| The term that is more commonly associated with | | | | well-known history. They were two of the three |
| aromatherapy resins is incense. Resins, or incense, | | | | gifts given to the baby Jesus by the Three Wise |
| have long been an important part of history. Widely | | | | Men. That these resins were given to this miracle |
| used for ceremonial purposes in many ancient | | | | child gives you a sense of how valuable these scents |
| eastern and western civilizations, use of incense | | | | were thousands of years ago. In fact, these resins |
| today, while still popular, is not nearly as common as | | | | were more valuable even than the gold presented by |
| is the use of perfumes and products containing | | | | the third Wise Man. These resins are still popular and |
| fragrances. | | | | readily available today. |
| | | | | |
| Most resins come from tree bark. Resins are the | | | | Frankincense, which comes from the leafy Boswellia |
| gum-like substance that extrudes from a tree when | | | | Thurifera forest tree, is used as a way of helping to |
| its outer layer has been damaged. They're actually | | | | soothe and purify the spirit and alleviate fears. This |
| unsaturated hydrocarbons that harden when they | | | | aromatherapy resin can help a person to relax as its |
| come into contact with air. In their natural state, | | | | fragrance is inhaled. Its fragrance can best be |
| resins can be semisolid or solid. Resins help trees and | | | | described as a mixture of sweet and spicy and |
| some other flowers, roots and seeds during the | | | | amazingly fresh. |
| process of healing. | | | | |
| | | | | The resin myrrh has been used throughout history as |
| Obtaining resins is very simple. All you have to do is | | | | a way of fortifying and strengthening a person's |
| cut into the bark of a tree and soon thereafter, the | | | | spirit. People use myrrh today to help promote |
| thick, sticky substance will emerge. Removing tree | | | | feelings of happiness and confidence. Some people |
| bark resins is easy as well - just scrape them away | | | | believe that myrrh can help with physical healing as |
| using a shape object. | | | | well. It is also said to be effective at encouraging the |
| | | | | growth of new cells. That's why many people use |
| Because they are so thick, they're difficult to work | | | | this aromatherapy resin as a way of prolonging the |
| with. That's the primary reason why they are not | | | | aging process. |
| commonly used in aromatherapy sessions. Their thick | | | | |
| and sticky characteristics prevent them from being | | | | |
| mixed with carrier oils. In their hardened states, resins | | | | |
| can be burned. This is accomplished by breaking off a | | | | Understanding Diffusion |
| chunk of resin, placing the chunk into a diffuser and | | | | |
| lighting the corner. When ignited, its fragrance will | | | | |
| emerge. Chunks of resins can also be ground into a | | | | |
| powder. | | | | To be effective, essential oils must be disbursed |
| | | | | throughout the environment. In the world of |
| More often than not however, resins are processed | | | | aromatherapy, the proper term for this type of |
| into oils. Resins cannot be dissolved using water, but | | | | disbursement is diffusion. There are many ways |
| they can be dissolved using chemical solvents and a | | | | aromatherapy oils can be diffused including several |
| steam distillation process. Resinoids are a viscous | | | | methods that make use of items you likely have lying |
| byproduct of this type of extraction process. When | | | | around the house. Commercial solutions are items |
| dissolved into odorless high-quality alcohols, resinoids | | | | that have been created especially for the purpose of |
| are then used in the manufacturing of perfumes. | | | | diffusing aromatherapy oils and they're available for |
| | | | | purchase. |
| Frankincense and myrrh resins have a long and | | | | |