Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy as we know it today, you could say, was founded by accident!

The use of aromatic plants, fragrant oils and incense for healing, mood altering and ceremonial practices is a centuries old practice dating back some 6,000 years, it wasn’t until the 1930’s when a French chemist named René-Maurice Gattefossé, burned his hand in an experiment that Aromatherapy, as we know it today, was born.

As the story goes, after Gattefossé burned his hand, he plunged it into the nearest liquid he had - that liquid happened to be a tub of lavender oil. To his surprise, his hand healed a lot faster than expected, without infection and without scarring. Gattefossé then started to study the beneficial effects of plant oils. His work was further developed during WWII by a field surgeon named Dr Jean Valnet and finally formed into an holistic therapy by Madame Marguerite Maury who introduced the concept of recommending specific oils to treat the individual.

Aromatherapy has a powerful effect on the body and mind which modern aromatherapists believe is it’s greatest strength. Essential oils have, antiseptic, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties, however their scents can also evoke memories, change moods and make you feel better.

Aromatherapists will make use of essential oils as follows:

• Massage - the combination of touch and the therapeutic effect of the oils makes this the most common practice.
• Inhalation - a few drops on a handkerchief or in some warm water or the use of oil burners.
• Baths - combines the mood altering effects of scent and the therapeutic effect of oils.
• Compresses - used to relieve skin problems, muscular and other pains.
• Neat - pure undiluted oils used externally to relieve a myriad of problems.
• Internally - Performed only under strict medical supervision in France. Very rarely used and very dangerous if done unsupervised. Never attempt to use this method without professional assistance!

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