Yoga & Aromatherapy

The month of April comes from the Latin ‘aprilis’, meaning ‘to open’. It is a time when we can begin to start to see things growing and opening and blooming.

With spring here and summer on its way, a lovely essential oil to use this month is camphor oil (cinnamomum camphora).

Made from the branches and leaves of the camphor tree, it takes many years before the camphor is formed; the trees cannot be touched until they are at least 50 years old, so camphor oil should always be used sparingly and treated with respect.

Camphor oil has traditionally been used in ceremonies to purify and cleanse, so try adding a couple of drops to a diffuser to help clear your home and space this month. Diffuse a couple of drops in the morning to help clear your room as this oil has good antibacterial and anti-fungal properties; it will give you and your space a good cleanse and will also aid morning meditations as it helps clear the mind as well.

Similarly, it is a good oil to use at the end of the day as it will help soothe and calm and aid sleep. Place two drops of camphor oil in the bath, along with some milk or base oil, to help ease any aching muscles or tension in the body and bring peace of mind and restore balance.

Avoid using if pregnant, or on young children or the elderly and use with caution with epilepsy and asthma.

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