Basil has many uses that we may not know.. I uncovered some as I was exploring the benefits of essential oils. Essential oils can be so complimentary to our yoga practice. Having said that they can be used to diffuse around the home or studio, aromatherapy, rub into skin and even digest! Please make sure you check that the particular oil you hold is able to be digested before!

Playing and investigating the personal benefits with essential oils is so rewarding and it has become part of my everyday life. Basil was one that particularly caught my attention. We use it all the time in cooking and we even grow out on the balcony. But how unaware I was of the deeper connection I had to the scent.

Basil comes from the greek word ‘King’. This Ancient Greeks believed it opened the gateway to heaven. To say this was an interesting fact but not the reason I became so attached to the basil essential oil.

As it is a plant it has these great grounding effects that allow you to slow down and become aware of how you body feels in contact with the ground. It brings up memories of good home cooked food and those cheeky nibbles I’d take off the plant while we were cooking.

In this fast paced modern day life we can sometimes get mentally fatigue and need a pick me up, through my journey of essential oils I have learnt that the morning coffee can go a miss without second thought when I have a particularly uplifting blend with me. And the same goes for basil, when feeling tired and drained smelling the basil essential oil through a diffuser gives this subtle relaxing that spreads across the room. Along with this comes the beautiful side affect of emotional balance. And who can resist that!

Other benefits can include alleviating nausea and soothing muscle spasms. And for us ladies easing the pain from cramping and menstrual issues is something that you got to try.

I hope this short yet sweet exploration of basil has helped you get a better understanding and perhaps a reason for you to give it a smell to see what it can do for you!