Archive for February, 2010
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AROMATHERAPY – USING ESSENTIAL OILS
Friday, February 26th, 2010
We have the benefit of the availability of the finest essential oils and produce the world offers on the market for those interested in perfumery and in use of oils in aromatherapy. They are in regular use in beauty parlours, healing clinics, churches and homes. Our practical use of perfume and incense is varied and interesting, not forgetting the personal use of in both male and female toiletries.
When we want to screen unpleasant odours we can use one of the many, but often unpleasant chemical sprays on the market. Or we can use natural scents such as eucalyptus, lavender, lemon and thyme and many others that have a beneficial nature and do not cause allergic reactions. It is good to walk into a home and our first breath is a pleasant one that sets a good atmosphere.
In Australia one of the most popular is the outdoor burning of lavender or sandalwood sticks to reduce the smells at barbeques. It proves helpful in reducing insect problems and also offers a particularly pleasant atmosphere.
Those who use incense for meditation find Church incense is often the best source of sacred and quality resins that are used in devotional or church ritual.
In aromatherapy, healing oils such as peppermint are used in aromatherapy with great success in massaging sore muscles around the spine and inhalation of lavender demonstrates positive relief of nervous strain and stress.
In therapy it is interesting to study the subtle healing influences of the essential, or pure, natural oils when they are applied externally or inhaled. They are now regularly used in naturopathic clinics and by physiotherapists, aromatherapists and in conjunction with massage in beauty parlours.
Many scientists are attracted to research into the effect of essential oils upon the brain and are exploring their potential for psychological benefit as an alternative treatment to controversial psychiatric drugs. In conjunction with their positive findings are also the tests that demonstrate the negative results of inhalation of various toxic smells and fumes. This indicates the care we should employ when deliberately or even unconsciously inhaling the atmospheres of our immediate environment.
So enjoy the delights and have confidence in the benefits of inhaling the perfumes of nature’s wealth of influence in pure, vital, essential oils.
Seek further information from your aromatherapist.
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Osmics – the Science of Perfume
Friday, February 26th, 2010
Many scientists over the centuries have contributed to the furtherance of the science behind perfumes and aromatics leading to the modern science of Osmics that verifies the use of aromatics by the ancients. Albertus Magnus, Bishop of Cologne in the 13th century wrote of psychological responses of man to odours and perfumes similar to the work of Paracelsus.
Eliphas Levi was one of the earliest writers on perfume and the relationship with colour.
Charles Lilly – quoted in the Tattler – refers to his skill in preparing “snuffs and perfumes, which refresh the brain …”
Rene-Maurice Gattefosse was perhaps the earliest pioneer of modern aromatherapy in the 20th century. A distinguished French scientist, he had a laboratory accident that burned his hand. He plunged it into pure lavender oil and its immediate healing initiated further research.
Dr. George Kurti, born in Budapest in 1909 and who attended the Royal Academy of Music, invented a Scent Organ and was interested in developing the subtle healing powers of both music and scent. He believed that essential oils offer regeneration of cells and organs of the body.
Dr. Alexander Cannon K.C.A. of London, applied the developing science of aromatics to the alleviation of neurotic disorders.
Dr. Carrell of Michigan reported good results with perfume used in therapy with the insane and mentally disturbed.
M.T. Chole, of Bombay believes odoriferous matter reaches the parts of the brain not under conscious control and that its perception affects our psychic life and transforms our predispositions.
Roland Hunt, author of many works on the importance of the subtle sciences including the correlation between the musical scale and the harmonics of perfume as aids to elevating human consciousness. Ivah de Bergh Whitten encouraged Roland Hunt, teaching him of the additional influence and importance of colour.
Marguerite Maury, Austrian biochemist from her laboratory in France, introduced aromatherapy into Britain and Europe, as an adjunct to beauty treatments – offering rejuvenation and psychological help, as well as relief of physical ailments. Her scientific work provides the basis of the modern profession of aromatherapy, firmly providing this most ethereal of sciences with a scientific anchorage.
In modern London Danielle Ryman (M.Maury’s Aromatherapy, Piccadilly London) uses radiesthesia to determine which oils and in what combination they are to be used.
Micheline Arcier who trained under Mme Maury concentrates on the individual as a whole and includes dietary reform.
Marietta Kavanagh (William St, London) has developed her own specific formulas for each personality.
Philippe Mailhebiau of France, together with his research into the healing power of aromatics, has researched physical healing related aromatics to the qualities of the soul.
We await further development of the science as we use the essential oils proven to be effective in relieving both physical and psychological ailments and continue to explore the natural delights offered us as we inhale perfumes of our choice.
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Perfumed Bath Oils
Saturday, February 13th, 2010
Bath time is not just to bathe. Most women know it as a special
time to indulge in perfect privacy – a luxury time to relax and to
enjoy the beautiful natural fragrances of bath oils.
Selected essential oils are the basis of the oils and combinations of
scents produced in commercial bath oils. These offer a range
of delightful perfumes released by added to the hot water as itfills the tub.
Perfumed steam is enjoyed whilst bathing and the essential goodness in the oils retained
in the bathwater have time to be absorbed by your skin. That is why it is necessary to
purchase really good quality products.
The most popular choices of perfume include rose geranium, lemongrass, lavender, neroli,
bergamot, or the heavier amber. Men find cypress, sandalwood and pine are energizing
as well as benefitting from inhalations that relieve them of mental stress.
Not all essential oils are suitable as bath oils so check with your naturopath or aromatherapist.
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BURNING AROMATICS
Monday, February 1st, 2010
Ancient cultures record the regular use of incense with balsams and resins forming the basic ingredients with perhaps the most lavish examples being Babylon, Egypt and China. The most easily procured substances were found in the trees, barks, roots and resins and many trees provided suitable material whilst forests remained pristine. In addition the rich supplies of gums from the Middle East and increasing trade from many other countries provided perfumes and aromatic in popular demand.
Perfumes and incense were highly developed in classical times. The Romans, through Nero’s infamous behaviour, allowed extravagant uses of perfumes in demonstrations of almost unimaginable decadence.
As incense ingredients became better known in Europe, incense was widely adopted by the Christian church. It quickly replaced the earlier devotional offering of pagans to their many gods to now satisfy what was understood as the specific directions in the Bible. In religious worship in all churches, censing was relied upon as an integral part of the ritual as it proved helpful in inducing a devotional mood amongst congregations.
In Asia and India, the use of incense is an ancient tradition in the life of the people. It has become an important art in blending natural floral perfumes with sandalwood and sometimes a substance from ambergris and the highly prized musk from the musk deer. Because of the associated cruel methods, animal sources are now outlawed.
It has several benefits and practical purposes beyond religious purposes. It not only can be used to disguise unpleasant odours, but to help create a pleasant general atmosphere and more specifically, in helping an individual soothe stressful mental and emotional states.
For these reasons incense continues to increase in popular domestic use, particularly amongst those who practise meditation. It has found its way to become commonplace for perfumes and aromatics to feature in the life and homes of us all.
However, with greater awareness of the earth’s decline in natural resources, there is every likelihood that we will have to use restraint in our casual use of incense in the future and reserve our precious aromatics solely for spiritual purposes.
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INHALING AROMATICS
Monday, February 1st, 2010
Our sense of smell is directly related to our respiration. Inhaling a delightful scent makes us impatient for the next breath! Perfumes increase our sensory enjoyment of life and beautiful ones make us smile. On the other hand if we sense an obnoxious odour, we frown, and tend to feel disturbed until free of its influence.
One aspect of the function of olfaction is protective in warning us of danger. Another aspect is to increase our awareness of nature and to add sensory enjoyment of beautiful scents and perfumes. This enriches our appreciation of life, particularly natural life. We would feel it a loss if we could no longer inhale the perfume of a rose or enjoy the freshness of the forests.
Aromatics are intimately connected with the memory centres of the brain which file away previous sense memories and experiences. Different scents can unconsciously or consciously affect or trigger our moods, our deep emotions and our thoughts, depending upon our associated experiences.
But this is not the only power that aromatics possess. They are found to have unique qualities of their own that can be employed for our physical and mental benefit through inhalation and absorption by our brain and body tissues.
Essential oils and natural perfumes have a positive value in healing disturbances of the mind and emotions as well as the body. This establishes aromatherapy as a subtle method and Osmics as a proven, although subtle science. Many practitioners now employ aromatics in the art of healing both physical and psychological stress and strain.
To improve our enjoyment and the benefits of subtle perfumes, aromatics and essential oils we must cultivate our breathing and particularly learn to deepen our inhalation.
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ENJOY ESSENTIAL OILS !
Monday, February 1st, 2010
The popularity of natural perfumes is at a peak providing us with opportunity to select essential oils of every kind in the current market. Instead of beautiful perfumes being a luxury they have become an integral part of modern toiletry. The insistence upon quality is an indication of the continuing demand for the unadulterated, natural essential oils that offer wonderful benefits and pleasure and used in aromatherapy, with their subtle but effective healing potential.
The more sophisticated blends of expensive perfumery, with complex and often chemical ingredients, will always keep their allure and be used for personal enhancement. However, natural oils have an advantage in that they can be used alone or blended at home for use either as body perfume or as massaging oil. This allows personal experimentation until you find your favourites.
Essential oils are the only safe ones that can be used in healing and the developing science of aromatherapy. This science is pointing the way to a wide range of application from relieving sore muscles and strains, for pain relief, headaches, sinus, and pulmonary complaints. In the latter case eucalyptus oil is usually selected as one of the best, along with pine and peppermint.
Some oils are specifically antiseptic, such as tea tree and thyme oils. Others are exquisitely perfumed and used for direct inhalation when deep breaths draw their beneficial properties to nourish brain and nervous system as in the case of rose or lavender when we hardly need more encouragement to take a deep breath.
Lavender has also proven to be a deterrent for mosquitoes and many burn it at barbeques and outdoor gathering for this reason. Other oils can be similarly used.
We can inhale fragrances such as frankincense applied on our skin or onto an incense stick to help us relax and create an atmosphere for meditation. It is still retained in church use in incense.
Perfumes always have their fascination for both men and women and there are many occasions when we can enjoy them. Their elusive qualities keep us wanting more of the lovely ones. It is a voyage of discovery to find perfumes that suit your particular personality, or provide a particular influence at work or in the home. Enjoy!
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