The Evolution Of Aromatherapy: The Three Schools Of Aromatherapy Application

Essential oils are profoundly effective natural medicines whose popularity has grown significantly in the last decade

. The body of scientific evidence supporting their very diverse therapeutic actions is growing rapidly, validating the interest of the natural medicine community in their use. At the same time, many people are just not sure what they should be doing with these little bottles of great smelling liquids. People new to aromatherapy get the idea that there's something valuable here, but not sure how to make use of them in their own lives. Here's a look at the three major schools of aromatherapy, which will serve as an important starting point for the beginning practitioner.

First and foremost, we must correctly define the word "aromatherapy". It is NOT just the inhalation of aromas to be affected by their scents. This is certainly part of the practice, but only scratches the surface of what essential oils are capable of. The true definition of aromatherapy is the use of essential oils in any and every therapeutic application -- really, the entire branch of natural medicine dealing with the use of volatile aromatic plant extracts. This was the original intent of the word when coined by a French scientist in the 1930's -- and understanding the true definition opens up a whole world of holistic health practice.

With this definition as the foundation, the three "schools" of therapeutic practice can more easily take shape. These are known as the German, English and French schools, or "methods", obviously taking their names from the countries in which they originated. These schools related directly to each of the three primary methods of essential oil use: inhalation, topical application and ingestion.

Inhalation of essential oils is what most of us relate to when we hear the word aromatherapy, mostly addressing the lessening of stress. And this of course is a very important roll for aromatherapy, as our overall sense of well-being is closely related to our condition of health.

Inhalation also serves to treat conditions of infectious illness, and support the immune system as to not catch a cold or flu in the first place. Via inhalation, essential oils have been shown to appear in the bloodstream at measurable levels. One can imagine then that this method can treat the whole body: the oils first penetrate the lining of the respiratory system, both eradicating microbes and preventing transmission of these microbes from one cell to the next. Within the bloodstream, oils like Eucalyptus have been shown to make our white blood cells do their job better, and many oils have been shown to alter our body's cell walls in a way that makes it harder for a virus to infect that cell.

The English method of aromatherapy involves topical application, and centers around aromatherapy massage. In a way, aromatherapy massage really includes the inhalation of the oils as once cannot help smell the oils when they're being rubbed all over your body. These massages can help with stress with some oils and techniques, or be stimulating using others. Topical application in this way can also help with cold-care, as massaging the chest, sinuses and lymph glands of the body can strongly support immune system function. Some individuals are using blends of frankincense and lemongrass in a carrier oil as a complementary cancer treatment, as these oils have been shown to have anti-cancer activity in laboratory research.

The English method doesn't technically involve therapeutic use of oils for skin care, though this is a rapidly growing area of essential oil use. Many oils have exceptional properties for treatment of all sorts of skin conditions. Infections of all kinds are treated with blends including tea tree. Acne can be effectively treated with tea tree or myrtle oils. Anti-aging and mature skin blends can be made with frankincense, rose otto, sea buckthorn and many more, using carrier oils rich in essential fatty acids. Essential oils have potent antioxidant activity, and can be excellent for use when one has spent a lot of time in the sun -- sandalwood oil has even been show to prevent skin cancer when applied before exposure to UV radiation.

Moving on the French method, by far the most controversial. While on one side of the argument we have some saying "never ingest any essential oil", an on the other the FDA lists most essential oils as "generally recognized as safe" for ingestion. Not that the FDA is a sound source of medical advice, but typically they're the ones stating how dangerous natural medicines can be. The truth is that the essential oils that actually have therapeutic protocols created for the treatment of illness are safe to ingest in the recommended amounts.

Essential oils are potent medicines, and the French system certainly treats them this way. One typically goes to a specialist for treatment, receiving a prescription of oils, and having this filled at a pharmacy which stocks very high grade products. Dosages are found to be on the order of a very few drops per day. While the concept of ingesting essential oils has been slow to be accepted in the U.S., it is catching on. It will likely find a place once there's a larger number of therapists available who are specifically trained in this application.

Now you're a good bit more knowledgeable on the major schools of the therapeutic use of essential oils. This is important know-how for the beginning aromatherapist, as it opens one's mind to the great range of possibilities of treatment with the very potent medicines involved in aromatherapy.

by: Melissa Ginger

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