“Look after the root of the tree and the fragrant flowers and luscious fruits will grow by themselves. Look after the health of the body, and the fragrance of the mind and richness of spirit will flow.” B. K. S. Iyengar

If you consider that true essential oils from plants - hydrated and nourished by sun, water and soil, tended and distilled with human hands -- represent the “life force”, or prana, of plants, it is easy to understand why Aromatherapy is the extraordinary modality that it is for us. Life force indeed, for essential oils play many critical roles for plants. These volatile (evaporative) aromatic liquids, among many other biological functions, attract certain pollinators, deter insect infestation, protect against fungal infections in wood and leaves, clear surrounding areas of competitive species and perhaps, most importantly, store solar energy in a tremendously concentrated form. And through their aroma, this energy is conveyed to the life forms around them Although essential oils exist naturally in aromatic plants, they would never have been available to use until humans recognized their existence and set up a collaborative partnership with the plants to extract them.

Read More