HEALTH Start with positive thinking

Accentuate the positive


Aromatherapy
Ellen Cox

The New Year is here, and thoughts of how we might change or improve ourselves start creeping in. Changes that we often feel we need to make, that we know will improve our wellbeing, have to start somewhere, and sometimes it comes from having a good old think. Basil oil is a terrific oil for clarity, especially when there seems to be a lot of ‘chatter’ in our heads. Rosemary oil is also great for clearing the head – however, not at bedtime, as it is quite a potent stimulant (and you should take care to observe the correct dosage of Rosemary if you suffer from high blood pressure).
Being bombarded with new regimes for a New Year can be exhausting. I can’t say I was ever a huge fan. Failing to accomplish New Year goals is often desperately disheartening. The best thing is not to rush things – take it one step at a time. So, altogether now: “inch by inch life’s a synch, yard by yard it’s very hard!”
If you’ve been having thoughts about the type of changes that you feel would bring about benefits, return to those thoughts regularly and for short periods. Trying to identify clearly what it is you wish to achieve, what the benefits would be and what it would involve, will go a long way towards a positive result.
Essential oils can be extremely helpful when we require a more positive outlook, it’s very difficult to make a change in a negative state of mind. And although it always feels like a real triumph to have the shortest day behind us, January can be a long and dark month. Mandarin oil has a sweet and tangy aroma, you start salivating almost immediately after smelling it, and together with all the rest of the citrus family, it’s a very uplifting oil, particularly in the winter months. Citrus oils are extracted from fruits that have spent long months soaking up summer sunshine. Put a few drops on a tissue and keep on your person to inhale. Sprinkle a little in the car, or six to eight drops in the shower each morning away from the plughole. Try to make it simple.
Anyone who regularly walks or takes exercise knows how important that simple pastime or activity is to their outlook. However, if you’re not in the right frame of mind it can be an uphill battle to get started. Of course therein lies the key: Once you get started the rewards appear in some shape or form, often small to begin with, but small is beautiful.
Other oils associated with positivity are bergamot (used in Earl Grey tea), geranium (blends well with lavender and bergamot), melissa and rose – all noted for their antidepressant effects without being sedative. Unlike the citrus oils they are very suited for use in the bath: six to eight drops (for an adult) in a little vegetable oil or milk (1 teaspoon) and add to the water when the bath has finished filling.
Thinking clearly is hard when you’re tired, so taking a little time to restore yourself will serve you well for rest of the year. Wishing you all the very best for 2010.