Essential Oils for Grounding Us in Turbulent Times

Hi everyone! I hope this months blog finds you well. Spring has sprung at last! Snowdrops are still here, and happy, bright daffodils are popping up everywhere. Bluebells sit waiting their turn…not long now until we see gorgeous blue carpets all around. We have had some beautiful blue sky days and after all the rain this winter we certainly need it! There is warmth in the sky again and the nights are getting lighter. There are though, many troubles worldwide that are causing us much anxiety, so this month I thought I would share some Essential Oils that we can use to ground us.

Global Troubles

Many clients have this month, expressed their sadness and worries (which I share) with all the current issues in America, the Middle East, Iran, Israel, Gaza, Russia, Ukraine, Libya, Yemen, Syria, Somalia and many other parts of the world, where there is unrest and violence occurring every single day.

Some of my clients this month have been stuck in Qatar, Thailand, Malaysia and Dubai, not being able to get home to their families, jobs, pets and schools. The government foreign advice on their website has listed many countries on the ‘do not travel’ list and those with summer holidays booked (us included), have to try to decide whether they should, or should not go, with no one having any idea when things may improve.

Add to this uncertainty all the Epstein files, Prince Andrew, Lord Mandelson, and what seems to be other constant upsetting and worrying items in the news, it is no wonder folk are carrying a lot of tension at the moment. It feels like there are many all powerful people controlling the world we are living in, and that can make us all feel a bit helpless. We appear to be divided politically, and this can also make us feel quite isolated. My greatest wish is for everyone to look after everyone else, and find some peace on this beautiful planet of ours. To love and support each other, to celebrate our differences, and our strengths, and to stick together through these troublesome times.

I personally have to restrict the amount of media I read each day, and never read the news until I have finished work with my lovely clients, to ensure that we have good energies only whilst treating. Of course we want and need to know what is happening in the world around us, but I do also think it is important to not consume too much media these days (especially social media).

We must always do whatever we can to help those in need – we are all human beings sharing this planet. We must also though, look after our own mental and physical health. Regular fresh air to clear the head, reading actual books rather than just online information is a good escape. Eating healthy foods and trying to get plenty of sleep. Doing things you enjoy whenever you can, and spending time with loved ones. Trying to focus on the positive things in our lives, and taking time out for ourselves too, to make sure we are listening to our bodies and doing what we can to support our emotional health. Spring is a lovely time of year – we should embrace the simple pleasures in seeing nature pop back into life, and feel the warmth of the sun we all share. Be hugely grateful for the freedoms and the good things we have.

Here are some of the best Essential Oils that we can use in massage blends, warm baths, or in diffusers around the home, to help to ground us and to soothe our worries. There is a little safety data to note with some of these (listed under the oil descriptions), but if you are in any doubt about using them, or you have a particular medical condition you are concerned about, please do contact me prior to use.

You can use a total of 12 drops of Essential Oils (using 3-4 different Essential Oils), in 30ml of your chosen Base Oil for a massage blend, or use 6-8 drops in a warm bath, or follow the instructions on your diffuser.

WOODY Aromas:

Cedarwood (Cedrus Atlantica)
Cedarwood is an Essential Oil that I use a lot in my clinic. It supports our spiritual strength, helping us in times of trouble, when we are worried about things. Used with other wood oils, it is wonderful for helping us deal with anxiety, confusion and mental trauma. It can also be a brilliant oil to use in meditation, to help us deal with tension and allow us to calm our nervous system.

Cypress (Cupressus Sempervirens)
This Essential Oil is a wonderful balancer. Traditionally a symbol of immortality, it is great for guiding us through times of transition and change. It helps us to stay steady and calm when we go through the upheavals of life, and to support our emotional states. Lovely blended with other wood oils, but also works well with some of the floral and citrus Essential Oils. Please Note: This oil can be slightly irritating to those with hypersensitivity in high doses, so it should be used with caution, and low doses only for those individuals, and it should also be used with care in pregnancy.

Rosewood (Aniba Rosaeodora)
Rosewood Essential Oil is a beautiful scent. It is gentle and calming, and helps to clear our minds and bring us peace. It is wonderful for our emotional state, and supportive of all stress-related conditions, helping us deal with our anxieties when times are hard. It is a very grounding oil, and mixes well with other woody aromas, as well as other floral Essential Oils.

Sandalwood (Santalum Album)
This Essential Oil is another one of my absolute favourites. It is a deeply healing, stabilising and grounding oil. It is wonderful for all skin types and is very centering and balancing. It helps with stress-related tension and anxiety. It is a supreme regulator, harmonising our thoughts and our intuition. It helps us to stop over-thinking everything, and to ground us in the moment, to help bring us peace. Being another one of our ‘Base’ note oils, the fragrance comes through more strongly as time goes on, so the aroma lingers for longer than other Essential Oils. I love to blend this with Frankincense, Neroli and Bergamot, but it would also blend well with any other Essential Oil listed here.

FLORAL Aromas:

Geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens)
Geranium Essential Oil is an adaptogen, which means it can stimulate or sedate as required. If we mix this with other relaxing oils, or the lovely woody ones listed above, it can relax our minds, calming any frustration and irritability. It is wonderful for chronic anxiety and nervous conditions, and lovely used in skincare products. It is very powerful with the female psyche, and is harmonising and balancing. Please Note: This oil can cause sensitisation with those with highly sensitive skins, so it should be used with caution, and low doses only for those individuals, and also for those with multiple allergies.

Lavender (Lavendula Angustifolia)
Lavender Essential Oil is another one of the safest and most useful oils we have in Aromatherapy. It is wonderful at promoting relaxation, good quality sleep and easing anxiety and stress. It can make you feel a little more in control of your emotions, and provide great comfort in times of trouble and sadness. It helps us to accept and adapt to changing situations and can help to build our inner strength, whilst softening the thoughts and relaxing the mind.

Neroli (Citrus Aurantium Var. Amara Flos)
Neroli Essential Oil is simply beautiful, and another one of my absolute favourites. It is a classic stress remedy and as well as being uplifting, it still manages to be calming and relaxing, dealing well with states of anxiety, fear and worry. It can help before tests or exams, and in cases of depression and apathy. It helps to disperse doom and gloom, leaving us soothed, as well as lifting our spirits if we feel frustrated or irritated. It is also non-toxic, non-irritant and non-sensitising, so is generally safe for everyone. Please Note: The heady floral aroma of this oil may cause headaches in those with hypersensitivity, so it should just be used with caution for those individuals.

Rose Geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens var. Roseum)
This Essential Oil is a gorgeous oil, and one of the most popular floral oils in my clinic. Often chosen where someone likes the smell of Rose, but can find the pure Essential Rose oil a little overpowering. Rose Geranium gives us the lovely Rose aroma, but in a more subtle way, with the beautiful aroma of Geranium in the background too. It is lovely used on the skin, and has a really uplifting fragrance. It is a great hormone balancer, and helps to reduce anxiety and stress, lifting our mood and supporting our wellbeing when times are challenging. It also blends beautifully with the citrus oils, and is a real treat for any skin type. It has a really lovely aroma. Please Note: Use with caution in pregnancy, and for those with hypersensitive skins.

EARTHY Aromas:

Frankincense (Boswellia Carteri)
This Essential Oil is my absolute personal favourite! It is one of the safest oils we have in Aromatherapy and I use it every single day! It is really warming, so is wonderful for our muscles, and it is a really good Essential Oil to use with any of the other oils mentioned here, to bring some balance to the blend. It is one of the best for dealing with any anxiety or stress too, and is a really comforting, healing oil, often used for supporting us through bereavement and trauma. It is warming, rejuvenating, wonderful for emotional support, and is really calming, grounding and centering. Being such a restorative oil, it is also lovely for elderly people (probably why I like it so much!) and there is no safety data required with this wonderful Essential Oil, so just blend and enjoy!

Patchouli (Pogostemon Cablin)
This Essential Oil has a rich and warm aroma which centres and grounds us, reducing mental hyperactivity, and allowing our minds to let go a little. It is highly restorative, and reduces tension and anxiety. It brings stability and strength in times of trouble and stressful situations, and is great for insomnia and restlessness. The aroma also lasts a long time, as does it’s benefits. A wonderfully strengthening Essential Oil.

Chamomile, Roman (Chamaemelum Nobile)
This Essential Oil is a wonderful sedative and one of the safest oils we have in Aromatherapy. Calming and soothing, it is suitable for everyone to use. It can be used in times of emotional shock, and is invaluable when trying to recover from a traumatic experience or in times of loss. It can help aid a good nights sleep, helping those suffering from nightmares and insomnia.

Vetiver (Vetiveria Zizanoides)
This Essential Oil has a strong aroma, so is not liked by everyone, but it is a powerful choice. It is a deeply grounding, nurturing oil, which soothes bouts of irrational and/or volatile behaviour. It is a great choice for all states of nervous tension, and helps us with feelings of panic and hysteria. It is deeply sedative and restorative, drawn from energy deep in the earth where the roots are, which brings a strongly stabilising action, desperately needed in these times.