Aromatherapy Affects Your Entire Being
What do you think of when someone mentions aromatherapy?
Lots of perfume smells coming from the bath or cosmetic counter? Nag champa incense burning during meditation? The relaxing smoke of a campfire after a long day outdoors? Or the fresh smell of the air after a rain in the spring? All of these things are part of our imprinted memory of scents and smells, and all have a different effect on us. Aromatherapy is the purposeful use of scent to elicit emotions, physical responses, relaxation, and healing. It goes beyond the olfactory response, however. Aromatherapy is an entire branch of naturopathic and Ayurvedic medicine that can help the body heal physically, emotionally, and psychologically. It can also help set the space for a person doing spiritual work or exercises for spiritual development, and even heighten the experiences, provide protection, and allow connection.
How Does Aromatherapy Work With My Body?
Like all the key senses (sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch) the sense of smell helps orient us to our surroundings and situation. The sense of smell is one of the basic bodily senses that helps a person survive. Smell provides many things: warnings that result in fight or flight, notification of danger, arousal, identification of our loved ones (especially mothers with children), comfort, and it works in close tandem with the sense of taste. We have strong responses and even bonds with some smells, whether deeply satisfying or demanding high aversion. The human sense of smell is not as highly developed as some of our furry and shelled friends, but every day your nose picks up and differentiates literally millions of molecules that it identifies based on inherent or learned knowledge, stimulating the brain and nervous system. And, if it does not identify one, your autonomic nervous system immediately sets up a query to try and identify that new scent to establish if it is safe or unhealthy. Your sense of smell is an integral part of your bodily functions and safety net.
While the sense of smell interplays greatly with aromatherapy, often through the artful use and application of (preferably) natural, quality, pure essential oils, the body also responds in far greater detail than we realize to just the smell of something. Organic, natural essential oils do not have artificial, created, fake compounds as part of them that can alter or affect (usually negatively) the receiver. Scents are made up of terpenes, phenols, aromatic esters, and other organic compounds that are recognized and bond with particular neuroreceptors in the body and brain. Some scents have the ability to even penetrate the blood-brain barrier, going straight to the area of the brain via neurotransmitter that relates to that particular scent, providing a response to a particular body part, emotion, or neurological net.
The interesting thing about aromatherapy is that it is not all about some nice smell. Many compounds used in the practice are not floral or phoofy, as they include things like sea salt, many varieties of evergreens, herbs you are not acquainted with, and even things like leather, resins, and pure fresh tobacco. Aromatherapy also affects tissue and cell structure in the body. Many essential oils have a direct effect on pain receptors, emotional response, bruising and muscle discomfort, nausea, headaches and migraines, sadness and depression, panic and anxiety, and even heart and breathing rate. Scents are one of the strongest associates for memory, both short and long term. They can also help calm and settle, lower respiration rate and blood pressure, ease birthing pains, and many, many other things. As a natural compound, your body is already divinely programmed to know and respond to the makeup of that particular essential oil and its components, creating a synchronistic flow of energy where it is already programmed to naturally go and is needed.
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A fun fact - if you suffer from headaches, carry a small bottle of pure peppermint oil with you. When you have a headache coming on, tap a couple drops into the palm of your receiving hand, and quickly and firmly rub your palms together. Once you feel good warmth (it will be fairly quick) bring your hands up to cup your nose and mouth and breathe in slowly and fairly deeply through your nose. It will be a little tingly. Keep breathing several times. You can even rub the oil on your temples, or across the ridge at the base of the rear of your skull. Do not get it in your eyes as it will sting. There is no need to wash your hands, in fact a number of the pressure points (nerve endings) that cause headaches are in your hands and will absorb some of the oil, helping alleviate and calm the nerves causing the headache. Peppermint works quickly, usually in less than 10-15 minutes. It may not completely remove a severe headache, but nearly always will help significantly ease any stress or strain headache.
You can also put about 10 drops in a spray bottle of water, shake well, and spray to repel ants and mice! A natural solution and they really dislike it. Just remember to be careful if you spray on a floor or other area, as it does make things slippery.
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Properly used, aromatherapy is a great tool for health, healing, and development
I use aromatherapy in a number of ways with my students and clients. I may recommend oils or scents (even fresh dirt and sea water have very strong components) to help alleviate or improve particular issues that challenge you. This is especially true when I do medical intuitive work. I also utilize essential oils and aromatherapy in my doula work, as scents can stimulate memories leading to healing and calming conversations, and help relax both the patient and loved ones working through these times of transition. When students are working with spiritual development, or wish to heighten their chakra energy or balance, aromatherapy can provide a calm space, empowerment, and most of all, protection. For example, if you feel there are dis-eased, dark, or unbalanced energies trying to cause you problems, Angelica is an excellent oil to help provide a layer of protection by literally arousing the angels to come to your aid.
Aromatherapy has to be used carefully, safely, and not in excess. Very potent and intense, pure organic essential oils and many natural compounds have a strong response. A little goes a very long way. Know your source and be particular for full, accurate disclosure on the makeup of the oils or scents you use. Also, many oils can not be ingested (swallowed) that are safe on the skin or diffused into the air in your surrounding environment. My many years of training has included much work with aromatherapy in many different forms and applications. As a medical professional I have done additional extensive research of what works, what does not, what is safe, and correct applications. Some essential oils are so potent that they should not be used by some people, such as those who are expecting, and those suffering from certain allergies or health conditions.
If you are interested in knowing what aromatherapy products (oils, candles, flowers you plant, body cosmetics, etc.) are best suited for your needs, please set up a time to chat with me. You may be very surprised at what scents might be of use to you. You can call or send in the contact form and I will reach out to set up a convenient time to work with you. I can give you healthy, knowledgeable answers and you will not end up with a shelf full of expensive oils that you cannot use or that simply do not work for you.
P.S. If you are interested in, curious, or facing a time of transition for yourself or someone you care deeply about, please take a moment to visit my website at deathdoulanearme.com. I am a certified death doula (counselor) to assist people and those they love make calm, dignified, easier transitions to the next dimension.