My journey into essential oils began years ago when I started to learn about the power of plants. While working with an herbalist, we used some of the more common plants to create tinctures, oils, salves, and lotions for patients. These included lavender, rosemary, peppermint, lemon, chamomile, clove, and St. John’s wort.
The chemical constituents of these plants give them potent soothing and healing qualities.
Brief History of Essential Oils
From Egyptian hieroglyphics and ancient Chinese manuscripts, we know priests and physicians have been using essential oils for centuries. In Egypt, temples were dedicated to the production and blending of oils for medicinal, emotional, and spiritual uses as well as for embalming. In the Bible, there are more than 1,000 references to essential oils particularly for anointing people and healing the sick. These include rosemary, frankincense, myrrh, and cedarwood. The Greeks and Romans adopted essential oils in the practice of aromatherapy.
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