In this day and age aromatherapy is a household word. You will see it on almost every fragrant candle or bag of potpourri to energize, calm, or stimulate your mood. But what is it really? How does it work and how can it benefit?

Since the beginning of civilization, aromatherapy has been practiced in one form or another. Everyone has used aromatherapy at some time in their lives and probably didn't realize it. As children, our mothers would apply a vaporub on our chests when we had colds—this was aromatherapy. Some mouthwashes and most cough drops are also forms of aromatherapy. Dictionary definitions often site the word as the use of selected fragrant substances in lotions and inhalants in an effort to affect mood and promote health.

Today, the art and science of using oils extracted from aromatic plants are used in the home to enhance health, well being, and beauty. As we juggle our work schedules and home lives while attempting to find time to exercise, eat right, maintain important relationships, and have a social life, it can be a real challenge to stay balanced.

What is aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils, extracts from the flowers, leaves, bark, or roots of plants and trees that, when compressed or condensed, create a fragrant oil. There is a well-documented body of medical and anecdotal evidence that shows that using essential oils can be beneficial to both humans and animals. Essential oils are not really "greasy oils" but specific liquid plant extracts or volatile oils that disperse and leave no stain if you spill them. The method of use is by inhaling or bathing with these essential oils to create a desired change in your state of mind (mood). Essential oils have also been used to deter insects, freshen clothes, and even polish furniture.

How does it work?
The essential oils are inhaled or absorbed in the body or through the skin. Either way the oils interact with the body's organs and hormones to encourage mental, spiritual, and physical change. They work subtly and in small quantities through the skin and the air and should never be put directly into the body in any other way, unless you are working with a qualified aromatherapist. According to one such expert, the scent of essential oils is conveyed by the olfactory nerve to areas of the brain that can influence emotions and hormonal responses. If used in a bath or during a massage, the oils are absorbed through the skin and carried by body fluids to the main body systems, such as the nervous and muscular systems, for a healing effect.

Transform your home
Your home is a reflection of your life. According to the principles of Feng Shui—the ancient Chinese practice/art of placement to provide balance and harmony within one's surroundings—the life energy is a flow that should easily circulate throughout your home. If it cannot, you'll find resistance within specific aspects of your life. A healthy energy and atmosphere influences your health, career opportunities, wealth, family relations, romantic situations, and more.

So, the first step is to clear the clutter and get rid of old energies and welcome a new and healthy energy. Start by looking through your closets and cabinets and get rid of anything that is broken or has not been used for more than a year. With spring in the air, it's a perfect time to open your life to growth, new opportunities, friendships and love.

Then, allow your home to breathe. Open the windows, purchase aromatherapy diffusers or plug-ins for each room, and make your home the best place to be.

It's great fun to make your own room and pillow sprays, creams, treatments, and hair rinses using just essential oils and pure ingredients. You can dramatically reduce the amount of money you spend on many products, especially beauty and cleaning products, and cut down on the pollution that these products generate in your home. Many of these essential oils have multiple uses. For example, Frankincense has great anti-wrinkle properties and Rosemary gives you beautiful hair when used as a rinse.

Essential oils for the home need to have good cleansing, deodorizing, and relaxing properties and generally support the home environment for everyone. Here are a few examples:

• Lavender is known as 'first aide in a bottle' due to its skin healing and antibacterial properties. Add lavender essential oil to cool water (10 drops to one quart of water) to help mild burns. It's also a great stress reducer, encouraging more relaxing (theta and alpha) brainwaves, perfect in the bath (5 drops), or just to inhale. Its relaxing aroma also makes for wonderful laundry sprays, and can also be added to the rinse water or to your steam iron. Try putting a few drops on a cloth to keep in the drawer with your fresh laundry. It's also great as a room and counter spray. If you only get one essential oil in your life, get Lavender.

• Lemon has both cleansing and disinfecting properties, so a lavender/lemon counter spray or rinsing blend for dishes is very effective. Pure lemon essential oil will also remove sticky label residue. Try a lemon spray to rinse down the shower also.

• Spruce has antiseptic and tonic properties, which makes it a great room spray in your bathroom and kitchen. It's also good for relieving stress and anxiety, so it may help when family tensions are on the rise. Because it is a good anti-microbial, antiseptic, and expectorant, use Spruce when your family gets colds or the flu.

• Clary Sage has good deodorizing and anti-depressant properties and makes a wonderful room spray and an unusual laundry spray when diluted with water. It can also help give you colorful dreams if you use the spray on your pillow. See a qualified aromatherapist if you are pregnant and wish to use Clary Sage, as it contains plant estrogens and could have an adverse effect.

There are several resources at the end of this article to help you choose the right fragrance for the desired mood.

Aromatherapy can be fun. However, there are two key points to remember if you wish to attain perfect balance and peace of mind. You'll want to practice these two tips regularly to help you gain equilibrium more easily and efficiently.

• Shut down your "chatting" mind. Your mind can quickly become overworked, and thus less balanced. Each day you face a constant flow of information that can take away much of your energy and time. With such busyness running through your mind, how is it possible to find inner peace while releasing useless and negative thoughts? Aromatherapy can help. Try this:

Ingredients

• 4 drops of Sandalwood essential oil
• 3 drops of Lavender essential oil

Add these oils to a 10-ml bottle, and fill with vegetable oil. Anoint the middle of your forehead (your third eye area, which is also the 6th chakra), as well as your neck. Breathe it in deeply. Stay totally silent for at least an hour. Don't watch TV, read, listen to music, or work on the computer. Instead, enjoy your environment by taking a walk or soaking in a warm bath. You will be amazed by all the thoughts that come to your mind-acknowledge them and let them go. This is about relaxing. Afterwards, you will feel more refreshed, rejuvenated, and peaceful. The more often you practice this ritual, and the longer you can do it, the better you will feel.

• Be centered and "in the moment." Like most people, you probably spend so much time thinking about what you need to do, as well as what you've accomplished, that you're left with little energy to appreciate the here and now. Aromatherapy can help. Try this:

Ingredients

• 5 drops of Sandalwood essential oil
• 3 drops of Patchouli essential oil

Add these oils to a 10-ml bottle, and fill with vegetable oil. Anoint your forehead and stomach area (the sacrum and solar plexus). You can also pour up to 10 drops of the blend into your bathtub. Breathe it in deeply. You will find that this will calm you and keep you centered throughout the day.

Just type "aromatherapy" or "essential oils" into your computer's browser and you will find an array of online resources and places you can purchase product and learn even more.

It's important to take regular breaks to revitalize and replenish our energy. We need to make time to put our daily stresses aside and remind ourselves of those things that are most important to us, and most of all, to enjoy the moment. By doing so on a regular basis, we will enhance inner happiness. And aromatherapy can help give us the advantage.

"... Cease to listen and you will hear truth; be silent and your heart will sing; be still and you will move forward on the Tide of the Spirit..." -- Taoist Meditation

Online resources:

School of Natural Healing
http://www.snh.cc/aromatherapy.htm

My Back Yard "Aromatherapy for You"
http://www.mybackyard.com/current/27p1.htm

Pioneer Thinking. "Home Décor"
http://www.pioneerthinking.com/fr_home.html

School of Natural Healing
http://www.snh.cc/aromatherapy.htm

Rental Decorating Digest "Aromatherapy From Bathrooms to Bugs"
http://rentaldecorating.com/Aromatherapy.htm

Aroni Alchemy "Promoting Balance in your Daily Life"
http://www.circlesoflight.com/aromatherapy/aroma4.shtml