Some people teach what the audience 'wants to hear' as well as pandering to 'spirituality' as a way of covering up their own lack of appropriate knowledge. It is also clear that an awful amount of research from the sciences associated with the use of essential oils, has become corrupted when it has crept into aromatherapy books and training courses. It has become clear to me that many authors and course providers simply have not studied their trade as thoroughly as they should have, before embarking on passing on their knowledge to others. Aromatherapy can be a potent therapeutic tool for unlocking the brains inhibition of normal bodily processes due to various emotional factors. It is excellent for giving relief from many musculo-skeletal ailments.
Essential oils can achieve spectacular results when treating various kinds of skin trauma.
Most aromatic oils used prior to about 1600 AD were not distilled, but were produced by macerating plants in hot vegetable oils or more commonly in animal fats. The resulting product could contain a similar amount of essential oil to that found in a modern diluted massage oil. A vital point to remember, is that macerated or infused oils, would have contained numerous natural plant chemicals that do not appear in a modern distilled oil. In a few cases these 'other' plant constituents may be advantageous, aiding the therapeutic actions of the infused oil. However, in several cases the extract would contain disadvantageous skin irritants, sensitisers and viable fungal spores.