Aromatherapy - Art or Science?

Aromatherapy is an ancient therapeutic art of blending essential oils distilled or extracted from aromatic flowers, bark, stems, leaves, roots or other parts of a plant to enhance psychological and physical well-being.

Patricia Davis describes it as the art, and science, of using plant oils in treatment in her book.

The inhaled aroma from these Essential Oils is widely believed to stimulate brain function.

Each oil projects its own unique colour vibrations, they all have their own properties, their own personalities and are all different, affording you a wide variety to choose from as everybody needs something different, even if it is just for the smell.

It's not just about smells...

However it is important to remember that Aromatherapy is a vast subject and is not just about the smells. Find out more about how it works here.

As a form of alternative medicine, the therapeutic use of aromatic plant extracts and essential oils is gaining momentum. It is used for a variety of applications, including pain relief, mood enhancement and increased cognitive function. It can be used in many so different ways... READ MORE...

The word, aromatherapy, was first used in the 1920's by French chemist Ren Maurice Gattefosse. He devoted his life to researching the healing properties of essential oils after a lucky accident in his perfume laboratory. After setting his arm on fire, he thrust it into the nearest cold liquid, which happened to be a vat of "NOx Ph232" or more commonly known as lavender oil... READ MORE about Essential Oils HERE...

Aromatherapy Bible

He immediately noticed surprising pain relief. His recovery from previous burns, required an extended healing process, during which he suffered redness, heat, inflammation, blisters, and scarring. This time round the burn healed remarkably quickly, with minimal discomfort and no scarring.

The work of Gattefosse was continued by Jean Valnet who, during World War I, used essential oils to treat gangrene in wounded soldiers. Then in 1950 a biochemist named Marguerite Maury drew attention to the oils again by combining them with massage.

However here is an interesting fact for you... Aromatherapy is as old as Methuselah himself... imagine... it is said that it's origins can be traced back 9000 years. In the Stone Age, for instance, different kinds of wood were burnt for the aromas. There is also evidence that the ancient Sumerians made use of scented herbs such as cypress and myrrh over 4000 years ago.

Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease. ~ Hippocrates

The Greek "father of medicine" Hippocrates recommended aromatic baths and scented massages to encourage healing and the Romans have for centuries used oils for their baths, healing, massages and skin.

In the 1870's George Ebers discovered a 70 foot long papyrus scroll that listed in excess of 850 ancient Egyptian botanical remedies dating back to about 1500 BC. There is even reference in the Bible by Moses (Exodus 30, 22-25) dating from around 1240 BC to making holy oils.

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