Like any other discipline, whether creative, scientific, mechanical, athletic, or within the bounds of any other classification, aromatherapy practice is founded on some basic guiding principles and techniques.
The art of blending essential oils for the optimum results in the pursuit of a desired effect has certain features unique unto itself.
The roots of the practice of aromatherapy are ancient. As such, there are many blends that have been handed down from generations that have comprised something of a traditional base of the practice. For example, the scents of frankincense and myrrh have been used in religious ceremony since the time of the ancient Egyptian culture and, very possibly, even earlier.
These scents are still utilized in much the same way today. If we look at the associations of the scents in modern aromatherapy practice, it is easy to find the link of our present-day usage to the ancient practices of our ancestors.
Both of these scents are still connected in magical practice with spirituality. If we look at their use in therapeutic aromatherapy, their applications are not unrelated to their ancient associations. Frankincense may be used to develop awareness, relieve confusion, and instill a sense of forgiveness for a condition of guilt.
Religious practice is aimed at the opening of the mind of the individual to faith, the granting of comfort to the ailing soul through trust in the divine, and the acceptance and correction of past sins through spirituality and understanding. The magical and therapeutic applications of this ancient scent are inseparable from one another.
Similarly, myrrh is also still regarded magically as a scent of spirituality. On the therapeutic side, it is used as a general healer. As it is applied as a fragrance to restore physical health, myrrh has been used for centuries in ritual to aid in the restoration of the soul’s well-being.
We remain tied to the wisdom of ancient perfumers. While we may have considerably expanded the practice of aromatherapy over the years, the basic wisdom handed down by our predecessors has been the solid foundation on which we have built our modern-day blends.