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Sustainability

Aromatherapy
Sustainability
November 29, 20228Comments

Herbal-Minded Holiday Gift Guide

The holiday season has arrived, and this is often a time when we think of giving something special to those we love and care for. However, the idea of picking
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Bio-Regional Aromatic Medicine
Human/Plant Connection
Sustainability
April 14, 202210Comments

13 Aromatic Plants You Can Easily Grow at Home

Have you thought about growing a garden this spring? Now is a great time to start preparing! Whether you're a complete beginner, or a master in aromatic medicine making, there is
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Human/Plant Connection
Sustainability
November 22, 202119Comments

Being A Conscious Essential Oil Consumer – Resist the EO Marketers!

This holiday time of year, there are great deals everywhere and multi-level marketing networks working overtime to sell essential oils. Don’t get me wrong – essential oils are amazing aromatic
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
Aromatic History & Lore
Human/Plant Connection
Ritual
Sustainability
July 19, 20210Comments

Smudging: An Issue of Ethics and Sustainability

Have you ever scrolled past a social media ad with an image of someone burning a smudge stick of White Sage with the caption reading something like, “Say Bye-Bye to
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Plant Profiles
Sustainability
November 25, 20190Comments

A Distress Call from the Sacred White Sage Plant

Oftentimes when trends spread like wildfire around the world, there is a great deal of misinformation or lack of understanding around them. Unfortunately, many trends these days include the use
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Aromatic Recipes
Incense as Medicine
Sustainability
August 19, 20190Comments

Incense & Aromatics for Mental Focus & Clarity

Do you experience issues with mental focus and clarity, brain fog, or trouble with your memory? The aromatic incense plants I talk about in the video above have been used
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatic History & Lore
Incense as Medicine
Sustainability
March 19, 20180Comments

The Magic & Medicine of Aromatic Tree Resins

Tree resins have been a major part of human history and have been used in nearly every culture on Earth for thousands of years. Whether used in natural perfumery, as
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Aromatic History & Lore
Ayurveda
Plant Profiles
Sustainability
January 23, 20180Comments

The Ancient Divinity and Healing of Sandalwood

One of the most widely used metaphysical plants in the world is the renowned Sandalwood tree. The use of this sacred tree in spirituality and ritual dates back thousands of
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Aromatic History & Lore
Incense as Medicine
Plant Profiles
Sustainability
September 11, 20170Comments

Palo Santo – Holy Wood

Palo Santo (Holy Wood) has been used throughout Central America and many northern territories of South America for thousands of years for purification and cleansing of the physical, energetic, and
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
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What aromatics do you call on for love? 💞🌸 We coul What aromatics do you call on for love? 💞🌸 We couldn’t choose just one, so here are 4 of our favorite heart-opening botanicals. 🌹 Rose is the timeless emblem of love. In folklore, it has been used to attract and protect true love, opening the heart and softening emotional walls. Its aroma nurtures both romantic devotion and deep self-compassion. 💜 Lavender carries a calming magic. Traditionally associated with peace and reconciliation, its soothing scent relieves tension and restores harmony in relationships – including the one you have with yourself. 🌿 Jasmine is a popular aphrodisiac, long revered for awakening sensuality, intimacy, and joy. It can promote passion, creativity, and confidence in all parts of your life. 🕯️ Vanilla is a warm, grounding aromatic that has commonly been used to promote feelings of love and friendship. Whether you’re cultivating deeper self-love or inviting more passion and connection into your life, these plants have long been allies in matters of the heart. ✨ Which one resonates with you today? ___________ #valentinesdayscents #heartopening #selfloveisthebestlove #selfcare #aromaticmedicine #rose #lavender #jasmine #vanilla
You've likely heard yoga teachers or wellness prac You've likely heard yoga teachers or wellness practitioners speak of "grounding" – but what does this word truly mean? Energetically, grounding means bringing awareness, energy, and presence back into the body, into the moment, and into relationship with the Earth. It’s the opposite of dissociation, fragmentation, anxiety, or excessive mental activity. To understand grounding, let’s look to the roots of plants. Roots anchor plants into the earth, holding them steady against wind, rain, and the changing seasons. Without roots, a plant would topple or drift. Roots provide stability, connection, and a literal link to nourishment. Similarly, aromatic roots anchor us into our bodies and into the present moment. When we feel scattered, anxious, overwhelmed, or disconnected from ourselves, we become ungrounded – like a plant without roots, vulnerable to every passing storm. Grounding brings us back into balance, and working with aromatic roots helps restore this sense of rootedness. They remind us that we belong to the earth, we have a place here, and we can draw strength from the ground beneath our feet. In our new blog article, we’ll: 🌿 Uncover why roots carry the deepest wisdom and resilience for winter ❄️ Journey into the energetics of winter through aromatic medicine 🔥 Learn about the top 5 aromatic roots that can help us stay warm, grounded, and vital all winter long ✨ Read “Aromatic Roots for Winter” by clicking the link in our bio. _____________ #aromaticroots #herbalroots #winterherbs #herbalist #aromatherapist #energetics #angelicaroot
Winter is the season of rooting. 🌱 When the light Winter is the season of rooting. 🌱 When the light fades and the world grows cold and quiet, life doesn’t disappear – it moves underground. Into roots. Into reserves. Into what will carry us through. In our newest blog, we explore why roots are winter’s most powerful plant allies, and how aromatic roots like Ginger, Vetiver, Angelica, and more support warmth, grounding, resilience, and emotional balance through the cold months. If you’ve been feeling tired, scattered, heavy, or simply called inward… this one is for you. ❄️ Read “Aromatic Roots for Winter” by clicking the link in our bio. _______________ #winteraromas #winterherbs #aromatherapy #herbalism #herbalroots #ginger #vetiver #angelica
How long do essential oils last? The answer depen How long do essential oils last? The answer depends on how it’s made. Essential oils are produced in mainly 3 different ways: steam distillation, solvent extraction, and cold press distillation. Most essential oils are made using steam distillation, with an exception of Citrus oils which are primarily created using cold press distillation (also known as expression). In this process, mechanical pressure is used to rupture the volatile oil-containing glands in the plant material, then the resulting mixture is filtered to obtain just the essential oil. Absolutes are made using solvent extraction, where plant materials are submerged in a solvent such as ethanol, hexane, or carbon dioxide, to release their aroma, and then the solvent is removed, leaving behind the volatile oils. Most steam-distilled essential oils generally have a shelf life of 3 years. Citrus oils have the shortest shelf-life, about 2 years. And absolutes have a shelf-life of around 5 years. There are a few plants that are an exception to this rule and actually get better with age – like a fine wine – such as Patchouli and Vetiver. The older these plant oils get, the more the aroma shifts and expands over time. To get the most out of your essential oils, always store them in amber-colored bottles and away from direct sunlight. The standard recommendation is to store the bottles in a cool, dark place like a cabinet or closet. Always keep the lids on to reduce oxidation. ____________ #essentialoils #aromatherapy #essentialoils101 #essentialoileducation #absolutes #co2extract #naturalperfumery
Chamomile has an energetic influence on our solar Chamomile has an energetic influence on our solar plexus – the complex network of nerves located in your stomach area. Lying halfway between the area where we get our “gut instinct” and the empathetic heart, the solar plexus represents the center of our psychological needs and wants. It’s an important part of your sympathetic nervous system, which controls your body’s “fight or flight” response to danger or stress. Chamomile has an affinity for soothing nervous tension and anxiety felt in the solar plexus, particularly in times when our emotional needs and wants feel intensified or unmet. This can come out in many ways, such as actions of overbearing, over-controlling, self-criticism, irritability, frustration, depression, or resentment. Chamomile is the plant of calm composure and easy embrace. Chamomile can help us let go of fixed expectations, calmly see and acknowledge our limitations, and open up to receive the support that others have to give. Just as the flower resembles the sun, it inspires a more sunny disposition inside our emotional and mental realms. ______________ #chamomile #chamomileoil #chamomilebenefits #chamomiletea #ChamomileCalm #aromatherapy #aromaticmedicine
In the cold winter months here in the Pacific Nort In the cold winter months here in the Pacific Northwest, life naturally turns inward. We spend more time indoors, tending the hearth, the home, and our inner landscapes. One of my favorite winter rituals is a stovetop herbal steam. Across many cultures and household traditions, aromatic plants have long been simmered gently to freshen and uplift the home, invite warmth and positivity, offer subtle spiritual protection, and serve as simple medicine for the immune and respiratory system, especially during the darker months of the year. Here’s a DIY Aromatic Winter Herbal Steam you can make at home. Feel free to adapt it to what you have on hand or what feels good to add. 🌿 Ingredients 8 slices of Citrus (Orange, Lemon, or Grapefruit) 1 sliced apple 1 cup evergreen needles (Fir, Pine, Spruce, or Cedar) 5 Cinnamon sticks 10 whole Cloves 5 Star Anise A thumb-sized piece of fresh Ginger 🔥 Directions Add all ingredients to a stovetop pot and cover with water. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a slow simmer. Allow it to steam for several hours, filling your home with warmth, fragrance, and quiet magic. These small seasonal rituals remind us that tending our spaces is also a form of medicine—one that nourishes the body, lifts the spirit, and keeps us in relationship with plants. 🌲✨ For another similar recipe, check out our Herbal Steaming blog post. Link in bio. __________ #herbalsteaming #diyherbalism #aromatherapy #aromaticmedicine #herbalsteam #herbalsteamingblends
“Spring passes and one remembers one’s innocence. “Spring passes and one remembers one’s innocence. Summer passes and one remembers one’s exuberance. Autumn passes and one remembers one’s reverence. Winter passes and one remembers one’s perseverance.” – Yoko Ono __________ #yokoono #yokoonoquotes #inspiringquotes #winterweather #inspirationalquotes
When’s the best time of year to harvest resin? N When’s the best time of year to harvest resin? Now! ✨ The wintertime is ideal for resin harvesting. It can be harvested any time of year, but a tree’s energies are condensed inside its wood and resin most in winter, making it more potent in many ways. 🌲 The types of trees with resin easiest to find in North America are conifers like Pine, Fir, Cypress, Spruce, and Cedar. ✨ How to harvest: Find a Conifer tree with some resin on its surface, make sure to properly identify the tree, and harvest by scraping the outer layer of resin off the tree using a knife. Glass containers are best for storage, but plastic or ceramic work too. 🌲 Keep in mind that resin is the tree's defense mechanism, so don’t take too much or you’ll risk harming the tree. ✨ It’s easiest to harvest hardened resin. In colder weather, it may be hard enough to simply break off, rather than scrape it. If harvesting fresh resin, use foil or something similar to help you collect it, and let it dry for several weeks to months, depending on the resin species and climate you’re in. Curious how to work with tree resin? Explore our Aromatic Medicine Blog for more tips! Link in bio. 🌲 __________ #treeresin #incenseresin #sustainableharvesting #resin #wildharvesting #aromaticmedicine
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