“Aromas are unique in being the one physical/ethereal element that appears to reach all parts of our body and perhaps all parts of our spirit.”
- Valerie Ann Worwood, Aromatherapy for the Soul.
In this day and age of technological advancements, ridiculous screen addiction, and the stress of everyday life, I am glad that I found my serenity in the most magical and mystical world of Essential oils.
With the help of Essential oils I have become more calm, centered and less judgmental of others as well as myself. I finally figured out how to work through my anxiety and negative feelings through self-awareness and self-healing.
Now I can go on and on about how Essential oils have helped me, you can read About Me for more detail. For now let’s focus on what essential oils can do for you.
WHAT IS AROMTHERAPY?
Aromatherapy is simply using natural aromatic compounds to provide relaxation and calmness for the mind, balance and restoration for the body which in turn reinvigorates and inspires the soul and heals the spirit.
In fact we experience the beautiful effects of aromatherapy everyday without even realizing it. For example, I love how the smell of a freshly brewed coffee can enliven my senses, or the fresh zesty citrus aroma of lemon when squeezed to make a lemonade can make me think of summer afternoons, and the incredible tropical aroma of fresh pineapple brings back the memories of exotic Pina coladas I had on my honeymoon. And how calm I feel when I bake something sweet as I often use vanilla essence which is derived from vanilla pods, its Absolute is used in aromatherapy as an anti-depressant.
The truth is our nature and environment is filled with all kinds of aromas some are intoxicating and some repelling. And these aromas affect our senses without us even realizing it. So you can imagine what effect essential oils can have on us.
The fact is not all essential oils have intoxicating aromas, some have really weird aroma and some have medicine like smell. But that is what they are, natural medicinal compounds with their own unique aromas which cannot be and has never been chemically made in a lab.
And here is the reason why it’s called Aromatherapy. Because natural plants have fragrances that are created by Mother Nature. And whatever aroma is emitted by these plants are therapeutic but not all aromas smell pretty but they have amazing therapeutic benefits. And that is why the best aromatherapy experience is achieved by synergistic blending of three to five essential oil blends. These blends are used in diffusers or candles, or mixed with carrier oils for topical application.
Essential oils are major components of aromatherapy but there are other naturally derived substances that are widely used in aromatherapy as well:
CARRIER OLS: These pure oils are derived from plants, seeds, nuts, etc. They are used to dilute essential oils in a blend for application. Carrier oils are therapeutic and nutrient dense. Such as extra virgin coconut oil, Argan oil, or my favorite Rosehip seed oil, etc.
HYDROLATS: Hydrolats are aromatic waters produced during distillation of essential oils. These are highly therapeutic in nature as you can find some water soluble compound of a plant which are not present in essential oils. These are also called hydrosols, floral waters, aromatic distillates, etc. The most common is rose water, orange floral water, lavender hydrosol, etc. which are usually found in the form of facial mists.
WHAT ARE ESSENTIAL OILS?
“Essential oils and human beings have a great deal in common. We are both alive- chemically, electrically and in terms of infrared radiations.”
–Valerie Ann Worwood, The Fragrant Mind
Essential oils are the most potent and healing substance derived from the plants. They are natural aromatic compounds that can be found in flowers, roots, leaves, barks, resins. They are extracted from plants via steam distillation (herbs, wood, roots, leaves, some flowers), expression (citrus oils), and with the use of CO2 extraction and solvents (floral absolutes and rare exotics).
Chemically, trees are very active. When under attack from a predator they produce extra chemicals which are airborne pheromonal substances –chemical messengers or hormones to alert nearby plants or trees of danger. Also at the time of pollination plants emit extra chemicals known as fragrance to attract pollinators. It is these chemicals that are produced for the survival of the plant species we know as essential oil. So you know how essential it is.
Chemically speaking there are about 3000 compounds found in essential oils and some are not even understood yet. Hence, the complete copying of the resulting fragrance or effect is impossible to achieve. Essential oils are complex chemical structures, still beyond the powers of scientific analysis.
Essential oils are not oil in nature, they are quickly evaporated and need to be mixed with carrier oils, butters or other fats. They are used for their therapeutic properties and highly aromatic nature. They are relaxing and calming, uplifting and energizing, grounding and balancing. You may find their prices vary from low to very high, it’s because of the process and labor required to extract a certain essential oil. For example, Rose absolute is very costly because it takes approx. sixty roses to make one drop of essential oil. Whereas lavender essential oil is very reasonably priced because of its mass production.
HISTORY OF ESSENTIAL OILS
Essential oils have a long and ancient history attached to them which in itself is an outstanding proof of their credibility. Since ancient times people have been processing plant materials to extract their powerful healing essences. In medieval Latin, Paracelsus distilled oils from medicinal plants which he referred to as quinta essential – the quintessence from the plant, and that is where the term essential oils comes from.
The earliest known use of essential oils have been for spiritual purposes for fragrant atmosphere as it was believed that fragrance alerted the gods to our presence, and that the human mind is receptive of spiritual guidance. It is said that at Jesus’ birth, the kings brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And Mary Magdalene anointed the feet of Jesus with spikenard two days before the crucifixion. Its aroma is sweet and sedative. In fact the word ‘messiah’ means “the anointed one”.
Apart from spiritual uses aromatic plants and essential oils have been used for perfumes and other fragrant recreational usage. In ancient Egypt, priests used to make incense and unguents from resins, spices, pulp of fruits and flowers. Queen Hatshepsut planted myrrh trees in her temple. Blue lotus oil was said to be “The sacred scent of Cleopatra” which she always applied to her pulse points. It is believed that when Queen Cleopatra met Mark Antony for the first time she perfumed her ship with the essential oils of Rose and Neroli, which are said to be aphrodisiacs.
HOW ESSENTIAL OILS WORK
When an essential oil is inhaled its aroma molecules are captured by the olfactory receptors. These receptors use tiny filaments to identify the molecules and send the information to olfactory bulbs located at the base of the brain. These molecules enter into our bloodstream through respiratory system while triggering a response in the brain. The part of the brain involved is limbic system, home of our emotions. Aroma molecules get as close to our brain as it is possible stimulating the brain. In fact aroma is the only physical/ethereal substance that can get close to the brain and affect it.
When essential oils are in our environment, they affect us in various ways. As airborne particles their effect can be subtle yet therapeutic affecting the mind and psyche. When applied topically they have dual effects on body as well as mind. They move through the body with ease and gracefulness providing what is needed for the mind, body and soul. And this is because essential oils are apoptogenic. Adaptogens are plant substances that help us adapt to the internal and external factors that cause stress. For example, lavender essential inhaled periodically can act as sedative but inhaled in larger doses can act as stimulant.
Essential oils have many interesting features and the most important of them is that they seem to affect the working of complex organic substances that cause chemical transformations in animals and plants. It would seem that they affect certain changes in a fundamental physiological process. Essential oils have electrical properties, polarity and emit infrared radiation. According to Valerie Ann Worwood, “…essential oils are seen as keys unlocking chemical reactions, as catalysts that cause chemical transformation, or as electrical moderators, they are basically effectors- bringing about a stimulation of the body’s healing mechanism.”
SUMMARY
Biologically there is still plenty of research need to be done and to discuss essential oils only in terms of their chemical compounds is undermining their overall effect on our mind, body and soul. Essential oils work synergistically to provide us what is needed and even after knowing all the components no one can figure out the actual working of essential oils.
The fact is essential oils work in therapy in certain conditions yet chemically their effects cannot be explained. Essential oils are powerful, energetic and dynamic potions with an ethereal quality that resonate with us.
Essential oils contain the mysteries of life and our evolution is deeply entwined.
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