Frankincense . . . one of the most hoard-worthy of all essential oils! Frankincense is historically revered for its meditative qualities, which have been utilized by various religious and medical practitioners for centuries.

Considered a holy oil in the Middle East, Frankincense is commonly used in holy incense and is widely thought to help improve communication with the divine. Its ability to help increase spiritual awareness can allow yoga practitioners to achieve a deeper meditation and physical yoga practice.

Both grounding and meditative, frankincense essential oil is used to balance the root and crown chakras. It can be diffused or applied to vitaflex points to enhance an asana or meditation practice. We diffuse and apply frankincense during my aromatherapy yoga classes to take our practice deeper, pairing it with grounding poses that will allow us to reconnect with our roots and inversions to stimulate  the crown chakra and promote higher awareness.
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In addition to being a great tool to enhance yoga and meditation practices, frankincense is AMAZING for the skin. It can be applied directly onto the skin after mixing it in your palm with a little carrier oil (great for applying to scars, stretch marks, and dark spots), or added into a homemade face cream/serum. Here's one of my favorite combos:

Nighttime Facial Moisturizer with Frankincense
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​In a 2 oz. dropper bottle, combine:

• 6-8 drops Frankincense essential oil
• 6-8 drops Lavender essential oil
• 6-8 drops Lemon essential oil
• Fill with jojoba or argan oil

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Shake gently. Store in a cool, dry place. Apply nightly before bed to moisturize and help to reduce fine lines and blemishes!

In class this week, I'll be diffusing peppermint essential oil to boost energy levels as well as using a cooling peppermint body spray to help cool off and balance the manipura chakra (solar plexus) after some steamy vinyasas!

Peppermint is one of the most popular oils because it is so versatile. In addition to being a great oil to use in yoga classes, it's one that I consider a staple in my oil arsenal, using it to help alleviate headaches, stomachaches, allergies, and even as a detox aid when I am cleansing. Plus, it’s one of the “Everyday Oils” in Young Living’s Premium Starter Kit, so it's one of the first oils most people learn to use when first starting out . The “Everyday Oils” are very much true to their title - you will find yourself using these oils every single day for a variety of reasons, and Peppermint is no exception.
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This quick and easy cooling spray is one of my favorites, both when I'm teaching classes and any time I need a quick cool down and pick-me-up. I'll definitely be taking this with me on all my summertime hikes!

​Make Your Own Peppermint Cooling Spray

Ingredients

• 2 oz. water
• 3-5 drops Young Living Peppermint essential oil

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Instructions

1. Add 3-5 drops of Young Living Peppermint essential oil in a 2 oz. spray bottle.
2. Fill bottle with water (distilled is my preference but if your area has good tap water, that's fine too!).
3. Shake well, spritz on your chest, arms, feet or neck and COOL down!