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incense tradition

Person applying oil attar natural perfume to back of hand
Aromatic History & Lore
Natural Perfumery
July 15, 20260Comments

The Ancient History of Natural Perfume

Video features award-winning perfumer & school instructor JK DeLapp Imagine what it was like, thousands of years ago, witnessing it for the first time: raw resin dropped onto hot coals, releasing a
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
woman's hand lightly touching a fresh lavender plant
Aromatherapy
Aromatic History & Lore
Herbal Medicine
July 2, 20260Comments

4 Science-Backed Scents with Ancient Roots

For thousands of years, plants have been woven into human ritual, medicine, and daily life. Long before laboratories existed, physicians, monks, perfumers, and community healers carefully observed how fragrant plants
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatic History & Lore
Bio-Regional Aromatic Medicine
Human/Plant Connection
Ritual
June 4, 20260Comments

Spring Cleaning: Aromatic Herbs for Smoke Cleansing

There's something about spring that makes you want to throw open the windows and start fresh. That urge to declutter and reorganize isn't just a trend on social media, though;
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatic History & Lore
Incense as Medicine
Incense Crafting
Topical Medicine
March 27, 20260Comments

The Magic & Medicine of Botanical Resins, Part II

Somewhere deep in a forest, a storm rolls through and damages a tree. A branch snaps, the bark splits open, and the tree is suddenly vulnerable. But almost immediately, the
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Herbal Medicine
Human/Plant Connection
Incense as Medicine
Ritual
February 19, 20260Comments

Living in the Age of the AI Herbalist

In late 2025, an investigation by Originality.ai revealed something staggering: roughly 82% of herbal remedy books on Amazon were at least partially generated by AI [1]. Pause for a moment
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Aromatic History & Lore
Human/Plant Connection
Incense as Medicine
Ritual
Sustainability
December 18, 20250Comments

The Sacred Scents of the Season: Frankincense, Myrrh & Beyond

The scents of Cinnamon, Clove, Nutmeg, and Ginger drift from the oven. Fresh Pine fills the living room from the Christmas tree and evergreen boughs framing the fireplace. Dried Oranges
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Aromatherapy
Aromatic History & Lore
Aromatic Recipes
Incense as Medicine
Ritual
December 11, 20250Comments

Plant Allies for Returning the Light: Aromatic Herbs for Hope & Renewal

On the morning of the Winter Solstice, something subtle – but powerful – happens. The world seems to slow down. The sun lingers at its lowest point on the horizon,
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Incense as Medicine
October 16, 20250Comments

5 Common Myths About Incense (and the Truth Behind Them)

Lighting incense has a way of transforming not just the space around you, but the atmosphere within you. The match strikes, the incense tip glows amber-red, and within moments the
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
Incense Crafting
October 9, 20250Comments

4 Powerful Reasons to Make Your Own Incense

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine: a thin ribbon of smoke rising from a hand-rolled cone of incense, its earthy-sweet scent unfurling through the room like a gentle
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
bottle of Rosemary essential oil
Aromatherapy
Herbal Medicine
Incense as Medicine
Plant Profiles
Topical Medicine
June 20, 20250Comments

How to Use Rosemary for Holistic Health

Sure, Rosemary makes a great addition to roasted potatoes and Mediterranean dishes, but its true power lies far beyond the kitchen. For centuries, healers, herbalists, and aromatherapists have turned to
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine
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Essential oils are a wonderful addition to your ho Essential oils are a wonderful addition to your holistic wellness journey, but it's crucial to use them safely to enjoy their benefits fully. Here are some essential oil safety tips to keep in mind: Dilution is key: Always dilute essential oils with a carrier oil, like jojoba or coconut oil, before applying them to your skin. Skipping this step can cause sensitization, an allergic immune response to an essential oil on the skin that can cause irritation, redness, rash, or even blistering. Patch test: Before using a new essential oil, do a patch test on a small area of your skin to check for any adverse reactions or allergies. Avoid sensitive areas: Keep essential oils away from your eyes, ears, etc. Photosensitivity: Some oils, like Citrus, can make your skin more sensitive to the sun. Avoid sun exposure for 12-24 hours after using these oils topically. Quality matters: Use high-quality, pure essential oils from reputable sources. Read the label to make sure you are buying a pure essential oil and not a synthetic one. Avoid products that only list “fragrance” or “perfume” instead of a full ingredient list. Less is more: A little goes a long way with essential oils. Start with a small amount and increase if needed. Storage: Store essential oils in dark glass bottles in a cool, dark place, out of reach of children and pets. Many essential oils will last about 2-5 years if stored properly; some oils like Patchouli, Sandalwood, and Vetiver can last 6-8 years. Pet safety: Dogs and cats have different sensitivities when it comes to essential oils. Keep this in mind when using an essential oil diffuser. Consult an expert: Especially if you're pregnant, nursing, have a medical condition, or are on medication. Remember, essential oils are potent plant extracts with incredible benefits, but they should be used thoughtfully and responsibly. For more detailed information, we have several blog posts on our website that focus on this topic: Essential Oil Safety Guide, Essential Oils and Pets, and Proper Essential Oil Dilution Chart & Guide. You can search for them at aromaticmedicineschool.com/blog --- #essentialoils #essentialoilsafetytips
As herbalists, aromatherapists, and lovers of arom As herbalists, aromatherapists, and lovers of aromatic plants, our relationship with the plant world is reciprocal. We tend the plants, and in return, they tend us. Part of walking an ethical, plant-centered path is knowing when to slow down, use less, and choose with greater care. 🌿 Aromatic plants on our “take care” list 🌿 These species face sustainability pressures due to overharvesting, habitat loss, or fragile ecosystems. They deserve reverence, restraint, and thoughtful sourcing: Rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora) Agarwood (Aquilaria malaccensis) Frankincense (Boswellia carterii from Somalia) Palo Santo (Bulnesia Sarmientoi) Atlas Cedarwood (​​Cedrus atlantica) Spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi) Sassafras (Ocotea pretiosa) African Sandalwood (Osyris lanceolata) White Sage (Salvia apiana) Sandalwood (Santalum album, S paniculatum) ✨ Our guiding principle: When the source isn’t clear, we slow down and pause before proceeding. When a supply feels questionable, we seek out thoughtful alternatives. And when a plant is known to be vulnerable, we allow respect and relationship to guide our choices, always placing care for the plant before our desire to use it. Sustainability isn’t just about what we use—it’s about how and why we use it. May our aromatic practices be rooted in care, relationship, and responsibility. 🌎 --- #sustainability #plantsteward #plantstewardship #sustainablesourcing
🌿 Where do you source your herbs and aromatic plan 🌿 Where do you source your herbs and aromatic plants? Drop your location + recommendations below! 👇 Some of the most powerful plant allies don’t have to come from exotic locations halfway around the world… there are plenty being lovingly grown right in our own communities. 🌱 Local, small-scale herb farmers are helping preserve traditional plant knowledge while making high-quality, sustainably grown herbs more accessible. Know an herbal farm near you that deserves more recognition? Tag them below. Let's build a map of where to find powerful plant medicine closest to home. 👇 Share your location + any farms/growers you love.
3 reasons to use non-combustible, low-smoke method 3 reasons to use non-combustible, low-smoke methods to burn incense: 🔥 Provides a slower burn that maintains the integrity of the incense 🔥 Helps lessen the charred aroma that often accompanies combustible methods 🔥 Self-lighting charcoal often contains chemicals that can be a health hazard Discover the 3 virtually smokeless ways to enjoy incense in our blog. Link in bio ✨ --- #smokelessincense #smokelessincenseburner #burningincense #incensecharcoal
There’s a difference between owning a lot of aroma There’s a difference between owning a lot of aromatics... and truly knowing aromatics. I think most of us begin the same way. We collect. Another essential oil. Another resin. A beautiful piece of aromatic wood. An unusual extract we've never smelled before. I started collecting incense when I was 16, not knowing much about it, the traditions, or the plans behind it at all. And there's nothing wrong with that—I still get ridiculously excited when a package of new aromatics shows up at my door. 😆 But eventually, something changes. You don't just want more. You want to understand what you already have. You want to know things like why one Frankincense smells completely different from another. Why that Sandalwood was so expensive compared to another. Where your Agarwood actually came from. Whether wildcrafted really means better. How to recognize exceptional quality with your own nose. Who grew, harvested, distilled, or traded the materials you're working with. And whether the plants you love are actually being cared for in a way that allows them to continue thriving. That's when collecting aromatics starts becoming connoisseurship. And that's really why I created The Aromatic Connoisseur Series. To help you become more knowledgeable, discerning, and intentional with the aromatics you already love. To know how to find them, how to understand them, and how to protect them. 🌿 The Aromatic Connoisseur Series Three special classes & one deeper journey into the aromatic world. Enrollment is only open until tomorrow night, so if this deeper journey into the aromatic world is calling to you, come take a look. Explore the complete series + join us in our bio --- #Aromatherapy #NaturalAromatics #AromaticPlants #EthicalSourcing #NaturalPerfumery #Herbalism
That little bottle of essential oil on your shelf That little bottle of essential oil on your shelf was once a field of living plants. That piece of Sandalwood was once inside a tree. Your Frankincense resin once flowed from the bark of a living Boswellia. Vetiver oil began underground, in the roots of a grass. And that precious piece of Agarwood may represent years—or even decades—of growth before it ever found its way into your hands. It's surprisingly easy to forget this. We buy aromatics in bottles, bags, jars, and boxes. We learn their properties. We formulate with them, burn them, diffuse them, make medicine and perfume with them... And somewhere along the way, the plant can disappear behind the product. I've been thinking about this a lot. Because becoming more knowledgeable about aromatics shouldn't only mean learning how to find the rarest materials or developing a more sophisticated nose. It should also deepen our understanding of what it took for those materials to exist in the first place. Some aromatic plants regenerate readily after harvest. Others are uprooted entirely. Some aromatic woods require trees that have grown for decades. Some plants are thriving. Others are facing enormous pressure from habitat loss, overharvesting, increasing global demand, and unsustainable trade. And behind these materials are also growers, harvesters, distillers, families, and communities whose livelihoods can be intertwined with the plants we treasure. This is why the third class in The Aromatic Connoisseur Series is called: 🌿 Guardians of the Aromatic Plants Because I believe true connoisseurship comes with responsibility. The more we appreciate these plants, the more we should want to understand where they came from—and help ensure they're still here for the generations that come after us. From commodities... back to plants. Click the link in our bio to explore The Aromatic Connoisseur Series. --- #AromaticPlants #Herbalism #Aromatherapy #EthicalSourcing #NaturalAromatics #NaturalPerfumery #Incense #AromaticMedicine
“Wildcrafted” does NOT automatically mean sustaina “Wildcrafted” does NOT automatically mean sustainable. 🌿 Neither does organic. And words like ethical or sustainably harvested don't always tell us as much as we might think. Harvesting Lavender flowers is very different from digging up a root system. Gathering leaves is different from removing bark. And harvesting fragrant heartwood that may have taken decades to develop asks something entirely different of the plant. Then there's something else we often forget: Plants don't grow at the speed of markets. An obscure aromatic plant can suddenly explode in popularity after a health influencer with millions of followers shines a spotlight on it. But a tree that takes 30 years to mature still takes 30 years to mature. So what does “sustainably sourced” actually mean—and how can those of us who genuinely love aromatic plants learn to look beyond the words on the label? That's what I explore in my newest article: 🌿 What Does “Sustainably Sourced” Actually Mean for Aromatic Plants? → Read the new article at the link in our bio --- #AromaticPlants #Herbalism #Aromatherapy #EthicalSourcing #NaturalAromatics #NaturalPerfumery #Incense #AromaticMedicine
Some of the best aromatic materials I've ever foun Some of the best aromatic materials I've ever found were NOT sitting on the websites everyone in the aromatic world already knows about. I've found them by digging. Following obscure leads. Searching botanical names and countries of origin. Talking with importers, distillers, growers, harvesters, wholesalers, and people much closer to the source. Sometimes a search leads nowhere. Other times, you find a little-known source halfway around the world carrying a material so extraordinary that you immediately think... Where has THIS been hiding?! Over the past 15+ years, I've spent countless hours going down these aromatic rabbit holes—sourcing materials for medicine making, incense, perfumery, teaching, my own collection, and Higher Mind Incense. And today, I'm opening up that world to you. 🌿 CLASS ONE: Sourcing the World's Aromatic Treasures airs today! We're going behind the scenes of how I actually search for exceptional aromatics—including how to look beyond the usual retailers, follow a material closer to its source, evaluate potential suppliers, compare samples, recognize red flags, and ask the questions that reveal what you're actually buying. I'll also share some of my own sourcing stories, mistakes, successes, and lessons learned along the way. Because once you learn how to look, the aromatic marketplace becomes a much bigger world. And you might be surprised by what you find. 🌿 Sourcing the World's Aromatic Treasures The first class in The Aromatic Connoisseur Series airs today. → Join us at the link in our bio --- #Aromatherapy #NaturalPerfumery #EssentialOils #PlantWisdom #Botanicals #PlantMedicine #aromaconnoisseur
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