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| My vision of the Aromatherapy Community |
It has always been a shock to me that a lovely and healing art and science has turned so political and divisive. So let's talk about it!
First, I want to say this is my opinion, based on observations over time. Second, not all of this opinion has been formed in isolation. I have discussed this with many others and they have all contributed to the development of my opinion. That is the very root of how this community works.
Aromatherapy has largely been a field developed by sharing experiences. Who you learn from will be your starting point on a multi-colored, interwoven web of learning lines. Each book you read, blog post you read and company you explore will lead you to a new intersection in your learning. If you take webinars or classes, you will go in other new and exciting directions. The one thing to consider, you have to work hard to stay where you are.
It does not matter where you start your journey. You may start in a group that says "you can use oils everyday, 100 times a day, in every way you can imagine." I call this The Always group. You could also start your journey in the "you should never use oils for...." These I call the Never group. They see Aromatherapy as black and white, when in reality it is various shades of gray.
There are exceptions for all guidelines regarding oils! Never and Always rarely have a place in Aromatherapy unless it is accompanied by the word TRY. I try to always buy on sale. I try to never buy without doing my research.
There are very few hard and fast rules in Aromatherapy. Instead it is a field of balance, weighing the risks against the rewards for each individual, each oil and each application method will give you the best results. In order to do that, you need to study! Not just can it help with X condition but also can it be contraindicated for the person's medications, medical conditions, age or general health.
Self-care through alternative and natural medicines does not negate risks. We need to use common sense. We need to balance the pros and the cons. Most importantly, we need to work together. This means, to me at least, that the put downs, judgments and assumptions do not have a place in this field.
Support through our journey, online or in person is vital to traveling along the the ever changing pathways and detours to our new horizons. You are here now. Where will you be tomorrow?
