Aroma Therapy: Enhancing Your Relaxation With the Use of Aromas

In the Native American traditions, there is a ritual called smudging in which the smoke from burning herbs (frequently sage) is waved over and around an area to remove negatively.  Those who are familiar with the ritual find they are more relaxed when the smell of the burning sage reaches them due to the memory association with the ritual and their belief that it is attaching to the negativity in the area and carrying it away with the smoke.

These kinds of associations related to aroma are emphasized in a form of therapy called aroma therapy, which is a natural way to alter mood, consciousness, and thinking patterns, while stimulating the brain and body (including memory).  For instance, perhaps each time you smell the distinct aroma of pine, you think of pine trees, which leads you to think of a forest where you once walked and all the related memories and senses attached to being there, such as the feel of the air in the forest and the sounds of the birds and streams flowing through your special place.

Other means to enhance forms of aroma therapy include the use of incense or candles, boiling potpourri, wearing perfume, using an aroma diffuser, or wearing a bracelet made of sandalwood or cedar.

It's true that some aromas can also remind us of negative things and even trigger unpleasant memories and trauma, but most people will refrain from aromas they know have a negative effect on them, and will instead be drawn to those that appeal to them.  In addition, always be sure to check the ingredients in any product you use for aroma therapy to make sure it is not toxic (or has the least toxicity as possible) and isn’t going to be more harmful to you than good.  Do your homework and find a preferred means for aroma disbursement that you can enjoy and that allows you to safely enhance your efforts to relax and reduce your stress level.

Photo credit: andrew@andrewyoungphoto.net