| Dioscorides who wrote around the year 100 C.E., | | | | to good health was in having a daily aromatic bath |
| mentions over 700 plants which were in use at that | | | | and scented massage. Disease now was regarded as |
| time. They formed the basis of the remedies used in | | | | arising from natural causes located within the physical |
| the temples of Asclepius with their focus on psychic | | | | body. |
| medicine. In his book De Materia Medica, he combines | | | | Following on his heels was the physician Galen who |
| herbal lore of the Egyptians and Greeks and | | | | saw all disease-mental and physical-caused by |
| discusses the components of perfumes and their | | | | disorders of the humors. He was quite disdainful of |
| medicinal properties and then gives a detailed listing | | | | the Egyptian incantations and spells which the |
| of recipes. Here is an example of a recipe for the | | | | Egyptians priest-physicians spoke while picking their |
| perfume Susinum. It contained cardamom, cinnamon, | | | | herbal drugs. |
| lilies, myrrh, saffron, balanus, wine and honey. | | | | Besides using aromatics for physical problems, the |
| Nardinum contained calamus, cistus, cardamom, | | | | Greeks used aromatic oils and incense for:o |
| melissa, spikenard and myrrh. | | | | Psychological conditions such as anxiety, depression |
| So when did medicine change from the magical to | | | | and hysteriao Pursuit of beauty and romanceo |
| one of objective observation and diagnosis? | | | | Religious and spiritual exercises such as meditation, |
| It actually began with Hippocrates who was the son | | | | prayero Consciousness expansion and heightened |
| of a priest-physician of Asclepius. Hippocrates | | | | perception and awarenesso Creating conducive |
| separated medicine from priest-practice by | | | | atmospheres for spiritual, intellectual, creative and |
| maintaining that disease was not due to possession | | | | romantic activities |
| by evil spirits but to an imbalance of fluid matter | | | | Want to know more about essential oils and how |
| related to internal, emotional and external factors. His | | | | they can help us stay healthy? Consider becoming a |
| theory was based on the four elements and the four | | | | certified clinical aromatherapist. The Institute of |
| humors. He recognized a psychosomatic unity in | | | | Spiritual Healing and Aromatherapy teaches classes |
| mental and physical diseases. In his treatment, he | | | | throughout the United States on aromatherapy and |
| recommended aromatics and maintained that the key | | | | energy healing. |