“The psyches and souls of women also have their own cycles and seasons of doing and solitude, running and staying, being involved and being removed, questing and resting, creating and incubating, being of the world and returning to the soul-place.”
Clarissa Pinkola Estés
Life is a spiral. Lessons are repeated again and again. These are the inevitable cycles of life where we learn lessons depending on where we are spiritually, mentally and physically. Each time the lesson comes around we are different and we can respond differently. Therein lies our power.
Being true to who we are, living our life from a soul place, we are able to be more prepared and more centred for the “difficulties” that life throws at us. As women we are often “uncentered”, we become undone, ungrounded as we focus on the needs of others. We sometimes lose ourselves in trying to fit in, or to be the best mom, the best friend, the best wife, the best businesswoman.
It may be helpful to surrender to the fact that cycles are there no matter what and that as one cycle ends, a new one begins – pushing or guiding you to the next level, like a rite of passage or initiation. To move forward we have to do the work, to say yes to the path in front of us.
It is important to always come back to the self because that is where our power lies. We cannot continue to take care of everybody else’s needs if our own aren’t being met. Our power lies inside, not anywhere outside. We can see this best when we are still, when we are grounded, when we are balanced. When we don’t numb ourselves, when we make time for soul and discover our own depths.
There we can see all that we’ve been through, that we’ve overcome and that we are currently learning, because the learning never stops. What are you being asked to let go of?
There is a difference between surrendering to seasonal cycles of life and unconsciously repeating unhelpful patterns. This can include generational cycles which we might be called to break in our lifetime.
Maybe here you can practice the power of the pause which allows you to respond intentionally rather than react habitually.
The end of a cycle represents a new reality. It is like releasing the old to make room for the new. Cycles are a part of our growth process.
Awareness is the first step to healing and to breaking cycles. Keeping this awareness will help you move forward mindfully and prevent unnecessary suffering and discomfort. This recognition allows us to keep things in divine flow by releasing what needs to be released, accepting what needs to be accepted, and ultimately avoiding what needs to be avoided to move forward and grow.
Life is a mirror. As above, so below. Mirroring the spiralling lessons of our lives is our energy centre points or chakras, which are also spirals. Spirals of energy in the body. When one of these energy centres is blocked we often can’t see the whole picture or we are more prone to repeat a cycle – to react in a way that is not useful to our growth and development.
I developed a range of chakra oils that can be used to balance each chakra. There are of course many other ways to keep your chakras balanced like meditation, gratitude journalling, getting into nature, yoga and much more.
There is so much information about each chakra, but I will just briefly discuss each one and the associated oil:
Root Chakra
The root chakra represents our foundation. When it is balanced we feel confident in our ability to withstand challenges and stand in our own power. It makes us feel grounded. When it is blocked we feel threatened, unstable, unclear of our purpose, fearful and insecure. Without a balanced root chakra, it is impossible to fully balance the other chakras.
Location: Base of spine
Colour: Red
Element: Earth
Ways to balance this chakra: Grounding yourself in and connecting with nature, walking barefoot on the grass, certain yoga poses, eating red fruits.
In the blending of this oil I used earthy and grounding scents like Cedarwood, Pachouli, Frankincense, Vetiver and Black Pepper.
Sacral Chakra
The sacral chakra helps us relate to our emotions and that of others in a healthy way. It governs creativity, self-worth and sexual energy. If this chakra is blocked it could feel like you are out of control and you could be emotionally explosive and irritable. When balanced you will experience smooth creative flow, a healthy sexual desire and a positive outlook.
Location: Lower abdomen
Colour: Orange
Element: Water
Ways to balance this chakra: Connecting with water, like swimming in the ocean or taking a bath, meditation and certain yoga poses.
For the blending of this oil I used a blend of Bergamot, Ylang-Ylang, Clary Sage and Cardamom.
Solar Plexus
The solar plexus is where your inner power and self-confidence lies. If this chakra is blocked you might feel shame and self-doubt. You may suffer from low self-esteem or feelings of rejection. Those with a balanced solar plexus chakra feel free to express themselves, they have a strong sense of self, they are self-motivated and let others see them for who they truly are.
Location: Upper abdomen (between the navel and the ribcage)
Colour: Yellow
Element: Fire
Ways to balance this chakra: As the element of the solar plexus chakra is fire, the Sun provides healing energy. You can walk outside in the sun for 20-30 mins a day.
I used a blend of Chamomile, Rosemary, Juniper, Lemon and Lavender for this chakra.
Heart chakra
This chakra is the bridge between the lower and upper chakras. It is the seat of balance and it can influence your ability to give and receive love – from others and ourselves. A person whose heart chakra is unbalanced might have difficulty fully opening up to people and showing their vulnerability. They may also suffer from loneliness and depression. If your heart chakra is open you experience deep compassion, empathy and love.
Location: Centre of chest
Colour: Green
Element: Air
Ways to balance this chakra: Meditation, breathing exercises, eating green foods, practicing forgiveness and letting go of the past.
For this chakra I used a gentle blend of Rose, Pine, Ylang-Ylang and Lavender.
Throat Chakra
This chakra is our voice and controls our ability to communicate our personal power. It allows us to express ourselves fully, truly and openly. When this chakra is imbalanced we might have poor communication skills, be afraid to speak up/represses feelings, have uncontrolled verbal outbursts, or we may be shy. When balanced we have effective communication skills are expressive and good listeners, patient and honest.
Location: Throat
Colour: Blue
Element: Space
How to balance this chakra: mantra chanting meditation, certain yoga poses, mindful breathing. Foods like lemongrass and ginger.
The blend I used for this chakra is Chamomile, Frankincense, Rosemary, Eucalyptus and Peppermint.
Third Eye Chakra
This chakra controls our ability to connect with our intuition. It is the eye of the soul and registers information beyond the surface level.
Signs of Balance: Intuitive, common sense, fast learner, clear memory, intelligent, sense of spirituality.
Symptoms of Imbalance: Non-assertive, judgmental, over intellectualising, lacks intuition, forgetful, sleep/dream/nightmare issues
Location: Forehead (between the eyes)
Colour: Indigo
Element: Energy and matter
How to balance this chakra: journalling, meditation, conscious breathing, chanting ohm.
For this chakra I used a blend of Jasmine, Sandalwood, Neroli, Vanilla, Myrrh, and Grapefruit.
Crown Chakra
The crown chakra activates our divine energy and allows us to be fully connected spiritually and feeling at one with all that is.
Location: The top of the head
Colour: Violet or white
Element: None
Signs of Balance: Balanced spiritual life, feels that life has purpose, feels a connection with others and a higher power. Wise, insightful.
Symptoms of Imbalance: Unspiritual, excessive fear of death, unclear of life or spiritual purpose, feeling alone in the universe,
How to balance this chakra: Food like eggplant and red grapes and herbal teas also reduce blockages. Meditation and breathing.
The oils I used for the crown chakra are Frankincense, Vetiver, Rose, Neroli and Sandalwood.
