Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a modern term for an ancient healing practice that has been used for thousands of years.

The original Ayurvedic texts describe how burning herbs, flowers, bark, and resin enhance our consciousness and benefit the healing process by using medicated oils, salves, and poultices.

Modern aromatherapy utilizes highly concentrated oil extracts, known as essential oils, that are distilled from flowers, fruits, herbs, grasses, and trees.

During distillation, the plant material is placed inside a still. Steam slowly breaks through the plant material, extracting its volatile constituents. These constituents rise upward through a connecting pipe leading into a condenser. The condenser cools the rising vapor back into a liquid form, which is collected in a vessel located below the condenser. Because water and oil do not mix, the water is siphoned off, leaving the oil.

When we use essential oils, tiny molecules enter our bloodstream, producing hormones that regulate our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual functions, influencing our consciousness, memories, desires, and creativity. Many people experience powerful results using these oils—including relief from migraine headaches, joint pain, skin rashes, anxiety, insomnia, and many other physical and emotional conditions.

The ancient science of Ayurveda is based on the five elements (ether, air, fire, water, and earth) found in our universe and understood by the qualities (hot-cold, heavy-light, dry-wet, mobile-stable, etc.) that surround us in our environments.

These elements and their qualities explain the three forces that make up our individual and unique constitutions, known as the doshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha). The doshas constantly change in response to the changing seasons, our physical locations and environments, what we ingest, and our mental, emotional, and spiritual balance.

Ayurveda's goal is to keep our constitutions in balance. To do this, it uses the five senses and their related therapies (ether-hearing, air-touch, fire-sight, water-taste, and earth-smell). Some treatments include food, herbs, sound, massage, yoga (including pranayama), color, and aromatherapy.

During the winter season, when the Kapha dosha (earth and water) is at its peak, its inherent qualities—cold, wet, heavy, and immobility—are increased, so you incorporate opposite attributes of warmth, dryness, lightness, and movement. Many essential oils possess these qualities, but this season, I have chosen clove, camphor, and anise to incorporate into my practice.

When considering an aromatherapy practice, it is best to consult a professional to help you decide which oils are best and how to use them safely. These concentrated oils are potent, and caution should be used when applying them to the skin. Below are the most popular avenues for using aromatherapy and adding essential oils into your daily practice, “Dinacharya.”

Aromatic flowers, herbs, and candles can be used in your home. You can also mix essential oils with other oils (carrier oils) for massage oil, introduce essential oils into your bath water, or use them in the shower with a towel.

Using a tabletop diffuser, which distributes the oil into your environment, or a portable aromatherapy mister bottle.

Below is additional information based on each of the doshas, which might help you decide which oils to consider in your daily or seasonal practice.

Vata Dosha – (Air & Ether)

The Vata nature is cold, dry, quick, and irregular, and it can be balanced by using sweet, warming, and grounding scents. Essential oils to use would be anise, basil, bergamot, cinnamon, clary sage, eucalyptus, frankincense, ginger, lavender, lemongrass, myrrh, neroli, patchouli, sandalwood, sweet orange, tangerine, thyme, and vanilla.

Carrier oils: sesame, avocado, and castor oil.

Pitta Dosha – (Fire & Water)

Pitta is characterized as hot, sharp, and intense, and it can be balanced by incorporating cooling, soothing, and calming botanicals. Essential oils to use would be chamomile, clary sage, fennel, jasmine, lavender, lemon balm, lime, mandarin, neroli, peppermint, rose, sandalwood, tea tree, vanilla, and wintergreen.

Carrier oils: sunflower, coconut, and olive oil.

Kapha Dosha – (Water & Earth)

The Kapha nature is calm, heavy, and slow, and it can be balanced by using stimulating, warming, and cleansing aromatics. Essential oils to use would be anise, basil, bergamot, camphor, cedarwood, cinnamon, clary sage, clove, eucalyptus, frankincense, ginger, grapefruit, neroli, myrrh, rosemary, sage, sweet orange, and wintergreen.

Carrier oils: mustard seed, almond, and grape seed oil.