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Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy
July 20, 20230Comments

Beyond Fragrance: Unraveling the Secrets of Our Primal Olfactory Sense

Our olfactory sense is far more powerful than you might realize. It is commonly thought that the human sense of smell is much weaker than other land-based animals such as
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Ayurveda
Herbal Medicine
Incense as Medicine
June 6, 20231Comments

Are You Prepared For The Looming Health Practitioner Crisis?

Our health is everything to us. When we fall ill, our world slows or stops, concern sets in, and most people look to their health care provider for answers. But
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Ayurveda
Herbal Medicine
Incense as Medicine
May 22, 20230Comments

9 Aromatic Plants for Focus & Mental Clarity

In our fast-paced and busy lives, humans are no strangers to mental fatigue, brain fog and a lack of focus.There are many factors which can contribute to these problems, such
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
May 15, 20230Comments

The Biophilia Effect: How Nature Nurtures and Heals

In our modern, fast-paced lives, we often find ourselves disconnected from nature. We spend hours indoors, surrounded by screens and concrete, and rarely take the time to immerse ourselves in
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Aromatic History & Lore
Ayurveda
May 8, 20230Comments

The Spiritual and Scientific Magic Behind Our Sense of Smell

Our sense of smell is a mysterious mechanism through which we can experience the healing power of aromatic plants. We know aromatic plants have been used since ancient times for
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
person holding fresh rosemary plant in between their fingers
Aromatherapy
Aromatic Recipes
Plant Profiles
April 12, 20230Comments

The Many Gifts and Benefits of Rosemary

Rosemary is one of the most commonly used and widely known aromatic plants. Chances are you’ve eaten this herb in food, perhaps on roasted potatoes, or met this plant growing
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Incense as Medicine
March 29, 20230Comments

Fragrance Oils and Synthetics Exposed

From the fragrant days of cave dwelling, to the glory of the ancient incense and spice routes, to mass-produced, chemical-based, aromatic mimicry, the evolution of humanity’s relationship with scent is
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
March 21, 20230Comments

Essential Oil Safety Guide

Have you ever used an essential oil and had an adverse reaction from them? There are countless stories out there of people causing more harm than good when using these
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Incense as Medicine
March 14, 20230Comments

Addressing Stress & Anxiety with Aromatic Medicine & Mindfulness

You can’t treat plants like pills. Too often, aromatherapy is used as a quick fix for our problems, when it doesn’t really work that way. If you have a headache,
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Aromatic History & Lore
Aromatic Recipes
Bio-Regional Aromatic Medicine
Incense as Medicine
Plant Profiles
Topical Medicine
December 21, 20229Comments

The Magic and Medicine of Douglas Fir

With autumn behind us, many plants have shed their leaves in preparation for winter and wild-harvesting opportunities can feel sparse. But there is one particular type of plant you can
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
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🌿 Follow us on Instagram for daily inspiration, plant knowledge, aromatic wisdom, and one-of-a-kind courses 🌿

Do you have anything special planned to honor the Do you have anything special planned to honor the arrival of Spring? 🌱

On this day, we celebrate ​​the sun crossing the equator from south to north, bringing warmth and light back to the Northern Hemisphere.

As this happens, the hours of day and night are almost equal. In fact, the word “equinox” comes from the Latin words meaning “equal” and “night.” 

The days will continue to grow longer, lighter, and warmer as we celebrate the sun's return. ☀

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#spring #springequinox  #springishere🌸  #celebratespring  #firstdayofspring
What are chemotypes? And why do they matter? 🌿✨ N What are chemotypes? And why do they matter? 🌿✨

Not all essential oils are created equal, even when they come from the same plant species.

A chemotype refers to the dominant chemical profile of an essential oil. In other words, it describes which compounds show up most prominently in that oil, and that changes how the oil smells, feels, and works in the body.

Climate, altitude, soil, season, and even stress on the plant all influence which constituents rise to the surface. The result? One plant… multiple personalities.

For example, a single plant species may yield:
✨A chemotype that is calming and gentle
✨Another that is stimulating or antimicrobial
✨And another that is best used with extra caution

This is why reading the full botanical name and chemotype on labels is so important, especially when working with essential oils for wellness or clinical use. 

Chemotypes aren’t just for essential oils, too – they reflect the plant’s chemistry itself. While essential oils highlight these differences most clearly due to their potency, chemotypes also influence hydrosols, dried herbs, and other plant preparations, affecting aroma, flavor, and therapeutic properties. 

Knowing a plant’s chemotype helps you work with it more safely and effectively, whether you’re blending oils, crafting incense, or making herbal remedies. 🌱 

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#chemotypes #essentialoils #aromatherapy #herbalremedies #aromaticmedicine #hydrosols #herbalism
I started burning incense when I was 16. I remembe I started burning incense when I was 16. I remember tagging along on a business trip with my parents to Australia (lucky kid). My mom & I wandered the streets of Sydney, popping into little shops along the way.

I bought 2 things that day: a giant pinecone carved into a mushroom & an incense burner with a secret compartment for storing incense sticks. Of course, I bought a pack of incense to go with it.

I still remember the smell. At the time, I had no idea that simple purchase would spark what would later become a pretty serious obsession with scent.

About 6 years later, I discovered Tibetan incense. From the very first inhale, something shifted. It felt like something deeper than just a “nice smell.”

Naturally, I started digging. And what I found fascinated me.

Traditional Tibetan incense is often crafted using 100% wild plant material, following formulas preserved on scrolls thousands of years old. Some of the most authentic blends are still made in monasteries by monks who recite prayers & mantras over the incense for days, weeks, sometimes months.

These formulas weren’t created just for pleasant aromas. Many were used as medicine or sacred tools: early forms of aromatherapy.

That discovery changed the trajectory of my life.

It inspired me to explore traditional incense methods and revealed a much larger world of plants, healing, ritual, and consciousness.

I was so moved, I felt called to share. This led to my first course, Listening to Incense. Later came the Traditional Incense Crafting Course. And eventually something that grew even larger than incense itself.

Looking back, it’s wild to think that such a small moment could grow into something that would shape my life’s work. But in a way, it makes sense.

Just as the practice of burning aromatic plants gave rise to many of the aromatic arts, incense is also where my own journey with aromatics began.
​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​It all (literally) started with a spark.

And now I get to share that fragrant path with you.

These days I hear stories like this all the time: a scent, a plant, or a simple moment that opened a door into this world...

Can you remember what first drew you in?
Feeling tired? Can’t sleep? You’re not alone. In Feeling tired? Can’t sleep? You’re not alone.

In our modern era, it’s so common to feel overworked, overwhelmed, and burnt out. 

Try burning these 5 aromatic plants to help you sleep better and recharge… 

🍊 Bergamot can help your body prepare for sleep, supporting a decreased heart rate and lower blood pressure. While most Citrus oils are energizing, Bergamot is calming, has some sedative qualities, and is believed to help reduce stress and anxiety.

🌹 Rose is naturally relaxing, mentally, physically, and emotionally. Recent studies suggest that its aromatics can help reduce stress levels.

💜 Lavender is well-known for being calming and sedating to the nervous system. It helps relax the body and ease the mind from overactive thinking that can keep you up at night. It’s also believed to help deepen and slow down your breath, activating the parasympathetic nervous system.

✨ Frankincense is naturally calming, anti-inflammatory, and can be pain-relieving, which can help relax tense muscles after a long day of stress and anxiety.

🌿 Jasmine is well-known for its sleep-promoting properties. According to a recent study, the aroma of Jasmine has the same neurochemical mechanism as barbiturates, which are sedative prescription medications that act as central nervous system soothers.

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#aromatherapy  #aromatherapyforsleep #aromaticmedicine  #essentialoilsforsleep  #naturalsleepremedy #naturalsleepaid #naturalstressrelief
Yarrow is one of the incredible plants we explore Yarrow is one of the incredible plants we explore in depth in our new blog, “Aromatic Herbs for Women’s Health.” 

In this blog, you’ll discover:

 ▪ 6 aromatic plants traditionally used to support women’s health
 ▪ The physical, emotional, and energetic benefits of these herbs for the body, mind, and heart
 ▪ Simple self-care rituals using teas, topicals, baths, steams, hydrosols, EOs, and more
 ▪ A DIY belly massage oil recipe to support cycles, menopause, postpartum recovery, or daily self-care

🌿 Blog link in bio. 

*This video is an excerpt from our Aromatic Medicine Garden membership

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#yarrow #womenshealth #herbsforwomen #menstrualrelief #MenopauseWellness #postpartumsupport #aromatherapyforwomen
“There is no place within nature for observers, fo “There is no place within nature for observers, for conservative thinkers. The door that is sought never opens for the reductionist. 

Because we are taught so many untruths about what we can know, about what Nature is and is not, the first step in gathering knowledge from the heart of the world is to go into the world on your own, abandoning your preconceptions. 

No expert can tell you what is there. No book knows the living reality of it. 

It is a living experience that you will find, not a mental construct. 

The things you think you know, that you have been taught, will get in your way if you do not agree, at least for now, to abandon them. 

The door is IN nature, but only by giving up what you think you know about nature, by being willing to know nothing, is the door found.” 

- Stephen Harrod Buhner

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 #stephenharrodbuhner #stephenbuhner #nature  #natureisbeautiful  #plantintelligence  #plantteachers
If there’s one plant cherished for women’s health If there’s one plant cherished for women’s health across cultures, it’s Rose. 🌹

More than a symbol of love, Rose has long protected the emotional heart, soothing and nourishing the spirit. Like a soft embrace, it can ease grief, calm distress, and bring comfort during emotional stress.

Its gentle, cooling energetics make it especially helpful when emotions run hot: anger, irritability, frustration, heartbreak, or the kind of overwhelm that makes you want to cry without knowing exactly why.

But in traditional herbal medicine, Rose also supports the physical body: its nervine qualities help soothe the nervous system, while its astringent and antispasmodic actions help tone and calm the reproductive organs, easing menstrual cramps. Traditionally, it has been used for irregular menstruation, heavy bleeding, PMS irritability, menstrual discomfort, and postpartum emotional support.

In fact, the ancient physician Hippocrates recommended Rose oil as a remedy for any uterine concerns.

One of the beautiful things about aromatic medicine is its versatility – it's where aromatherapy meets herbalism. A single plant’s benefits can be experienced through scent, topical preparations, and herbal remedies.

Rose is one of the plants we explore in depth in our new blog, “Aromatic Herbs for Women’s Health.” 

In this blog, you’ll discover:

🌿 6 aromatic plants traditionally used to support women’s health
🌿 The physical, emotional, and energetic benefits of these herbs for the body, mind, and heart
🌿 Simple self-care rituals using teas, topicals, baths, steams, hydrosols, EOs, and more
🌿 A DIY belly massage oil recipe to support cycles, menopause, postpartum recovery, or daily self-care

 🌸 Link in bio.

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#womenshealth #rose #roseoil #roseoilbenefits #menstrualhealth #postpartumsupport #emotionalhealth
Feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or just… “off” this Feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or just… “off” this week? 

The human body moves in rhythms. Our breath rises and falls, the heart pulses steadily, and hormones shift in complex cycles that shape energy, mood, and physical well-being. 

For women in particular, life unfolds through a series of natural transitions, from the first menstrual cycles of adolescence to the profound changes of menopause.

For centuries, aromatic herbs have been used to support these rhythms. Their fragrant oils calm the nervous system, stimulate circulation, ease tension, and gently support the hormonal landscape of the body.

In today’s fast-paced world, these ancient plant allies offer something increasingly rare: a reminder to slow down, tune in, and care for the body with intention.

Aromatic herbs invite us into simple rituals – brewing tea, inhaling a calming scent, soaking in an herbal bath – that restore connection to ourselves, the natural world, and the cycles that shape our lives.

In honor of Women's History Month, we're exploring some of our favorite aromatic herbs for women's health: their traditions, their benefits, and simple ways to bring them into your life. 

We're also sharing a DIY belly massage oil recipe you can easily make at home. It’s all in our new blog article!

🌸 Link in bio.

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#womenshealth  #womensherbs #herbsforwomen #menstrualrelief #menstrualhealth #supportwomenshealth #aromaticmedicine
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