25/04/2026
AROMA THERAPY:
This is obviously not hypnosis or hypnotherapy, but aromas are often strongly linked to past events and memories. So can be very useful when used appropriately with hypnosis and associated therapies.
Now, have you ever noticed how certain essential oil scents can make you feel more relaxed, refreshed or more focused? This is aromatherapy, couple this with your favourite spa-vibes and you’re on to a winning combination!
Aromatherapy, sometimes known as essential oil therapy, is the inhalation or physical application of essential oils for therapeutic benefits.
I’m going to briefly explain what you need to know from its beginnings way back down the centuries to the present day, what it does, what oils to use and how to use them.
Essentials oils? What are they?
Essential oils (often called aromatherapy oils) are concentrated natural oils obtained from plants. They can be extracted from leaves, flowers, roots, trees or fruits!
There is a huge range of essential oils and they each have their own unique aroma. The main scent groups are Floral, citrus, woody, earthy, spicy, and herbal.
To produce essential oils, the plant material is steamed and then distilled to release the natural oil. For some plants, this process can involve distilling many kilos of plant material to produce just 1 litre of oil.
A short history of Aromatherapy:
The term “aromatherapy” has only been around since the turn of the 20th century. It was I believe, first written in a book called Aromathérapie: Les Huiles essentielles hormones végétales, by the French chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé.
However, aromatherapy has been around for centuries, just not in the way we know it today. So here’s how it all began:
Aromatherapy is thought to have originated in ancient Egypt and was also practiced in the Americas, Ancient Greece, China, and India, and probably all over the world. But instead of essential oils, they would make natural plant extracts like flowers or resins and infuse oil with it, then go on to produce incense then burn or heat it. These extracts from plants were used for spiritual, medicinal, perfume and cosmetic use.
In the 11th century, the invention of the coiled cooling pipe (often referred to as a coil condenser or “snake” condenser) was a breakthrough for essential oil distillation. Over the next few centuries, more and more plants were discovered that would yield essential oils.
In the 16th century, more essential oils were introduced to the market, and became available for purchase in apothecaries. Perfumeries also sprang up and then became increasingly popular in the 17th century.
In the 20th century, René-Maurice Gattefossé became interested in essential oils for medicinal benefits. So he experimented with the essential oils, like lavender, and in 1937 he wrote the book Aromathérapie: Les Huiles essentielles hormones végétales, where the word “aromatherapy” was first used.
One of the earliest individuals to bring his knowledge of aromatherapy to England was the English aromatherapist, Robert Tisserand. He published the first book written in English on aromatherapy called “The Art of Aromatherapy” in 1977.
Today, essential oils have become even more popular and are used for their therapeutic, aromatic, and cosmetic benefits in massages, making the room smell nice, your car, saunas and so on. There are many outlets where you can get your essential oils from, and in my experience its best to get real organic oils or extracts that contain no nasty additives or synthetic rubbish.
Next episode coming soon.
