Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a method of healing using very concentrated essential oils that are often highly aromatic and are extracted from plants.

Constituents of the oils confer the characteristic perfume or odor given off by a particular plant. Essential oils help the plant in some way to complete its cycle of growth and reproduction.

For example, some oils may attract insects for the purpose of pollination; others may render it distasteful as a source of food.

Any part of a plant the stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, roots or bark-may produce essential oils or essences but often only in minute amounts.

Different parts of the same plant may produce their own form of oil. An example of this is the orange, which produces oils with different properties in the flowers, fruits and leaves.

The therapeutic and medicinal properties of plant extracts have long been recognized and their use dates back to earliest times.

Art and writings from the ancient civilizations of Egypt, China and Persia show that plant essences were used and valued by priests, physicians and healers.

Plant essences have been used throughout the ages for healing-in incense for religious rituals, in perfumes and embalming ointments and for culinary purposes.

There are many Biblical references that give an insight into the uses of plant oils and the high value that was attached to them.

Throughout the course of human history the healing properties of plants and their essential oils has been recognized and most people probably had some knowledge about their use.

It was only in more recent times, with the great developments in science and orthodox medicine, particularly the manufacture of antibiotics and synthetic drugs, that knowledge and interest in the older methods of healing declined.

However, in the last few years there has been a great rekindling of interest in the practice of aromatherapy with many people turning to this form of treatment.