Guest Author - Robin Rounds Whittemore
A pure white fluffy winter can start off a fresh clean way to end the fall season. The crisp smell fills the air both day and night. In the middle of winter, going toward the end, things change. After weeks of sub zero temperatures, and schools have been cancelled multiple times; winter stops looking so pretty. When the good times and parties have passed, the snow hanging around can sometimes be a burden.
Here are a few remedies to help get you through the winter blues. Nothing you can do will make the snow melt any faster, but it can help make the time better while you wait.
For this exercise, you should try to have two or three pillar candles such as white, orange, red, or yellow. The warmer or brighter the candle color, the better. They can be large or small pillar candles. If you can only find votives, then place them in clear glass before lighting. Place the candles on a mirror about 8” x 8”. The mirror will help reflect the light from the flames.
If the candles have a good scent throw and they are floral, citrus or tropical smelling, that is great. The scent of spring or summer is what you are looking to achieve to get your mind and senses out of the winter doldrums.
Should your candles not have a good scent throw, or are unscented, fill your home with fragrance oil in a burner. Some good scents to try to lift depression are ylang-ylang, jasmine and lemon. To help bring about happiness and joy try apple, bergamot, orange, neroli, sweet pea or water lily.
Try lighting the candles and the fragrance oils for about two hours at a time. Let the surrounding air soak up the scent and lighting, but don’t overdo it. While the light and scent show is going on, let yourself drift off to spring in the garden, or summer by the water. Escape the winter for a while, at least in your mind.
If you cannot find time at night or during the day for this exercise, try taking a bath late at night when everyone else has gone to sleep. Even a 15 minute to half hour bath just for your own timeout should help ease the mood. Use the fragrance oils mentioned above with some jojoba oil to soften your skin while you’re at it. Picture yourself in a tranquil lagoon on a tropical island as you are soaking.
