Winter Aromas
Posted on December 3, 2019 by dragonspitapothecary
I am not a winter lover. Cold weather, blustery winds, dark afternoons and of course having to bundle up wherever you go. Thankfully, where I live in South Carolina winters are not as brutal as they were when I lived in Michigan and Kentucky but there is enough to remind me it’s not my favorite season.
For me, I don’t like feeling cold and I really don’t like feeling constrained under layers of clothes and blankets. For one it’s really hard to move in them and it just feels bulky. It also adds a lot to the laundry pile. Secondly, I feel constrained and forced to be still. As I sit now writing this post I realize that sometimes forcing ourselves to sit isn’t always a bad thing. Winter at least forces us to intentionally sit more than we normally would and for people like me we may even find a way to like it some. Maybe. Winter calls for us to slow down and rest but for some reason I feel like a rebelling toddler fighting bedtime most of winter.
Missing Light
I personally miss long drawn out sunsets that go on and on. It is sunny when I wake up and sunny when I’m winding down. The sun is feeding my soul and recharging me. Yet in the winter it is gone so early in the evening. It is truly like a light switch that is switched and everything is dark. The street lights pop on and there is shadows making it feeler colder and later than it is.
This is one of the reasons we are so drawn to citrus fruits in the winter time. The shape and color of these fruits remind us of the sun. They are sweet, warm and light just like the sun itself. Using lots of citrus essential oils in my diffuser in the office, bedroom and kitchen helps me during these dark days. I can smell sweet lemons, limes, oranges, kumquats and grapefruit all drifting through the air like it is indeed warm weather.
Even if you are a winter lover, ensuring you feed your soul light through fruit aromatically, topically and internally is key to help offset depression. We are incredibly vulnerable in winter for sad thoughts, anxiety and things that can compound into depression symptoms. Using citrus essential oils daily can help support you through this season and provide that much needed boost of internal sun we all need.
Reflections
With working full time, running Dragonspit and taking care of my family I don’t feel I take enough down time to myself. It is not at all easy to disconnect and relax some times because well there is always something that needs to be done. Many of us are like this where we go from task-to-task and get use to that flurry of constant going and doing.
When we are able to stop to relax it can feel strange, like we are on a ship in the open ocean and we don’t yet have our sea legs. We feel wobbly, unsure and awkward. This is where I have the hardest time sitting still. There is almost an instant guilt that I should actually be doing something instead of lounging. My goodness who has time for lounging?
As much as I don’t like winter the sometimes “forced” downtime it brings by not wanting to run out and do an errand but instead simply read a book, take a nap or watch a movie is good. For me the season of winter brings too much of this for my liking but I can appreciate some of it and the message it is trying to tell me. Namely, that my body, soul and mind are in need of rest and it truly is ok to take a time out every now and again. The do-to list can wait. Maybe for a bit anyway.
With my on-the-go constant do mentality I have found I really need to use some deep essential oils to help me not feel so restless when I am trying to relax. The doTERRA Aromatouch has been helpful for me in this area. This is a light woody, floral aroma that isn’t overwhelming but it provides that sense of calmness that support relaxing. I will often diffuse it in the room I am in or rub it on the back of my neck in a light massage.
Warming
When the temperature dips below 50 degrees I really start to feel cold all the time. Its like I never adjust to the colder weather even after it’s hung out for awhile. I struggle with getting out of my warm bed with the electric blanket on chilly mornings and seek out the comfort of quilts in front of the fireplace in the evening. It seems the older I get the less and less I adjust to these dipping temperatures.
Our bodies generate heat on their own and I’m certain despite my cold hands and feet I am actually probably the right temperature. We are actually burning about the same energy we do in the summer even though we are moving less. In the summer we are moving more and the sun warms us but in the winter we are generating our own heat and this causes our bodies to also use a lot of energy. I often think of our bodies as a solar panel that soaks up all those delicious rays of sun in anticipation of using them in the winter. For me, I think my panel must be busted or I go through it very quickly because I get cold a lot.
Aroma can help us stay warm or at least feel comforted by things that are warming. Cinnamon, clove, cedarwood, Black Spruce and Siberian Fir are all hearty, warming aromas that tell us nature still have us covered in warmth even when the sun is not there. We can rely on these sturdy aromas to feel wrapped in comfort and warmth. I particularly like to diffuse these in my car and hotels when I’m traveling in winter months because it makes it feel like home and its relaxing.
Winter Pastimes
We all have favorite things to do in the winter, even those of us that are not fans of this season. We can find comfort, allow ourselves to give in to relaxation and experience the support of this season. Using this time to rest, reflect and allow ourselves to dream gives us the time to prepare and be ready for when the seasons are warmer and we can be doing more.
Get the oils I recommend in this post and try them when you are feeling a little lost this winter. Allow your mind to take that time out and work through the discomfort of getting cozy with a fire and book. You can order my favorite oils of winter and a high quality diffuser right here: dragonspitapothecary.com/winteroils
Join the conversation happening on the website too on how you survive winter or what makes it your favorite season. dragonspitapothecary.com/members