Bergamot is the essential oil to turn to when you are in need of courage. It is citrusy and light but don’t underestimate it; it can have very powerful effects. My aromatherapy teacher, Kathy Duffy, combines it with lime essential oil in an inhaler for kids with test anxiety with great results. Bergamot is familiar to many as the flavoring in Earl Grey. It is made from the rind of small sour oranges usually grown in Italy. It has very uplifting effects and has been shown in studies to help relieve depression and anxiety. Bergamot also has been shown to be antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral and may help to stimulate the immune system!
Well, I say we should all be using Bergamot!
It can be diffused in the air with a diffuser or used in an inhaler or spray. (Bergamot contains some chemicals that can make your skin sun sensitive so don’t put it in creams or oils that you put on your skin and then head outside into the sun.)
I use Bergamot frequently with clients who have anxiety and have found it extremely helpful. I have also used it with women in labor who are in those final stages of pushing their baby out; becoming frantic and overwhelmed. It can totally shift the mother’s mood and bring her back to the moment with renewed courage. (It also helped the flagging spirits of everyone else in the room, too.)
A little Bergamot goes a long way. A few drops on a tissue can be tucked in a sleeve or some dripped on a washcloth and put in the bottom of a shower to spread its scent. The it can make wonderful chemical changes in your brain that shift your mood and kill germs. Hooray!
It is not particularly expensive. (My favorite source Appalachian Valley Natural Products sells a 10ml bottle for less than 6 dollars! That will last a long time.)
As I write this it is sleeting outside my window! I think I’ll go smell some Bergamot to give me courage as I wait for spring!
