I took an Aromatherapy class this weekend and got to experiment with different scents and create combinations that I had not tried before. There were a couple things throughout class that I wanted to share with all of you and how essential oils can affect your mind and body and take you on a healing journey.
Our sense of smell is the greatest of the five senses as far as triggering memory in us. Do you ever catch a whiff of something and are suddenly taken back to a period of time from your childhood or maybe a special vacation spot, a memory from college or a specific moment that left a mark on you. These special scents can either trigger an event in your life that was special to you or a larger stretch of time. Unlike our other senses, smell directly connects to our Limbic system, the area of the brain that processes memory and emotion. The ability of scent to trigger emotions and memory is attributed to how it enters the brain through the frontal cortex.
When we use Aromatherapy we bring the client back to a point in their life where they felt peace, joy, safety, nostalgia, love, etc… and when you bring a client on a journey to these places you give them permission to be themselves, to relax, to feel safe, to let go of worry, let go of stress, let go of anxiety and begin the process of healing. There are very few places where we can be 100% ourselves. People are bombarded every day with the pressure of pleasing others, with the stress that comes from taking care of other people and their needs, whether it be trying to please your boss, a family member, being available to help a friend... even if these things make us feel needed, appreciated and loved, they can still take a toll on our minds and bodies. Receiving a massage and/ or Aromatherapy during a massage, gives the client one hour of time that is just for them. It gives them the space to focus on what they want and what they need. Whether the client wants to completely zone out, fall asleep, receive deep tissue, meditate or receive a caring touch without feelings of guilt, they are free to receive what they need during that hour. This time is a truly precious thing that is needed more than most people realize until they actually experience it. We live in a society where we are plugged in 24/7 and are seen as commodities who must always be available. Our society causes feelings of guilt and/or judgment on a daily basis just by saying "No" or for simply being ourselves. Especially now with Apps on our phones and group messages, where our bosses and coworkers can reach us at any time, we never really experience the sensation of quiet time where we can check-in with ourselves and ask ourselves who we are underneath it all. So just having that hour where we are unplugged from technology can be a moment of pure bliss, and when we take the client on a journey through Aromatherapy and memory the client can truly relax and escape from the stress of every day life. Even if the client wants deep tissue or injury treatment, and especially if they want these things, it is important to take the client to a state of relaxation first. It is important to take the client to a place where they can let down their guard, let go of the tension they're holding onto and take down the walls that hold that tension inside them. When a client can relax in their mind they can relax in their body and allow the Therapist to get deeper into the muscle and begin the healing process.
Another thing to consider when using Aromatherapy and massage is that what works for you won’t necessarily work for someone else, and what one person considers relaxing may not be relaxing to someone else. We all have different views of the world and different perspectives that we operate according to, and the same thing is true with Aromatherapy and scent. What gives us that sense of bliss may be a deterrent to someone else.
One thing that I found interesting in class last night was how differently we interpreted smell. The way I took in the scent of Black Pepper or Cassia was completely different than the person sitting across from me. Just like a specific shade of lipstick looks different on each individual person, because of their skin tone, etc… Scents can spark a different chemical reaction in each individual person.
Another thing I wanted to discuss is how specific scents like Lavender, that are generally known for creating a relaxing effect may actually do the opposite if that person is opposed to the scent or has a bad memory attached to it. Some people are not in a place in their lives where they are ready and/or willing to accept certain things, including certain scents. Just like a person needs to be willing to accept a change on their own terms and of their own volition, in the massage room the therapist may often need to assist the client in reaching that state of relaxation and healing through many micro steps. Like anything in life, healing takes time and should not be rushed.
Have you experienced a scent that brought you back to a specific memory? I’ve noticed a lot of times that certain scents bring good memories to mind, but have you ever had a scent bring a bad or undesirable memory to mind? Share your favorite or least favorite scent and what it means to you :)
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