Aromatherapy Herbs in the Esoteric and the Practical

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"Herbology" is a class in the Hogwarts School of Wizardry and the Arts, and it happens to be Neville Longbottom's favorite class. Neville is a character in J.K. Rowling’s phenomenal modern fantasy classic Harry Potter books -- unfortunately an unglamorous character, despite the fact that he has millions of sympathizers all over the world. If Neville were a bit more popular or cool, perhaps the study of aromatherapy herbs would pique more young people's interests.

Aromatherapy herbs take root, as it were, from natural plants that have been used as medicinal herbs since the dawn of time. The study of such herbs would necessarily lead to knowledge of both scientific and mystical revolutions. It would be similar to the Herbology classes in Harry Potter's world, and perhaps more of us would be more aware of the way natural elements alter our moods and physical condition.

Aromatherapy Herbs and the Evolution of Medicine

As a matter of fact, there is still a medical discipline called Herbology. Many professionals in this field call themselves "medical herbalists," and specialize in processing traditionally grown herbs to create all-natural medicines. Some aromatherapy herbs would be among the plants they would be studying -- plants like the calendula and neem which have proven curative value.

The discipline of studying herbs for the purpose of extracting medicines dates back to the prehistoric era. The tradition of using herbs for the creation of medicines - including recreational mood-altering drugs - persists today, even at the expense of being put down as a pseudoscience. But aromatherapy herbs are themselves proof that natural organisms are safe and effective for ensuring one's health.

Aromatherapy Herbs and Magic

Herbs have been used liberally in pagan religious practices, either as symbols or in creating holy elixirs which were believed to lend the human body miraculous powers. An example of a religion that observed the ritualistic use of aromatherapy herbs such as rosemary and sandalwood was Druidism, an open religion which branched off into various forms of worship, some of which evolved into what is referred to in the present day as Wicca.

Voodoo is also another religion that used herbs extensively for medicinal and worship purposes. Voodoo was later associated with curse-spells and hexes, but the essential aspects of herb use remained intact through the ages. Today, aromatherapy herbs still retain their special “magic,” even though their health benefits have been explained by science. They are among Mother Nature’s gifts to us and we can take comfort in their healing and natural powers the same way our forefathers did long ago.