Yoga & Aromatherapy

January sees us welcome in both a new month and a new year. It is a time of new beginnings and a chance to make plans for the upcoming year; it is also a time to cleanse and renew ourselves after the festive season. The essential oil to help us do this is hyssop oil (hyssopus officinalis).

Hyssop oil is a lovely cleansing oil and has long been used to purify and anoint temples as it was considered a holy plant with wonderfully purifying properties. This makes it the perfect oil to use this month to shake off the excesses of the past few months and move into the new year refreshed and renewed.

A couple of drops of hyssop oil in a diffuser in your studio or home will soon purify and cleanse the space and help to remove any stagnation. It also works to help clear the mind and aid concentration, so ideal to use before your daily practice to help take you deeper in your meditation. You can also place a couple of drops on a tissue and gently inhale the oil at your desk. Hyssop oil also works on a deeper level to help you see the bigger picture and set goals and plan, which is why it makes it such a brilliant essential oil to use in January. Allow the oil to completely purify body, mind and soul ready for a brand new year ahead.

Do not use if pregnant or have epilepsy or on young children.

Julia White is a yoga teacher and aromatherapist (jwhitelondon.com)