No matter where you are in your meditation practice, keeping focused and clearing the mind can be much harder than it sounds. Even experienced practitioners fall privy to a wandering mind and restless body. However all is not lost, there are tools that you can use to create a calm mind and serene meditation space. This where using the best essential oils for meditation come in.
Essential oils are very powerful, and make a great addition to any meditation practice. Using oils can improve your experience by naturally calming the mind from worries and distractions. Allowing you to focus on your practice and relax into a state of ultra inner-peace and zen.
The Top 17 Best Essential Oils For Meditation At A Glance
1. Frankincense
2. Myrrh
3. Neroli
4. Sandalwood
5. Rose
6. Vetiver
7. Palo Santo
8. Cedarwood
9. Lavender
10. Bergamot
11. Ylang Ylang
12. Clary Sage
13. Helichrysum
14. Roman Chamomile
15. Agarwood
16. Cistus
17. Jasmine
With countless benefits, meditation can improve your overall mental, emotional and physical well-being. Including reducing stress and anxiety, improving sleep quality, enhanced memory function and cognitive recall. As well as supporting a healthy immune system, and giving you a deep sense of love and compassion for yourself and others.
Using Essential Oils For Meditation
Essential oils for meditation and ritual have been used for centuries for their healing benefits. These precious essential oils are attained by extracting fatty acids from a plants roots, flowers, bark, fruit or seeds. With powerful medicinal properties that are still widely used today.
Therapeutic oils are used by a wide range of modern professionals – including naturopathic doctors, aroma-therapists, massage and physio therapists. With continued use they have stood the test of time. They’ve been extensively researched and proven to help support natural healing for many conditions. With an ability improve emotional, mental and physical healing. Including helping to induce states of calm.
Essential Oils are perfect for enhancing meditation and ritual, and accessing the higher states of awareness needed for spiritual connection.
Benefits Of Essential Oils And Natural Resins For Meditation
- Naturally calm the mind, proven to boost serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain
- Helps to improve “presence” by increasing clarity, focus and prolonged concentration during your meditation
- Induces a deeper state of relaxation, slows down the pulse, regulates breathing and allows the practitioner to reach a deeper state of consciousness
- Can set the tone and intention for your practice, by making the environment a sacred space
- And many more!
“Meditation practice isn’t about trying to throw ourselves away and become something better. It’s about befriending who we are already.” – Pema Chödrön
The Best Essential Oils For Meditation
Now that you have an idea of the benefits of using oils for your practice, let’s break it down with our recommendations for the best oil. Try these alone or in a blend to help you enhance your meditation and mindfulness experience and transport you to a place of calm, inner peace and serenity:
1. Frankincense Essential Oil
Frankincense oil helps increase connection to the divine and the higher self. With a long history of being used for its health and spiritually sacred benefits. Frankincense has an enchanting fragrance, that’s earthy and slightly sweet.
It’s said that just one drop of oil is enough to stabilize your root chakra and expand the aura. Frankincense is resin derived from the of the Boswellia Sacra Tree. With effects that are balancing, grounding and calming to the nervous system.
Use this oil to uplift the spirit in a mindfulness meditation or to purify your meditation space. Frankincense mixes will with Lavender, Geranium, Rose, Sandalwood, Ylang Ylang, and Clary Sage.
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2. Myrrh Essential Oil
Similar to Frankincense, Myrrh is a resin that’s been used for thousands of years for for its focusing, centering, and meditative effects. That open one up to greater spiritual connection. Myrrh contains the compound sesquiterpene which produces a sedative effect, which is shown to reduces stress. As well as, calms the brain and nervous system.
Myrrh clears the mind of fears and worries, leaving you feeling centered and tranquil. It’s considered a key essential oil for prayer and meditation.
Myrrh mixes well with other ceremonial oils, such as Frankincense, Sandalwood and Neroli.
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3. Neroli Essential Oil
Neroli has a Light, sweet-floral fragrance and is excellent for mindfulness meditation as it promotes clarity, self love, self acceptance and well being. With sedative qualities that release anger and depression, while easing worrisome thoughts. The pleasant feelings brought on by its hypnotic effect help relax the mind, inviting in more creativity and a deeper level of spiritual connection. Mixes well with chamomile, clary sage, jasmine and rose.
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4. Sandalwood Essential Oil
You can find Sandalwood burning in temples and used all over the world for its benefits during meditation and prayer . If you suffer from “mental chatter” Sandalwood is very helpful for grounding and has been used for centuries to boost the mood and soothe anxious thoughts.
Promotes an open heart, elevated trust and the healing of old wounds. Useful for raising consciousness and supporting visualization during the meditation experience.
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5. Rose Essential Oil
The universal symbol of love – Roses are also great for enhancing meditation by raising your vibration and increasing overall inner peace and harmony. This beautiful and fragrant oil helps to cultivate a deep sense of love and compassion for yourself and others and would be ideal to use with a LovingKindness or Metta meditation. Rose oil is versatile and blends nicely with a wide variety of oils.
Mix a few drops with Sandalwood to open the heart chakra to receive love, compassion, healing and prosperity. Also excellent for using in a Heart Chakra Meditation, you can find one in our post here.
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6. Vetiver Essential Oil
Known as the “Oil of Tranquility”, Vetiver assists in balancing the nervous system and soothes a restless body and mind. It has compounds that can alleviate insomnia, lift depression, fatigue and reduce stress and anxiety. Especially wonderful for anyone that has a tendency to lose focus and would like to feel more settled while getting into their zone of bliss.
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7. Palo Santo
Palo Santo has been used for its many spiritual applications by Shaman’s and healers for centuries. This sacred oil is also known as “holy wood” and is used in meditation for its calming, grounding and powerful healing effects.
Besides using it as an oil, Palo Santo can be burned as incense or chips to cleanse negative energies lingering around your meditation space or energy body.
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8. Cedarwood Essential Oil
Cedarwood is anti-inflammatory, and has sedative and calming effects which enable you to more easily focus inward. It’s been reported to boost serotonin levels, and when used with a mindfulness meditation can help you to overcome common roadblocks and maintain a consistent daily practice.
Cedarwood’s antiseptic properties protect the lungs against respiratory infections. It is a mucolytic, which means that it breaks down mucus, making it an excellent addition to assist in the deep and consistent breathing required while in a meditation session. Blends well with Bergamot, Frankincense, Jasmine, Lavender, Rose, Neroli.
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9. Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender is one of the worlds most versatile and widely used essential oils for mindfulness and meditation. This is a wonderful oil to use in your practice as it has the ability to help you relax – head to toe. With a deeply calming effect, it assists in stabilizing your energy, and allows you sit longer, with greater focus.
How To Use Lavender Oil For Meditation
Dab a few drops of Lavender Oil on your third eye or heart chakra, or in a blend in an essential oil diffuser.
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10. Bergamot Essential Oil
Bergamot has a spicy and slightly sweet smell reminiscent of oranges and has been proven to assist in the lowering of cortisol levels and boost confidence, fight fatigue while promoting positivity and lifting a negative mood.
Bergamot essential oils can be used as an anti-inflammatory to ease aching muscles, and support sensitive joints. Which can be helpful for anyone who wants to stay seated in their meditation pose longer.
Do you enjoy meditating as soon as you wake up? You’ll find that a adding few drops of Bergamot, in a diffuser a great addition to a morning meditation practice.
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11. Ylang Ylang
Ylang Ylang has a beautiful, sweet fragrance and is a favourite essential oil for meditation. As it’s an extremely calming oil and well-known for reducing tension in the body. With an ultra harmonizing effect, it assists in releasing anger and jealousy, while boosting self-worth and optimism.
Mix with with Bergamot, Sandalwood, Jasmine and for a serene morning meditation experience.
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12. Clary Sage Essential Oil
Do you experience anxiety at the thought of trying to “empty your mind’ and achieve inner peace? Clary sage can support you by invoking feelings of joy and encourage a more positive overall meditation experience. Clary Sage has traditionally been used for its clarifying properties and ability to balance hormones and strengthen the senses.
Use it before your routine to cleanse your space of negative energy. Or dab on pulse points for grounding and strengthening your connection to your higher self and the spiritual world.
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13. Helichrysum Essential Oil
Helichrysum is a essential oil superstar and makes a great addition to any meditation practice – body, mind and soul. With active elements, that help to reduce muscle spasms and decrease swelling while protect joints from lengthy sitting sessions.
Helichrysum also helps to increase compassion, ease depression, fear, and panic. Use it for its restorative properties as well as grounding, calming effects. This essential oil mixes well lavender, frankincense and myrrh.
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14. Roman Chamomile
Roman Chamomile is one of the oldest and most widely used plants in the world for its calming and sedative qualities. Which makes it a great choice if you’re feeling anxious or restless. As it helps increase inner peace and harmony while decreasing overthinking and worry.
Roman Chamomile blends well with Bergamot, Jasmine, Lavender, Rose, Vetiver, and Ylang Ylang.
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15. Agarwood Essential Oil
Agarwood is a mystical resin based oil similar to Frankincense and Myrrh. And has been used by Buddhists and Monks to bring clarity, while centering and calming the mind and spirit. When used in meditation Agarwood helps to unlock the subconscious and balance the energy body.
Use it on your spiritual journey to support enlightenment, clarity and grounding. Blend Sandalwood and Agarwood essential oils and use in a sacred ceremonial or meditation ritual.
The effects of this essential oil are relaxing and euphoric, yet enhances mental clarity and purpose. Useful for meditation, ceremony and increased intimacy.
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16. Cistus Essential Oil
Also known as Rockrose essential oil, Cistus has rich, warm and spicy in aroma. With a history of being used in meditation for grounding the root chakra and elevating the mind. Comforting and calming it can be helpful to clear negative emotions and heal past traumas. Also good or anyone who has suffered from experiencing a dramatic loss.
Use this essential oil in your meditation practice with Frankincense, Myrrh and Sandalwood to center and focus the mind.
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17. Jasmine Essential Oil
Sweet and intoxicating, this beautiful oil from the petals of the jasmine flower and has a warm, romantic floral fragrance. Beside being wonderfully scented Jasmine oil has natural sedative properties. Which work to increase GABA activity in your brain. In turn, helping regulate feelings of stress, anxiety and worrisome thoughts.
When used in meditation Jasmine offers a strong sense of awareness while helping you to be completely relaxed without feeling drowsy. Perfect for connection, awareness and the presence needed to stay focused during your session.
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How To Use Essential Oils For Meditation
You can use essential oils a few different ways during your meditation practice. The most popular is to put the oils on your pulse points, chakra points or use in a diffuser. Many people find a combination of methods work well for them.
So we highly recommend to experiment with different techniques to see what you like best.
1. Essential Oil Steam Diffuser
Using an aromatherapy steam diffuser is an excellent way to fill your environment with ambiance and wonderful scents to help you and relax and focus. To deepen connection, and feel more centered during your meditation, add Add 5-10 drops of your favorite oils to your diffuser.
We like this one from InnoGear check pricing on Amazon here.
2. Candle Diffuser
Similar to a steam diffuser a candle diffuser helps set the tone for a deeply relaxing meditation experience. Adding just a few drops before you get started, can help to keep you deeply relaxed and peaceful during your session.
It’s important to note that candle diffusers can run dry fairly quickly. When choosing your diffuser, look for one that has a deep well for the water. And then make sure its full before you start your session.
Also, another word of caution. Don’t use a candle diffuser, if you tend asleep when you’re meditating.
3. Topical Application
Mix with a carrier oil and apply directly on your pulse points – wrists, temples, behind the ears or knees, on the soles of your feet or by anointing your third eye. Mix with a carrier oil and rub on to joints, ankles or anywhere it feels achey or sore.
Essential oils are so versatile, basically put them anywhere you feel in need of an extra touch of relaxation.
4. Essential Oil Spray / Mist
Using a spray mist, either a done for you blend or DIY blend you make by mixing your favorite oils with water in a small spray bottle (sacred space DIY recipe below). Then spray the fragrance in the air, your body or on your meditation cushion or eye pillow.
Essential Oils make a great gift for yourself or the meditation lover in your life. For more gift ideas check out our article here.
DIY – Essential Oil Blend Recipes For Meditation
Grounding Meditation Blend
- Sandalwood – 3 drops
- Frankincense – 3 drops
- Neroli – 3 drops
Bliss Blend
- Ylang Ylang – 3 drops
- Frankincense – 3 drops
- Patchouli – 2 drops
Om Diffuser Blend
- Lavender – 5 drops
- Cedarwood – 3 drops
- Bergamot – 2 drop
Balanced Diffuser Blend
- 10 drops Frankincense
- 10 drops Bergamont
- 20 drops Cedarwood
- 5 drops Rose
- 2 drops Jasmine
- 2 drops Roman Chamomile
Sacred Space Mist
- 10 drops Cedarwood (balancing)
- 5 drops Lavender essential oil (calming)
- 5 drops Frankincense essential oil (opening)
- Filtered or distilled water
- Spray bottle (dark glass works the best)
To Make:
- Add essential oils to bottle
- Fill with water
- Shake well before using
At the end of the day…
Essential oils and meditation are two superstars that can help relieve the stress and anxiety. And relieve the distractions and pressures that come with modern living. They are wonderful tools that help you to deepen your connection and up-level your overall sense of well-being.
By adding the best essential oils for meditation to your routine you’ll find a truly amazing and enjoyable way to enhance your experience. With many benefits, like a clear and focused mind. As well as, feeling of being centered, connected, relaxed and peaceful.
We hope that you consider trying these essential oils out for yourself! Namaste!
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