Aromatherapy naturally appeals to people who are tactile or 'sensual' by nature. These sensitive beings appreciate the details in life and most importantly have a deep sense of connection to themselves, their loved ones and the environments they move through. They have delicate senses and may enjoy the feel of different textures or the changing nature of light throughout the day. They will immerse themselves into the rich flavours of food and appreciate music as art. Their sense of smell is powerful and illuminating to their imagination. To these people, say the word 'orange' and they will either visualise the colour, begin to salivate or be instantly hit by the imagined aroma or taste of orange.
Over the past year I have been having far to much fun with Aromatherapy Masterclasses helping people create bespoke blends. The general idea is to give people access to my (ever growing) collection of essential oils and to assist in the production of a 'master blend'. This blend can then be used in a massage oil, diffused or added to a bath etc...
Witnessing peoples immediate reactions and thoughts upon smelling different essential oils is fascinating. The memories that scents evoke can be strong, powerful things. Our sense of smell and our past are inextricably woven together in a rich tapestry of bonds which continues to exist long after our working memory has 'forgotten'. Recently, after smelling Patchouli, a lady recalled the smell of her mothers face cream which then brought a cascade of other memories surfacing. Happy memories of university and completing an art degree were strong for another client who smelt Cypress...although interestingly we couldn't quite pin down the association!
Of all the senses, the sense of smell is the least understood scientifically. However, with the fragrance industry worth an estimated $38.8 billion the race to unlock the secrets of the nose is on. Until then, I will happily continue to learn slowly with each new client and each new blend.
One area I particularly enjoy working in is creating 'anchoring' blends for use during birthing. More specifically, Hypnobirthing. Bringing together essential oils which are safe and supportive for mum's to be are a passion of mine. There are an astonishingly large number of essential oils which are known to be safe during pregnancy, so given that pregnancy is a time when woman tend to gravitate towards natural and organic options, essential oils can be of huge benefit when used correctly.
If you have any questions about Aromatherapy or essential oils please get in touch. Equally, if there is a blog topic you'd like to read about I'd love to hear from you.
Warm wishes,
Emma