DIY Meditation Salve
Let’s learn to make a meditation salve. But before we dive into the how-tos, the ingredients, and the steps we have to follow to make one, we should first make sure we have a good understanding about what meditation is and why we all should be trying to meditate for at least 5 minutes every day.
In today's stressed-out fast-paced world, finding moments of peace and stillness can feel impossible to find. That's where meditation comes in—it's a practice that not only promotes relaxation but also offers a wide range of benefits for our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. At its core, meditation is the art of focusing our attention and quieting the mind, allowing us to tap into a state of inner calm and clarity.
Scientific research has shown that meditation can have profound effects on the brain, such as increasing gray matter density in regions associated with memory, learning, and self-awareness. Moreover, meditation has been found to modulate the nervous system, reducing stress and promoting overall resilience.
But you don't need hours of silent contemplation to reap the rewards of meditation. Even just a few minutes of daily practice can make a significant difference in your life. Whether it's through breath awareness, mindfulness, or guided meditation, there are various techniques you can easily incorporate into your routine.
For millennia, ancient cultures have understood the power of scent in inducing a meditative state. They used incense to heighten spiritual experiences and deepen their connection to the present moment. Today, we can harness the aromatic properties of essential oils to enhance our meditation practice.
By infusing our surroundings with calming scents like lavender, frankincense, or cedarwood, we create an atmosphere conducive to relaxation and introspection. The subtle aroma can help quiet the mind, promote focus, and deepen our sense of presence—a perfect complement to our meditation journey.
So, whether you're a seasoned practitioner or just starting out, incorporating aromatherapy into your meditation routine can elevate your experience and make those moments of stillness even more profound.
Ready to give it a try?
Here is what you’ll need to make your DIY Salve for Meditation:
- 5 one-ounce aluminum salve tins or glass jars - you will need these to pour your salves into once you make them. Like these.
- Heat source, like an electric hotplate or your kitchen stove top - you need this to help slowly melt all the ingredients together.
- Double boiler or bain-marie - you need to gently “cook” all the ingredients. A double boiler, or bain-marie is a kind of kitchen pot that uses steam to gently warm ingredients. The bottom pot holds about an inch or 2 of water, and is placed directly on the heat source. A special double boiler pot has ridges around the edges of the pot that can easily stack another pot on top of it, allowing the steam from the bottom pot to gently warm the ingredients in the upper pot. If you don’t have access to this special double boiler pot, you can use a set up that’s called a bain-marie, where you place a glass or metal bowl over the bottom pot so that the steam from the pot can warm the ingredients in the bowl. The whole point of a double boiler or bain-marie is not to heat the ingredients directly, but to use steam instead. Here is what one looks like.
- Mixing tools, like a stainless-steel spoon, or disposable wooden sticks, like popsicle sticks.
- Various small glass bowls, measuring cups and spoons to place your ingredients in.
- A digital scale that can measure amounts to .00, and has a “tare” feature and can easily switch between grams and ounces.
- Paper Towel
- Oven Mitts
- Parchment Paper
- Blank address labels, or stickers to apply to each jar as your label.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make 5 one-ounce homemade DIY Meditation Salves using essential oils:
- ½ ounce of beeswax, we recommend using beeswax pellets so you can get a more accurate measurement. We use beeswax in the recipe because beeswax gives the salve its nice creamy texture, and feels soft and protective on the skin.
- 2 ounces of Sunflower Carrier Oil. We are using Sunflower Oil in this recipe because it has been shown to fortify and support healthy skin, while providing a soft smooth texture when applied.
- 2 ounces of Jojoba Carrier Oil. We are using Jojoba OIl in this recipe because it offers a smooth and nourishing experience and doesn’t leave the skin feeling greasy or oily.
- 1 tsp of Vitamin E Carrier Oil. We are adding this to our recipe because Vitamin E is a great antioxidant and can help your salve stay fresher longer.
- Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) Essential Oil is steam distilled from the flowering tops of the herby lavender scented bush that is found growing around the world in many different locations. The aroma has been shown to trigger the relaxation response in our nervous system, allowing our body and mind to release tension and find stillness in the present moment.
- Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) Essential Oil is steam distilled from the fragrant leaves of this herbaceous bush. Its rose-like floral aroma calms our mind and soothes our skin, and can be used to cleanse, rejuvenate and restore balance in our mood and emotions. Calming and restorative, Geranium oil has been shown to support and encourage our mind-body connection to self-soothe and rebalance.
- Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) Essential Oil - steam distilled from the slightly dried and fermented Patchouli leaves. It has an earthy, grounding and slightly musky aroma that is both warming and grounding. Its molecules are known to be protective and centering, helping us find calm when everything around us feels chaotic.
- Cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica) Essential Oil is steam distilled from the wood of this tall majestic tree that has a long ancient history of use in both ritual and spiritual practices. Its aroma is slightly sweet and woody, and deeply calming and has been shown to soothe a nervous and overactive mind.
- Frankincense (Boswellia serrata) Essential Oil is steam distilled from the dried resin of a craggy tree that grows in India. The resin is tapped from the tree, and then dried and collected and steam distilled, creating an essential oil that has both a resinous and woody scent that has been shown to sedate and calm a worried mind, while helping us connect more consciously to our breathing.
Here are the Essential Oils for salves:
- 18 Drops of Lavender Essential Oil
- 9 drops of Frankincense Essential Oil
- 16 drops of Cedarwood Essential Oil
- 15 drops of Patchouli Essential Oil
- 10 drops of Geranium Essential Oil
Here is how you make it:
- Thoroughly clean and disinfect a counter or table top in your kitchen, and line a 18 inch area with parchment paper
- Open up all the jars and tins you’ll be using, and set them on top of the parchment paper.
- Using your digital scale, measure out the beeswax and set aside
- Measure out the Sunflower Carrier Oil, Jojoba Carrier Oil and Vitamin E and mix them together in a separate measuring cup and set aside.
- In a small glass cup, or bowl, or measuring cup, mix together all the essential oils and set aside.
- Fill the bottom pot piece of your double boiler with 1 to 2 inches of water and warm over your heat source until it starts to steam.
- Place the top piece of your double boiler pot, or set up a bowl like a bain-marie so it rests above the steaming water in the bottom pot.
- Add the wax to the top pot, or bowl and let it melt thoroughly.
- Once it is melted, add the blended Carrier Oils and stir thoroughly over the heat until everything is melted and well incorporated
- Turn off heat, and using your oven mit, lift the top pot, or bowl, off the bottom pot and wipe the sides and bottom dry with your paper towel, so no water is left dripping.
- Add your essential oil mixture to the melted mixture and stir well.
- Carefully pour the mixture into each jar or tin and cap quickly.
- Let the salves set on your table or counter top for at least 4 hours.
- Label each jar or tin: Now it's ready to use!
How to use your DIY Meditation Salve to make meditation easier
Using a meditation salve during your practice can deepen your connection to the present moment and enhance your overall experience.
- Begin by finding a quiet, comfortable space where you can sit or lie down uninterrupted. Take a moment to inhale deeply and set your intention for meditation.
- Next, gently rub a small amount of the salve between your palms to warm it up and release its soothing aroma.
- Then, apply the salve to your pulse points, such as your wrists, temples, and neck, using gentle, circular motions.
- As you meditate, continue to inhale deeply, allowing the calming scent of the salve to envelop you.
- Focus on your breath, letting go of any tension or stress with each exhale.
- Allow the meditation salve to guide you into a state of deep relaxation and inner peace, as you immerse yourself fully in the present moment.
