So often we do everything we can do to prevent them from feeling anxiety reactions – but ‘fear’ is a normal part of life. A fear reaction is a natural, protective mechanism of our nervous system at a time when we feel unsafe – that is designed to serve us. The challenge is when it becomes a situation that is activated more often than relaxed. And unfortunately it is a state that our world is well to know with its busy, chaotic rapid pace of life. Life is overwhelming, we can feel fear and out of hand – usually because our culture has ‘quickly’ appreciated ‘well -being’.
Living in a permanent state of fear, in this way, influences the body and mind. The good news is that essential oils offer a balm for fear and offer a natural way to support ourselves through these moments – they are a wonderful tool to calm the nervous system, regulate our emotions and bring us back to the middle.
So, during this summer season, because we are in the middle of all the busy things – I thought it was a great idea to explore some essential oils to gently support us through fear – not to get rid of it completely, but to help us feel lime, more relaxed and safer this summer.
Let us speak to fear in different ways that it can appear.
Fear in the body – supporting the nervous system
When fear is activated, it often shows itself through the body. There are some common physical symptoms:
- A tight breast or shallow breathing
- Restlessness – Feeling nervous or unable to relax
- Sleeping
- Digestion discomfort
- Tension headache
Each of these are signs that your nervous system is activated – often in fight, flight or freezing. Essential oils can gently reduce your body to a place of calmness and regulations.
Some useful oils for supporting the nervous system include:
- Lavender – a floral oil that is deeply calming and ideal for calming the mind and body before going to sleep.
- Vetivert – a smoky, earthy, woody oil, known as the oil of ‘rest’ – It is earthing and stabilizing when emotions feel reinforced.
- Roman Kamille – a strong, spicy, fruity oil for soft calming and soothing support.
When we feel activated, we can work with these oils to calm our body through activation of the nervous system – and they do wonders to cure some of the physical manifestations of fear in the body.
Nerve system mixture: Mix 3 drops of lavender, 2 drops of chamomile and 1 drop fativert in 15 ml of grape seed oil and massage it gently in your skin in a direction to the heart before bedtime, breathable to breathe in the aromas and your body tenderly invited to relax.
Fear in the Spirit – Relating fear of uncertainty
An? Whether we experience a change at work, a home movement, the beginning of a new school year or another shift, uncertainty can cause an fear -based ‘control’ anxiety response in which we are reflecting on, feel indecisely and can catastrophy.
In addition to supporting the body and the nervous system, it is useful at these moments to also create a feeling of mental safety – to remind the mind that we are being supported.
Oils that can help us with ‘transitions’ and to help our minds to be calmer include:
- Cedarwood – a dry, woody oil that brings a feeling of grounded reassurance and mental calm.
- Patchouli – Patchouli is a musky -sweet, spicy spicy oil, Patchouli is a soothing, balancing oil that connects us again with the present moment and calms mental chatter.
- Bergamot – a light, fruity – sweet flower citrus that lifts heavy fear – often referred to as the Prozac of nature.
We can work with these oils to calm our minds in moments of fear of uncertainty.
Calming the mind mixture: Mix 3 drops of bergamot, 2 drops of patchouli and 2 drops of cedarwood in water in an electric diffuser or candle burner and start morning with a calming sensory experience to offer a sense of safety!
Fear in our emotions – when fear drives what we do because we feel emotionally unsafe
Sometimes fear can take the wheel completely – especially if we feel emotionally unsafe.
We could:
- Say yes if we want to say no
- Avoid conflicts to preserve peace
- Try to control everything so that nothing goes wrong, and we don’t have to feel any sorrow
- Have the feeling that we must be ‘perfect’
- Prevent our needs or feelings
- Push through when our bodies say ‘stop’, or
- Keep working to prevent you from feeling
This behavior tries to protect us against our emotions, but they can also tap our energy and break us from ourselves.
There are oils that can help us support us that come back to our emotional safety and help us feel more emotionally, remind us that we are supported and worthy:
- Ylang ylang – and intense, exotic, sweet floral oil, these soften emotions and soothes the heart, helps us to release emotional tension that we have held.
- Geranium-with a heavy, sweet-floral aroma supports this oil emotional balance and regulation of large feelings.
- Rose – Another flowers (they are all emotionally calming) – sweet, but with deep rosy undertone, Rose helps us to be confronted and release difficult emotions.
NB: Avoid this if you are pregnant, without supervision of your doctor and aromatherapist.
We can work with these oils at any time that we need some emotional support in times of fear. Here is a roller ball mixture that you can make on the road and take it with you:
Emotional roller ball mixture: Mix 1 drop ylang ylang and 1 drop of geranium in 10 ml of grape seed oil in a roller ball bottle. Wear this with you for every moment that you need some emotionally soothing and roll on your pole points, or neck, to calm yourself.
Other simple ways to use essential oils for fear:
Here are some last tips for integrating aromatherapy in your days in which you experience periods of fear:
- Mix up to 5 drops of your favorite ‘anxiety-busting’ oils in 15 ml of bath oil or shower gel and add to the warm water of your bath.
- For a super fast boost, on the road, inhaled oils directly from the bottle to calm fear or overwhelming.
- Add 3 drops of your favorite frightening oil to a cotton pad and roll it in an aromatherapy inhaler to take with you!
In general, however, it can be useful to simply remember that fear is a natural human reaction – and that there are also natural ways to support ourselves back to harmony with essential oil support.
We do not have to push and ignore our fear – oils offer us a simple way to feel more grounded and safe, to relieve fear, stabilize our nervous system and re -connection with a feeling of calmness.
When fear occurs, you reach your oils, breathe and remind yourself of your strength to create healing and to be nice to yourself. The best thing is – we can experiment with oils! Play around and watch which work for you.
Fortunately mix.
Nicole Barton
Consultant Aromatherapist
Disclaimer & Safety advice
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