Since then, essential oils have been used in a variety of ways. The Aztecs enjoyed saunas whose steam carried fragrant floral and herbal vapors from small pools of stone and hot water. Hippocrates described the curative effect of more than 300 plants. Essential Oils vs Synthetic drugs Using natural oils for their medicinal properties was mainstream in the U.S. until the dawn of synthetic drugs. Botanical oils, on the other hand, are meant to heal the whole person by stimulating their mental and physical awareness.
Natural oils work on psychological and physiological levels.
Just smelling a pleasant fragrance immediately relaxes the mind and uplifts the spirit. Aromas enter the body through the nose where the olfactory nerves carry their message directly to the limbic system of the brain. The limbic system is the most primitive part of the brain that regulates the sensomotor activity. Essential oils have been used for centuries in healing, altering of moods, and raising of consciousness. We eat plants for nourishment, but we can also partake of their life energy, or power, in more subtle ways.