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Aromatic History & Lore

Aromatherapy
Aromatic History & Lore
Aromatic Recipes
Ritual
December 5, 20230Comments

The Art of the Herbal Bath

In a world that constantly buzzes with activity and stimulation, finding moments of tranquility and self-care can feel like an out-of-reach luxury. But self-care can be simple, affordable, and accessible.
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Aromatic History & Lore
Herbal Medicine
Incense as Medicine
Ritual
July 26, 20230Comments

Aromatic Herbs in Grief Support & End-of-Life Care

Death, the inevitable end of our journey, is a universal experience that touches us all. A profound event which leaves us grappling with a myriad of emotions, a profound sense
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
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
Aromatherapy
Aromatic History & Lore
Plant Profiles
November 15, 20227Comments

The Benefits of Clary Sage

Clary Sage has been revered for ages for its ability to both nourish and uplift, on a physical, mental, and emotional level. This majestic plant has lovely heart-shaped leaves and
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Aromatic History & Lore
Incense as Medicine
August 25, 20229Comments

10 Aromatic Plants for Overcoming Anxiety

The world can feel overwhelming at times. There are so many herbs that can help ease anxiety, it’s almost as if the plants know how chaotic life can feel and
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Aromatic History & Lore
Aromatic Recipes
Plant Profiles
July 11, 20227Comments

The Many Benefits of Lemon Balm

If you have ever had the luxury of smelling fresh Lemon Balm, you know how refreshing it can be. A blend of sweet, Citrus, and Mint, all in one inhale
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Aromatic History & Lore
Incense as Medicine
Plant Profiles
Topical Medicine
December 28, 20217Comments

The Many Uses of Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus leaves are more than just koala food. If you’ve ever smelled this plant, the aromatics really stick in your memory – it’s bold, refreshing, vibrant, and opening. After one
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Aromatic History & Lore
Ritual
December 20, 202116Comments

10 Ancient Medicinal Plants in the Bible

Did you know there are more than 10 aromatic plants mentioned in the Bible? As the holiday season unfolds, you may be putting up a Christmas tree in your living room,
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatic History & Lore
Plant Profiles
Sustainability
October 27, 20219Comments

Saving Spikenard: The Sustainability Struggle

Some might say that the words sustainable and essential oil can never be in the same sentence. Essential oils have dynamic health benefits, however, they’re also resource-intensive products. Hundreds to
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 🌿

Can you turn a memory into incense? 🌿🔥 Think abou Can you turn a memory into incense? 🌿🔥

Think about a moment from your life that you can almost step back into when you close your eyes.

Maybe it’s sitting around a campfire beneath a sky full of stars.

Walking through a wet forest after the rain.

The smell of your grandparents’ house.

A place you traveled years ago that has somehow never left you.

Holiday time with your family. 

Or one of those quiet moments that wouldn't mean much to anyone else, but means everything to you.

Now imagine trying to capture that experience through aroma.

What would it smell like?

What woods, resins, roots, herbs, flowers, or spices could help tell that story?

This is where incense crafting becomes so much more than simply following a recipe.

It becomes a form of sensory storytelling, memory-making, and remembering.

You take something that exists in your memory or imagination and begin giving it physical form through aromatic plants.

And that's just one place inspiration for an incense blend can begin.

We recently shared our blog,  7 Ways to Find Inspiration for Incense Blending, exploring everything from landscapes and seasons to intentions, the elements, celestial cycles, and individual aromatic plants.

🌿 Read the full article through the link in our bio.

Or comment with the word INCENSE below and we’ll sen you the article straight to your inbox. 

#IncenseCrafting #IncenseMaking #NaturalIncense #BotanicalIncense #AromaticPlants #AromaticArts #IncenseBlending #HandmadeIncense #PlantResins #Frankincense #Sandalwood #TraditionalIncense
Imagine walking through the depths of the forest. Imagine walking through the depths of the forest. It’s so quiet that all you hear are the treetops swaying from the light breeze; it smells like fresh, damp wood, and a hint of evergreen; and you finally find them – the raw aromatic plants and resins you’ve been searching for to roll into your own hand-crafted incense.

Incense is plant medicine that fills the air – the original aromatic medicine. It’s the traditional roots of modern aromatherapy and gave rise to all other aromatic arts. 

Crafting incense calls for creativity, intuition, precision, and passion, yet it is a skill accessible to all. All it takes is a willingness to dedicate your time and energy to cultivating and mastering it.

Where are you on your incense crafting journey? Do you dream of wandering the woods in search of the perfect plant for a recipe? Have you made your first successful incense blend yet? Maybe started your own natural artisan incense business?

No matter where you are, the aromatic arts path is endless, with inspiring twists and turns offering new opportunities for growth, knowledge, and imagination.

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 #incenseresin #incensecrafting #essentialoils #diyincense #holistichealing #herbalmedicine #aromatherapy
If you could capture ONE place in an incense blend If you could capture ONE place in an incense blend, where would it be? 🌿🔥

Maybe it’s a place you’ve traveled that you can still smell when you close your eyes.

A forest after the rain.

A desert filled with aromatic plants.

A temple heavy with the scent of centuries of incense.

The ocean at sunset.

A mountain meadow in summer.

Or maybe it’s somewhere closer to home—a place filled with memories that you’d love to somehow capture through aroma.

This is one of my favorite ways to approach incense crafting.

Instead of beginning with:

“What ingredients should I put together?”

I tend to begin with:

“What do I want to create and why?”

Then you turn to your aromatic palette and start exploring which woods, resins, roots, herbs, flowers, and spices might help bring that place to life, or another intention or vision.

Suddenly, incense becomes more than a recipe.

It becomes a form of sensory storytelling.

So to have some fun with this...

👇 If you could capture ONE place in an incense blend, where would it take us?

For me, it would be this place. See my comment to learn where this is!

#IncenseCrafting #IncenseMaking #NaturalIncense #BotanicalIncense #AromaticPlants #AromaticArts #IncenseBlending #HandmadeIncense #PlantResins #Frankincense #Sandalwood #Herbalism #TraditionalIncense
Where does an incense blend begin? 🌿🔥 You might t Where does an incense blend begin? 🌿🔥

You might think it begins with a recipe.

But some of the most interesting blends begin long before you ever start measuring aromatic materials.

They begin with an idea.

Something you want to capture, express, remember, or experience through aroma.

And that's when incense crafting starts to become something much bigger than simply combining plants that smell good together.

It becomes a form of sensory storytelling.

You can take something that exists only in your memory or imagination and begin giving it form through aromatic plants and smoke.

But where do you find that initial spark?

And how do you look at a shelf filled with woods, resins, roots, herbs, flowers, and spices and decide where to begin?

In our newest article, we're exploring 7 different places you can look for inspiration when creating an incense blend—some obvious, and others you may have never considered.

If you've been staring at your aromatic collection wondering “What could I create with all of this?” this one's for you.

🌿 From Forests to the Stars: 7 Ways to Find Inspiration for Incense Blending

🔥Comment INCENSE below, and we’ll send the full article straight to your inbox!

And we'd love to hear from you:

Where does inspiration for your incense blends usually come from?

#IncenseCrafting #IncenseMaking #NaturalIncense #HandmadeIncense #BotanicalIncense #IncenseBlending #AromaticPlants #AromaticArts #PlantResins #Frankincense #Sandalwood #Herbalism #IncenseLovers #TraditionalIncense
Traditional herbalism and folklore hold valuable w Traditional herbalism and folklore hold valuable wisdom about plants. 

Throughout history, different cultures and societies have passed down traditional knowledge about the healing properties and uses of various botanicals. These stories are not merely fanciful tales but valuable repositories of ancient wisdom. 

Exploring botanical folklore and the symbolism within it helps us gain valuable insight into the historical context of herbs and the beliefs surrounding their therapeutic benefits. This often reveals unique and innovative ways in which these plants have been utilized for their medicinal, spiritual, or practical applications. 

By integrating this traditional wisdom with modern scientific research, we can harness the full potential of plants and explore their holistic healing properties, paving the way for a deeper understanding of nature's gifts and how they support our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual realms.

---

 #herbalism #traditionalherbalism #folklore #botanical
How do you actually come up with a new incense ble How do you actually come up with a new incense blend? 🌿🔥

It's one thing to follow a recipe.

It's another thing entirely to look at a shelf filled with Frankincense, Sandalwood, aromatic woods, resins, roots, herbs, flowers, and spices and think...

What do I make with all of this?

Where do you even begin?

How do you decide what belongs together?

And how do you move beyond following someone else's recipes and start creating something that's actually your own?

These are some of my favorite questions when it comes to incense crafting.

Because once you begin exploring them, the art of incense gets a whole lot bigger.

I've got something coming tomorrow that I think will get your creative wheels turning. 🌿

But first I'm curious:

When you create an incense blend, or any other fragranced creation, where does your inspiration usually come from?

#IncenseCrafting #IncenseMaking #NaturalIncense #HandmadeIncense #BotanicalIncense #AromaticPlants #AromaticArts #Herbalism #PlantResins #Frankincense #Sandalwood #IncenseLovers #IncenseBlending #TraditionalIncense #AromaticMedicine
There are always seasonal shifts happening around There are always seasonal shifts happening around us in nature and through the elements, whether subtle or drastic.

What changes are you witnessing now in the natural world where you live?

Even if you don’t live in a place where the leaves change color, the plants and animals start to sense the shift in seasons. If you look closely, you might notice their subtle changes. 

Are you noticing subtle shifts happening inside of you, too?

Spend some time outside and connect to the changing of the seasons - it may help you see beautiful reflections in your inner world.

---
#AutumnVibes #SeasonalShift #NatureConnection #MindfulLiving
Did you know that aromatic plants can support brai Did you know that aromatic plants can support brain health? 

A compelling new scientific study found that when participants used certain essential oils nightly, it boosted their word recall by 226% and improved the functioning of a key brain pathway that plays an important role in learning and memory.

The participants in the study used essential oils in a diffuser and rotated through seven different scents, one for each day of the week: Rose, Orange, Eucalyptus, Lemon, Peppermint, Rosemary, and Lavender.

Many different cultures have utilized aromatic plants to support mental clarity, focus, and brain health since ancient times. Although this information isn't surprising, it remains both inspiring and empowering to witness clinical evidence validating the effectiveness of aromatic medicine.

Here’s the link to the full article of the study: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/can-using-aromatherapy-oils-every-night-help-improve-memory#How-aromatherapy-may-influence-the-brain

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 #brainhealth #brainhealthtips #aromatherapy #aromatherapy #aromaticplants
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