Aromatherapy is the art and science of employing the volatile oil of plants in an effort to achieve physical, psychological and spiritual well-being. These plant extracts are called essential oils, and their powerful properties have been exploited for thousands of years. Essential oils are natural plant extracts that are totally distinct from those generally labeled as ‘fragrance oils’, sometimes also referred to as ‘perfume oils’ which contain synthetic chemicals. These de-natured oils are devoid of the therapeutic benefits of essential oils, and they are not considered viable substances in the field of Holistic Aromatherapy.

This is important to note because Holistic Aromatherapy is a fairly new ‘modern’ field of study and it is seldom found under any government regulation at all. The United States for instance does not regulate the use of the word ‘aromatherapy’. Nevertheless, the term itself is widely used in product labeling. One must keep in mind that this does not in itself denote the use of pure unadulterated essential oils, nor does it indicate whether or not the claims made by any one particular product are indeed aroma-therapeutic.

The ancients made no distinction of the art and science of aromatherapy in their use of essential oils in medical treatments, psychiatry, or when used for spiritual guidance and well being. However, it is a field that has been somewhat re-discovered in the western world. The ancient Egyptians were known to have distilled Cedarwood oil, along with employing a variety of spices and essential oils including nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, and myrrh for the science of embalming and in the rites associated with their rather elaborate industry and practice of mortuary arts. The Egyptian cultivation and use of an enormous variety of spices and herbs whether it was for the embalming of the dead, in the huge cosmetic industry, or for the extraction of essential oils, ultimately lead to the world-wide spice trade. This quest to extract and to exploit the natural essences contained in the plant-life of the Earth has played an essential role in the growth, development, and indeed in the fall of civilizations from antiquity until today.

Essential oils are extracted from a variety of different sections of growing plants for use in aromatherapy, including the seeds, flowers, leaves bark, berries, resin, wood, peels, rhizome, root, and resins. They are generally extracted through the process of distillation. However, they may also be also be extracted with the use of a press of some sort, called expression, or through chemical extraction with the use of solvents such as hexane. Chemical extraction produces essences called ‘concetes’.

There are several methods of gaining the beneficial properties of essential oils in aromatherapy. The two most direct ways is through physically inhaling them, or through direct application to the skin. Essential oils are for the most part power extracts and they must be used with the utmost care. They should never be directly applied to the skin or directly inhaled without proper knowledge and supervision. Oils may also be added to soaps and cosmetics. They are used in the production of incense and candles; one example of which is the use of citronella candles made from the oil of cymbopogon often burnt outdoors in order to ward off the pesky intrusion of mosquitoes.

alternative health, alternative medicine, Aromatherapy