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Articles About Aromatherapy |
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Treating the Whole Person with Aromatherapy By
Judith Fitzsimmons, Certified Aromatherapist A concept that has been recognized and respected by alternative health practitioners for years has finally begun to be accepted by the conventional medical community. The concept is simple; we must treat the entire person whenever we are dealing with any health concern. One
of the many benefits of Aromatherapy is that essential oils do just
that, they treat the entire person, mentally, physically, emotionally,
and spiritually. Let’s start at the beginning and explore this comprehensive healing strategy. Aromatherapy is the use of all-natural essential oils in a variety of methods to bring about positive changes. The essential oil that is distilled from plants is the blood stream of the plant. It carries the plant’s nutrients and other valuable entities that give the plant its unique identity. Each
essential oil, therefore, has a unique chemical (a natural chemical, that
is) composition, and it is these chemical compositions that we, as
aromatherapists, study so that we can formulate blends that best meet
the total needs of our clients. So
how can I claim that essential oils work holistically on a person? When
making aromatherapy blends, most competent aromatherapists seek so much
information about the client’s particular ailment that we are able to
incorporate all variables when we create a blend. Let me give you an
example. Nancy came to me with her primary concern being the pain associated with her Fibromyalgia. I had her track a typical week in her life, including activities, work, eating habits, social events, sleeping patterns, events that may have caused stress, the environment in which she lived, worked, or visited in that week. She
also tracked the people that she dealt with and how she felt about them,
and any other item that she did within that week, yes, including her
personal hygiene habits. This
exercise alone was very informative and therapeutic for her. At the end
of the week, she thought (mentally) that she had a better handle on
understanding her daily patterns and how they might effect her ailment.
She felt (emotionally) that she was better able to deal with her
ailment. She also felt supported by me and that, in turn, made her feel
less alone. And we hadn’t even made a blend yet! The next step was to research what would be the best blend or set of blends to make for her that would address the physical ailments, support her emotional needs, and give her the opportunity to open up and seek the spiritual guidance she would also need. Our research concluded with three different blends, one primarily focused on the pain associated with Fibromyalgia, a second to deal with insomnia and constricted muscles, and the third to give her mental clarity and alertness during the day. As we all know, as of today, there is no cure for Fibromyalgia, but at least for Nancy, she is enjoying a pain-reduced existence. By stretching her muscles and applying that blend, she was able to get a better night’s sleep. Rest, a common factor in all healing, was something that she was beginning to enjoy after almost a year of interrupted sleeping patterns. The mental clarity blend not only made her more focused at work and gave her the confidence to do her job effectively, but it also gave her the peace of mind to extend her spiritual quest and thus get the guidance she longed for on her personal journey. With a stronger mental, emotional, and spiritual foundation, the pain was naturally reduced and the essential oil blend formulated for Fibromyalgia pain gave her great relief. Both Nancy and I are confident that if we had just focused on the unique ailment that we would not have been so successful in increasing her overall well being. Seasons of Aromatherapy, written in a friendly style, is an easy-to-use practical guide to the concepts and uses of essential oils. After a detailed introduction which includes concepts, methods of use, and other useful information about aromatherapy in general, the remainder of the book is divided into monthly chapters, each focusing on a specific oil of the month. Each chapter in Seasons of Aromatherapy discusses a month of the year and the challenges and celebrations of that month and season in terms of how aromatherapy can help. In each chapter, scientific information is blended with practical usage of the essential oils. The chapters are informative, lively, and interesting, sprinkled with anecdotes and recipes to make it useful, humorous, and ready to use on a daily basis. Seasons of Aromatherapy is an ideal book for a beginner. It is also a practical, daily guide for the more seasoned practitioner of aromatherapy.
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Copyright 2005 by Judith Fitzsimmons. All rights reserved. YOU ARE HERE: Page Last |
