Dear Friends,

In my recent Aromatherapy and Chakra Masterclass I spoke about the importance of having strategies to cope with the mental health disorders that are occurring as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the Masterclass, I introduced a beautiful Japanese word: Ikigai. Researchers have confirmed that having ‘purpose in life’ provides us with better protective mechanisms to manage mental health issues. While there is no direct English translation for the term, ‘Ikigai’ more or less translates to ‘purpose'. Ikigai means doing what you love doing, and it gives us purpose and passion to live and get out of bed every day. It is more important than ever that we have strong Ikigai.

The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic which have led to social isolation, increased anxiety, depression, stress, economic hardship, uncertainty, and lack of clarity are having an impact on our mental health. I believe the impact of mental health disorders on our health and wellbeing potentially represents a greater long-term risk to physical illnesses than the virus itself.

Any holistic prevention strategy must be a multi-pronged approach. Government policies play a critical role in providing the social infrastructure and support to those within our community, thereby reducing the risk of mental health disorders. However, it is also important to incorporate the development of other qualities, such as Ikigai and resilience. I also believe aromatherapy can provide a very effective and safe modality to reduce the risks of mental health disorders. There is extensive evidence to confirm essential oils have both a biological and neurological basis in the management of mental health disorders. There has however been a reluctance to integrate concepts of spirituality in traditional biomedical healthcare. Most holistic models of healthcare, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) or Ayurveda, have always observed a holistic framework that considers the spiritual, physical and emotional dimensions of wellbeing. I believe essential oils are uniquely positioned to influence our mental health at a physical, emotional and spiritual level.

I do sincerely look forward to you joining me for my next webinar, Aromatherapy and Mental Health. We will discuss the factors that lead to mental health disorders, examine common healthcare strategies to deal with the long term implications of mental health, find out why essential oils are so effective in managing stress, anxiety and other mental health disorders, and learn how to formulate essential oil blends that can be used to treat a range of mental health disorders using holistic principles from TCM and Ayurveda. 

Wherever you are, please take good care.

Best wishes