Now the time of year begins again when people spend more time indoors. A day on the couch with a cup of tea can be really cosy. To make the ambience even more relaxing, you could light a scented candle or put a scented oil in a bowl of water. The aromas have a positive effect on body, mind and soul and can help you to bring your doshas back into balance.
How scents influence us
What is your favourite food? Close your eyes and imagine it clearly. Can you smell the scent in your nose? Or do you remember special moments from your childhood? Do you remember how wonderful it smelled when you baked biscuits with your grandparents? What do you feel when you have these images in your head? You realise that smells and aromas have a great influence on our emotions, but also on our health.
The sense of smell is the first sense to be developed in a human foetus. Over 10 million olfactory cells in our nose pick up the scents and process them in the limbic system in the brain. The limbic system is also responsible for the development of emotions. That is why scents have a strong effect on our emotions.
In European Ayurveda, essential oils and incense are used to stabilise bio-energies and increase well-being.
The right aromatherapy for your doshas
Vata dosha is the bioenergy of change, movement and transformation. It is attributed to the elements of air and ether. Light, agile, dry, cool and rough are the qualities associated with the dosha. Vata is the energy of creativity, enthusiasm and drive. When the dosha is out of balance you quickly become restless, stressed and out of sorts. You can suffer from sleep and indigestion, and it is difficult for your mind to stop spinning.
Accordingly, soothing, warm and sweet fragrances are real balm for an unbalanced Vata dosha. Lavender, patchouli, clove or camomile are fragrances that help you relax and calm down. If you want to increase your bioenergy a little, you can use invigorating scents such as lemon, sandalwood or grapefruit.
In Ayurvedic teachings, the bioenergy pitta is associated with the elements fire and water. Its properties are hot, oily, pungent, moist and fluid. Pitta influences our passion, our temperament and is literally the fire that burns within us. If the bioenergy is disturbed, it often shows itself through an overstimulated mood, too much drive and inner restlessness. Digestion and hormone balance can be disturbed. The digestive fire Agni is shut down when there is too much Pitta.
Aromatherapy relies on cooling, spicy and sweet scents for a disturbed body. Melissa, jasmine or cinnamon are a real benefit for body, mind and soul. The scents help you to become a little calmer inside and to deal with stressful situations in a more relaxed way.
Kapha is the dosha of stability and calm. The elements earth and water are associated with the third bioenergy. Kapha is often described with the attributes sweet, heavy, constant, soft and oily. In the right amount, the dosha helps us to cope with everyday life with calmness, moderation and thoughtfulness. If it gets out of hand, however, depressive moods, listlessness, weight gain and resignation can be the result.
Invigorating, stimulating, spicy and warm fragrances are recommended for a disorder. Eucalyptus, rosemary or frankincense have the greatest effect on the dosha. Since the Kapha energy is organically very closely related to the respiratory tract, colds are not uncommon when the energy flow is disturbed. Eucalyptus and mint facilitate breathing and reduce the formation of mucus.
How do I use the fragrances?
For your aromatherapy, you can use scented oils or incense, for example. Put a few drops of essential oils in a bowl of water and place it in the room. The scent will spread by itself. Use a fragrance lamp to increase the intensity of the scent. The candle also radiates a pleasant warmth.
You can also add a few drops of the scented oil to a bubble bath. If you have a cold, this is a real relief for your respiratory tract. Don't take a bath for too long, though, so as not to cool down.
If you want, you can rub a few drops of the fragrance on your wrists and temples. Your sense of smell will then perceive the aromas better.
If you use incense sticks, inform yourself about the exact application beforehand. You need a fireproof base because the glowing ash can fall down. The scent of incense sticks can be very intense. Therefore, ventilate well in between and use the sticks in larger rooms.
You can use fragrances at any time of day. If you meditate or relax on the side, they have an even better effect on your mind.
Incense and scented oils for your doshas can be found in our shop.
