Migraines — Insomnia — Research — Ancient Knowledge — Beauty — Love — Spirituality
A couple of weeks ago you will have received the first part of an interview by Malte Hozzel published in Sensa, a major Serbian magazine. Here is the second part in which Malte examines some of the deeper implications of aromatherapy and essential oils.
Dr Hozzel, can aromatherapy help with migraine and insomnia, the common ailments of modern life?
Yes, aromatherapy can help very much. Lots of fascinating testimonials are available on migraine which can treated with Peppermint and Rosemary oil for example. I have personally seen how well and often immediately it works. This simple two-oil blend should be a part of every household aromatic kit, travel kit, car travel kit…
And insomnia? A whole science hides behind! The essential oils for this very severe problem of our modern world are numerous and highly efficient – much more than the super dangerous benzodiazepines prescribed for tens of millions of people for everyday usage worldwide. Once I went studying through the different plant families from which we derive most of our common essential oils. It was amazing to see that nearly everyone of these families offered at least one if not several species with their essential oils to help for sleep problems….
And of course, PMS and Menopause?
Yes, yes. What do you want me to say? I can only say again there is such an impressive area for a holistic aromatherapy approach. And such a rich avenue of aromatic investigation lies behind this theme already. Many essential oils are derived from medicinal plants which use certain compounds for their own hormonal well-being. Yes, it is true, essential oils are in many ways so called natural ‘ecto-hormones’ which means that they can be used in a very targeted way to influence our hormonal system, female or male. Many essential oils are champions in this regard – and not only for balancing the sexual hormones, but also stress hormones and others.
How much is the application of aromatherapy in the medical set-up substantiated with the clinical research?
As I said before, the body of scientific research on essential oils is growing daily. Clinical research papers are published regularly and are available on the internet. Any web investigation on numerous ailments can derive scientific data on on-going or achieved clinical research with regards to essential oils. But more precious to my understanding than this approach, often based on the isolated compounds or the so called ‘active ingredients’, are the countless personal testimonials of essential oils users. This should be the basis for a corpus of a new aromatherapeutic science of healing.
Ancient civilizations left us with the vast corpus of the knowledge of aromatherapy? How did they know? How did they develop this unique, deep and immensely effective knowledge?
Knowledge of essential oils was often part of these ancient traditions, especially in the East like Egypt, Sumeria, India… And their knowledge came to them not through the doors of scientific research as we understand it today but through the science of consciousness. All these different traditions of natural healing in our history of the world have a common ground. Humanity shared this common ground in a ‘morphogenetic’ way. It was based on the understanding that healing has to do with the whole person and not just with prescription of white pills. And how was it before? How did it come to these ancient traditions? The common ground of healing for our ancestors included elements far more advanced than our modern ‘objective’ and therefore often too materialistic approach. Examples of these elements were:
• REVELATION – from Spirit
• TRADITION – from the ancestors
• INTUITION – from refined inner awareness
• COMMUNICATION – from direct dialogue with the plant Kingdom
• OBSERVATION – from understanding the laws of Nature
• EXPERIMENTATION – from repeated experiences and healing results
• UNIFICATION – from fusing with the world around and with the patient.
These elements also contribute today to the Science of Holistic Aromatherapy making it a very complete science of natural healing.
To your knowledge, how many medical institutions in Europe and around the globe are using aromatherapy in their everyday practice?
This is hard to say. There are definitely in every country, especially in the West, medical institutions including clinics, psychiatric hospitals, homes for elderly people, etc. using essential oils in their daily practice. But also Eastern countries, particularly those with a still lively tradition of natural medicine, like Taiwan are having aromatherapy incorporated in certain clinical and similar set-ups. This often depends on pioneer teachers or associations of teachers of their country like our dear friend Yo-June Wen in Taiwan who received the Taiwanese Pulitzer prize a few years back on a poetically written book on aromatherapy which stirred quite some strong waves of interest in her country.
Which countries are leading the way?
Definitely the Western European countries with France, Germany, UK, Switzerland, Austria, also Spain and Italy more and more prominent. The Scandinavian countries to some degree, very strong USA, Japan, Taiwan. China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and certain South-American countries are awakening…
Aromatherapy is also about beauty…
Very much! That’s why essential oils are so much (and more and more) present in beauty care products and perfumery, slowly replacing the chemo-based synthetic, mono-molecular stuff. There is definitely a change in the beauty industry to go more for natural. It is high time! We do not know how much unhealthy molecules are driven into our body every day by the use of artificially ‘flavoured’ shampoos, soaps, washing powders, perfumes, and all the so called ‘wellness’ products, creams etc. But the overall trend gives reasons for optimism. It goes with the natural versus the techno-chemical, the poly-molecular of Mother Nature versus the mono-molecular. And what are the miracles of aroma-beauty: no side effects, no ‘hidden agendas’ somewhere in the body – so many positive side-effects. And one advantage: you can do it yourself in the alchemistic lab of your own home!
Aromatherapy is about the love for aromas… what can aromas do to instigate our love for our partners, for our family members, friends and even colleagues at work?
Lots of things. There are so many essential oils which make you feel better, become more radiant, become more beautiful, more energetic. They are also great attractors. Smell a modern perfume (if you can say it is about attraction…) and smell a beautiful blend of an aromatic natural perfume. Wow! What a difference. I can’t even sit any more for long next to someone who is soaked in a modern (mostly) synthetic perfume. And I keep note of all the people who come to ask me why I smell so great! ☺ The choice is immense – and we can concoct our own ‘fragrant agenda’ for the day with a few super natural oils at home. A tiny drop of Jasmine to let go – or let come (I mean : to attract), a beautiful ambient blend for the evening (or the night !)? A health cocktail for a child lying down with flu or cramp? An office blend to create whiffs of refreshment between folders, computers, mobile phones? The anti-headache oil in your pocket just in the right moment at the airport for one of the flight attendants…?? You want to be well served, right ? ☺
I have read somewhere that the ultimate goal of aromatherapy is to support spiritual liberation, growth of higher states of consciouness and true Englightenment? Would you agree to it?
I think the ultimate goal of everything is spiritual liberation. Even of war! Even of disease! Don’t you think? But with the positive aspects of life which we can culture in us and in humanity as a whole it goes faster – more like in a short-cut way… Essential oils have their role to play in this. They enliven the brain, the heart… our whole ‘body-mind’ is deeply touched by their incredible alchemy. And they leave traces of cosmic energies in us which give us assistance for our journey to our own Atma, our own Self, our own source of infinite light.