Colleen K. Dodt - The Essential Oils Book: Creating Personal Blends for Mind & Body

CREATING PERSONAL BLENDS FOR MIND & BODY

COLLEEN K. DODT

The mission of Storey Publishing is to serve our customers by publishing practical information that encourages personal independence in harmony with the environment.

Edited by Deborah L. Balmuth

Cover and text design and production by Carol J. Jessop, Black Trout Design

Cover and text illustrations John Nelson/Represented by Irmeli Holmberg

How-to line drawings by Brigita Fuhrmann

Indexed by Northwind Editorial Services

1996 by Colleen K. Dodt

Ebook version 1.1

August 23, 2019

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce illustrations in a review with appropriate credits; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwithout written permission from the publisher.

The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the author or Storey Publishing. The author and publisher disclaim any liability in connection with the use of this information. For additional information please contact Storey Publishing, 210 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247.

Storey books are available for special premium and promotional uses and for customized editions. For further information, please call 1-800-793-9396.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Dodt, Colleen K., 1955

The essential oils book : creating personal blends for mind & body/
Colleen K. Dodt.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-88266-913-7 (pbk.: alk. paper)

1. AromatherapyPopular works. I. Title.

He is happiest who hath the power to gather wisdom from a flower.

Mary Howitt, circa 1825

For the sweetest flower I know,
my dear daughter Christina Kaye Dodt

A heartfelt thanks to friends, family, work-study students, and strangers who have believed in my herbal endeavors and encouraged me to believe in myself.

Thank you to Storey Communications, Inc. for allowing me to share some of my journey.

Thanks to Mr. Lawrence E. Dove, II for the kind generosity and encouragement that helped me to make this book a reality, and to, Mr. Gary Wanttaja of Natures Products and Ms. Sandra Hazel of Word Works Literary Services for their computer expertise and calm, professional direction on those difficult days when I truly believed computers and printers should be given flying lessons.

To my parents, Marie E. Marker and the late Frederick P. Marker, my thanks for LIFE and the drive to live it to its fullest.

To Ollie and George, the parents God gave me, my sincere love, respect, and thanks for connecting me with the earth through their generous, holistic outlook on life.

And to the the plants that produce pure essential oils themselves, my lifes essentials, I offer humble gratitude and deepest respect.

Herbs and pure essential oils have been an intimate part of my life for 15 years. Being involved with aromatic plants on a daily basis has instilled in me an insatiable quest for knowledge about the aromatic substances that give flowers and herbs their marvelous scents.

I have been intrigued with this life force or essential spirit of plants from the very first time I crushed sprigs of peppermint, lavender, and other fragrant herbs between my fingers and experienced the delightful fragrance that fills the air. When I started my herbal education, very little literature was available on the subject. I contacted essential oil suppliers, experimented, traveled to England, and researched every source available. The information I gathered has been woven into an ongoing education that continues to excite and delight me daily.

Recently, the use of pure essential oils has gained popularity as a result of renewed interest in the art of aromatherapy. Essential oils are being promoted in body-care products, medicinal mixtures, beauty products, and to enhance ones personal environment. Yet, there are still many opinions as to what aromatherapy entails. There is very little standardized education, or qualifications recognized in the United States. There are schools and correspondence courses available, but most are either weekend courses or short-term residential programs, rather than degree programs. The term aromatherapy seems to be taken more seriously in Europe, in general, and in England especially where approximately 25 schools and more than one professional association are now active in the pursuit of essential oil education and aromatherapy definition.

I define aromatherapy as the use of pure essential oils to enhance the quality of body, mind, and spirit. Many Americans still confuse the use of pure essential oils with any type of scented oil. Reading this book, you will soon realize that scented oils do not have the same effect as pure essential oils. There is a great group of people internationally who have devoted lifetimes and careers to the research of aromatic substances. Through these dedicated folks, everyone will soon have access to knowledge in the use of pure essential oils and aromatherapy.

I believe we have just started to explore all the possibilities for incorporating the use of essential oils into our lives, even though their history is ancient. For early humans, the sense of smell was a survival tool that served them well. Scent is a language that almost every living thing speaks and understands. People in ancient Egyptian and Roman societies refined the art of using aromatic plants, woods, fruits, herbs, flowers, spices, and resins to enhance their moods, prayers, and homes. More recently, the glove makers of old Europe often impregnated their wares with scented oils to ward off insects and the stench of foul streets through which the wearers traveled. The European tradition of carrying nosegays or tussie mussies was another attempt at aromatic protection. When one rubbed the leaves of aromatic plants, the pure essential oils contained in them were emitted into the air to help purify and protect the carrier. Canes or walking sticks were designed with tops that stored packed spices to inhale. These traditions provide a foundation for contemporary exploration of aromatherapy. As I wrote in an article entitled Aroma What? that appeared in