The psychological benefits of plant extracts, offer a safer solution to mental health and mood management. Phytotherapy is the term used to describe medicinal plant research encompassing botanical therapies including aromatherapy, herbalism, homeopathy, gemmotherapy (the science of healing with flower and plant buds), naturopathy, anthroposophy. Of the latter, a philosophy that places man at the centre of creation influencing forms of architecture, agriculture and plant-based medicine conceived by Rudolph Steiner in 1861.
Steiner believed that everything that exists in the world also exists in man, including the plant world and its myriad of species. He regarded plants as upturned men, with their feet in the air and their mental processes buried in the earth. Picturing plants in this manner places their sensorial centre ‘roots seeking nourishment’ buried in the earth, metabolic activity positioned higher as flowers and fruits, and the ever renewable leaves representing the rythmic centre. By relating the biology of the plant to its human equivalent Steiner then prescribed a cure made from the plants corresponding part.
Dismissed by more logical minds the relationship between plants and humans in respect to health and well-being was not administered as mainstream medicine. However, in subtle ways plant-therapy continued to prevail surfacing as natural or alternative therapies. And, at the beginning of the 20th century the ideas of Edward Bach an english doctor interested in flowers, revived notions of an interconnection with plants.
With the focus on emotionally linked illness using flower essences to harmonise the mind and thus restore health. Bach began making homeopathic dilutions, then moved on to natural alchemy using moisture and the suns rays to develop 38 floral remedies, each one associated with a different state of mind and capable of regulating excesses of anger, timidity or anxiety.
From essence to essential oil aromatherapy unites Bach and Steiner’s principles in context with olfaction or the sense of smell. In this way a plant extracts curative effects come via external application (ie. used massage oils, bath/body products, incense or oil burners) as opposed to ingesting a tonic, tablet, tea or elixir.
Readily available from health stores or online pure essential oils offer an unobtrusive means to melody a maline mood, add clarity, invigorate or restore a tired body and much more…
This month instead of resorting to artificial stimulants or anti-depressants that influence your bodies chemical balance try using scents to add sensibility.
Depressed/fatigued- basil, bergamot, cinnamon, sandalwood, ylang ylang
Anxious/stressed- camomile, clary sage, frankincense, fennel, lavender
Focussed/Confident- cypress, eucalyptus, orange, peppermint, rosemary
Far from extensive this list serves as a starting point for your mission to be used in conjunction with the following resource- AromaWorld4U is one of the better online references that includes an A-Z of oils listed with their concurrent properties along with storage, distillation methods safety guidelines and recipes.
