The term “meditate” originates from the Latin meditatum, meaning “to ponder.” Monk Guigo II introduced this terminology for the first time in the 12th century AD.
The Britannica tells us that meditation is a “private devotion or mental exercise encompassing various techniques of concentration, contemplation, and abstraction, a conductive to heightened self-awareness, spiritual enlightenment, and physical and mental health”
Meditation has been practised by humans for thousands of years, the earliest documented records that mentioned meditation involved Vedantism, which is a Hindu tradition in India, around 1500 BCE. However, historians believe that meditation was practised well before this time, as early as 3000 BCE. Many forms of meditation can be found throughout various cultures and religions in history.
Today, more of us are turning towards mediation as a tool for self-care, to help us deal with the stress and worries of the modern world. Since modern man took an interest in meditation many studies have been conducted showing us that meditation is indeed a valuable tool. Dr Sara Lazar a Harvard Neuroscientist was one of the first to research meditation and how it can affect the brain. Her study showed that in a matter of 8 weeks, there were changes in the brain. Similarly, there are other studies that have been conducted over the years.
Some of the benefits found through meditation practice are
- Reduce stress
- Helps control anxiety
- Promotes emotional health
- Enhances self-awareness
- Lengthens attention span
- Can help reduce age-related memory loss
- May help fight addictions
- Help improve sleep
- Can help decrease blood pressure
- Can help control pain
Due to aromas’ impact on the limbic system, essential oils can be a very useful tool to help centre, ground and focus the mind and help quiet negative self-talk.
Some of the most helpful oils for meditation our
- Frankincense – Helps bring deep peace and balance and to bring clarity to the mind
- Sandalwood – Helps to clear the mind, calm, and relieve anxiety and tension
- Neroli – Helps promotes self-love, acceptance, and creativity Vetiver
- Cedarwood – Helps to thwart off stress and eliminate various symptoms of anxiety
- Lavender – Has anti-anxiety and antidepressant properties, and is a natural relaxer.
- Ylang Ylang – Helps to reduce feelings of anxiety and uplifts the spirits.
- Meditation blend by Enlighten Through Nature, a unique combination of oils specially chosen to help focus the mind, provides a sense of calm and promotes thought and concentration with the help of Frankincense, Rosemary, Basil, and Lavender.
I often use a few drops of the meditation blend in my diffuser to help me focus and relax while meditating. However, you should also follow your nose as we all have different preferences and some oils may be more effective than others for your individual needs.
While I try to practice meditation on my own on a regular basis, I also enjoy XHail sessions with a local teacher. If you are Essex based then I highly recommend X-Hail with Sara (https://www.x-hail.org/x-hail-classes-in-south-east-essex) especially if you are just starting out.
