Skip to content
The Northwest School of Aromatic Medicine
  • About
  • Courses
  • Resources
    • The Aromatic Medicine Blog
    • Video Library
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • Close Search Form     Open Search Form
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • youtube
Student Login
Tag

aromatherapy

Aromatherapy
Incense as Medicine
March 30, 20228Comments

How to Use Aromatic Plants for Allergies

Spring is such a magical time of year; it can be so exciting and inspiring to witness the Earth bursting at the seams with color and smells. However, some of
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Incense as Medicine
March 22, 202212Comments

Retraining A Lost Sense of Smell with Aromatic Plants

Roses in full bloom, the aroma of brownies fresh from the oven, and so many other everyday smells add beauty to our lives in ways we often overlook and are
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Incense as Medicine
Incense Crafting
Topical Medicine
March 16, 20225Comments

Your Guide to the Topical & Internal Herbal Preparations for Healing & Beauty

When it comes to working with plants, knowing where to start can feel intimidating. However, don’t let the vast amount of information available overwhelm you, or stop you from giving
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Topical Medicine
March 1, 202215Comments

Proper Essential Oil Dilution Chart & Guide

We live in an age of misinformation; starting a new blog is easier than ever and Google is at our fingertips. Aromatherapy and essential oils are heavily marketed and a
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Aromatic Recipes
Incense as Medicine
Plant Profiles
February 14, 202210Comments

Aromatic Plants for the Heart

As humans, we experience the gift, and sometimes what can feel like a curse, of love. A risk of love is loss – it requires courage to take risks, and
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Aromatic Recipes
Ayurveda
Incense as Medicine
Plant Profiles
Ritual
February 3, 20227Comments

Relieving Seasonal Depression with Aromatic Medicine

Do the winter days have you feeling blue? Seasonal melancholy can be a big challenge for many people, especially here in the Pacific Northwest where the sun often peeks through an
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Incense as Medicine
Plant Profiles
January 24, 20225Comments

How to Boost Your Winter Immunity

Have you ever wondered, what does it really mean to be healthy? And why do we get sick in the first place? Winter season, though beautiful and cozy, can sometimes bring
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Aromatic Recipes
January 18, 20227Comments

A Rescue Remedy During Flu Season: Herbal Steaming

Now is a great time to prepare for the cold and flu season by stocking up your herbal apothecary and strengthening your medicinal plant knowledge. That way, you’ll be ready
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
Topical Medicine
September 15, 202116Comments

How Carrier Oils Do More Than Just Carry

In the herbal and aromatherapy world, you might often hear the phrase “just use a carrier oil” with no explanation. But what does that mean? Herbalists, aromatherapists, and crafters of
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
« Older Articles Newer Articles »

aromatic_medicine

🌿 Follow us on Instagram for daily inspiration, plant knowledge, aromatic wisdom, and one-of-a-kind courses 🌿
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
Follow on Instagram

OFFERINGS

  • Aromatic Medicine Garden Membership
  • Incense Crafting Course
  • Botanical Resins & Gums Course
  • Materia Aromatica Ebook

QUICK LINKS

  • About
  • Courses
  • The Aromatic Medicine Blog
  • The School
  • Evan Sylliaasen
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

FOLLOW US

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube

OUR NEWSLETTER

Stay in the know on new releases and special offers

Loading

support@aromaticmedicineschool.com

© 2026 The Northwest School of Aromatic Medicine, All rights reserved.