yoga can change the very structure and output of the brain. There is decreased firing in the areas of the brain responsible for the synthesis of norepinephrine (a neurotransmitter produced during times of stress) and areas responsible for releasing cortisol downstream. 

Use essential oils with slow, methodical breathing. In one study, women who inhaled lavender essential oil expressed less anger and frustration. They also had a more positive mood. Animal studies have shown that inhalation of essential oils makes animals more likely to go through stressful situations with ease. 

Use Essential Oils to Energize

Kick off your metabolism and check exercise off of your daily goal list with a bit of energizing yoga in the morning. During your morning vinyasa flow, consider bright, vibrant essential oils that can wake you up quickly and give you the courage and confidence to push to your limits with ease.

Roman chamomile essential oil can help to focus the mind during tough poses, while peppermint or lemon essential oil can ignite the inner fire that we need to build natural heat in the winter.

Relax, Restore, Recover

Bergamot, lavender, and vetiver all help reduce nervous energy and stress. These essential oils may help you to sink more deeply into restorative postures.

Some yoga practices specifically help restore physical balance during menstruation and pre-menstrual syndrome. Bitter orange and rose essential oils reduce the physical symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome and may be an excellent combination with gentle poses like child’s pose, bound angle pose, or downward facing dog.

If you are doing a deep yin practice that stands the chance to tap into some deep emotional hurt, be sure to have comforting essential oils, like ylang ylang, jasmine, or clary sage nearby.

Protect Yourself from Energy Vipers

While yoga has a clear set of ethics and behavioral standards, there are still people that bring their own personal drama to the mat. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

Protect yourself with essential oils to create cocoon-like energetic shields, like Angelica. Essential oils that open the root chakra can also help to ensure that you are drawing energy from the earth. This is way better than tapping into your own energy to meet the needs of others. Some of my favorite essential oils for the root chakra are cedarwood, balsam fir, or cinnamon.

Ground down through poses like mountain pose, warrior 2 or extended side angle pose. Inhale the aroma of the essential oil.

If you come into contact with an energy viper and feel yourself sucked into the vortex, grab some hyssop stat. Never has it been better stated than in the Bible, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean.” Energy demons? Boy, bye.

Clean Your Mat, Gear, and Studio

Sweaty mats are breeding grounds for bacteria. Common household cleaners are loaded with allergens, irritants, artificial fragrances and colors.

Instead of inhaling all of that, consider this DIY Yoga Mat Spray and nine other uses of tea tree essential oil. And, be honest, when is the last time that you really cleaned those yoga blocks and yoga blankets? Adapt this lavender-infused yoga mat spray to knock the stink off those blankets that really need to head to the washing machine.

Want to learn more about combining essential oils, crystals and yoga?

Attend the Charleston Chill Yoga Retreat in July!

Included:

  • Breakfast and lunch
  • 2 crystal bundles
  • Sound bath
  • Vinyasa Flow Yoga Class
  • Restorative Yoga Class
  • Chakras, Essential Oils, and Yoga Class
  • Partner Yoga
  • Aroma Freedom Technique Session

Or just get your own crystal bundle here! Save over 40% during our Christmas in July sale!

Top 10 DIYs of 2019

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As my team and I reflect on the year and look ahead to the coming year, it’s always fun to see what piqued our readers’ interest. This also helps us learn what type of content you want to see so we can plan ahead. This year, we brought you so many DIY recipes –  from household cleaning to personal care, roller blends and wellness recipes. Check out the top 10 DIYs of 2019.

10. Fizzing Toilet Powder: a Natural Toilet Cleaner

You told us that there’s nothing quite like a fresh, clean bowl. Especially one that is kept that way without the use of harsh, toxic chemicals. This recipe is a fan favorite for both its simplicity and effectiveness.

9. Peaceful Pup Spray

During the holidays, animals can get super stressed from change in routine, extra visitors, weather conditions, and fireworks. This spray –that doubles as a diffuser blend– is one way to help soothe stressed pets. You may even want to try it during the Christmas holiday bustle or for some comfort during New Year’s fireworks displays.

8. DIY Essential Oil Foot Repair

Everyone enjoys having smooth, pretty feet. This foot repair soak and serum is just the thing! Follow this two-step process for smooth, moisturized feet in the hot summer months or the cold, dry winter. Your feet can use a bit of pampering any time of year!

7. Essential Oil Hair Tonic

This hair tonic recipe is one of the first DIYs I made that I still use almost every day. It’s a fan favorite too, coming in at the #7 of the top 10 DIYs of 2019. This recipe rivals any of those store-bought smoothing sprays or tonics, without the chemicals and unnatural fragrance. Try it once, and you’ll be hooked!

6. Essential Oil Play Dough

This recipe sparked lots of sharing on social media. My team and I loved seeing all of you post your own pictures of homemade play dough. The funnest thing is that many of you reported adults enjoying the stress-relieving activity of playing with mushy dough as much as children! Go ahead and mix up a batch of aromatherapy dough and see for yourself! With a gluten-free option, this recipe really is something everyone can enjoy.

5. Elderberry Syrup

Elderberries are one of nature’s most powerful medicines. And coming in at #5 for the year, you guys definitely want to learn more. We even heard from followers who hosted elderberry syrup-making parties at their homes to teach others about this powerful stuff. The best part is that this recipe lasts for months when kept in the refrigerator.

4. DIY Immune Booster

Something tells me that my followers really like the idea of supporting their immune systems naturally. Fortunately, there are lots of DIY recipes to help you do just that. Like this essential oil roll-on, our fourth most popular DIY of 2019.

3. Moisturizing Winter Salve

This salve recipe is perfect for this time of year. But it’s also great during the summer months to moisturize sun-drenched skin as well. A little goes a long way to restore elasticity and moisture to stressed, dry skin. I love slathering it on my feet with a pair of warm socks just before bedtime.

2. Peppermint CBD Revitalizing Scalp Treatment

CBD made a huge debut this year in such a wide variety of products. In this scalp treatment, CBD nourishes hair and increases blood flow to the scalp. Plus the cool, tingling sensation of peppermint is so invigorating on the scalp! If you haven’t reaped the benefits of CBD oil for your hair, you are missing out.

1. Winter Wellness: 3 roll-on recipes to try this season

And our most popular DIY post of 2019 is this post with 3 recipes to support your immune system. These roller blends are perfect for many wintertime dilemmas, like avoiding illness, combatting seasonal bouts of sadness, and improving energy. I love so much that many of the top 10 DIYs center around preventing illness and promoting wellness.

Do you see your favorite here? Or is there something you’d like to see featured in a future DIY? Comment below and share your ideas!

If you want to see more of what others loved this year, check out 2019’s Most Popular Blogs!

The Season of Capricorn: A time of goal setting and hustle

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The season when the sun is in Capricorn spans from December 21 to January 20. During this time, the atmosphere seems to fill with Capricorn’s energy of ambition, discipline, and focus. You might find yourself more concerned with success and achievement and slightly less focused on spiritual or emotional things. In a nutshell, the season of Capricorn is a time to get moving and hustle towards those aspirations.

Personality

If a Capricorn has a motto, it may go something like, “I can achieve anything I can put my mind too.” Smart, hardworking, driven Capricorns typically won’t allow anything to stop them from moving ahead in the direction of their desires or destiny. This may make them seem stubborn and controlling, but in reality they just know what they want and are willing to do the work it takes to get it.

Capricorns naturally prefer order and firm guidelines. While they can go with the flow and think outside the box, sometimes too many choices or too much freedom leaves them paralyzed to make a decision. Their steadfast determination and ambition makes them great at climbing the corporate ladder to high corporate positions.

The goal-oriented, overachieving Capricorn sometimes gets so focused on the hustle that they neglect to consider the feelings of others. And as much as they find it difficult to be mindful of others, they also struggle to express their own. It’s important to make them feel valued and appreciated to draw them out of their shells.

In relationships, the Capricorn will always push their partner to be the best he or she can be. They approach a relationship like a job, believing that hard work can make the bond as strong as possible. 

Celebrate Capricorn Season by Focusing on Your Success

As we transition from the Sagittarius season of reflection, Capricorn is a time to put the pedal to the metal. With the beginning of a new year, many people find themselves taking stock of the progress and achievements of the past year. The atmosphere begs for list-making and goal setting. It’s the time to embrace resourcefulness, discipline, and ambition.

So get your journals out and make those resolutions. Brainstorm some goals for the year that lies ahead. This isn’t the time to dream, but rather to set concrete, realistic goals, right along with the steps required to achieve them. Embrace the Capricorn energy and get motivated by the desire for tangible, real-world achievement and success.

So go all-in and celebrate Capricorn season by getting down to business. Just remember that this doesn’t have to be entirely bound up in the hustle and productivity and making money. Don’t shut off imagination and creativity. Rather, look at this season as a chance to do the work to make those wild dreams real and obtainable.

The Root Chakra

The governing chakra for Capricorn season is the root chakra. The source of stability, security, and control, the root chakra is key to staying grounded and balanced as you pursue your higher purpose. When in balance, the root chakra provides inner peace and self confidence. However, when this chakra is out of balance, one might become overly controlling or anxious and paralyzed to move ahead.

Crystals and Stones

During the season of Capricorn, select crystals for grounding and focusing that ambitious energy. Crystals that encourage motivation and achievement will also help you get the most out of this time.

  • Tiger’s eye
  • Black tourmaline
  • Garnet
  • Carnelian
  • Jet
  • Malachite
  • Smokey quartz

Essential Oils

Embracing the season and pushing towards goals can easily result in burn-out. Essential oils that ease insecurity and inspire motivation can help. Interestingly, this can be a time that many experience joint pain, and essential oils that support the skeletal system may bring relief.

Motivation Roller Blend

Try this roller blend to harness the season of Capricorn. Garnet and carnelian crystals enhance this blend because they stimulate motivation, energy, drive, and a positive attitude!

Instructions

Combine essential oils in a 10 mL roller bottle and drop in crystals. Top off with coconut oil or another neutral carrier oil. (Find my favorite Constellation Trio bottles at Whimsy & Wellness!) 

Looking for more ways to combat burnout? Check out this post!

How Does Gleam Work?

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What is Gleam Anyway?

Gleam is a platform that helps small businesses run competitions and incentives. It makes it super easy to track multiple methods of entering giveaways to give you the most opportunities to claim one of the awesome giveaway bundles I’m offering for the Holiday Giveaway.

How to Enter

Follow these simple steps to enter the giveaway:

  1. CLICK HERE to go to the Gleam website.
  2. Enter your name and email address.
  3. Click the check box so that you’ll never miss another giveaway!
  4. Click to like the Lindsey Elmore Facebook page.
  5. Then click Continue.
  6. Next, you will follow prompts one by one to gain your entries. Some entries will take you to a website or social media platform for you to like or follow the page or answer a simple question. Each time, you will receive entries for completing the given task.
  7. As you complete the activities, Gleam will automatically keep track of your progress! Each task will earn you 1-10 entries in the giveaway, so the more tasks you complete, the more entries you’ll receive.
  8. Be sure to copy your personal referral link and share it with your friends. Each time someone uses your link to enter the giveaway, you’ll earn an additional entry.
  9. You’ll receive an email confirmation from Gleam once you complete tasks. It will also contain a copy of your referral link so you can have it handy.

That’s it! It’s simple (and a little bit fun) to go through all the steps and earn entries. It will be even more fun when the winners are revealed! Which bundle do you have your eye on?

Check out all that we are giving away this holiday season!