The Practice Of Aroma Therapy

Aromatherapy uses pure essential oils, extracted from many parts of the plant (flower, leaf, resin, bark, twig, seed, berry, ring and rhizome). They are generally classified as citrus, floral, earthy, spicy, resinous or woody. Aromatherapy is both an art and a science. It is an art because of the intuitive and creative aspects of preparing various blends of essential oils, and a science because it relies on scientific knowledge during extraction processes. Indeed, each method of extraction gives a different product, as each process extracts different constituents from the plant.

Thus, aromatherapy is not about “nice fragrances” but rather it is a complete system of healing which, when properly used, helps to relax, re-establish “homeostasis”, or harmony, in the body and to achieve a state of equilibrium whilst promoting and maintaining good health and vitality.