The Power of Essential Oils
THE ANCIENT SENSUAL SCIENCE OF AROMATHERAPY
by Christina Fior

Today, aromatherapy with the use of pure essential oils provides us with a contemporary version of an ancient healing art. The earliest known uses of Aromatherapy began in Egypt in the 1500’s BC for the purpose of healing, bathing, and for embalming the dead with sacred aromatic plants.  The Greeks built on the knowledge of the Egyptians and developed therapeutic remedies using specific plant extracts.  The Romans, Arabs, Chinese, Indians and other cultures also developed their protocols using herbs and aromatic spices indigenous to their cultures. 

Aromatherapy is based on the premise that the best way to prevent illness is to penetrate the body’s most finely tuned receptors to restore balance.  Aromatherapy helps restore a harmonious relationship between body, mind and emotions—a balance that is constantly under attack from the stresses of modern life and our polluted environment.  Aromatherapy’s subtle forces can positively affect the way we look, feel and think.  All of us can improve our health and loving communication by breathing in pure aroma essences and enjoying the power of touch through many time-proven aromatherapy practices.

Hippocrates, the ‘father of medicine’ incorporated the science of aromatherapy into his work and is known for his statement that “There is a remedy for every illness to be found in nature.”

Therapeutic Properties

Each essential oil has specific therapeutic properties which can successfully treat a wide range of ailments and desired energetic results.  Essential oils are potent substances and are not to be underestimated as to their influences on human chemistry.  Therefore, it is important for practitioners to educate themselves on the essential properties of the plants, their benefits, and which ones to use with caution. 

Essential oils are sensitive to heat and light and therefore must be stored in colored bottles
and a neutral to cool environment to preserve their freshness.  The energetic and aromatic qualities of each plant essence are fined tuned to distinctive “notes” which describes how rapidly the oil will evaporate or how long the fragrance will last. Top notes such as lemongrass and sage are the most uplifting and stimulating and evaporate more quickly than the lower notes. The middle, such as lavender and rosemary, along with the lower notes such as rose and frankincense are more grounding and soothing and have a longer “staying” power.

Therapeutic Uses

The three most common therapeutic uses of plant essences are inhalation of the aroma through steam vaporization, compresses, room sprays, baths and massage.  Because essential oils are highly concentrated, they should be used with caution on the skin.  Therefore, when using aromatherapy oils for massage, the pure essence should be diluted with a high quality “carrier oil” such as organic grape seed oil, almond oil or apricot kernel oil to gently deliver the powerful aroma qualities into the dermis.

Different essential oils can be combined together (“oil blends”) to achieve certain therapeutic or pleasurable responses such as mood elevation, serenity, mental clarity, focus, love and even passion. Aromatherapy aficionados enjoy creating custom blend recipes to apply to potpourri, bath salts, and even some to food preparation.

Other Beneficial Uses

As people are seeking to eliminate toxic substances from their bodies and in their homes, more daily uses for aromatherapy are being discovered and revived.  For example:  Lavender, sage and parsley are now commonly found in environmentally safe cleaning and deodorizing products; tea tree is used as a powerful antiseptic; and citronella and pennyroyal are known insect repellents.

Synthetic vs Natural

Even though the cost of using synthetic oils is significantly cheaper, they do not provide the same therapeutic effects as the natural pure essentials.  It is important to ask your supplier about the origin of their oils, as well as their distillation, testing and processing methods.  As you become more familiarized
with different essences, their qualities, “notes” and therapeutic properties,
you will become sensitized as to which essence is most energetically pure.