How Natural Wellness Products Can Enhance Your Mindfulness Meditation

USING ESSENTIAL OILS TO ENHANCE YOUR MINDFULNESS MEDITATION

Mindfulness meditation comes in many forms and can look very different depending on who you ask, but there is commonality amongst the modalities; the process of mindfulness meditation is experiential, and you are most likely to succeed in understanding it if you’re willing to immerse yourself in it.

A part of what mindfulness meditation is is using different techniques, rituals, routines and practices to help train your mind. This may be in an effort to reduce stress and negative thoughts, to help you improve your ability to respond rather than react, to help you connect to your breath or help you to feel fully focused and present in the moment. Think of the way you might run, lift weights or practice yoga to help strengthen your body; mindfulness meditation allows you to strengthen, stabilize and balance your mind.

There are many different ways to incorporate natural wellness products into your mindfulness meditation practice, including through topical application and through inhalation. We can use scent to connect deeper to our bodies and minds, and help evoke memories or positive patterns of behavior as we explore our physical, mental and emotional health at a deeper level.

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION #1: YOGA AND STRETCHING YOUR BODY

A widely accepted practice for helping to connect to your body, mind and breath is through the mindful and intentional wellness rituals of yoga. Yoga’s origins can be traced back more than 5000 years to its deep roots in India, and to this day is practiced by millions of people around the world who practice in part to increase strength and flexibility through a series of postures and breathing exercises. The use of essential oil products to help evoke a full sensorial experience can help create a further sense of groundedness and well-being.

Yoga roll-on: find your center wherever you are with this balancing and harmonizing blend of essential oils like earthy and peaceful patchouli, bright and uplifting orange and soothing and sweet cedarwood. Try rolling onto areas of the body like behind the ears, along the sides of the neck, over the wrists and in the elbow creases before getting on your mat.

Yoga diffuser blend: one of our Community’s most well-loved aromas for feeling grounded and centered through the air you breathe is the sweet, woody and earthy notes of Yoga. To support deep relaxation and encourage an overall feeling of peace and calm, we’ve blended orange, bergamot, cardamom, cedarwood and vetiver in this soothing and supportive diffuser blend. We believe less is more; start with 4-6 drops in a diffuser of your choice and add as needed.

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION #2: SUPPORTING GOOD QUALITY SLEEP

Another of the most important ways you can invite mindfulness meditation into your life is through improving your quality of sleep. Many people find that using guided meditations or sleep stories, available through popular apps like Calm or headspace makes a significant difference in the quality of sleep they obtain, which we know leads to benefits the next day like a level mood, a boost of energy and proper digestive function. Pairing these mindfulness meditations with natural and plant-based products to support the body and mind in feeling calm, rested and tranquil can bring about positive changes in just a short period of time.

Tranquility diffuser blend: as the name suggests, this blend was formulated to help create an oasis of calm through the nurturing and gentle scents of grounding marjoram, relaxing lavender and relieving roman chamomile for a truly tranquil nighttime experience. Our top tip: start your diffuser 20-30 minutes before you intend to climb into bed to help set the tone for rest.

Unwind roll-on: sometimes the toughest battle we fight in pursuit of mindfulness meditation is the overactivity of our mind. Racing thoughts, nervous chatter and restlessness can create feelings of overwhelm that prevent us from getting the rest we need. This balancing blend contains sweet and cheerful orange, warming and spicy cinnamon and citrusy, renewing bergamot to encourage feeling still and comforted. Try rolling onto areas of the body like the jawline, temples and pulse points when you need a dose of calm.

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION #3: SPENDING TIME IN NATURE

There really is no disputing how important a role nature plays in both our physical and emotional wellness. There are many reasons why a walk in the forest, a picnic in the park or a swim in the lake help us feel so much clearer, level headed and refreshed. Consider this: at least half of the earth’s oxygen comes to us from the ocean - how powerful is that? You invite mindfulness into your life when you commit to spending more of your time outdoors, drinking in all the simple pleasures of the sun, water and trees.

Rain Forest diffuser blend: simulate for yourself a walk in the woods with this rejuvenating, fresh and clearing blend of essential oils like balsam fir, pine and cedarwood to invigorate your mind and elevate your spirit. Inspired by the rain forests in British Columbia, Canada, this peaceful and grounding blend is a well-loved part of our collection of products designed to help you feel connected to nature.

Mountain High diffuser blend: in continuation of celebrating nature, Mountain High is a beautiful blend of lofty, clearing and opening essential oils that are reminiscent of the feeling you get when standing atop a mountain. Sweet, fresh spearmint meets herbal and grounding sage alongside balsam fir and pine to lift your spirits. With either of these woody and stimulating blends, we recommend 10-15 drops in a diffuser of your choice whenever you feel inclined to connect to the great outdoors.

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION #4: EXPLORING YOUR EMOTIONAL WELLNESS

We would be remiss not to talk about one of our most important products for helping you connect deeply to your mental, emotional and spiritual wellness which is our Pocket Farmacy - Mindful Edition. Newly released in Spring 2021, this is a curated set of five essential oil roll-ons to support the belief that any moment can be mindful. Blended to encourage awareness, stillness, connection and courage, here’s what’s included in this kit:

Energy: a bright and uplifting blend of lemon, rosemary and basil to help give you a boost and evoke feelings of being awakened and refreshed

Reflection: a grounding and woody blend of frankincense, cedarwood and myrrh to help you connect to your inner wisdom and stillness

Confidence: a warming and spicy blend of ginger, juniper and cypress to help you feel empowered and invigorated as you go about your day

Unwind: a sweet and soothing blend of lavender, bergamot and cinnamon for a natural de-stresser and relief from overwhelm

Connection: a blissful and happy blend of grapefruit, spearmint and sage that was blended to bring you into harmony with yourself, your environment and others

Each of the five blends in this kit can be applied to areas of the body like jawline, wrists, temples and other pulse points as needed throughout the day to cultivate mindfulness and feelings of ease.

LIFESTYLE TIPS FOR WELCOMING A MINDFULNESS MEDITATION PRACTICE INTO YOUR LIFE

Of course, there are a whole host of other ways in which you can seek mindfulness throughout each day, in which you can also include the natural wellness products we’ve mentioned above. Becoming intentional with your time and efforts is a great place to start:

1. Focus on one thing at a time. Rather than racing between projects in the name of multi-tasking, commit to doing one thing at a time, slowly, methodically and through to completion. This encourages present moment awareness and the feeling of deeply being in the here and now.
2. Eat mindfully. Similar to the idea of completing one task at a time, eating intentionally not only allows you to chew and digest your food properly, it also helps you to be more mindful of the food choices you make. Try designating an area of the home where you enjoy your meals and ensure it’s as free as possible of distractions like phones and TV.
3. Limit screen time. And while we’re at it, let’s look at drastically reducing the amount of time we spend with our screens altogether. Countless hobbies and activities can be put in place of another endless scroll through social media; try taking a walk, stretching your body, reading a book or taking a bath.

—Jay Shetty