History
of Aromatherapy
With
origins dating back 5000 years, Aromatherapy is truly one
of the oldest methods of holistic healing.
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In the Beginning:
Ancient
man was dependent on his surroundings for everything from
food, to shelter and clothing. Being so keenly aware of
everything around him, and how it could be used for survival,
he quickly discovered methods to preserve food and treat
ailments through herbs and aromatics.
Aromatherapy, as it is practiced today, began with the Egyptians,
who used the method of infusion to extract the oils from
aromatic plants which were used for medicinal and cosmetic
purposes as well as embalming.
At a similar time, ancient Chinese civilizations were also
using some form of aromatics. Shen Nung's herbal book (dating
back to approximately 2700 BC) contains detailed information
on over 300 plants and their uses.
Similarly, the Chinese used aromatics in religious ceremonies,
by burning woods and incense to show respect to their Gods
- a tradition which is still practiced today. The use of
aromatics in China was linked to other ancient therapies
such as massage and acupressure.
Aromatherapy has also been used for many centuries in India.
Ayurveda, the traditional medical system of India, uses
dried and fresh herbs, as well as aromatic massage as important
aspects of treatment.
The Greeks acquired most of their medical knowledge from
the Egyptians and used it to further their own discoveries.
They found that the fragrance of some flowers was stimulating
while others had relaxing properties. The use of olive oil
as the base oil absorbed the aroma from the herbs or flowers
and the perfumed oil was then used for both cosmetic and
medicinal purposes.
The Romans learned from the Greeks and became well known
for scented baths followed by massage with aromatic oils.
The popularity of aromatics led to the establishment of
trade routes which allowed the Romans to import "exotic" oils and spices from distant lands such as India and Arabia.
With the decline of the Roman Empire, the use of aromatics
faded and the knowledge of their use was virtually lost
in Europe during the dark ages.
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Rediscovery
of a Healing Art:
One
of the few places where the tradition of Aromatherapy continued
was in monasteries, where monks used plants from herbal
gardens to produce infused oils, herbal teas and medicines.
At the time of the plague and during the Middle Ages, it
was discovered that certain aromatic derivatives helped
to prevent the spread of infection, and others, such as
cedar and pine, were burnt to fumigate homes and streets.
The revival of the use of essential oils is believed to
be credited to a Persian physician and philosopher known
as Avicenna who lived from 980 AD to 1037 AD. The Arabs
initiated a method of extraction known as distillation,
and study of the therapeutic use of plants once again became
popular in the Universities. The knowledge of distillation
spread to their invading forces during the Crusades, and
the lost process was once again returned to Europe.
By 1200 AD, essential oils were being produced in Germany
and were based mainly on herbs and spices brought from Africa
and the Far East.
When South America was invaded by the conquistadors, even
more medicinal plants and aromatic oils were discovered,
and the wide variety of medicinal plants found in Montezuma's
gardens provided a basis for many new and important remedies
and treatments.
Throughout the northern continent, Native American Indians
were using aromatic oils and producing their own herbal
remedies which were discovered when settlers began to make
their way across the plains of the New World.
Although herbs and aromatics had been used in other world
cultures for many centuries, it was not until the 19th century
that scientists in Europe and Great Britain began researching
the effects of essential oils on humans. It was French chemist,
Rene Maurice Gattefosse who discovered the healing powers
of lavender oil after burning his hand in his laboratory.
He published a book on the anti-microbial effects of the
oils in 1937 and the term "Aromatherapy" was born.
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Aromatherapy
Today
Although
it has been practiced for thousands of years, Aromatherapy
has only recently become popular in our culture. This is
a result of a return to a holistic lifestyle, recognizing
the importance of combining the mind, body and spirit to
achieve optimum health and wellness.
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Aromatherapy in Modern
Times:
Modern
day scientific research has been, and continues to be performed
which verifies not only the emotional but the physical benefits
that aromatherapy provides.
Through research and awareness we have come to better understand
and appreciate what nature has to offer us. We know the
effects of "clear cutting" our forests and polluting
our skies. And we ask for change. We realize that in order
to sustain this earth, for the generations far beyond ours,
we have to preserve, and protect it. At the same time, we
know that we need to look after ourselves.
We are all seeking answers for the illnesses that pervade
our society, and the stresses that this fast paced modern
life place on us. Conventional medicine has given us some
of those answers in the form of prescription drugs and surgery,
but still, we ask for more.
With growing health care costs and the sometimes impersonal
quality of conventional medicine, we have turned to nature
to find the answers to our questions. We have realized that
we must take personal responsibility for our health and
strive to educate ourselves on living more balanced lives.
Therapies and medicines that were once viewed as alternative,
cloaked in a shroud of skepticism, have risen from the shadows,
providing a complement to conventional medicine. Aromatherapy
is one such example, and a very powerful one, of a complementary
therapy widely practiced today.
For some of us, we don't even know we're doing it. When
you burned that scented candle last week, you were practicing
Aromatherapy. When you walk through a fragrant garden, you
are doing it again! In fact, virtually all of the bath and
body care products we use contain some form of essential
oils - the basis of Aromatherapy.
This is one of the reasons Aromatherapy is so popular today.
It is easy to practice, readily available, and effective
as a therapy.
Aromas and scents are things that can trigger many things
within us; fond memories, the thought of a loved one, and so much more.
Since aroma
and fragrance is so important wouldn't you love to find some discount
fragrances so you don't have to go broke trying to be remembered for a
beautiful scent? It's so easy to find discount
perfume for women and discount
cologne for men online that there's no reason why you shouldn't be
creating sweet
smelling memories for everyone around you right now!
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