I used to think that aromatherapy was just another way for corporations to sell us expensive shampoo. The view of aromatherapy as a way to make things smell nice and have a more pleasant experience using a product is a view that’s held in English-speaking countries. In Europe, however (especially in France), aromatherapy is commonly used in mainstream medicine. From Wikipedia’s entry for Aromatherapy:

On the continent, especially in France, where it originated, aromatherapy is incorporated into mainstream medicine. There, the use of the antiseptic, antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties of oils in the control of infections is emphasized over the approaches familiar to North Americans. In France some essential oils are regulated as prescription drugs, and thus administered by a physician. French doctors use a technique called the aromatogram to guide their decision on which essential oil to use. First the doctor cultures a sample of infected tissue or secretion from the patient. Next the growing culture is divided among petri dishes supplied with agar. Each petri dish is inoculated with a different essential oil to determine which have the most activity against the target strain of microorganism. The antiseptic activity manifests as a pattern of inhibited growth.

Aromatherapy isn’t just about the affects of a plant’s scent on us, but is also about the physical effects of applying the natural chemical compounds of plants. Plants have always been used in healing and aromatherapy is the branch of natural healing that involves the use of essential oils from fragrant plants.

If you’re interested in exploring the continental practice of aromatherapy, you can start with the work of Susanne Fischer-Rizzi, considered to be the pioneer of aromatherapy in Germany. Here’s how Fischer-Rizzi describes her calling: “A love of nature supports my work. May my work help to tie the broken bond between humans, animals and plants. May it help for greater harmony with the natural world.” Two of her books in particular will be helpful:

• Complete Aromatherapy Handbook: Essential Oils for Radiant Health
• The Complete Earth Medicine Handbook

But there’s an even better opportunity coming up this month: Regenerative Design Institute in Bolinas, CA, is bringing Fischer-Rizzi to the United States to teach a one-week course, The Healing Power and Magic of Fragrant Plants. Students will get an excellent introduction to aromatherapy and will learn to produce and use pure plant essences for healing. The course runs from August 24-27, so you’ll need to register soon!

Links:
Wikipedia’s entry for Aromatherapy
About Susanne Fischer-Rizzi
The Healing Power and Magic of Fragrant Plants Course
Fischer-Rizzi’s web site