Daily Aromatherapy

Book excerpt: The seasons of the year parallel the symbolic seasons of life, with spring representing the childhood years of hope and seeing the world with new eyes; summer the young-adult years of growth and engagement; autumn the years of mid-life reflection, healing, and forgiveness; and winter the late-life years of rest, restoration, and rejuvenation. Daily Aromatherapy introduces readers to the transformative qualities of nature’s aromas for each of these seasons. Each month of the year profiles and explores the psychological and subtle energy aspects of four different essential oils–one per week. Forty-eight different oils are profiled in this way. Readers experience each oil and its powers in depth through seven different intention exercises: an affirmation, emotional self-discovery questions, a ceremony, a blessing, an activity, a visualization, and a prayer. While aromatherapy is a holistic modality, affecting the body, mind, and spirit, the focus of Daily Aromatherapy is on mind and spirit. While not explicitly including the physical applications of essential oils for treating conditions like colds, flu, or muscle strain, this appealing book shows how physical health is greatly enhanced by the psychological and spiritual well-being that comes from understanding and using these gifts of nature.