I had a very fraught week last week. Having tried various things to soothe my anxiety, I found myself longing for the calming and energising fragrance combinations of my university days. I am still sorting out my studio and have no clue where I’ve put my existing collection of essential oils, so I nipped to the shops on my way home after working late on Friday night.

(I have to say that London is good for things like that – finishing work at half six and getting to the shops for 7 and still being able to browse because they’re open till 9… it’s one of London’s main redeeming features, in my eyes.)

So after much mooching, sampling and breathing, I took home these beauties (descriptions from here for ease of posting, although they tally with the little I already knew)

Rosemary ~ Strengthening; good for nervous exhaustion, overwork, strain, mental fatigue, and other stress-related disorders, loss of memory; provides energy, creativity, clarity, concentration

Grapefruit ~ Liberating; good for self doubt, depression, nervous exhaustion, mental stimulation

Orange ~ Invigorating; calming; good for depression, nervous tension and other stress-related disorders, self-consciousness, withdrawal, worry

Bergamot ~ Encouraging; good for anxiety, depression, emotional imbalance, despondency, concentration, motivation

The descriptions of what they treat is like a word for word description of me in the past few weeks. Not good at all.

In the absence of my oil burner, I’ve had a pan of water simmering for most of the time I’ve been in the house this weekend, adding drops when I need to. I am calmer, stronger, newly aware of my path and what I need to do to get there. That awful clutching anxiety in the pit of my stomach that makes me restless and unable to settle and inexplicably tearful has vanished.This is as much due to spending time with dear friends and family who talk sense and let me talk out my worries as to the oils, but they help immensely when I’m alone. And it doesn’t hurt that they also make my flat smell lovely.

A few drops of orange in the shower, and a few of rosemary on my pillow tonight to imbue me with strength for the weeks ahead… it may be a little hippie, a little pagan, a little frightening for those souls who don’t know me well, don’t read my blog and don’t believe in “new age stuff”.

But for me, they work wonders.

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Do you use fragrance, essential oils or other things to calm and centre you when life gets all too much?