Interesting History on the Origins of Aromatherapy

Much of the ancient use of aromatherapy developed from the scented smoke that rose from ancient fires of leaves, wood, flowers, roots and tree sap. If you close your eyes and imagine sitting at a campfire, and inhaling the different scents as they burn, you can understand how natural it must have been to want to learn more about the smells arising from an ancient fire, since certain scents can be neutral, depressing or uplifting to those exposed to them.

Aromatherapy has been around for a very long time, whether we study the ancient Egyptian, Asian, Greek, Roman, Indian and many other cultures. People have been using the essence of plants for many different reasons and in many different ways. However, more than likely it, they did not call it aromatherapy in those times.

They had other names for it, no doubt, or just a phrase for using the herbs they used naturally on a daily basis. For instance, the Egyptians distilled their essential oils for their many cosmetic and perfume purposes, as well as using forms of aromatherapy for healing and spiritual purposes and for their embalming procedures. The Romans and Greeks learned aromatherapy from the Egyptians; they soon recognized the influence and precious use of herbs in honor of their deities in their temples and the healing properties in their bathing and body massage.

The Greeks eventually took their knowledge of aromatherapy to Arabia, where they added their own knowledge and innovations, which increased the popularity of perfumes from the east. Nuns and monks of the 12th century used the healing oil of plants in their concentrated studies.

For protection of the black plague, many people used an application of herbal oils in the middle ages. The use of herbs were very popular at that time, and every well to do family kept distilled herbs and used them daily form may purposes, such as personal, medicinal and household uses. Although, unfortunately the use of healing oils took a downward spiral during the time of snake oil tradesmen and fake medicine men. As the use of essential herbs and oils seem to almost disappear when modern medicine, gained a toehold in healing procedures. However, natives of many lands have used herbs and aromatherapy for centuries, for their spiritual and healing purposes.

Nevertheless, back in the 1920's a scientist burned himself badly and immediately put the burn area into a container of lavender oil, this was the birth of aromatherapy, since he found the oil to not only sooth the pain, but it had an unusual quickness in healing the afflicted area. Aromatherapy uses variable essential oils of plant compounds to influence the mood and health of a body in a positive manner.

Although, aromatherapy has gone through its different stages of growth and decline over the years, there are millions of people who have enjoy the natural use of herbs and aromatherapy in their lives for spiritual, healing, cosmetic and perfume products, of course today these products use carrier oils such as rosehip seed, citrus, almond and olive.
Source: http://www.profoundarticles.com/articledetail.php?artid=64877&catid=708
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