Aromatherapy - An overview.
Aromatherapy can be traced as far back as 1527, in his work ‘The art of Aromatherapy – Robert Tisserand (1st pub. 1977) tells us that it was referred to in The Vertuose Boke of Distyllacyon of the Waters of all Maner of Herbes (Hieronymous Braunschweig – 1527)
Tisserand tells us that back then all medicine was really herbology and aromatherapy until science butted in. Medicine grew from the old knowledge that certain herbs, plants and oils etc, could cure certain ailments, a process they refined unknowingly by trial and error and simply following their instincts. This led to the practitioners learning what parts of the plants to use and the best times to harvest the plants for maximum efficacy and even down to ‘time of day effect’ on when and how they were harvested in addition to the astrologically significant times of the year to do this. I feel it would not be too great a stretch to say that aromatherapy may indeed be said to be the origins of modern medicine.
That said, aromatherapy today may be seen as no more than a branch of herbal medicine and has been said to be seen as being an “attempt to heal through medicines of botanical origins”; and it may indeed be that, however, as recently as 1994 it was still not included as a subject to be taught by the National Institute of Medicinal Herbalists as a branch of herbal medicine. It is thought that this is due to the fact that herbal medicine is seen as being based on the ‘Organic principle of using the whole herb, or It’s extract, to create a treatment. (I’m no expert but isn’t that what aromatherapy does?)
The pioneer of modern aromatherapy is considered by many to be one René Maurice Gattefossé and he is quoted as saying of modern Aromatherapy that “the products are externally applied, but their penetrative power is sufficiently great for them to act on the organs subjacent to the areas to which the topical applications are made” It may be seen to indicate then, that ‘Hilton’s law’ applies in that the basis of Hilton’s Law states that ‘the nerve which supplies a joint also supplies the muscles which move the joint, and the skin over the joint", therefore an aromatherapy oil applied to the chest will affect the lungs, heart and muscles etc, inside the body.
Aromatherapy is also very versatile in that it may infused (like air fresheners you plug into electrical sockets) and dispersed in mist form via an atomiser, applied topically via massage, ingested orally in some cases and you can even soak it up through your skin by soaking in a bath. In addition, it is possible to self-administer in a way that is not possible with other therapies. After all, it is the simplest thing in the world to light a scented candle isn’t it!
Essential oils and aromatherapy, like all treatments, are not without their hazards – they may cause bad reactions, and can even result in death in some instances, if ingested when this is contra-indicated, if too much is taken, or for example, as in the case of Citronella, difficult with breathing if it is burnt in enclosed spaces (especially dangerous for asthma sufferers!). It is possible to have an allergic reaction to a given oils in the form of a rash or burning skin etc, and these too could be fatal so caution and research are strongly advised in the use of aromatherapy, Tisserand cites the example of the 18yr old French girl who ingested 30 drops of Hyssop oil (used in some cases for coughs and colds) and had an epiliform convulsion (epileptic seizure) and most people are also aware that oils we may normally be fine with can be seriously contra-indicated when being used by pregnant women also, some oils are not safe for babies and young children (even heavily diluted) so one should always check what oils are best and how best to use them first and pay attention to any such warnings when buying any of the many pre-prepared products out there on the market. There are myriad sources available to check before you use any aromatherapy oils nowadays and a few moments caution could save unwanted reactions and discomfort.
Research Sources:
Llewelwyn's Witches Datebook -Llewelwyn Publishers - 2011
The Art of Aromatherapy: Robert Tisserand: 1st pub.1977
The Vertuose Boke of Distyllacyon of the Waters of all Maner of Herbes - Hieronymous Braunschweig – 1527.
