The History Of Aromatherapy

lant oils are used in aromatherapy to provide physical and psychological benefits to the person who is using them. A lot of people who use aromatherapy do not know anything other than this about aromatherapy.

For instance, they do not know about the history of aromatherapy wherein the actual term “aromatherapy” was not even used until some time in the 20th century when it was coined by a French chemist named Rene-Maurice Gattefosse.

Yet, the actual practice of aromatherapy has been around for a number of years now. It actually dates back almost 1,000 years now.

Aromatherapy In China

The Chinese were probably one of the first people to begin using plants for their aromatic properties and their therapeutic benefits. Herein, the history of aromatherapy shows that these plants were used for burning as incense in order to establish both balance and harmony in a person's life.

Aromatherapy In Egypt

Egyptians began experimenting with aromatherapy after the Chinese did. They were the ones who created the very first distillation machine to extract oils. The oils that were most commonly used here included clove, nutmeg, cedar wood, cinnamon and myrrh. In Egypt these things were generally used for embalming. However, other oils were used for medicinal, spiritual and even cosmetic purposes.

Aromatherapy In Greece

The Greeks picked up the practice of aromatherapy and began using it for aromatic and medicinal purposes. Hippocrates actually used essential oils for medicinal treatments. This led to plants being distilled across large portions of the world starting in the Middle Ages. Here in the history of aromatherapy, these aromatherapy treatments provided therapeutic benefits. They mainly consisted of rosemary, sage, rose and juniper.

Aromatherapy In Modern Times

In the 19th century many scientists throughout Europe began experimenting with aromatherapy and the effects of essential oils. Today, aromatherapy is used for a lot of different purposes and benefits. These include healing physical disorders, relaxing, relieving anxiety and stress, soothing a tired mind and body and as an aphrodisiac.

Conclusion

While practitioners through the history of aromatherapy have found it cumbersome and difficult to distill the essential oils from their aromatic plants, today there is a wide variety of quality pure aromatherapy essential oils available on the market. Regardless as to whether you are looking to relax or you want to set a romantic mood, aromatic essential oils can easily be found online.