Fragrances can Rejuvenate Our
Mind-Body System
Nose may not appear to be an extraordinary part
of the human body, but it certainly has unique
constituent cells which, if stimulated, may help
in rejuvenating our mind-body system. In fact,
nose is a part of the chemosensory system, which
consists of the senses of smell and taste. Our
ability to smell comes from specialized sensory
cells, called olfactory sensory neurons.
They are
found in a small patch of tissue (of the size of a
postal stamp) high inside the nose. Each olfactory
neuron has one odor receptor. Microscopic
molecules released by substances such as food,
flowers, perfumes, etc stimulate these receptors.
Once the neurons detect the molecules, they
send messages to the brain, which identifies the
smell. Although smell is a basic sense, it is also
at the forefront of neurological research.
Doctors and scientists have been researching
on the effect of fragrances of essential oils and
perfumes for aroma therapy. It has been observed
that aroma therapy helps in reducing mental
stress, anxiety and other mental disorders, which,
in turn, help our mind to be happy and joyful.
Swami Rama has mentioned in his famous book
titled ‘Living with the Himalayan Masters’ that
during spring season when one passes through
the valley of flowers, fragrance of flowers makes
him so joyful that he forgets everything. Let us
see his experience there in his own words – “The
flowers were in full bloom as far as the eye could
see. For the first few hours it was soothing to the
senses and stimulating to the mind.
But slowly
I started noticing that my memory was slipping
away. After five or six hours (Gudadi) baba asked,
“Hey you! Can you tell me your name?” We
(Swami Rama and his fellow monk) were both
so disoriented that we could not remember our
names. We had completely forgotten them. I was
only aware of my existence and had a hazy idea
that I was with two other people. That’s all.
The
fragrance of those flowers was so strong that we
could not think rationally. Our ability to reason
wouldn’t function. --- We lived in this valley for a
week. It was highly enjoyable. ---After we came
out of the Valley of Flowers, the baba said, ‘Your
joy was because of the influence of the fragrance
of the flowers’.” Due to an intense fragrance in
the air, our sense organs become senseless and a
person reaches an ecstatic state of joy.
It has been found that different fragrances produce
different effects on the nervous system, which
may have a positive or negative impact on our
health. This is the reason why aroma therapy has
become a big business and such therapy centers
are growing all around the world.
Aromatherapy makes use of essential oils,
extracted from flowers and plants by steam
distillation or cold pressing. Essential oils of
lavender, frankincense, peppermint, tea tree, etc
are known to stimulate the nervous system via
their topical application. Extracts of agara (eagle
wood), tagara (Valeriana wallichii), sandal
wood, clove, camphor, and eucalyptus along with
other fragrant plants like rose, chamelº (jasmine),
champ³ (Magnolia champaca), r³ta-r³nº (night
blooming jasmine, cestrum nocturnum), etc. have also been suggested for aroma therapy. Aroma
of the extracts of different plants and flowers
can help relieve stress, boost the immune
system, provide various beauty benefits, and
keep various ailments at bay. For aroma therapy,
sometimes a patient is kept in a room with an
aroma of appropriate essential oil; or a sugar
cube mixed with the oil is placed on the tongue
of the patient and he is asked to feel the fragrance
without swallowing the cube. This is repeated
three times a day which helps in relaxing the
mind of the patient.
René-Maurice Gaefossé is regarded as the
Father of Aromatherapy and the inventor of
the word itself. His book titled ‘Gaefossé
Aroma Therapy’ (which is the English
translation of his renowned work in French
‘Aromathérapie: Les Huiles essenelles
hormones végétales’) gives a fascinating
account of human, animal and plant smells,
the classi!ication of essential oils and their
therapeutic use in treating different diseases.
Dr. Jean Valnet has also discussed, in detail, all
the aspects of this novel therapy in his book
‘Practice of Aromatherapy: Holistic Health
and the Essential Oils of Flowers and Herbs’.
Essential oils can be used for protecting,
nourishing and restoring vital energy. They
can be used in three different ways, namely,
aromatically (by inhalation), topically and
internally. Aromatic and topical use of these
oils is effective for good health and wellness.
However, internal use, or direct ingestion of
essential oils, is risky and should be practiced
only by an experienced practitioner. Aromatic
use often employs a diffuser, but it is also
possible to put a drop of essential oil on a cotton
ball, allowing the drop to diffuse and inhaling
directly from the cotton ball. For topical use, the
essential oil is diluted in some kind of carrier,
usually a sweet almond oil, fractionated coconut
oil, aloe vera gel, lotion, or cream.
In addition to aroma therapy, Yajóa therapy
has also shown positive results in rejuvenating
human body. Various clinical trials, case
studies, and laboratory tests have confirmed
the significance of Yajóa therapy for curing
viral infections, psychosomatic disorders and
dreaded diseases like cancer and AIDS. Now
there is a need to investigate the combination of
these two therapies for the holistic health of all
living beings.
Recommended References:
1. Keville, Kathi, and Mindy Green: Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art. (2nd Ed.).
New York: Crossings Press (2008)
2. Schnaubelt, Kurt: The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils. Vermont: Healing Arts Press (2011)
3. Tisserand, Robert and Rodney Young: Essential Oil Safety. (2nd Ed.). London: Elsevier (2014)
4. Acharya Sharma S.: Yajóa k³ jóana vijó³na. Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya Samagra Vangmaya Vol.
25. Akhand Jyoti Sansthan, Mathura; UP, India (1995).
5. Acharya Shrama S.: Yajóa – Eka Samagra Upac³ra Prakriy³. Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya Samagra
Vangmaya Vol. 26 Akhand Jyoti Sansthan, Mathura; UP, India (1995).
Write Your Comments Here: