A Magickal Herball Compleat.pdf - Magicka School

Welcome
Herbs and Aromatherapy
In this chapter you will learn about herbs and aromatherapy.
At the end there is a research project.
Introduction
Closely allied to the magickal use of herbs is their employment in aromatherapy.
Aromatherapy is the art of using volatile liquid plant oils, known as essential oils,
as well as other plant compounds, to influence an individual’s feelings or health.
On one level certain blends of herbs can be created which smell pleasing to the
human olfactory senses. But aromatherapy is far more than the art of creating
pleasant odours.
When used in a magickal sense, it is a powerful gateway to the mind and an
important aid in achieving desired outcomes in line with the will. When used as an
alternative therapy it helps promote physical and mental well-being.
In this chapter we will be exploring what exactly the sense of smell is, why
aromatherapy is important to magickal work, why also it is important to the
promotion of health, and how aromatic preparations can be used. But first, let us
take a look at its origins.
Aroma in History
The use of aromatic preparations in religious practices, perfume and health
matters have an ancient lineage that can be traced to some of the world’s oldest
civilizations. Claims have been made as to their employment that reach back to the
time of the Egyptian physician and god of medicine, Imhotep, (likely to have been
alive in the early 2600s BCE) who has been attributed as recommending sweet
smelling oils for embalming, massage and bathing [1]. Whether or not this dating
is correct, herbal preparations were certainly used by the Ancient Egyptians for
their aromatic properties [2] during the processes of mummification. This method
of bodily preservation reached its height during the period of the Middle
Kingdom between 2050BCE and 1800BCE where frankincense, myrrh,
cinnamon, cedarwood, galbanum, spikenard and juniper were all utilised to
prepare the pharaohs for the Afterlife [3].
Also from the Ancient world come the world’s oldest known perfumes. In Pyrgos,
in Cyprus, evidence of a perfumery has been discovered which dates back some
4,000 years -here lavender, bay, coriander, rosemary and pine were used to create
fragrance for generations [4]. Perfumes were also widely used in Egyptian society,
where women adorned themselves with fragranced wax cones that would melt in
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