Aromatherapy and the Mind - Julia Lawless

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and the Mind is a scholarly bouquet for us, an impressive distillation of aromatic history and psychology. It will be especially rewarding for those practitioners who have absorbed and already practice ‘the lavender-for-headaches’ level of aromatherapy and desire more knowledge about the subtle effects of aromatherapy on the mind.

      John J. Steele

      Lifetree Aromatix

      Sherman Oaks, California

      November, 1993

      And so he would now study perfumes … He saw that there was no mood of the mind that had not its counterpart in the sensuous life, and set himself to discover their true relations, wondering what there was in frankincense that made one mystical, and in ambergrise that stirred one’s passions, and in violets that woke the memory of dead romances, and in musk that troubled the brain, and in champak that stained the imagination; and seeking often to elaborate a real psychology of perfumes, and to estimate the several influences of sweet smelling roots, and scented pollen-laden flowers, or aromatic balms, and of dark and fragrant woods, of spikenard that sickens, of hovenia that makes men mad, and of aloes that are said to be able to expel melancholy from the soul.

      Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1891

      Aromatherapy and the Mind is an exploration into the realm of fragrance. Throughout the history of civilization, perfumes, incense, aromatic plants and oils have been used to enhance human experience in many different cultures, both ancient and modern. For although the term ‘aromatherapy’ is new, the practice of using aromatics not only as physical remedies but also to influence the mind and the emotions is an ancient art. From the earliest times, herbs have been used as magic amulets, to protect from evil spirits or to bring good fortune; incense has traditionally been burnt at religious or ritual occasions to help transport the mind to another dimension; perfumes have been created to enrapture prospective lovers with their fragrance; and the power of essential oils has long been associated with alchemy and the quest for an ‘elixir of life’.

      The revival of interest in aromatics and the modern day enthusiasm for aromatherapy are, I believe, due to a combination of factors. Firstly, like many other ‘alternative’ treatments, aromatherapy represents a return to nature, and embraces an environmental awareness and a holistic approach. Secondly, the oils are pleasant and easy to use, they are highly concentrated and require little or no preparation, thereby fitting in with the fast pace of modern life. Lastly, aromatics are not simply physical remedies – they also affect the emotions and deeper levels of the human psyche, a factor which many people sense intuitively. Due to their psycho-active properties, essential oils can help to combat the emotional instability and inner disillusionment which lie at the root of so much of the dis-ease manifest in contemporary life.

      Since the malaise of our present day culture in the West is largely based on fundamental social and environmental problems, such as the breakdown of the nuclear family, the long-term effects of materialism, the decline of spiritual or moral values and the destruction of the eco-system, individuals are now searching for new ways of dealing with this crisis – ways that do not contribute further to the existing problems. Stress, in the form of depression, anxiety or hyperactivity, is one of the most common problems encountered today, and it is an area in which aromatherapy enjoys a great deal of success, especially when it is combined with massage. This is because it works on a variety of different levels, including the non-rational. Scent can help us to reconnect with our emotional interior and to transform it. More and more people are becoming intrigued by the psychological potential of fragrance, not least because of the immediacy of its effect. The direct way in which a scent can bring back memories from years ago, quite suddenly and as clear as daylight, is a common occurrence, yet quite inexplicable. Everyone has had such experiences, pleasing or otherwise. I myself cannot smell pine resin without remembering my early childhood in Finland, and the aroma of the pine logs and timber in the sauna.

      In Aromatherapy and the Mind the reader is invited to explore their own relationship with the sensation of smell. We each acquire a vast vocabulary of odours, yet to a large degree we remain unconscious of how we are conditioned by our response to particular scents. It could even be said that there has developed something of a taboo about our reaction to certain aromas, especially with regard to the sexual messages they convey. The recent novel Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind is a macabre insight into the vision of a man obsessed by his remarkable sense of smell and intoxicated by its power.

      But how much is an individual influenced by fragrance, how does it work and can it be used effectively to bring about predictable results? Much of the current research which is being carried out into the effects of aromatic oils and the role of fragrance indicates that it is a very powerful tool indeed! Rovesti describes the response of psychiatric patients to aromatherapy:

      It may be said that the patients feel as if transported by the perfume or by the essential oil into a different, more agreeable and acceptable world, so that many of their reactive instincts are curbed and they gradually return towards normality.

      Current research into the effects of certain essential oils on brainwave patterns and their ability to sedate or stimulate the nervous system as a whole has also brought forth some interesting results. If these effects can be proven, aromatherapy may provide a valuable alternative to some types of orthodox drug treatment. According to the psychologist William Cain of Yale, the twenty-first century will be the era of scent:

      We’ll gain tremendous understanding of the basic, neurophysiological ways in which odors regulate the body and influence the mind … and we’ll be able to influence behavior, modulate mood and alleviate pain.

      Up-to-date scientific research has been set against primitive beliefs and traditions in an attempt to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the development and role of fragrance in our culture. Aromatherapy, which deals exclusively with natural botanical aromas, is at the forefront of this investigation, and there has even been a new term coined to describe this latest direction – ‘psycho-aromatherapy’.

      Psycho-aromatherapy refers to the practice of using natural aromatics specifically for their psychological effect. For this purpose, essential oils are utilized by means of vaporization, inhalation, baths, massage and in the form of a personalized ‘perfume remedy’ – the ‘individual prescription’. The effect of the fragrance is thereby combined with other therapeutic techniques to maximize the psychological impact of the treatment. In this book, however, I have steered away from advocating particular oils for specific emotional complaints or for promoting a certain mood state. This is because it is impossible to accurately predict the effect of a given aroma without knowing the circumstances of the individual concerned. In the end result, our psychological response to fragrance is a highly personal phenomenon!

       The Use of Aromatic Plants – Past, Present and Future

      Where are they now, the days of aromatic warmth and hot-scented remedies!

      Gaston Bachelard, The Psychoanalysis of Fire

      In order to explore the role of aromatics and their effects on the mind, it is necessary to begin by first defining what is meant by ‘mind’, especially in its relation to the body. For unlike the physical organs and their functions, which can be described and understood in a straightforward manner, the mind by its very nature is much more subtle and difficult to grasp. This is made more complex by the fact that the definition of the word ‘mind’ has tended to vary in accordance with the cultural and philosophical attitudes of any given time or location. For the sake of simplicity, ‘mind’ is used here to denote anything of a psychological

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