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Essential Oils for the Autumnal Equinox and the Fall Season

beautiful fall leaves... embrace the fall season with essential oils that will help you cultivate gratitude and get things done!
In the northern hemisphere, the 2019 autumnal equinox – one of two days each year when the length of day and night are roughly equal – fell on September 23rd. Regardless of the weather where you were (it was hot and sunny at my house!), this day represented the end of summer and official start of fall. 
 
In many parts of the U.S., the air is getting colder (some places have snow already!), the days are growing shorter, and the leaves are starting to change color. And we’re smack dab in the middle of harvesting apples, squash, pumpkins, root vegetables, and other fall produce.
 
As transition is taking place in our external environment, our emotional and spiritual lives, the posture of our hearts, and even the nature of and perspective on our work also follow the rhythm of the changing seasons. Often without us even realizing it.
 
Instead of fighting the transitions that fall ushers in, our lives will flow better and lead to greater abundance if we embrace and bring ourselves into alignment with them. 

Here’s how to do it!   
 
Autumn is a season of harvest. It’s the season in which we reap what we’ve sown. Just as we are now harvesting the crops that came from the seeds we planted during spring, it’s also the perfect time to finish up and harvest what we’ve been working on over the past few months. And as this year’s leaves will soon fall from the trees, we want to be preparing ourselves to shed the old in preparation to receive the new. 
 
Real life application: If you’ve been working hard on a particular project or goal, push forward, lean into your creative energy, and bring it to completion. That way, you’ll be prepared to receive what’s heading your way in winter and spring. Oh, and be sure to use plenty of ginger essential oil while you’re pushing for the finish line. It’s the oil of empowerment and GETTING. THINGS. DONE! But more on that in a moment. 
 
Autumn is a season of gratitude and reflection. These two practices go hand in hand, as it’s virtually impossible to have gratitude without reflection. Reflection on the blessings of the previous year, on what remains to be achieved, and the status of our lives in general. 
 
Real life application: Put a pause on your busyness. Sit down and take time some quiet moments to reflect on your spring and summer. What have you achieved? Or learned? How have you grown? What remains to be finished or achieved? What do you want to focus on during the remainder of the year? 
 
I strongly encourage you to pick a word for your next season. Something that reflects where you want to go, who you want to be, or what you want to embody. Something that fits the core of your intention. 
 
Why one word? Because clutter and complexity lead to procrastination and paralysis. In contrast, simplicity and focus create success and clarity. Patterning our lives around one word or phrase helps us be single-minded in our focus. 

[This post contains affiliate links, which give me the opportunity to share products I truly use, love, and recommend. Affiliate links do not cost you anything, but I may receive a commission from purchases made through these links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.] 

Once you’ve selected your word, place it where you will regularly see it, center yourself around it, and evaluate your daily actions against it.  If you’d like to read a fantastic book on this concept, I highly recommend One Word That Will Change Your Life. It’s a quick, but powerful read.   
 
Autumn is a season of self-awareness and peacefulness. It’s meant for taking long, deep breaths and calmly preparing for winter’s period of rest and introspection. 
 
Real life application: Take some longer, slower walks. Sit outside in the cooler weather, perhaps with a cup of tea and a book or journal. Gather some beautifully colored leaves. Hike in the woods. Light a fire in your fireplace or fire pit. Give yourself a bit of the self-care that you rarely have the time for. For example, soak your feet, dry skin brush, apply a detox face mask, or oil cleanse your face, for example.  
  


ESSENTIAL OILS HELP US EMBRACE EACH OF THESE SPACES. 
 
Essential oils assist us in leaning into our creative energy, bringing projects to completion, reflecting on the accomplishments of the past few months, finding deeper gratitude, breathing more deeply, and sitting with greater peace.  Oh, and being cozy, too! 
 
There are numerous oils you could reach for during this autumn season. Here are some of my favorites:
  
Black Pepper 
  • Spicy and warming aroma that is stimulating, energizing, and strengthening. 
  • Reignites your soul’s fire, fuels mental processing, motivates, and increases self-awareness. 
  • Blends well with Cardamom, Copaiba, Clove, Coriander, Frankincense, Juniper Berry, Pink Pepper, and Vetiver.
 
Black Spruce
  • Balsamic, piney, resinous, sweet, fruity, and woodsy
  • Grounding and stabilizing
  • Oil for living in harmony with nature’s cycles and seasons
  • Emotionally and energetically revitalizing. Assists those who feel depleted to renew themselves.
  • Blends well with Cedarwood, Douglas Fir, Eucalyptus, Juniper Berry, Lavender, Lime, Marjoram, and Vetiver.
 
Cardamom 
  • Warm, spicy, and sweet 
  • Uplifting, refreshing, and warming to the senses. 
  • Innately stabilizing and balancing. Provides relaxation when worried or tense.
  • Oil of objectivity. Reminds of life’s true abundance, fosters contentment, and firms resolve. 
  • Aids in concentration when mentally sluggish. 
  • Blends well with Clove, Lavender, Peppermint, Black Pepper, Eucalyptus, Fennel, and Ginger.
 
Cedarwood
  • Woody, sweet, balsamic, and slightly camphoraceous
  • Promotes strength, depth, endurance, certainty, and connectedness
  • Gives the will to hold steady and persevere, even amidst external clamor.
  • Blends well with Bergamot, Copaiba, Cypress, Frankincense, Juniper Berry, Lavender, Magnolia, Marjoram, and Sweet Orange. 
 
Cinnamon 
  • Spicy, sweet, warm, and radiant
  • Grounds and restores. Inspires courage and offers emotional protection. 
  • Uplifting and gently improves morale. 
  • Blends well with Black Pepper, Clove, Copaiba, Eucalyptus, Ginger, Lavender Manuka, Myrrh, Patchouli, and Sweet Orange.
 
Clary Sage
  • Floral, fruity, herbaceous, light, sweet, warm
  • Oil of clarity and vision
  • Mentally and emotionally uplifting and nourishing
  • Unblocks and releases stagnant energy, allowing creative inspiration to flow freely. Increases the ability to visualize and imagine new possibilities. 
  • Calms the mind and eases tension
  • Blends well with Black Pepper, Geranium, Juniper Berry, Lavender, Lemongrass, Manuka, Melissa, Neroli, Rosemary, and Ylang Ylang
 
Clove 
  • Strong, spicy, sweet, warm, and penetrating
  • Warms and comforts. 
  • Protective, helping individuals stand up for themselves, be proactive, and feel capable of making their own choices. 
  • Positive and stimulating for the mind.
  • Blends well with Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Copaiba, Coriander, Ginger, Helichrysum, Lavender, Melaleuca, Rosemary, and Sweet Orange.
 
Ginger 
  • Spicy, sharp, warm, and sweet
  • Oil of empowerment. Has a purpose and will fulfill it! Activates willpower, increases initiative, and restores determination. Helps us take real and immediate action. 
  • Infuses a warrior-like mentality based on integrity, personal responsibility, and individual choice. Boosts confidence and morale. Empowers you to be the creator of your own life. 
  • Blends well with Blue Tansy, Cedarwood, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Clove, Eucalyptus, Fennel, Frankincense, Grapefruit, Nutmeg, Spearmint, Sweet Orange, and Turmeric.
 
Patchouli 
  • Sweet, warm, earthy, musky, and spicy
  • Balances and calms the mind, body, and spirit. Helps ground and stabilize our energy, as well as offset overthinking and worry.
  • Opens the mind and heart, heightening the senses.
  • Blends well with Bergamot, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Clary Sage, Cypress, Ginger, Grapefruit, Lavender, Sandalwood, Vetiver, and Ylang Ylang.
 
Siberian Fir
  • Balsamic, camphoraceous, citrus, fresh, herbaceous, piney, and sweet
  • Affirming, vitalizing, and empowering
  • Encourages self-understanding and an honest approach to assessing one’s life choices, influence, and legacy.
  • Eases transitions by encouraging individuals to finding meaning and purpose in each new chapter.
  • Increases positive energy. 
  • Blends well with Arborvitae, Black Spruce, Cypress, Douglas Fir, Eucalyptus, Lemon, Lime, Marjoram, Petitgrain, and Rosemary
 
Sweet Orange 
  • Citrus, fresh, fruity, light, and sweet
  • Oil of abundance. Encourages individuals to let go of scarcity mindsets. Reminds the soul of the limitless supply found in nature.
  • Brings bright energy and positivity. Uplifting, invigorating, and renewing.
  • Inspires limitless solutions to problems and issues. 
  • Helps us take a more relaxed approach and fosters creativity. 
  • Brings spontaneity, fun, joy, and playfulness into one’s life. 
  • Blends well with Bergamot, Cinnamon, Clove, Lavender, Lemon, Neroli, Nutmeg, Peppermint, Red Mandarin, Siberian Fir, Tangerine, and Ylang Ylang. 
 

 
HOW TO USE THESE ESSENTIAL OILS TO EMBRACE AUTUMN'S ENERGY

Here are some of my favorite fall diffuser blends, which are perfect to use while bringing projects to completion, reflecting, journaling, meditating, breathing deeply, or finding quiet space in your life. Or simply for bringing a warm, autumn aroma to your home.  

Essential oil diffuser blends that smell like the fall season! These are perfect for aligning yourself with the energy  and feeling of the autumn. #falldiffuserblends #autumndiffuserblends


Want a bit of autumn to carry around in your pocket? Try one of these inhaler blends
 
Simply add 15 drops (10 for children) of essential oil to a cotton wick, place inside the inhaler body, snap on the cap, and use as needed. 

Need a pick-me-up? Or help getting things done? Or something to uplift your spirits? These autumn aromatherapy inhaler blends will put a little bit of fall warmth, happiness, and motivation in your pocket or purse. #fallinhalerblends #autumninhalerblends #essentialoilinhalerrecipes

Really love one of these blends??? You could also easily turn many of them into a room spray, body scrub, body oil, perfume, or foot soak. Just bear in mind that some of these essential oils are phototoxic or strong when applied to the skin, so take caution when you're making your product. Feel free to reach out if you have questions on this!

Happy and abundant fall, my friend!
Rachel

REFERENCES
These were the books and websites I consulted when putting together the information on the emotional and energetic uses of the essential oils I included in this post. I commend them to you for further exploration and learning.

Essential Emotions, 8th Edition
The Essential Life, 5th Edition 

Comments (5)

Reply

Charlene Rountree

Nov 13, 2019 01:22 AM EST

Thank you for sharing this! This is very informative!

Reply

Charlene Rountree

Oct 30, 2019 11:37 PM EST

This is perfect! I just need this one. Thank you so much for sharing!

Reply

Rachel Raba

Oct 05, 2020 09:56 AM EST

You're so welcome! I'm glad it was helpful!

Reply

Julie M Smith

Oct 29, 2019 08:52 AM EST

These are some fabulous blends for fall. Love the idea of using these instead of a toxic candle.

Reply

Rachel Raba

Oct 30, 2019 11:25 AM EST

Thank you SO much, Julie! I'm glad you're loving them as much as I am. Happy fall!

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