What is Aromatherapy?

Aromatherapy is a form of complementary medicine that uses volatile liquid plant materials known as essential oils for the maintenance, enhancement and restoration of psychological and physical wellbeing. Practitioners of aromatherapy believe that essential oils, absorbed by the skin or lungs into the bloodstream, directly stimulate the brain and promote healing throughout the body.

Humankind has benefited from the healing power of essential oils for thousands of years. Before the ascendancy of science, every major civilization in history looked to the natural world for healing, using the volatile essences found in the flowers, leaves, bark, branches, roots and rinds of plants for an astonishing range of medicinal and therapeutic purposes. Today, as we begin to question the efficacy and harmful effects of synthetic chemicals, aromatherapy and the use of essential oils marks a return to the healing art of our ancestors. Aromatherapy is a holistic approach to healing that benefits our bodies, minds and spirits while keeping us in touch with our senses — particularly touch, taste and smell.

What are Essential Oils?

Squeeze the peel of a ripe orange; then breathe in the blissfully fragrant residue on your hands. What you smell is an essential oil. Consider the little jolt of pleasure you feel when you sniff a rose, a lavender sachet or a sprig of pungent rosemary. These fragrances may be beautiful, but they are also powerful. Essential oils, the pure distillation of these plants, are capable of having profound effects on our emotions. They soothe us, cheer us up, clear our heads and give us energy. But they can heal us physically as well as psychically.

Every essential oil contains an amazing array of aromatic molecules arranged in a delicate mosaic. The chemical constituents found in each essential oil have unique and powerful antioxidant properties that interact with the body directly, positively affecting organs or even whole systems. Because of their chemical complexity, essential oils do not disturb the body’s natural balance but rather help to restore it, going only where they are needed and providing only what is required to restore homeostasis. You might say the plant’s RNA does a dance with our human DNA, a stark contrast to the jarring effects of synthetic chemicals, which often interrupt the body’s natural balance. Essential oils enter and leave the body with great efficiency, leaving no toxins behind. They are absorbed into the body within seconds and leave it within three to six hours.

Aromatic Uses

Our sense of smell influences many physiological pathways, including the stimulation of hormones and other metabolic processes. When diffused in the air, certain essential oils can be very stimulating while others can be calming and soothing. Diffused essential oils may also be used to remove unwanted odors or to purify the air by removing airborne pathogens.

Topical Uses

Due to their natural molecular composition, essential oils are easily absorbed by the skin and can be safely applied topically. Application of essential oils can have immediate, localized benefit to the area of application. Their restorative and calming properties make them especially useful for massage and beauty therapy, and because they are natural disinfectants, they may be used as cleansing and purifying additives to laundry and surface cleaners throughout the home.