Using essential oils to assist your meditative practice can enhance the experience. They may be used to cleanse and purify the meditation room or area of negative energy before beginning your meditation. Certain essential oils help you slow and deepen your breath allowing you to reach a deeper place of relaxation and contemplative awareness during the session. Finally they may be used at the end of the session to ground you.

Meditation maybe done indoors or outdoors. Choose a quiet space where you will not be disturbed. Even 10 minutes can help if that is all you can manage in your day. You  can meditate sitting quietly in a chair or on a park bench, sitting crosslegged or lying on the ground or floor. Whatever works for you is perfect.

Essential oils to cleanse and purify:
Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) – removes heavy negative emotions.
Juniper (Juniperus communis) – cleanses the room or area of negativity and helps raise the vibration.
Lemon (Citrus limonum) – cleanses the area and mind allowing you to focus.

Essential oils to deepen your contemplative awareness:
Frankincense (Boswellia carterii) – cleanses the aura, deepens and slows the breath, ceases mental chatter and stills the mind allowing your spirit to soar.
Myrrh (Commiphora molmol) – brings a deep sense of inner stillness and peace. She quietens an overactive mind and strengthens the link between your crown and base chakras.
Rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora) – opens your mind allowing you to access your inner guidance.
Sandalwood (Santalum album) – clarifies and stills your mind allowing a deeper connection to Spirit. She helps you reconnect to your true self so that inspiration can flow.

Essential oils to ground you:
Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) – grounds you while bringing a sense of peace.
Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanoide) – grounds, balances and centres you.

Methods of Use
For cleansing use a diffuser or spray the area.
To make the spray, add up to 15 drops of a single oil or blend to 50 mls of water. Mix together and pour into a spray bottle shaking before each use. Be careful not to get on the furniture, cushions or curtains as it may leave water stains.

During the meditation add up to 5 drops of a single or essential oil blend to a diffuser or vaporiser. If outdoors, add 2 or 3 drops to a tissue and inhale or use a personal inhaler.

To ground add a drop of oil to a tissue and breathe in deeply.