Aromatherapy: Using Essential Oils for Physical and Emotional Well-Being

AROMATHERAPY / HOLISTIC HEALTH Aromatic oils have been used for thousands of years not only for their fragrance but for culinary, therapeutic, ritual, and spiritual purposes. Drawing on research, clinical studies, and their own professional experience, Peter and Kate Damian explore aromatherapy and reveal how it can be used to enhance almost every aspect of our lives--from aromatic lavender massage and tea tree oil baths to the treatment of high blood pressure and depression with ylang ylang. The only sense extending directly into the brain, smell is an essential component of our mood, memory, and appetite, and a key to understanding sexual compatibility and the child protection instinct of a new mother. But which specific scents are effective in therapeutic and ritual settings? How do men and women differ in their responses to odors? What is the relationship between plant essences and the human aura? With a thorough exposition of the ancient practice of aromatics in China, India, Persia, and Egypt and a modern scientific understanding of the psychology of scent, Aromatherapy: Scent and Psyche is the perfect guide to mastering the use of essential oils. Included are profiles for forty-four essential oils and specific instructions for creating essential oil blends. PETER and KATE DAMIAN are the founders of Windrose Aromatics, Inc., a supplier of pure essential oils and aromatic body care products. Together they conduct Windrose Workshops, offering training in practical and theoretical applications of essential oils, and they are charter members of the American Society for Phytotherapy and Aromatherapy, International. Peter Damian is the author of The Twelve Healers of the Zodiac: The Astrology Handbook of the Bach Flower Remedies. Kate Damian travels internationally as a professional aromatherapist and massage practitioner. …