Have you ever noticed how January arrives wrapped in a cultural expectation of pushing, forcing, and pushing—aka a lot of “shoulds”? Every year we’re called to make resolutions that often simply create pressure to perform, improve or transform overnight – leaving us feeling stressed, anxious, and like a failure, rather than of any benefit.
The truth is that this “busyness” is actually deeply at odds with our own inner rhythms and the cycles of nature – which is likely why we end up feeling out of balance. What happens with every resolution is that we adopt a mindset that asks us to override our natural energy cycle with willpower. We actually do the opposite of what nature tells us to do.
Our bodies remind us that January is actually a season of ‘hibernation’. It is a season designed for rest, reflection and gentle restoration. It’s slow, internal and nourishing – no time for a sprint. If you feel exhausted in January, it could be a sign that you are being called more deeply to embrace your inner and outer cycles, to restore some harmony. Essential oils can help us connect with our seasons – and leave the ‘shoulds’ behind.
The different inner and outer rhythms – and how they mirror each other
There are many different rhythms to be aware of – both inner and outer cycles. There are rhythms in the body – our circadian rhythm, or menstrual cycle – and there are cycles in nature – like the seasons.
And the interesting thing is that in many ways each of these cycles speaks the same language. There are four similar phases in each of these rhythms, for example:
- Winter = Night = Menstruation (Inner Winter) – this is a time of complete silence and rest.
- Spring = Morning = Follicular (inner spring) – this is the time to wake up gently.
- Summer = Afternoon = Ovulation (Inner Summer) – this is the time to be outside and active.
- Autumn = Evening = Luteal (inner autumn) – this is a time of change, when we come to rest.
This is very useful to know because it means that there are ‘collective’ seasonal oils that can really support each of these ‘inner seasons’. Each rhythm has its own energetic season – so we’ll highlight a range of oils that work to support circadian, menstrual and seasonal rhythms.
Essential oils and rituals for every energetic season
Oils for winter/night/menstruation (inner winter).
Let’s start with January – and where we actually enter the winter phase – and by winter in this case I also mean the night and menstrual phase of our cycle (for women who bleed).
Inner Winter invites us to the following:
- Rest
- Refuge
- Inertia
- Inner listening
- Supplement
- Clarity through silence
And the essential oils that best support this include:
- Frankincense – an oil that helps us slow the mind and calls us into silence
- Myrrh – a meditative, restorative oil
- Vetivert – a grounding oil that stabilizes our nervous system and creates a feeling of calm
- Cedarwood – a stabilizing oil that soothes overwhelm.
We can see from the description of winter that it clashes with the idea of New Year’s resolutions and goals – and if we overcrowd this space with them, we actually lose the opportunity for inner summer productivity.
Here is a ritual to regain the winter rhythm in your body (when it feels like inner winter in your body):
Winter baths – Mix 3 drops of cedarwood, 2 drops of vetivert and 1 drop of myrrh in 15 ml of bath oil and add it to the warm running water of a bath. Close the windows and doors, unplug and sink into the wintery, warm energy of silence – and allow yourself to embody this energy.
Remind yourself: I have permission to rest; it’s winter in my body.
Spring/morning/follicular (inner spring) oils
Inner Spring has a different feeling: we can feel the shifts in our body when we get up in the morning; it is like the dawn of the new. It invites us to:
- Awaken
- Renewal
- First move
- Things start
And the essential oils that best support this include:
- Lemon – a bright, cheerful oil to wake us up
- Peppermint – an invigorating, stimulating oil for awakening
- Rosemary – an oil that supports focus, this is perfect to help as our energy rises
- Geranium – a balancing oil, it supports the shift from silence to action
Here is a ritual to reclaim the rhythm of spring in your body (when it feels like inner spring in your body):
Spring inhalation – add 2 drops of lemon and 1 drop of rosemary on a cotton pad and roll it into an aromatherapy inhaler. Take a peaceful morning walk in nature, connect with the rhythms of the earth and inhale the scent as you wake up.
Remind yourself: It is a quiet start to the day; we are in the inner spring.
Oils for summer/midday/ovulation (inner summer).
Inner Summer feels like the peak of our energy – it’s the warm solar season, when we feel at the most active time of the day, or have the most energy. This season invites us to:
- Action
- Expression
- Outward movement
- Vitality
And the essential oils that best support this include:
- Jasmine – this sensual oil promotes self-confidence and self-expression
- Ylang Ylang – sweet and exotic, this oil supports emotional expansion
- Sweet Orange – a cheerful, bright, sunshine-like oil, which improves mood and encourages playfulness and vitality
- Bergamot – this oil is uplifting and confidence-inspiring and helps us connect with the outside world
Here is a ritual to regain the summer rhythm in your body (when it feels like inner summer in your body):
Summer massage – mix 2 drops of sweet orange, 2 drops of bergamot and 1 drop of ylang ylang in 15 ml of sweet almond oil and mix well. Apply it to your body in a ritualistic manner – towards your heart – and then move your body or dance for a moment to truly embody the energy of expression.
Remind yourself: The expression of my body is welcome.
Autumn/evening/luteal (inner autumn) oils
Inner autumn is the season when we feel the most change – it’s the evening time when we prepare to calm down and let go – and we can feel emotional. This season invites us to:
- Insight
- Grounding
- Limit setting
- Preparing for release
And the essential oils that best support this include:
- Patchouli – an oil that grounds the nervous system and helps us land back in the body during overwhelm
- Clary Sage – a truth-telling oil that involves setting boundaries and emotional honesty when we feel tired
- Cedarwood – calming and emotionally regulating, it helps us transition to calm
- Cardamom – warm, spicy and uplifting, this oil brings clarity when we are pulled in many directions
Here is a ritual to reclaim the rhythm of autumn in your body (when it feels like inner autumn to you in your body):
Fall Pulse Point Rollette – mix 1 drop of Clary Sage and 1 drop of Cedarwood in 10 ml of grapeseed oil in a roller bottle. In the evening, roll on your pulse points – wrists, neck, temples, to help you relax.
Remind yourself: I can let go and let go of the day – what am I willing to put down?
Remember: it’s not just about matching the seasons; it concerns both the seasons within and the seasons outside. We don’t actually have to be in the offseason of summer to need a winter ritual — this is all about how we feel in our bodies. So take your time, tune in and let your body guide you in using the oils you need in each moment.
We are cyclical beings – and at any moment we can meet ourselves where we are. The important thing to recognize is that we are not designed for spring all year round; winter is a sacred season for recalibration. Let this be your permission to rest in January, instead of pushing, achieving and reinventing yourself… Rhythm is a return to your truth and the wise cycles within.
Have fun blending in 2026!
Nicole Barton
Advisor Aromatherapist
Disclaimer and safety advice
Read other articles by Nicole Barton