Aromatherapy - Ancient Holistic Healing

Aromatherapy is the practice of using the scents of various plant extracts to assist in healing the mind, body, and soul. The use of aromatherapy dates back over 5,000 years and has recently been rediscovered as a method of holistic healing.

The most famous Egyptian technique using aromatherapy was embalming. However evidence exists to show that aromatherapy was also used in cosmetic and medicinal applications. During the same time, records from China indicate that hundreds of plants were identified to exude healing aromatic properties. Ayurvedic medicine, which spans the history of India, has always incorporated aromatherapy into its healing methods and spiritual practices.

The ancient Greeks were quick to adopt aromatherapy from Egypt and began using olive oil as a base. Romans learned these methods from Greece and were soon using scented oils in their famous baths. Although Native Americans and other native cultures around the world continued to utilize the effects of plant extracts, after the fall of the Roman Empire the recorded information on aromatherapy was lost and Western Civilization would have to re-learn everything. (Not one of the most efficient cultures, eh?)

It took the scourge of the plague during the Middle Ages to begin to rekindle an interest in this ancient technique. It was discovered then that certain plant extracts seemed to prevent the spread of infection and assist in decontaminating a house after its occupants had been afflicted.
A Persian philosopher, Avicenna (980 AD – 1037AD), is responsible for the reintroduction of aromatherapy. Once a method of distillation was discovered by the Arabs, it didn’t take long for the unfortunate Crusades to bring these methods back to Europe.

Very slow to catch on, it took until the 19th century before Europe and Great Britain spent any meaningful time studying the effectiveness of aromatherapy on humans. (I imagine we were finding other uses for the Arabic distillation process.) Finally, after a French chemist, Rene Maurice Gattefosse, burned his hand and healed it with some lavender oil he wrote a book on the antimicrobial properties of certain essential oils. Thus, aromatherapy as we know it today was born…again.

If it weren’t for Dr. Gattefosse and his burnt hand, we may not have such an overwhelming olfactory experience as we walk through a shopping mall. Most of the perfumes, candles, lotions, bath salts, etc. that we use today are centered on the fundamentals of aromatherapy. After all, we don’t really want to smell some of those ingredients listed on our favorite body lotion do we? However if we take this a step forward and learn how to best utilize the immense power of plant extracts we very well might spend less time at the doctor’s office and more time, well…shopping for bubble bath!

The sense of smell is a very powerful one. The average human can distinguish over 10,000 distinct odors and people who lose their sense of smell often suffer from depression and anxiety. It is believed that smell is processed in the limbic system, the part of the brain that controls moods, memory, emotion, and learning. When a person’s brain waves are monitored, it has been discovered that smelling lavender increases alpha waves in the back of the brain which are associated with relaxation while jasmine stimulates beta waves in the front of the brain and are linked to stimulation and alertness.

Further studies have allowed scientists to break down these scents in the following functional groups:

Monoterpenes: anti-viral, antiseptic, bactericidal, and can be highly irritating to the skin.
Examples: lemon, pine, frankincense

Esters: fungicidal, sedating, and very aromatically pleasing. Examples: bergamot, Clary sage,
lavender

Aldehydes: sedating and antiseptic. Examples: melissa, lemongrass, cirtronella

Ketones: ease congestion, aid flow of mucus, can be toxic. Examples: fennel, hyssop, sage

Alcohols: very antiseptic, anti-viral with uplifting qualities. Examples: rosewood, geranium,
rose

Phenols: bactericidal and strongly stimulating, can be highly irritating to the skin. Examples:
clove, thyme, oregano

Oxides: expectorant and bactericidal. Examples: rosemary, tea tree

Essential oils are quite different from fatty oils (e.g. almond oil or sesame oil). Essential oils are volatile and will evaporate quite quickly when exposed to air. Essential oils are soluble in fatty oils allowing the fatty oils to act as a carrier or base for the essential oils. This is very useful when using an essential oil topically which may be irritating at full strength. Dissolving into a fatty oil dilutes the irritant while allowing the healing properties to be easily absorbed into the skin.

A safer and more gentle alternative to rare essential oils are hydrosols. These hydrosols are a by-product of the distillation process and contain the same therapeutic properties of the essential oils but in much smaller amounts. Hydrosols are also much less expensive and can easily be used in a mister or spritzers.

Please remember the following safety precautions:

-Never ingest essential oils

-Never allow essential oils to come in contact with the eyes

-Take care when using candle-lit diffusers

-Some essential oils are irritants or present other hazards. Research the use of any essential oil prior to implementation

Here’s a list of uses for essential oils:

Bath: fill the tub with bath water. Add 9-10 drops of essential oil into the bath water, mix before getting into bath. Or add 9-10 drops of essential oil to one teaspoon of carrier oil, such as jojoba oil and add & mix into the bath water so the essential oil is soluble in the carrier oil before adding to the bath.

Liquid Soap: add about 30-45 drops of essential oil to 8 ounces of unscented liquid hand soap or unscented liquid shower body wash. Shake vigorously.

Body Oil: add about 12-15 drops of essential oil to one ounce of carrier oil, such as jojoba oil and shake to blend.

Body Lotion: add 50-60 drops of essential oil to 16 ounces of unscented body lotion. Stir with a spoon or stirring stick to blend the essential oil into the lotion until smooth.

Body Mist: add 10-15 drops of essential oil to a 1 ounce glass misting bottle filled with spring or distilled water. Shake well and shake before each mist.

Liniment: add 25-20 drops of essential oil to one ounce of carrier oil, such as jojoba oil. Shake well to blend.

Compress: add & mix 3-5 drops of essential oil to a bowl of warm or cool water. Soak a wash cloth, wring and apply.

Shampoo/Conditioner: add 12-15 drops of essential oil to one ounce of unscented or mild shampoo and conditioner. Shake well to blend.

Hair Brush: place three drops of essential oil into the palm of your hand; rub over the natural bristles of a hair brush. Brush your scalp and your hair.

Diffuser: add essential oils to an electric diffuser, candle burner or a lamp ring.

Room Mist: add 17-20 drops of essential oil to a 1 ounce glass misting bottle filled with spring or distilled water. Shake well and shake before each mist.

Scent: add five drops of an essential oil to a hanky or tissue and carry with you throughout the day. Or place under your pillow case to ease you into sleep.

Scent: add five drops to a cotton ball and place in drawers and linen closets.

Place: a drop of essential oil in the palm of your hand, rub your hands together and inhale.

Jennifer Bones is a long time practitioner of the Nature / Pagan religion. Her writings span from spiritual fiction to historic studies of women's issues. She is owner and manager of her current website, http://goddessgiftshop.com.

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