How to harness the power of aromatherapy, color therapy, healing herbs and botanicals in your dance space and at home.
USING COMMON SCENTS
In The Studio
Your studio is more than a place for dance instruction. It’s a place of creativity, inspiration, learning disciplines and feeling energized. Color and aromatherapy have been used through the ages to enhance mood and inspire. You can easily bring a new feel to your studio by using their power and secret influence.
Scents not only affect us all emotionally, but physically, too. Use scents throughout the studio either as mist sprays, incense, potpourri or oils. Here are scents to try and their effect on your moods:
To reduce anxiety and calm students use the scents of green apple, cucumber, sandalwood or cedar.
To increase alertness, stimulate and get energized use peppermint, menthol, eucalyptus, lemon, evergreen, fir, pine, spruce or jasmine.
To calm and create focus try lavender, frankincense, sandalwood, rose, cedar or myrrh.
To increase understanding of what you are teaching try mixed florals.
For better concentration try rosemary, peppermint, basil, ginger or juniper.
To decrease appetite inhale scents of banana, green apple or peppermint.
To help you sleep and dream try lavender and vanilla.
Native Americans have burned herbs for centuries. Sage was burned to cleanse the mind, heart and home. Sweetgrass is burned to call good spirits. These can be used in wrapped bundles or easily found in the form of incense. If using incense, always buy good quality for a better scent and more true aroma experience.
At Home
Healing botanicals and herbs are a must for anyone using both the mind and body to their limit. Using essential oils in your bath or adding them to unscented body oil can greatly help get you back on your feet feeling your best. Just a few drops can work magic.
Here is a list of natural botanicals and herbs with wonderful healing benefits:
Basil reduces nervous tension and mental fatigue.
Bay acts like a decongestant and is good for cold.
Calendula relieves inflammation and irritation.
Chamomile calms the nervous system, soothes inflammation and relieves pain.
Clove stimulates and relieves muscle and nerve tension.
Juniper stimulates the nervous system and relieves fatigue.
Lavender calms and relieves tension aches and muscle pains.
Lemon stimulates circulation and revives skin tone.
Peppermint helps relieve headaches, fatigue and tight muscles,
Rosemary tones the skin, stimulates circulation and relieves nervous tension and tight muscles.
Sage relieves fatigue and nervous tension.
Vetiver relieves anxiety, nervous tension, as well as muscle aches and pains.
Ylang-Ylang calms nerves, relieves muscle knots and aches.
CHOREOGRAPHING COLOR
Like scent, color has a strong effect on moods as well. Color can be easily brought into your studio to set the right mood. Try using color on the walls, furniture or accents around you. It can be very helpful to make color therapy part of your every day life using it in simple things that you do.
Think of color to brighten your mood as well. Drink a glass of red cranberry juice in the morning to increase energy. Wear blue to relax when you feel stressed or orange to help cheer you up. Add green to help you focus or yellow to stimulate your creativity.
Here’s how to get the right response using the right color:
For increased energy and confidence use red.
To stimulate the mind and feel inspired use yellow.
To relieve tension and feel more calm and focused try green.
To cheer up, feel more optimistic and enthusiastic use orange.
To clear your mind and increase creativity use violet or purple.
To add romance and feel excited use pink.
For more information on healthy healing, natural beauty secrets and remedies, as well as everything you need to know about performance beauty, see Christine Dion’s book High Performance Beauty published by Princeton Press. Her website modedion.com is a full beauty resource and a wealth of information, tips, articles and healthy products.
