What Are The Best Essential Oils for Meditation? (2023 Update)

Just like mornings and matcha tea, or smoothie bowls and granola, yoga and essential oils go hand in hand! When used in yoga practice, they promote mental focus to help you flow through each movement, while their indulgent aromas create a moment of total indulgence. 

Depending on what mood you’re in, or what kind of meditative energy you’d like to cultivate, the type of oil you use is going to differ from session to session. Whether you want to create a sense of calm or you want to uplift your senses, there’s an essential oil that can help create the ambiance you’d like. 

Adding essential oils to your meditation routine can really boost the practice and increase your mind-body harmony. Why do meditation and essential oils work together so well? And how do you know which essential oils to use when you meditate?To help you decide which to purchase, here are five essential oils that will take your yoga to the next level, and help you to feel completely zen from head to toe. Whether you’re a yogi enthusiast or still trying to nail a vinyasa, you can benefit from adding these oils to your practice. 

We’re going to review the best essential oils for meditation and see what each of them can do for you and your well-being.

In a hurry? Calm your mind with our top pick:

USDA certified, the Cliganic Essential Oil contains 100% organic Frankincense essential oil, which is well-known to be one of the best essential oils for yoga. Though it’s a multipurpose oil that can be used for wounds, poison ivy relief, and even scars, this oil can be used to soothe and calm the mind, making it the ideal accompaniment to any yoga session. 

Here’s why it’s our top essential oil:

  • Ensuring the integrity of the Frankincense Essential Oil, the USDA certified oil is 100% organic. 
  • It is free of alcohol and additives. 
  • It’s not tested on animals. 
  • Frankincense is known for its calming properties and will help you to detox and destress, so it’s a surefire way to elevate your yoga workout.

 

 

Best Essential Oils Comparison Chart

Product Reviews

Cliganic USDA Organic Frankincense Essential Oil

Transform your yoga workout with the Cliganic USDA Organic Frankincense Essential Oil.

Not only do the best yoga sessions require deep breathing and concentration, but they also require a sense of peace and calm to allow for greater grounding and focus, and the Cliganic USDA Organic Frankincense Essential Oil will help you to achieve this.

Frankincense oil is known for its ability to help promote peace and calm and is considered to be a spiritually charged oil that promotes mental focus, so If you’re the kind of person that likes to do yoga in the evening, this Organic Frankincense Essential Oil is definitely worth considering.

Not only will this Frankincense Oil offer elevation for the mind, but it can really help to promote a better sense of center, which can help with the spiritual connection. The USDA Organic Frankincense Essential Oil is manufactured via the strict oversight of the USDA which ensures that the oil used in this product is 100% organic. 

It contains no alcohol, additives, and has multi-purpose benefits that can be used to treat wounds and lower the appearance of scars. If you find yourself experiencing difficulty focusing or centering yourself during yoga, you’ll benefit from incorporating this frankincense oil into your session.

Pros

  • Multipurpose oil that can be used outside of yoga
  • Cruelty-free
  • Doesn’t contain any alcohol, additives, or fragrance

Cons

  • This oil may not be suitable for those who want an essential oil that can uplift and energize

Plant Therapy Vetiver Essential Oil

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of essential oils? Probably something like peppermint and maybe not vetiver, but Plant Therapy is a company that recognized the many benefits of this exotic plant. The vetiver essential oil by Plant Therapy is 100% pure and contains nothing but the naturally extracted oils. Various laboratories and experts thoroughly test every bottle of oil this company makes.

The focus on quality and purity is essential here. There are no additives or preservatives, and you can use it in a diffuser or directly on your skin. Either way, you’re inhaling only the fruits of nature. This vetiver oil comes undiluted, and a small bottle can last you a long time. How can vetiver oil help you when you meditate?

The best approach is to use an essential oil diffuser, or dilute it and put it on your pulse points, like the wrist or inner elbow. You can even take in the scent from the bottle and let it wash over you.

Vetiver is one of the best essential oils for meditation because it can help you concentrate and stay mindful. It can also be beneficial if you’re struggling with insomnia, anxiety, and other feelings of restlessness.

The Plant Therapy vetiver essential oil has a woody and smoky scent that can help you transcend your daily lifewhile you meditate and feel closer to nature. One of the most amazing things about Plant Therapy is that all of their essential oils are safe for children. So, kids ages 2-10 can use this oil without experiencing any side-effects. It’s the first line of essential oils that an entire family can use.

Pros

  • Undiluted & 100% pure
  • Safe for kids
  • Independently tested

Cons

  • Difficult to pour out of the bottle

Healing Solutions Sandalwood 100% Pure in Jojoba

Meditation has now been well researched by scientists and its benefits are well documented. And meditation with essential oils only emphasizes those benefits, and often adds many more as it helps incorporate your olfactory sense of smell. Sandalwood is one of the most popular essential oils used in meditation, and Healing Solutions produces this amazing oil diluted in jojoba oil.

The ratio is 70:30, and this way, you get the benefits of both essential oils in one bottle. Sandalwood essential oil is famously tricky to extract, so Healing Solution uses jojoba because it has a powerfully healing effect on your skin and hair. Using this combination of essential oils during meditation will help you reduce the mental chatter and bring your focus back to your breathing.

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The unique smell of sandalwood is gentle to all your senses. The Healing Solutions bottle of sandalwood essential oil with jojoba passed rigorous tests and checks for any impurities. It’s also Kosher certified. The company has an advanced distillation and bottling process, which is very important to a lot of us buyers! Finally, this bottle of sandalwood and jojoba essential oils is therapeutic grade.

You can use the diluted version of sandalwood on the skin to treat minor issues and also for hair. It’s gentle and is very unlikely to cause any irritations.

Pros

  • Therapeutic grade oils
  • Great bottling process
  • Great for skin and hair

Cons

  • Not that great sandalwood to jojoba ratio

 

Rainbow Abby 100% Pure Rose Essential Oil

Rose oil can help to open and unblock your heart chakra during practice! If you feel like incorporating the fragrance of love into your practice, we recommend the Rainbow Abby 100% Pure Rose Essential Oil. 

Rose oil is another excellent essential oil for improving the quality of yoga and meditation sessions. It is particularly helpful for individuals interested in boosting self-confidence, self-worth, and diminishing feelings of jealousy.

The Rainbow Abby 100% Pure Rose Essential Oil is one of the best rose oils on the market right now. It is a premium grade rose oil distilled from the petal of Bulgarian fresh rose, and is free from any synthetic additives to ensure a 100% pure therapeutic grade quality, so it should come as no surprise that this Rainbow Abby oil is used by professional yogi instructors all over the world.

Besides yoga, rose essential oil can serve a multitude of purposes. A few drops can be distilled into your bathwater, or you could even mix a few drops into your moisturizer to help combat stubborn dry patches. 

Pros

  • Ideal for elevating feelings of confidence and self-worth
  • Premium grade rose oil
  • It is made without any synthetic additives

Cons

  • The heady, powdery aroma may not be suitable for those who prefer lighter fragrances

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Plant Therapy Cedarwood Atlas Essential Oil

What are the benefits of Cedarwood Essential Oil? It can help you sleep better, and everyone knows how important sleep is for proper functioning. It can also help us women to keeping our menstrual cycles regular and eliminating our skin blemishes. Plant Therapy has cedarwood essential oil in its long list of essential oils for a reason.

This cedarwood essential oil is made from Moroccan cedarwood. The company is well-known for its line of kids-safe essential oils, and cedarwood is one of them. It’s a therapeutic grade quality oil, and it’s 100% pure and undiluted. It’s also USDA certified and organic. You can use the Plant Therapy cedarwood essential oil to help your respiratory system as well.

You can use it in an essential oil diffuser to help alleviate symptoms of bronchitis and reduce coughing. It’s also one of the best essential oils for meditation. It has a dry aroma but not strong enough to overwhelm your senses entirely. You can use cedarwood essential oil in combination with other essential oils as well.

You can use also mix this with eucalyptus or something similar and rub a few drops on your skin to stay in a meditative mood longer. You can also use this oil as a base for other homemade lotions and soaps because it’s completely pure and doesn’t contain any additives or harmful ingredients.

Pros

  • USDA certified
  • Blends well with other oils
  • Great for respiratory issues
  • Safe for kids

Cons

  • Not everyone likes the scent of cedarwood

Miracle Botanicals Palo Santo Essential Oil

What is the No. 1 reason people are flocking to meditation like never before? They are trying to rid themselves of negative energy. The Palo Santo essential oil can do that for you. If you use Palo Santo essential oil by Miracle Botanicals, you might experience your meditative space filling up with more calm energy and the sense of being grounded. This bottle has 10% of Palo Santo essential oil diluted in 90% argan oil.

You might have heard that argan oil is popular in skincare and haircare products. It also works well as a diluter for palo santo essential oil. This way, you can use it right on your skin.

You don’t need to scratch your head about the ratio and which essential oil to use. In a diluted form, it might not be perfect for a diffuser. But you can always place a few drops on the pulse spots, and let the beautiful scent fill the room where you meditate.

This palo santo essential oil will almost surely put you in a relaxed and meditative mood. What can it do for your well-being? It can help you build up your immune system and fight off inflammation. It also resembles frankincense essential oil in that it has antioxidant properties. Finding a good quality palo santo essential oil can be notoriously hard, and Miracle Botanicals have done a great job with quality and scent.

Pros

  • Great blend with argan oil
  • Smells great
  • Helps fight inflammation

Cons

  • Can’t use it in a diffuser

Now Essential Oils Patchouli Oil

For many people, the first thing that comes to the mind when talking about aromatherapy and the best essential oils for meditation is the patchouli essential oil. The distinctive and intense aroma is so well-known and so frequently used in many areas of life. You can use this fantastic Now Essentials patchouli oil as a base for homemade soaps and bath oils. It comes steam distilled, and it’s 100% pure and vegan.

The scent of this musky and earthy oil will make you feel like you’re closer to nature and will help you get into meditative mood quicker. The Now company is known for its quality and commitment to sustainability. They are a family-owned and operated company, and they are determined to promote and donate to various charities.

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That approach aligns well with what meditation aims at anyway, and that is to enhance the feeling of empathy and gratitude. This patchouli essential oil from Now has pain relief properties, and it can help with symptoms of a cold.

The benefits of patchouli oil are well-documented in history and across cultures. When it comes to essential oils for meditation and aromatherapy, it’s important to look for the therapeutic grade, like the one from Now.

You want the best essential oils for meditation, and that includes all oils made with care and tradition in mind. Patchouli oil blends well with coconut oil and can be an excellent massage oil with many benefits and a pleasant scent.

Pros

  • Sustainably made
  • High-quality
  • Highly concentrated

Cons

  • Some might find the scent too strong

 

Gya Labs Sandalwood Essential Oil

Sandalwood is an essential oil that is most commonly used to promote a feeling of relaxation during Shavasana, which is the last position of a yoga session. 

Sandalwood is an essential oil that has a unique ability to help an individual relax, which is why we have selected the Gya Labs Sandalwood Essential Oil as our next pick. Gya’s Sandalwood Essential Oil radiates a warm-woodsy aroma that is extracted from the hearth of sandalwood in the manufacturing process. Unlike other sandalwood essential oils, this one features subtle hints of sweet, soothing notes that will help to uplift your spirit. 

Elevated stress (cortisol) levels in the body have been shown to significantly reduce concentration. By promoting relaxation, sandalwood essential oil allows stressors from everyday life to fade away, promoting better concentration each time you practice yoga. 

Besides being relaxing, the grounding scent of sandalwood oil is also able to relieve stress to ensure the better mental focus of your mind. So, after your yoga session, you could stick some in a diffuser by your work desk to help you stay focused and more productive throughout the day. 

Pros

  • Best essential oil for relaxation and reduced stress
  • You can keep a diffuser of this oil at your work desk to improve your mental focus
  • Gya sources this oil from the Sandalwood forests in India and then distills it to perfection, so you can be sure of the quality

Cons

  • Expensive

Pure Body Naturals Peppermint Essential Oil

Next up, we’ve selected the Pure Body Naturals Peppermint Essential Oil, which can be used to focus the mind without causing anxiety that other stimulants such as caffeine can cause.

Unlike other essential oils, peppermint essential oil is known for containing all-natural anti-inflammatory properties that can help speed up muscle recovery after a particularly tough yoga session! While yoga looks easy and effortless, it takes a lot of strength and energy to perform some yoga exercises.  Therefore, having an essential oil on-hand that can help your muscles recover after a yoga session is a good idea.

Besides being great for achy muscles, you could also pop a few drops into a diffuser during yoga, especially during the sessions where you want to increase your energy levels and mental sharpness. The Pure Body Naturals Essential Oil contains pure peppermint oil that is gluten-free, vegan friendly, and not tested on animals. 

Pro

  • Ideal for massaging into muscles after a session of yoga to speed up recovery and prevent the onset of DOMS
  • The sharpy, minty aroma will instantly refresh and rejuvenate senses
  • It has been lab-tested and verified by an independent lab to ensure that it is pure and completely undiluted

Cons

  • It has a very strong aroma which may be too ‘heady’ for some

Majestic Pure Lemon Oil

If you struggle with feelings of sluggishness, or busy life dictates and you find it hard to find time to take time out for yourself, rejuvenate your senses with the Majestic Pure Lemon Oil. 

Lemon essential oil will provide you with a boost of energy and an increased level of self-esteem. Having an extra dose of energy means that you won’t feel lethargic or the need to stop, which will help you maximize each session and tick new yoga goals off of your list.

The Majestic Pure Lemon Oil features cold-pressed lemon oil extracted from the rinds of lemon, and is 100% pure. Whether you want to mix it into tea tree oil and create a cleansing spray for your mat, or you want to start your morning sessions off with a dose of energy, you’ll love incorporating a lemon essential oil into your yoga practice. 

Lemon oil has a naturally zesty, revitalizing, and uplifting scent. No matter where you are in the world or what the weather is like, the citrusy aroma of lemon essential oil will transport you to a tropical paradise of your own making … it’s sunshine in a bottle!

Pros

  • Not just for yoga, it can be used in lotions or added to a bath
  • It’s made from cold-pressed lemon oil rinds
  • 100% pure and natural

Cons

  • If you’re looking for an oil that will relax your senses, this might not be the right essential oil for you 

 

Best Essential Oils for Yoga Buying Guide

How To Use Essential Oils For Yoga

Essential oils have been used in multiple holistic treatments for years, as well as being used in many different kinds of skincare products. Essential oils form the basis of Aromatherapy, which is a practice of using plant materials to soothe and restore the body. 

Though essential oils can be used for more than yoga, there are plenty of different ways to benefit your yoga session by using them. One of the most effective ways is aromatically through a room diffuser or a personal aromatherapy diffuser like. Alternatively, try diluting essential oils with a carrier oil or lotion and apply them before a meditation session.

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Essential oils will elevate your yoga practice in more ways than one. From keeping your mat smelling clean to helping you focus your mind, they’ll help you get more out of your flow. Whether you’re a yoga newbie or experienced yogi, look to our step-by-step guide below for inspiration on how to use them:

  1. Added to Sprays, Diffusers, and Lotions

Once you’ve selected the essential oil you’re going to be using for the session, why not add a few drops to a water spray bottle and then spritz the studio and your mat before beginning practice? You could also add a few drops to a diffuser, as well as mixing a small amount into a lotion, rubbing it between your palms, and then gently inhale the aroma at the beginning and end of the session.

  1. While Saying Your Mantra

Not everyone does this, but it is a quick and simple way to set your intention and raise your vibrations. As you begin to recite your mantra for your yoga practice, place one drop of essential oil on your palm, and then apply to your chest, right where your heart is. If you’re going to try this out, please be mindful that pure, undiluted essential oils can be toxic, so stick to a 1-2 drop minimum just to be safe. 

  1. Applied to Forehead, Temples, and Pulse Points

One of the best ways to use essential oils is at the end, while in Savasana. You could apply one drop of your essential oil of choice into your forehead and massage it toward your temples for ultimate relaxation. You could even dilute a drop of Patchouli or Clary Sage and rub onto your wrists, and breathe in the scent while carrying out particularly strenuous and technical poses such as the crow. 

The Different Types of Essential Oils

Though we selected our top five favorite oils, there’s plenty of other kinds of essential oils that can benefit your yoga session and wellbeing in general. Here are some other types of essential oils:

Lavender:

Lavender is one of the most common kinds of essential oils and is widely used in skincare products and candles. Yogis love this oil for its ability to alleviate feelings of stress, tension, and anxiety. Lavender essential oil is especially helpful for restorative yoga and can be rubbed onto the bottom of your feet and wrists to promote a calming experience during class or place in a diffuser to create a calming ambiance.

Wild Orange:

Just like your morning cup of OJ, wild orange oil is known for its ability to energize! This oil is perfect for high-energy yoga practices such as Vinyasa as it helps to keep you feeling alert and focused. Before your class starts, rub a little diluted wild orange oil on your wrists or palm and then inhale for an immediate boost of energy. If you have your own home studio, why not diffuse wild orange to create an energizing atmosphere? For the ultimate pick-me-up, mix wild orange and peppermint oils together – the combination is perfect for any yogi who is feeling extra sleepy. 

Tea Tree

Tea tree essential oil is known for its antifungal properties, so it’s a great oil for cleaning your mat after a session. Tea tree has a strong aroma that works best mixed with a pleasant oil such as lemon or lavender. All you’ll need to do is spray down the yoga mat and wipe clean after every practice to keep your mat feeling nice and fresh. 

Clary Sage

If you need a dose of positivity, we think that you’ll love clary sage essential oil! It’s an uplifting oil made from a fragrant her with purple petals. When used for yoga, clary sage will help to melt away the stress from busy life, soothe feelings of distress, and lift your spirits. 

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus oil provides plenty of benefits when used for yoga. Eucalyptus oil is great for using at the end of an intense yoga practice as it doubles up as great massage oil (when diluted).  Plus, if you happen to have a cold or dealing with a stuffy nose, it will help to refresh your senses and reduce any congestion. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are essential oils safe to use?

The essential oil industry is one the rise, and so are questions about whether these plant and fruit extracts are safe for everyday use. There are risks associated with using essential oils, however, if you are well aware of how to use them correctly, you should encounter no problems using them. Pure, undiluted essential oils can be potentially dangerous if you do not dilute it. Therefore, to prevent any adverse reactions, we recommend adding a few drops to a lotion or spray if you plan on letting it come into contact with your skin. Additionally, essential oils are not consistently regulated, so you should never ingest the oils without the assistance of a trained professional. 

Enhance Your Meditation with Essential Oils

The best essential oils for meditation are the ones you like the best – that’s usually the most common qualifier. However, there is a difference in quality and packaging, as well as the distilling process. All of these five essentials oils can significantly enhance your overall well-being.

But you can’t use all oils in a diffuser if that is your preferred choice. That said, you can use them to make your homemade products, but you have the flexibility with the range of essential oils we reviewed above. All of the oils reviewed in this article have passed rigorous testing and are harmless. Some are even mild enough for kids.

Video: How to Use Essential Oils in Your Yoga Classes

If you want some tips on how to add the oils to your yoga classes, this video is worth a watch!

Recommended Resources:

If you’re looking for a comfortable pillow to use along with your essential oils while meditating, see our in-depth guide to best meditation pillow.

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