Every New Years I like to spend a little bit of time reflecting on the year I've had and thinking about some intentions for the coming 12 months. This isn't a time to be critical, but rather an opportunity to let go of any expectations I once held, spend some time in gratitude for how far I've come, and simply set the tone for the coming year.
You can complete this meditation in any amount of time. Slip into calmness, focus on the breath, and then apply your oils as you read the prompts. Allow your mind to wander and relax, notice what comes up, sit with your thoughts.
It doesn't have to be New Years to benefit from this tone setting practice. You can do this at the end of a month, a week, a day or a full moon! Anytime you need a refresh and reset, come to a version of this practice again and again.
Prepare the Space
Set the mood, dim the lights, no distractions, have notebook + pen handy, chill vibes.
Diffuse vetiver, serenity, balance, frankincense, lavender or your absolute favourite calming essential oils.
Gather at least three different oils to use. Look over the following steps and the emotions index and decide what oils you're going to want for the practice based on how you're feeling in the moment.
During this meditation you'll be prompted to think on three different topics of thought while using a specific oil on a specific part of the body.
Cleanse
Forgiveness
Gratitude
Begin by spending some time (at least 5 min) calming your thoughts and connecting to your breath. You can count your breath to help stay focused, or silently say "in" and "out" with your corresponding breath.
When you're ready, you can open your eyes and begin at step one:
Step One | Cleanse
(oil suggestions: Bergamot, Jasmine, Grapefruit, Neroli, or a favourite citrus oil)
Apply 1-2 drops of [chosen oil] to inner wrists, rub together and then take several deep breaths inhaling from the wrists (take your time, at least 5 breaths.) Begin to think about any of the beliefs, habits, places, people, media, or circumstances you know don't bring value to your life. Make the intention of detaching from these things in the coming year (month, day, etc) Say, even though sometimes I've felt [overwhelmed, unbalanced] by [outside influences, people, anxiety], that's okay, I love and accept myself anyway and I am ready to let go of what no longer serves me. Rub the excess oil onto the neck.
***Spend some time in meditation between each step (at least a few minutes, try not to rush it) Let your mind wander and take you to whatever comes up after reading the prompt. Sometimes this can feel very uncomfortable, but remember that the only way we can let go of old hurt or stagnant energy is to call it out into our awareness and move through it.***
Step Two | Forgiveness
(oil suggestions: Peppermint, Wintergreen, Douglas fir, Litsea, or your favourite tree oil)
Apply 1-2 drops of [chosen oil] to your palms, rub together vigorously and then take several long full breaths from cupped hands. Graciously offer forgiveness to yourself, your family, your friends, your enemies, your experiences, circumstances, accidents, mistakes, forgive. it. all. Even though I feel [guilt, shame, anger], that's okay, I love and accept myself anyway and I am ready to start releasing these feelings. Rub any excess oil over your shoulders.
Step Three | Gratitude
(oil suggestions: Frankincense, Ylang ylang, Vetiver, Lavender, or favourite grounding/calming oil)
Apply 1-2 drops of [chosen oil] to fingertips and breath in the aroma deeply for several moments. Recognize the extent of the journey you've been on so far and all the work you put in to reach this point. Think about all the blessings in your life. Thank you body for carrying you all this way. Repeat after me: Even though sometimes I feel [unmotivated, uncertain, off track] that's okay, I love and accept myself anyway and I am so incredibly proud of how far I've come. Then apply the excess oil to your temples, brow, and heart.
Stay in meditation for a little while longer, returning to your breath once again and letting go of your thoughts. Be sure to take notes anytime you feel called to. Don't wait to do it at the end, but write down any ideas or thoughts as they come to mind.
Come back to this practice (or one similar to it) as often as you like to refresh and reset your mindset. If you find any part of this meditation particularly difficult, this could be a good indication that there's some resistance there that needs revisiting, even if it's hard.
Essential oils can powerfully influence our emotions and their complex molecular structure allows them to intelligently bind to the receptor sites of cells in our body and help restore balance and healthy function. Using these aromatic emotional triggers, we can support the mind in meditation and aid ourselves in moving through the various stages of this practice.
Try this meditation and let me know which oils you used! I'd love to hear your thoughts!
