| Several years ago, during a yoga class, I lay on my | | | | vacation, or your favorite relaxing place? Have you |
| mat in corpse pose with a lavender scented towel | | | | noticed if the familiar scent creates a relaxing, calming, |
| over my eyes. I could hear the instructor walking | | | | stimulating or energizing affect on you? When we |
| around the class giving each towel a gentle spray and | | | | inhale a scent, it is carried through our nerve pathways |
| placing it carefully over each student's eyes. Once she | | | | to the brain, specifically, the limbic system of the brain, |
| reached me to cover my eyes, I began to clear my | | | | which affects our moods and emotions. Depending on |
| thoughts and get comfortable. AHHH! I immediately felt | | | | which fragrance (oil) is used, it can be relaxing, |
| alone as if this yoga practice were just for me. At that | | | | sedating, memory enhancing, balancing, rejuvenating |
| moment, I allowed myself to surrender to the mat and | | | | and even used as a natural pain reliever. For example, |
| just breathe. As my breaths became slower and my | | | | lavender is calming, peppermint is stimulating, rosemary |
| body felt as if it were floating, I let the scent take me | | | | promotes inspiration and blood flow, citrus oils brighten |
| away to a comfortable and quiet place. My body felt | | | | the skin and sharpen the senses and lemon is even |
| as though it was submerged in water, weightless, my | | | | cleansing. |
| mind at ease as my thoughts were limited. I was just | | | | The basic necessities for my yoga/ pilates class, of |
| being. As a pilates/yoga instructor, from that moment | | | | which I offer that little something extra in relaxation are: |
| on, I have encouraged each of the participants in my | | | | an eye cloth or eye pillow, aromatherapy linen spray, |
| classes and private sessions to experience that for | | | | body oil and a yoga mat sanitizer. The eye cloth used |
| themselves. There is nothing better than to take a | | | | is 100% bamboo fibers, which is naturally anti-bacterial |
| mental vacation and become completely physically | | | | and feels soft and cozy to the face. I'll spray a gentle |
| rested. This mental "vacation" mode should be offered | | | | mist of aromatherapy Linen Spray onto the eye cloth |
| at the end of the yoga class, during the final relaxation. | | | | and place it over the eyes. I always ask that if |
| This is my favorite segment of the class, as it should | | | | someone does not want the aromatherapy, or has |
| be for each participant. It's a time to let our minds | | | | any allergies, to place one hand on their belly as a sign |
| absorb what our bodies have accomplished, to ease | | | | of "No thanks". For those participants not wanting |
| the stress and tension in our muscles and allow | | | | aromatherapy, I recommend the flaxseed eye pillow; it |
| oxygen to flow through our blood and bodies with | | | | requires no scent for its relaxing qualities. The natural |
| ease. | | | | weight of the flaxseed provides just enough weight on |
| In each of my yoga classes, I now take notice of my | | | | the temples, along with some pressure on the eyes to |
| participants for that day and then choose the modality | | | | aid in relaxation. There is definitely a difference in how |
| of aromatherapy products to use. Aromatherapy is | | | | relaxed we allow ourselves to become once the eyes |
| the study of a scent with the use of essential oils and | | | | are covered and the light is filtered out. The linen spray |
| has actually been known for centuries. Essential oils | | | | may also be spritzed around the room for an air |
| are tiny droplets from different parts of a plant, the | | | | freshener before class. If your mind/body studio has |
| stem, root, leaf, flower, fruit or bark. They are the | | | | community mats for your classes, Yoga mat sanitizer |
| "essence" of the plant. When you brush up against a | | | | is a great way to keep the mats sanitized and rid the |
| rosemary plants or walk into a rose garden, you can | | | | foot smell. The Massage & body oil is taken from |
| smell the fragrance; the essential oils are released into | | | | a soy lotion candle. During yoga practice the candle |
| the air. Essential oils are not mystical or magic things, | | | | sets the mood and ambiance while the participants |
| they are as real as herbs in the garden and they have | | | | enjoy a theraputic fragrance and at the end of the |
| been proven by science to have therapeutic benefits | | | | practice it aids in a massage oil for a relaxation . It can |
| to our bodies and our minds. Aromatherapy can be | | | | be gently rubbed in circular motion on the temples or |
| used for healing because the essential oils have natural | | | | back of the necks. Whether the aromatherapy is a |
| anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory properties. | | | | spray or an oil, whether it is inhaled or applied directly |
| Have you ever gotten a whiff of a familiar aroma and | | | | onto the skin, the therapeutic benefits reap rewards to |
| it took you back to a beloved childhood memory, a fun | | | | our body and our minds. |