A Brief History of Aromatherapy
We already started a conversation about aromatherapy.
Today, I would like to delve deeper into this topic – to understand where the fascination with essential oils originated.
The art of creating and using incense was highly developed even in the earliest civilizations. For example, numerous vessels of incense found in the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun have retained their fragrance to this day.
The first mention of perfumery appears in sources from Egypt. It is said that when the Egyptians praised their gods, lighting fragrant precious resins was an essential ritual. Mentions of aromas can also be found in Indian scriptures and the Bible.
Muslims also used fragrant substances. In the main book of Muslims, the Quran, it is stated: “Perfumes are the food that awakens the spirit, and the spirit is the camel on which a person rides and which it manages to captivate.”
The Arabs are considered the pioneers of essential oils and incense production. Indeed, it is in the East that ancient traditions of a special relationship with essential oils exist.
The East is not the only one famous for its attachment to aromas. All Hindu temples are permeated with fragrant scents: melting wax, burning incense, and … fragrant walls. In fact, the secret is simple – in the clay used to build the temple walls, essential oils are added. When the sun heats the walls, they begin to exude fragrance and become true “houses of scent.” Additionally, temple dancers rub sandalwood paste on their hands – this makes their dance bright and unforgettable.
Tibetan monks would light sandalwood sticks before meditation to help the strength of the wood clear their consciousness.
The very name “aromatherapy” is formed from the combination of two Greek words and literally means “treatment with scents.” The foundation of aromatherapy procedures is the use of natural essential oils obtained from plants. It is known that the main part of essential oils has cleansing, disinfecting, or anti-inflammatory effects, and also possesses bioenergetic activity. Many essential oils activate metabolic processes in connective tissues, promote the regeneration of body cells. All of this makes them invaluable cosmetic aids.
Aromatherapy enthusiasts convince us that if we inhale fragrant substances mixed in the right proportions, we can cure many modern diseases – chronic fatigue syndrome, post-stress syndrome, alleviate cardiovascular disorders, and more. Many people today suffer from these ailments. Scents have the ability to influence the central nervous system, regulating the activity of blood vessels and the rhythmicity of the life processes of our body, as well as hormonal balance. It turns out that aromatherapy can be a wonderful way to normalize biorhythms, improve well-being, and help put the nervous system in order. And indeed, judging by the history of the emergence of aromatherapy, our ancestors actively utilized various healing powers of nature. So why not take advantage of this knowledge and skills ourselves?
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