Though many of the most ancient applications of, aromatherapy were rooted in therapeutic or magickal concerns, in modern times there is an entire industry related to the social and cosmetic usage of scent.
Many of the perfumes and colognes that we see on the market have names that seem to promise love or success, the height of mas-culine or feminine virtue. They are scents that are named for regal personages, champions, and artistic individuals. They seem to promise wealth, love, and victory.
There are multitudes of volumes written on rites of magic, white and black. It should be remembered that it is the intention that lies behind the work that categorizes the type of magic, and not the rite or magical process itself. Within this book, the emphasis has been placed on the responsibility of the aromatherapist, whether involved in an act of healing or a magical endeavor. It is without question that the one who blends and uses essential oils is, at the very least, involved in creating change in another’s life.
Continue reading Aromatherapy: Advanced Magical Blends of the Dark Side
Like the perfume industry, which has diverged from the foundational principles of its ancestral beginnings, fragrance is often used throughout our lives without regard to the associations formulated by the ancient aromatherapy artisans. We look less toward the meanings of certain fragrances and less toward the associations ascribed to each scent by the old scientists and more toward pleasantry.
The art of the perfumer, while rooted in antiquity, is full of modern innovations. The old astrological and magickal associations of scent may still be a subtle foundation for the end products that emerge from the perfumer’s laboratory. More than likely, however, it is the marketing department of the fragrance vendor that carries on the ancient traditions of the magickal art of aromatherapy.
Amber – Earth
Ambergris – Water
Apple – Water
Bay – Fire
Benzoin – Fire
Bergamot – Air/Fire
Camphor – Water
Carnation – Air/Fire
Cedarwood – Air/Earth
Cinnamon – Fire
Amber -Jupiter
Ambergris -Venus
Apple -Neptune/Venus
Bay -Sun
Benzoin -Sun/Mercury
Bergamot -Sun
Camphor -Moon
Carnation -Venus/Sun
Cedarwood -Jupiter/Uranus
Cinnamon -Sun
Civet -Venus
Ambergris – Aphrodisiac properties
Apple – Antidepressant, currently being investigated as an aid in weight loss
Bay – Relaxes muscles, useful for sprains, helps aid breathing, improves digestion, helps to relieve insomnia, promotes perspiration
Benzoin – Stress reducer, reduces congestion, aids in breathing, calming
Bergamot – Helps reduce fatigue as a general tonic, reduces stress, aids in nervous disorders
Camphor – Helps to break up congestion, aids breathing, calming
Amber – Healing
Ambergris – Arouse emotion
Apple – Happiness
Bay – Clear sight, energy
Benzoin – Clarity of thought, relief of guilt
Bergamot – Builds seif-esteem
Camphor – Calming, shock, awakens past memories
Carnation – Health, energy
Cedarwood – Cleansing, clears confusion
Amber – Female
Ambergris – Female
Apple – Female
Bay – Male
Benzoin – Male
Bergamot – Male
Camphor – Female
Carnation – Female
Cedarwood – Male
Cinnamon – Male
Civet – Female
While there are many oils that may be irritating to more highly sensitive individuals, some are almost universally and to a greater degree likely to cause discomfort. These are marked with a (!) in the text to accentuate that the greatest amount of caution should be exercised.
Continue reading Aromatherapy: Irritant Oils in Aromatherapy