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respiratory

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
Aromatic History & Lore
Bio-Regional Aromatic Medicine
Plant Profiles
January 25, 202134Comments

The Medicine & Magic of Pine

Article written by Evan SylliaasenFor ages, humans across the Earth have maintained a special and magical relationship with evergreen trees of all kinds. The multifaceted wisdom in their growth patterns,
by NW School of Aromatic Medicine

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It’s harvest season! Want to make your herb stash It’s harvest season! Want to make your herb stash last longer? Our top tips for drying and storing herbs: Harvest at the right time: Harvest only when you have the time and energy to fully process your herbs. It’s best to go straight from harvest to drying – if you have to store the plant material in the fridge for a bit, you might lose aromatics, damage the plant material, or even lose your whole harvest to mold. Air-drying: Tie small bunches of herbs together with twine and hang them upside down in a cool, well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight. Alternatively, you can leave a small bunch of herbs in a brown paper bag in a cool, dry place and shake the bag every couple of days to reduce the risk of mold. Either way, make sure there is enough airflow and the herbs aren’t packed in too tight. Dehydrator magic: If you have one, a dehydrator works wonders! Just be sure to put it on the lowest setting – heat causes volatile oils to evaporate, which means you will lose precious aromatics if the heat is too high. Test for dryness: When the leaves crumble at the touch, they're ready. If the branches bend but don’t snap, they need more time. To preserve the flavor, aroma, and potency, keep the leaves whole until you're ready to use them. Storage: Store dried herbs in airtight glass jars in a cool, dark place. Label them with the name and harvest date for easy identification. By following these steps, you'll have an amazing herbal apothecary that will last you all winter long.
“One thing I’ve learned in the woods is that there “One thing I’ve learned in the woods is that there is no such thing as random. Everything is steeped in meaning, colored by relationships, one thing with another.” ― Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
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
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