April: Oil of the month: Bergamot
What comes to mind when you think of pure essential oils? Maybe a relaxing bath at the end of the day. Favorite scent in cream or hand wash. A gentle diffusion of lavender in the evening, or a deep massage is relaxing. These are the ways many of us have come to know and enjoy essential oils – as soothing, calming and supportive.
But what is less understood is the depth to which pure essential oils can be used as a precise self-care practice—one that can regulate how we feel in the moment and change our initial state over time.
When we work with oils in this way, we are not trying to change or fix anything. We are just offering a gentle reminder…of the qualities within us that can be strengthened through conscious and careful application. The body and nervous system are invited to soften even a little. Remember that ease is not something we have to achieve, but something that is already within us.
Over the past few years, I have developed a body of work that explores essential oils through a refined lens – understanding the inner nature of each plant, the biodynamics of aroma, and applying oils to specific points on the body – known as AromaPoints – to support emotional balance and the nervous system.
On my online tour, I introduce one oil each month and offer ways to experience it consciously and directly.
Although any oil can be used at any time, there is something very powerful about spending time with one oil at a time – experiencing how it works with your system and allowing it to reveal its qualities and, over time, become part of what I call a family of friends: living support for your emotional well-being.
Bergamot – Self-awareness oil
This month, we’re introducing bergamot – the perfect oil to support us as we step into spring with fresh energy.
Although you may not immediately recognize the fruit itself, you probably recognize its smell. Imagine a citrus that is somewhere between lemon, lime and orange – bright, fresh and mildly sweet, with a softness that rounds its edges. Bergamot is the distinctive element of Earl Gray light tea.
A pure essential oil is the purified essence of a plant that encompasses not only its scent, but its energetic and qualitative nature. Unlike many citrus oils, which are primarily stimulants, bergamot has a unique dual action: it uplifts and soothes the system while also calming and soothing. It brings clarity without fuss – a quality that supports it especially in moments of emotional tension, self-doubt or inner stress.
When we study the nature of a plant – where it grows, how it behaves, the conditions in which it grows – we begin to understand the qualities it offers. Grown in the heat and light of southern Italy, bergamot exudes sunshine, openness and ease, along with a quiet firmness. This is reflected in its effect on us: a subtle sense of warmth, gentle optimism and space.
Emotionally, bergamot can support the release of inner stress and self-criticism, a gentle uplift of mood, a return to confidence and openness, and a feeling of breathing again, both physically and emotionally. This is especially helpful for those who keep a lot inside – people who are thoughtful, sensitive, and often have more than they realize.
In Ayurveda, we can recognize this as a combination of Vata and Pitta imbalance – where there is both mental restlessness and underlying tension. Bergamot brings a balancing quality here: calming the movement as well as cooling the internal heat.
Aroma biodynamics
When we work with essential oils in this way, we’re not just smelling them—we’re engaging with how their scent initiates subtle movement within the body. Certain oils are naturally uplifting, uplifting, and clear to the mind. Others fall to the ground and stabilize. Some are expansive, while others are central.
Bergamot is different in that it simultaneously elevates and settles, which makes it particularly effective for restoring balance and supporting the body in feeling safe enough to release tension patterns over time.
By understanding these biodynamic qualities, we can begin to work with oils more precisely – not only the oil we absorb at any given time, but also where and how to use it, knowing where and how to use it for the best effect.
Meet Bergamot – a simple practice for restoration and balance
There are specific points on the body known as acupoints, derived from traditional Chinese medicine and the meridian system, that are particularly amenable to this approach.
One of the most accessible points is in the upper ear, known as the Shenmen – often called the Spirit Gate. Closely connected to the vagus nerve, even gentle touch here can support a sense of calm and regulation.
If you want to feel the effects of bergamot, not just about it, I recorded a short five-minute practice – a gentle introduction to the AromaPoints™ approach using this point. You can do this with or without oil. You only need five minutes and it’s a little quiet.
You can watch the exercise here.
These quiet changes are often where the deeper adjustment begins. It is in these small repeated moments of connection that the nervous system begins to recover—not dramatically, but truly. Over time, this can change not only how we feel in a moment, but how we approach our lives more broadly.
Join the journey
Bergamot is the first oil on a 10-month online fragrance tour with Corinna starting April 16, 7:30-9:00 p.m.
Each month, we explore a different oil as a way to balance our emotions, support our nervous system, and connect deeper with ourselves.
There are two ways to join:
Bergamot single session — £35 Includes live session, pre-recorded training, high-quality ready-to-use oil, picture reference cards and a small bag.
A full 10-month tour – 300 pounds. Includes all live and recorded sessions, my handcrafted AromaPoints Miracle Box (full set of 10 oils, fully illustrated cards and bag) and access to The Enchanted Garden – a dedicated online space for questions, additional guidance and further live sessions to explore the protocols and meridian system.
You can find more information here.
Join Corinna Free Gathering: Spring, Kapha, and the Art of Renewal Talk, Q&A, and Meditation on Tuesday, April 7 from 19.30 to 20.30
Words: Corinna Kitchen
Director – Institute of Biodynamic Medicine – (IOBM) – biodynamic.org
IOBM Senior Licensed Biodynamic Psychotherapist, Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant, AromaPoints Practitioner – ayurvedawellbeing.corinnakitchen.com
Corinna Kitchen is a licensed biodynamic psychotherapist and Ayurvedic lifestyle consultant based in Lewes, East Sussex. Her work combines biodynamics, Ayurveda and pure essential oils with AromaPoints – a method of working with pure essential oils at specific points on the body to support the nervous system.
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