The British Columbia Alliance Of Aromatherapy
Winter 2018
The Holiday Edition
Aroma Wisdom
ISSN 2562-2218 $6.99 CND
The Canadian Aromatherapy Journal
LGraie2018
Spring CE Event April 13th & 14th, 2019 with Dr. Timothy Miller! The British Columbia Alliance Of Aromatherapy’s Spring 2019 Continuing Education Event Welcomes Dr. Timothy Miller April 13th & 14th, 2019 At the Vancouver Island Convention Centre 101 Gordon Street, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5J8 Phone: 250-244-4050 We are thrilled to announce that for this workshop only, members who have had consecutive membership in the BCAPA or the BCAOA for 10 years or more, get 50% off the workshop price. Members who have had consecutive membership for 5-9 years receive 25% off the workshop price. If you are unsure if you qualify, please contact Leah at registrar@bcaoa.org before registering as she has that information on file. 1
April 13th Registration and networking 9am – 10am Morning Seminar 10am – 12:30pm Lunch Break 12:30pm – 1:30pm Afternoon Seminar 1:30pm – 6:00pm The BCAOA AGM will take place immediately afterwards from 6:15-7:00pm April 14th Morning Seminar 9am – 12:30pm Lunch Break 12:30pm – 1:30pm Afternoon Seminar 1:30pm – 4:30p Lunch and refreshments will be provided to registrants on both days. Please note: these times are approximate. Timothy Miller ND, MAc, LAc, RA is a naturopathic physician, licensed acupuncturist, and registered aromatherapist. He titles himself as a “Chemistry Nerd” and believes learning should be fun, making every attempt to engage his students in a profound and meaningful way. We look forward to learning what Dr. Tim has to teach and having a wonderful time doing it! This impactful weekend event will include:
Day 1 - AromaChemistry Roll up your sleeves and get ready to see chemistry in a whole new light! Dr. Tim is going to show you how fascinating AromaChemistry is and how you can use chemistry in a profound and impactful way. We will revisit some of
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the basics of chemistry, as well as explore functional groups and their generalized therapeutic indications. We will outline some of the most important and juicy chemistry details so that you, the aromatherapy practitioner, can enhance your aromatic practice and deepen your understanding of chemistry and AromaChemistry.
Day 2 - Pharmacokinetics It can be frustrating when our aromatic interventions aren’t effective. Aromatherapy works, of course, but what tends to be missing for many aromatherapists is a holistic and deepened understanding of how the body works. Pharmacokinetics is often one of the missing links. Pharmacokinetics is of crucial importance to those seeking to fully understand the therapeutic dynamics of essential oils. Pharmacokinetics is how the body interacts with essential oil components and how these compounds are metabolized and excreted from the body. It is a vital aspect of aromatherapy and can enable practitioners to maximize the effects of their treatments. For instance: did you know that carvacrol, a key compound in essential oils such as oregano (Origanum vulgare), is excreted rapidly in the urine making it strongly indicated for urinary tract infections? Did you know that thymol, found in essential oils such as thyme (Thymus vulgaris), is metabolized in a way that increases its concentration in the lungs, making it exceptionally potent for lower respiratory tract infections? Pharmacokinetics informs the aromatherapist and can guide the oil(s) and interface(s) which they may choose to use. As a chemistry nerd and naturopathic doctor, Dr. Tim will share practical information to deepen your understanding of Aromatherapy and the science behind it! By combining our knowledge of essential oils with a foundation in pharmacokinetics, we open ourselves to the possibility of a truly holistic practice and empower ourselves to develop safe and effective treatment plans. 3
Please Note: This course is designed to be a low-pressure, fun learning environment where we start at the most fundamental, basic level for all topics discussed. Absolutely no prior understanding of chemistry or pharmacokinetics needed – we are starting at square one and use easy-to-understand language throughout the course! Please join us for what is sure to be a wonderfully educational day with Tim! This two-day event counts for 8 Continuing Education credits. Registration fees for BCAOA members in good standing are as follows: Early bird from now until midnight of January 15th $300.00 From January 15th until midnight of February 15th $325.00 From February 15th until midnight of April 6th $375.00 Don’t forget to apply for your discount if you qualify! For non-members of the BCAOA, registration is: $375.00 *$120.00 will be non-refundable for any cancellations from March 15th to 29th and there will be no refunds from March 30th to the deadline of April 6th for any cancelled registrations. We realize that some of our members have time constraints and a two-day event isn't an option for them, so we are offering the option of registering for either: Day 1 - AromaChemistry Day 2 - Pharmacokinetics The one-day prices are as follows: Early bird from now until midnight of January 15th $200.00 From January 15th until midnight of February 15th $225.00 From February 15th until midnight of April 6th $250.00 For non-members of the BCAOA, registration is: $250.00 The same discount offers and deadlines as for the two-day event stand. These two topics are related and some of Day 2 is built upon the content from Day 1. While we strongly advise that you attend both days to get the most out of your event, we understand that some of you might not be able to make it to one of the days.
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If you wish to register for the second day only, please be aware that you might be behind in the material as there isn’t enough time on Day 2 to go over the content from Day 1 again. We are pleased to announce that various draws will be held during this event. So, don’t delay, register before January 15th! *$70.00 will be non-refundable for any cancellations from March 15th to 29th and there will be no refunds from March 30th to the deadline of April 6th for any cancelled registrations. We have rooms blocked for you at: Best Western Dorchester 22 rooms for April 12th, 2019 30 rooms April 13th until March 7th, 2019 Group Code: https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/hotelrooms.62076.html?groupId=7M1YV4H0 Phone: (250) 754-6835 or Central Reservations at 1 (800) 661-2449 Address: 70 Church Street, Nanaimo It is approximately a 5 mins. walk to the Convention Centre Prices from $149.00 - $179.00 per night Email: info@dorchesternanaimo.com The Coast Bastion We have rooms on an open block here so book soon if you’re interested Provide Group Code: CBI-GFC19033 under BCAOA - British Columbia Alliance of Aromatherapy Be sure to mention the GUEST RATES: $139.00, $159.00 and $179.00 Phone: 1-800-663-1144 Address: 11 Bastion Street, Nanaimo It is 5 mins. walk from the Convention Centre To register, please refer to the attached registration form, contact Betsy DeLucca at cecoord@bcaoa.org OR go online at https://bcaoa.org/bcaoa-events/spring-2019-bcaoa-ce-event/ If you need assistance with traveling, please email cecoord@bcaoa.org and together we will work on getting you there! If anyone is interested in sharing a room, please let Betsy know when you register and she will try to partner you with someone else who is also looking to share. 5
Registration Form 2019 Spring BCAOA Continuing Education event With Dr. Timothy Miller Saturday April 13th & Sunday April 14th, 2019 From 9:00am to 4:30 pm At the Vancouver Island Convention Centre 101 Gordon Street, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5J8 Phone: 250-244-4050 We are also offering online registration for this event through the BCAOA website where we are able to process payments through Paypal. You don’t need a Paypal account to use it. In order to accommodate the early bird rates, please register and pay online or confirm your registration by filling out the bottom portion of this document and mailing it with your payment of a cheque or money order payable to the BCAOA to: c/o BCAOA CE coordinator 106 - 383 East 37th Ave Vancouver, B.C. V5W 4C1 If you have any questions regarding the processing of your registration, or this event, please contact cecoord@bcaoa.org or go to https://bcaoa.org/bcaoa-events/spring-2019-bcaoa-ce-event/ ~Thank you~ --"-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Date:_____________
Days Attending
Name (Please Print): ____________________________________
13th___
Email address: ___________________________________________
14th___
Mailing address: ___________________________________________
13th & 14th ____
Phone Number: ______________________________________
Attending the AGM? Y N
Membership Type: ______________________________________ Payment type: ______________ Cheque Number: ___________________ Dietary needs: _____________________________________________
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Aroma Wisdom
The Canadian Aromatherapy Journal
Celebrating our first year in print
BCAOA 3928 Michigan Rd, Port Alberni, BC, V9Y 5Z6
Supporting aromatherapists everywhere The Holiday Edition ~ December 2018 Created and printed in the Greater Vancouver Area of Beautiful British Columbia, Canada Sustainably printed on Sugar Sheet paper, reducing carbon and saving trees Lilliane Graie Editor & Design Advertising editor@bcaoa.org
Social Media Tracey Lewindon media@bcaoa.org
Secretary Kathleen Jaggassar secretary@bcaoa.org
Continuing Education Events Betsy De Lucca cecoord@bcaoa.org
Treasurer Louise Dawson treasurer@bcaoa.org
Registrar Leah Ursic registrar@bcaoa.org
President Colleen Thompson president@bcaoa.org
Vice President Drena Drenic vicepresident@bcaoa.org
Directors at Large: Michelle Beukers, Lynne Edel, Jennifer Roberts ISSN 2562-220X (Print)
Past President: Pat Antoniak
ISSN 2562-2218 (Online)
Aroma Wisdom is an educational resource published by the British Columbia Alliance of Aromatherapy (BCAOA). It focuses on issues important to the Aromatherapy community and provides an interactive forum for information exchange. Published quarterly in the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, Aroma Wisdom is distributed to our membership throughout BC and beyond. For our full submission guidelines, go to https://bcaoa.org/membership/submissions/. For other forms of material submission, or if you have questions, please contact the Editor editor@bcaoa.org before submitting.
Non-Member Rates
Member Rates 50% Off
Inclusion of an advertisement does not indicate endorsement of the company, person(s), service(s) or product(s) by the BCAOA, its Directors, members, or Editor. The BCAOA, its Directors, members, and Editor are not responsible for the claims of advertisers appearing in these pages. Advertising guidelines are at https://bcaoa.org/membership/submissions/, or e-mail the Editor for an Advertisers Agreement. Formats, size specifications, and deadlines for ad submissions are found within the Agreement. Materials are reprinted here with permission; the author retains all copyright to original material(s). All materials within this journal are protected under copyright law unless otherwise indicated.
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Table of Contents 9 Our Contributors 11 President’s Message 15 Announcements 19 Fall Event Catch-up Michelle Beukers recaps
22 Featured Writer: Solace for The Spirit The Final Part in Our Series on Spiritual PhytoEssencing®
29 BCAOA 2019 Essential Oil Safety Booklet Order Form 30 Is it time to renew your insurance? Tracey Lewindon Offers Some Tips to Getting the Best Coverage for You
33 Student Case Study Cari Giles Gets Soothing Results with Skin Inflammation
40 Guest Writer: Kelly Holland Azzaro Animal Aromatherapy: Using Hydrosols with Our Furry Friends
49 The Next Edition - We’re looking for a new Featured Writer! 50 Name Our Journal Contest Results 56 Review: Circle Craft Market Whose Products Are Out There?
61 The Classifieds DISCLAIMER: THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED HEREIN DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THOSE OF THE BCAOA, ITS DIRECTORS, THE EDITOR, OR ITS MEMBERS. INFORMATION PROVIDED IS NOT INTENDED TO REPLACE PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE. THE BCAOA, ITS DIRECTORS, MEMBERS, AND EDITOR CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MISUSE OF ESSENTIAL OILS OR ANY OTHER THERAPEUTIC METHODS PRESENTED HEREIN. THE BCAOA RESERVES THE RIGHT TO ACCEPT OR REJECT ANY ARTICLE OR ADVERTISEMENT SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION AND DOES NOT NECESSARILY ENDORSE ANY PRODUCT, COMPANY, COURSE, OR SCHOOL MENTIONED HEREIN. 8
Contributors Thank you to all our wonderful contributors for sharing their knowledge, wisdom, experience and creativity with our community through this journal. Michelle Beukers EOT®, RA® – Michelle was first introduced to essential oils in 2001, when she began her studies in holistic bodywork. In 2010, she decided to complete Aromatherapy 101 and 201 through Beverly Hawkins. She joined the BCAPA Board of Directors as the CE Coordinator and is now a Director At Large on the new BCAOA Board.
Cari Giles – Cari is currently a student of Essence of Thyme College of Holistic Studies. She enjoys learning all that she can about essential oils and is looking forward to applying her knowledge in future endeavours. Cari has been married to her high school sweetheart for 23 years, has four fantastic children, and resides in the beautiful town of Paris, Ontario.
Lilliane Graie RA®, EOT®, CH – Lilliane found aromatherapy by accident in her late teens and became interested in their use for various illnesses. She went on to study with Bev Hawkins and graduated from her Professional Program, only to turn around and enroll at Dominion Herbal College in the Chartered Herbalist Program. Her secret love for photography has given her fuel for this journal. She sits on the BCAOA Board of Directors as Editor. She can be reached at editor@bcaoa.org
Anita Kalnay RA®, EOT®, SPE®AT – Anita began working with Essential Oils in 1992 while living in a remote inlet in Northern BC. Her first Teacher of Aromatics was a Celtic Shamanka who foresaw her abilities as a Healer, Seer, and also a Designer and Formulator using the tools of distilled aromatics and energy medicine. Extensive study built a framework of understanding weaving together tools from Natural Medicine, Energy Medicine, Healing and Massage, Kundalini Yoga, Ayurveda and Universalist Philosophies. Anita has over 3200 hours in Naturotherapies and has been in private practice as an Aromatherapist and Natural Perfumer since ‘94, currently working with over 500 natural distilled ingredients. She has been a student of SPE® since 2001 and is an Assistant Teacher of SPE®. Her motto is “walk softly and leave only a pleasant scent”. www.genieinabottle.ca Facebook: Fragrant Yogi or Flying Colors Natural Perfumes http://www.essentialoilsandsoul.com
Kelly Holland Azzaro – Kelly is a Registered Aromatherapist, Certified Bach Flower Practitioner and Licensed Massage Therapist. She is the Past President of NAHA and current Public Relations, Journal Manager and Co-Editor of NAHA (National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy). Kelly has over 25 years professional experience and educational training in Aromatherapy and Massage Therapy, including specialized training in Canine and Equine Acupressure-Massage Therapies, Animal Communication, Reiki, and Flower Essence Therapy. Kelly offers a 300+hour Animal Aromatherapy Practitioner Certification Course(sm). She, and her husband Marco a Licensed Acupuncturist have a Holistic Healing Center in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. To learn more about Kelly, please visit www.animalaromatherapy.com 9
Tracey Lewindon RA®, EOT® – Tracey has been working with essential oils for most of her adult life. She formalized her interest by studying at the West Coast Institute of Aromatherapy with Bev Hawkins and completed the Professional Program in 2013. In her practice, Tracey enjoys custom blending for clients, supporting them through holistic healing, as well as providing education around safe essential oil use. In addition to Aromatherapy, Tracey works with Earth Medicine, Neuro Linguistic Programming, Time Line Therapy®, Hypnotherapy, and Art Journaling. Tracey sits on the BCAOA Board as the Social Media Coordinator with the desire to serve and to help expand awareness around a profession that she loves.
Colleen Thompson RA®, EOT®, CAHP – Colleen has worked in the field of Aromatherapy since 1995. She completed her Provincial Instructor’s Diploma Program in 1997 and now teaches a 600-hour aromatherapy certification program through her school Essence of Thyme College of Holistic Studies. She was an Aromatherapy Instructor at West Coast College of Massage Therapy from 2006-2012 and Spa Program Coordinator at West Coast College of Massage Therapy for 3 years. Colleen has written aromatherapy articles for a number of publications and conducted talks, workshops and seminars for a variety of organizations. She was named one of the five top aromatherapists in BC in 2015 and 2016. Colleen is currently the President of the BCAOA Board of Directors, is a Director of the AIA Board of Directors, and sits on the Education Committee of the AIA. Her Titles include: Certified Reflexologist, Reiki Practitioner, Lymphatic Drainage Massage Instructor, Master Formulator, Diploma in Adult Education. Colleen can be reached at info@essenceofthyme.com
Your Name Could be Here and earn CE credits at the same time! Send us your articles, photos, reviews or research papers. To obtain a copy of our Author Agreement & Guidelines or our Advertisers Agreement & Guidelines, please go to: https://bcaoa.org/membership/submissions/ Submission deadline dates and formats can be found in the Guidelines. If you would like to submit something not covered in the Guidelines, please query the editor first on its suitability. Should you have any questions regarding submitting an ad or piece to the journal, please contact the editor directly at editor@bcaoa.org.
EOT (Essential Oil Therapist) and RA (Registered Aromatherapist) are Trademarked Occupational Titles of the British Columbia Alliance of Aromatherapy (BCAOA)
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President’s Message December 2018
Dear Members, On behalf of the BCAOA Board I would like to wish each of you a very happy holiday season and all the best in 2019. We have much to look forward to in 2019 and much to reflect upon in 2018. Of course, the highlight was the amalgamation between the two associations, the BCAPA and the BCAOA. But we have many other things to celebrate and anticipate… • Under the stewardship of our amazing editor, Lilliane Graie, we have moved from a quarterly newsletter to a much more comprehensive journal. Members can access the journal in digital format when it is emailed out but what you may not know is that we now have a print option as well. • The main purpose of the printed journal is to promote the BCAOA. For instance, Drena Drenic, our BCAOA Vice President, recently attended a Naturopathic Conference and took along with her 50 copies of the Fall 2018 journal. Drena, who is a Naturopath as well as an aromatherapist, reported that it was well received. However, the sad thing was that none of them had ever heard about the BCAOA. More about that further on in this message. • We had an amazing Fall CE Event with Glynnis Osher. This delightful lady took us on a sensory trip into Ayurveda – I am still dreaming about the Bliss Balls we made during the workshop. (See recipe below) Thank you to Betsy and Michelle for all the work they did to make this such a wonderful CE Day! • Looking forward, we have another wonderful event scheduled for our Spring 2-day CE event. On the first day, Doctor Timothy Miller will be teaching AromaChemistry and on the second day he will teach us about Pharmacokinetics. Tim is a dynamic speaker and truly does make learning fun. Now, here is the special part!! The BCAOA inherited a healthy bank balance from the BCAPA. We want to give back to all of our members, in particular our longstanding members and are 11
therefore offering this CE Event at a substantial loss. The early bird fee will benefit all members – especially if you sign up for the first early bird -deadline of January 15, 2019. For our longstanding BCAPA/BCAOA members, we are offering a further discount. If you have been a member of the BCAOA or BCAPA for 10 or more consecutive years, you will pay only 50% of the fee for the CE Event. This applies to both the early bird and non-early bird rate. If you have been a member for 5 or more consecutive years, you will pay only 75% of the fee for the CE Event. Note: if your membership lapsed during any of those years, you are not eligible for these discounts. We truly want to recognize our members who have consistently supported both of the associations. • We have compiled a safety booklet on essential oils which is now available in printed format. Members can purchase the books at a discount and in turn sell them (or give them) to their clients. An order form is located on our website at https://bcaoa.org/safety-booklet/ or you can print out the order form on page 29 and follow its instructions. • The Core Curriculum for both the Registered Aromatherapist and Professional Aromatherapist Levels are complete. • I was recently at the NAHA Conference and met with several people interested in joining the BCAOA, but we are in the process of finalizing the challenge exam for these two levels – we are working hard behind the scenes to get this completed. • Now, to get back to my earlier comment about the BCAOA not being recognized by the Naturopathic Association: we know there is still much more work to be done to remedy this situation. The BCAPA was much more recognized because of the various speakers it hosted at past CE Events – but it took many years to achieve this – time that we don’t have to do the same for the BCAOA. Some remedies under way… Lilliane has created a Media Kit to encourage businesses and other associations to advertise in the Journal and Sponsor our events. Businesses and associations advertising in the journal can purchase it in print form to advertise their businesses/associations while at the same time promoting the BCAOA. The BCAOA has reciprocal ads with other aromatherapy associations as well as the International Journal of Holistic Aromatherapy. 12
YOU can promote the association within your own businesses and practices. It takes a village, and everyone can make a difference. I challenge each of you to be a catalyst to grow our association. Without the numbers, we cannot have any clout in terms of becoming a college which is required to be recognized under extended medical insurance. We need to have at least 400 members before we can push forward on this. If each one of you encouraged one person to become a member before April, we would double our membership – how cool would that be?!!! • We have a few more things on the back burner which we will roll out in 2019. It truly has been quite the ride! Thank you to everyone who, over the past couple of years, worked to make this happen. You are all superstars!
Alison Legge
Betsy DeLucca
Beverley Hawkins
Diane Gariepy
Drena Dranic
Jennifer Roberts
Kathleen Jaggassar
Kelly Ablard
Leah Ursic
Lilliane Graie
Liz Long
Louise Dawson
Lynne Edel
Michelle Beukers
Nigel Strike
Pat Antoniak
Pat Pogue
Tracey Lewindon Warm wishes!
Colleen BCAOA President
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Glynnis Osher’s The Mystical Synergy of Scent
Bliss Balls 18 pitted medjool dates 2 Tbsp almond meal or ground almonds or other nut like cashew or walnut 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 Tbsp tahini (sesame paste) OR 1 Tbsp almond/peanut butter 1 generous Tbsp coconut oil or coconut manna Pinch of cayenne 1/4 tsp ground ginger 1 drop rose geranium OR frankincense essential oil (optional) Cacao powder and unsweetened coconut for rolling (Place about 1/2 cup of each in separate bowls) Method In a medium mixing bowl, mash everything together into a paste. Place in fridge for 20 minutes to firm up (makes it easier ot roll). Roll into 1.5-2 inch balls and roll in coconut and then into the cacao powder.
Recipe reprinted here with permission
www.thespiceoflife.com
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Announcements Welcome to our Announcements page for notices of upcoming events and general interest to the community. Members can send personal brags/achievements or special shout-outs to other members (congratulations, celebrations, births, milestones etc.), just be sure to have permission to share any personal information with the community! To send in your announcement request, email the information to the editor with “Announcement Page” in the subject line. Let’s celebrate!! BCAOA Sponsored Events 8 CE credits are granted for attendees Spring 2019 CE Event - The BCAOA is proud to host Dr. Tim Miller for our Spring CE Event! See page 1 for the details and a registration form. Location: Vancouver Island Convention Centre Dates: April 13th & 14th, 2019 Contact: Betsy De Lucca cecoord@bcaoa.org Web: https://bcaoa.org/bcaoa-events/spring-2019-bcaoa-ce-event/ Non-BCAOA Sponsored Events According to BCAOA Guidelines, every 12 hours of attendance at a recognised seminar, workshop, or webinar is equivalent to 8 CE Credits. Please contact the membership coordinator if you are unsure of an event’s status. CEC Credits: Please refer to the CE Activity guidelines. Proof of attendance can be sent via hardcopy or electronic mail. Please make sure to include the title of the specific event along with your name and address. Sharon Falsetto: Advanced Aromatic Chemistry Course – "Essential Oils in Colour: The Caddy Profiles" by Rosemary Caddy. Ongoing, Home Study. Information and Registration: Sedona Aromatherapie Other links to explore for upcoming events: Alliance of International Aromatherapists 15
Come Be Our Friend! The BCAOA Facebook page is up and running! We are adding content to build our visibility online, provide relevant information for both members and non-members, and contribute to expanding global awareness of Aromatherapy and Essential Oils, in keeping with the BCAOA Mission and Values. Our current focus is promoting our first ever Fall CE Event. You can find the page at: https://www.facebook.com/BCAromatherapy/ In addition to the public BCAOA Facebook Page, we have created a BCAOA Members-only Facebook Group. For those familiar with Facebook privacy settings, this is now a “closed” group and will move to a “secret” Group once members have had the opportunity to join if they feel called. This Group is intended to be a space of learning and connection. It is a space where members can share information and resources, as well as provide peer support around Aromatherapy in practice. You can find this Members-only group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BCAOAMembers/ We look forward to growing online with you!
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BCAOA Achievement of Excellence Award With the launch of our new website (bcaoa.org) we are now able to accept nominations for the BCAOA Achievement of Excellence Award online. This award is to recognize those individuals who have served with great distinction and excelled in the field of aromatherapy. This may consist, for example, of leadership; business; volunteer service; aromatherapy research, and more. Any BCAOA member may nominate a person. The nominee need not be a BCAOA member. The selection process will take place in June of each year and the deadline for accepting nominations is April 30th. The recipient of the award will be announced each year at the Annual General Meeting. If you know someone you would like to nominate, please go to: http://bcaoa.org/about/about-achievement-of-excellence-award/ to download a nomination form. Please note: BCAOA Board members are not eligible for nomination while they are serving on the Board.
Featured Member Page We are also pleased to announce our Featured Member page on the website. If you would like to suggest a featured member, please submit their name, a photo (if possible) and 500 words on why you think they should be featured, or send any questions to Kathleen at secretary@bcaoa.org.
Comments Page We have added a Comments page to our Members section where you can send us your comments, questions, concerns or suggestions.
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A Day with Glynnis Osher September 30th had arrived and it was hard for me to contain my excitement. I was about to spend the day learning and connecting with Glynnis Osher, “The Spice Mistress”! As Glynnis set up for the day, the room filled with eager participants. Glynnis’ teachings were focused around self-care and, ohhh, how we all need to do more of that! She explained in depth how the shift from summer to Fall (warmer weather to cooler, PITTA to KAPHA) can throw one out of balance. And being out of balance at this time of year, can leave us in a state feeling of “KAPHA deranged”. Those who were present will understand this simple, yet impactful, phrase: What tools will we need for each sign of derangement? Well, that depends… Glynnis explained the Ayurveda philosophy of balance between the five elements — Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth — and how the three Dosha’s of which we are all types — VATA, PITTA, and KAPHA — are made up of these five elements. Therefore, with the seasonal changes, the “how” and “when” we are treating our bodies is completely reliant on which seasons we are moving out of and into, and what weaknesses we might be experiencing. She also added a few suggestions to practice to try and bring balance to ourselves. 19
The Spice Mistress moved on to cover the six tastes of Ayurveda: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Pungent, Bitter and Astringent. Breaking down each taste into its functions, dosha effects, qualities, and emotions, she lastly discussed the specific foods and spices that we can bring into our diets to assist in balancing all those functions. She then opened up the room with the exquisite aroma of her 6-Taste Chai Elixir! After each spice was warmed in her cast iron bowl, it was then hand-mortared by enthusiastic volunteers. One by one the scents of coriander, fennel seeds, cardamom pods, black pepper, cloves, star anise and cinnamon filled the air with their raw aromas, deliciously combining to become her chai elixir which she then brewed for us to sample and enjoy. Along with the elixir, we were spoiled with the production — as well as sampling!— of Glynnis Mystic Geranium Bliss Balls. These were also hand crafted by a couple of eager volunteers. Super yummy and went very well with the Chai. Glynnis did not disappoint with her humble demeanour and charismatic attitude, she was a joy to learn from, and I hope we have another opportunity to experience more from this local gem in the future.
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Solace for the Spirit Ruthie Antebi-Guten talks about her work on the Consuelo Project
F E A T U R E
Spiritual PhytoEssencingŽ An Interpretive Art Part 4 - Healing Featured Writer Anita Kalnay interviews Ruth Antebi-Guten about the Consuelo Project. It was my privilege to involve Ruth Antebi-Guten, currently living in Texas, USA, in this last part of the introduction to Spiritual PhytoEssence (SPE). So far, we have discussed the philosophy and stories behind SPE and also met the founder, Dr. Bruce Berkowsky. The Consuelo Project is a more in-depth look at the process itself and specifically the use of the Repertory which is an invaluable tool for any practitioner. I have studied SPE with Ruthie since the early 2000’s when interested
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students like myself came from all over North
very difficult period of my life. He invited me
America to meet up annually in La Conner,
to “listen in” on the class for a few hours and I
Washington.
fell in love. I fell in love with essential oils and the spiritual connectivity that is inherent
It was the ONLY group of individuals, along
between an essential oil and our souls. I began
with Dr. B, I have ever met who neither left out nor focused entirely on the concept of the ‘soul’ and ‘spirit’ as it related to the use of essential oils. SPE is a truly holistic process!
to study the art of Spiritual
…Dr. Berkowsky initiated a PhytoEssencing with Dr. student project to develop an Berkowsky. acute situational essential oil In 2010, I could no longer blend… deny my need to move forward with this practice, so I retired from my position, became
AK: Tell us a bit about yourself and your
a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach
involvement with the Spiritual PhytoEssence
and delved fully into the study and practice of
community and area of study?
essential oils.
RG: I have personally experienced tremendous
AK: The Consuelo Project is a new group
healing in my life since my first exposure to a
project conceived of in 2018. Can you explain
personalized blend of essential oils. Since then,
what it entails? What is the relevance of
I have wanted to share the magic of essential
creating this blend at this time?
oils with others. RG: In June of this year, as our nation was Unbeknown to me, my journey started as a
gripped by news of immigrant children being
teenager. I started reading books and articles
separated from their parents, Dr. Berkowsky
about essential oils; crystals; herbs and
initiated a student project to develop an acute
healing; nutrition; spirituality; metaphysics;
situational essential oil blend (comparable to
and Kabbalah. As a practicing Civil Engineer,
Rescue Remedy of the Bach Flower Remedies)
it seemed as if I had two lives – one where I
to support the healing of both the children that
played the role of Public Servant and the other
were separated from their parents and the
where I served as mentor, coach, adviser and
parents that have been torn from their
guide to numerous friends, colleagues,
children.
employees, etc. The developed blend would be designed to In 2000, I stumbled upon a class being given
reflect the impact of the physical, emotional,
by Dr. Bruce Berkowsky in La Conner,
and spiritual trauma they have experienced
Washington. As it happens, I was desperately
and would be used for a period of 1 month. He
seeking a place of peace and quiet during a
named the blend “Consuelo” – the Spanish
23
word for solace (comfort or consolation in a
has 137 pages containing over 2500 rubrics.
time of distress or sadness).
Every listed quality or symptom category – the rubric – has a varying number of essential oils
This process has been quite complex and
listed in association with it.
included the creation of an online forum for participating students to develop a dialogue,
An example is:
as well as online meetings and newsletters (this effort was jointly led by several students).
ABANDONED, feels (forsaken feelings) ammi visnaga; angelica; anise; asarum; balsam
The dialogue revolved around the major
poplar; balsam fir; benzoin; bitter orange peel;
archetypal rubrics** (Chakras, Six Element
blue chamomile; cacao; calendula; camphor;
associations, archetypal traumas and miasms)
caraway; cardamom; carrot seed; catnip;
and additional rubrics which are associated with the case. In this context, the archetypal traumas include abandonment, abuse, betrayal, denial, grief and rejection. Some of the additional rubrics
cedarwood; celery seed; cilantro; cinnamon; cistus; coffee; copaiba; coriander; cypress; Douglas-fir; fennel; fenugreek; frankincense; geranium; ginger; goldenrod; greenheart wood; helichrysum; hemp; hyssop; jasmine;
and sub-rubrics explored included the themes
juniper; laurel; ledum; lemon; lemongrass;
of separation, estrangement, loneliness, and
lime; litsea; lovage; marjoram; mastic; myrrh;
rubrics such as:
myrtle; neroli; niaouli; nutmeg; oakmoss; onion; orris root; palo santo; palmarosa;
• Stranger, sensation as if one is a
parsley; patchouli; pemou; peppermint; Peru
• Escape, desire to
balsam; pine; plai; prickly ash; ravensare;
• Children, shy
Roman chamomile; rose; rosewood;
• Homesickness
sandalwood; saro; savory; seaweed; silver fir;
• Hides True Feelings • Vulnerability, feelings of
spearmint; St. John’s wort; tamarack; tarragon; thuja; turmeric; valerian; vetivert; violet; white cloud (kunzea); white spruce; yarrow.
• Anxiety (and sub-rubrics) • Fear sub-rubrics
In addition to the major archetypal rubrics,
• Dreams sub-rubrics
there were 139 additional rubrics incorporated
A Rubric is a dictionary-like classification of general, emotional and physical symptoms and themes. The current 2018 SPE Repertory
into the analysis. The original task was for the selection of ten oils for the blend (plus three additional alchemy oils), so a manageable standouts list of twenty or so oils was highly 24
desired. The project was broken up into the
symptoms. The symptoms substantiate the
following steps:
archetypal patterns presented by the person, case, or situation.
1) Elaboration of Themes 2) Identification of Large Archetypal Rubrics 3) Identification of Smaller Refining Rubrics
2. The honouring of many ancient healing traditions as they pertain to the soul nature of each essential oil. The first time I was exposed
4) Development of a Rubric Overlay Blueprint
to Spiritual PhytoEssencing, I was astounded
(i.e. determining the oils that are consistently
by the variety of traditions that were
repeated in each rubric)
incorporated into each and every Materia
5) Performing Materia Medica*** chapter
Medica chapter presented.
reviews to reveal the 10 oils selected for the Consuelo blend along with an explanation of
The list has only grown since my first
each choice via keynotes.
exposure to SPE. Detailed information is presented, including, but not limited to:
AK: What are the most important aspects of
classical aromatherapy; doctrine of signatures;
the SPE process that might make the
classical homeopathy; modern physiology;
approach to this project different than
Kabbalah; philosophy; anthroposophical
creating any other aromatherapy blend?
science; Chinese medicine; herbal medicine and folklore; depth psychology; astrological
RG:
perspectives; gemstone healing; and color
1. Archetypal blending. The
therapy.
incorporation of specific archetypal images into the blend that is being created to
It is a subtle yet powerful
match the person for whom it’s being created.
protocol.
3. The creation of unique
portraits in oils (of the person, case, or situation). The guiding principle in
Spiritual PhytoEssencing is the honouring of In the words of Dr. Berkowsky, “The basic
the soul nature of each essential oil in the
premise of Spiritual PhytoEssencing is: In
practice of blending.
order to be able to ameliorate soul-level disharmony, the essential oil blender must
The acknowledgment and honouring of the
engage with the archetypes embedded within
soul of each essential oil via the “I/Thou” soul-
the fabric of the soul rather than with the
to-soul relationship between the blender and
archetypal images which manifest as
the essential oil opens up a very respectful and
emotional and physical symptoms.”*
personal relationship between the oil and the blend.
Therefore, our focus is not on specific 25
We are, in essence, asking permission of the
oils to be immersed and combined with other
give it more “kinetic impact”.
oils in a unique blend that is designed to connect with the recipient at the deepest level
The blend design was then completed by Dr.
of the soul. It is a subtle yet powerful protocol.
Berkowsky and blending will begin in early December.
In his Synthesis Materia Medica/Spiritualis of Essential Oils, Dr. Berkowsky has developed
There are two main points of focus to this
individualized portraits of the inner soul
project:
nature of each of the oils used in Spiritual
1. The development of the blend.
PhytoEssencing blending.
2. Distribution of the blends through appropriate channels.
*Note: these can be purchased from the website below, individually or as a set.
AK: As a Student and Practitioner of SPE – how has this process and your involvement
AK: How did you incorporate the use of the
made your own life richer?
SPE Repertory? RG: Spiritual PhytoEssencing is a very RG: The specific soul nature of each oil has
important part of my life. I use this protocol
been associated with specific archetypes &
with almost every single blend that I make.
rubrics. Each rubric lists the associated oils. By using the process of “overlays” one can
Being able to participate in such projects, and
identify the oils that are in common and
to collaborate with other RSPEPs & DiSPEs in
“stand out” among the identified rubrics that
leading such discussions has helped me
have been selected.
broaden my perspective and provided me with greater insights. This blend will be
Once a list of oils has been obtained, a detailed
helpful for so many people that have
review of the chapter will guide the blender as
experienced similar trauma and separation. I
to whether the oil being analyzed is a good
am anxiously awaiting the group blending
match for the person, case, or situation for
exercise.
which one is blending. FOLLOW-UP AK: Where to from here? RG: The participating students submitted a list of ten oils plus two alternates to Dr. Berkowsky for review. He agreed with many of the suggestions and reshaped the blend to
The Consuelo blending process is tentatively scheduled to begin Monday, December 10th. Interested individuals will need to acquire the necessary oils and suggested gemstones in order to fully participate. 26
It is Dr. Berkowsky’s hope that this process
Developed and Compiled by Bruce
will be structured around the collective energy
Berkowsky, N.M.D., M.H., H.M.C.
and intention of a large enough group of
Founder/Teacher/Master Practitioner of
blenders to really have a deep healing effect
Spiritual PhytoEssencing
for all. ***Berkowsky’s Synthesis Materia For more information on how you can get
Medica/Spiritualis of Essential Oils, 1998-2018
involved in this process – please SIGN UP
Joseph Ben Hil-Meyer Research, Inc.
HERE: Consuelo Blending Group Anita Kalnay RA®, EOT®, SPE®AT, began working with Essential Oils in 1992 while living in a remote inlet in Northern BC. Her first Teacher of Aromatics was a Celtic Shamanka who foresaw her abilities as a Healer, Seer and also a Designer and Formulator using the tools of distilled aromatics and energy medicine. Extensive study built a framework of understanding weaving together tools from Natural Medicine, Energy Medicine, Healing and Massage, Kundalini Yoga, Ayurveda and Universalist Philosophies. Anita has over 3200 credit hours in Naturotherapies and has been in Private Practice as an Aromatherapist and Natural Perfumer since 1994. She currently works with over 500 natural distilled
Ruth Antebi-Guten, HolisticHealthCounselor can be reached at (214) 476-2989 to schedule an appointment in Richardson, TX. See also www.ruthieguten.com
ingredients. She has been a student of SPE® since 2001 and is an Assistant Teacher of SPE®. Her motto is “walk softly and leave only a pleasant scent”. www.genieinabottle.ca http://www.essentialoilsandsoul.com
References
Facebook: Fragrant Yogi Flying Colors Natural Perfumes
*Source: https://www.naturalhealthscience.com/spiritua l-phytoessencing.php **Spiritual Phytoessencing Repertory of Essential Oils, 2018 Edition, Copyright 19972018 by Joseph Ben Hil-Meyer Research, Inc. 27
Interested in Learning More about SPEÂŽ? Dr Berkowsky has offered to do a free online Introductory class in the beginning of February 2019 for the first 50 people who register. The class will be a first step into the world of Spiritual PhytoEssencingÂŽ and allow anyone interested to get a taste of how it works. There is no cost for the class but you should register with Betsy at cecoord@bcaoa.org so we know how many people are attending. Attendees will receive 1 CE credit for attendance and another 1 credit if they write a synopsis of the class and submit it to Leah afterwards. The class will take place in early February 2019; Betsy will send out an email with details once they are all finalised.
Would you like to be involved in the Consuelo Project and help children traumatised by the forceful separation from their parents? Please go to Consuelo Project Blending Group to sign up
Help a child in need today!
28
Our members are now able to order printed copies of The 2019 BCAOA Essential Oil Safety Brochure: Precautions & Contraindications These beautiful booklets can now be used in many ways as a value-added product for your business such as: Include with your teaching modules for your students Add to aromatherapy gift baskets Use as a bonus with treatment for clients Resell for the cover price to add to your sales Member-only Prices* Under 25 - $5.50 each 25-49 - $5 each 50-74 - $4.50 each 75-100 - $4 each More than a 100 - $3.50 each *Email the Editor with order amount & address to get a shipping cost.
Please complete the order form below then scan and email it to editor@bcaoa.org, or mail to the address below Or go online to place your order https://bcaoa.org/safety-booklet/
BCAOA Precautions & Contraindications 2019 booklet Order Form Name: ____________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________ Phone: ____________________ Email: ____________________________________ Payment Method
BCAOA Number: ______ 1-24 ($5.50/ea) _____
Cheque ___
25-49 ($5/ea) _____
Make cheques payable to BCAOA and mail to:
50-74 ($4.50/ea) ____ 75-100 ($4/ea) _____ More than 100 ($3.50/ea) ______ Payment total: ____________ 29
Shipping is based on weight. Email the Editor for your cost.
Money Order ___
BCAOA Treasurer Attn: L. Dawson 31 Bell Crescent, Whitehorse, YT Y1A 4T4
Time to Renew? When renewing your insurance be sure you’re covered. Tracey offers some tips on getting the right insurance for you and your business. Have you thought about insurance? Often it’s something that we don’t like to think about, and as practitioners in the helping business, it might not be something that comes easily to us because we are focused on the helping side of what we do rather than the logistics of being self-employed. If you carry Homeowner’s Insurance and Professional Liability Insurance for your Aromatherapy practice, do you know what you are covered for? What about what might not be covered? Do you work with a Broker who is available to answer questions if they arise? Did your Broker ask you questions (hopefully a lot of questions!) to make sure that they understand the unique attributes of your business and how you work with clients? These questions form the foundation of your Insurance coverage and are essential to your peace-of-mind in knowing that you have appropriate insurance coverage. What questions did your Broker ask? Things like: “Do you work from home?” “Do you have clients come to your home?” “Do you work with more than one modality?” “Do you sell products?” “Do you sell on the Internet?” “Are you active on Social Media?” These are all important things to consider. While budget is always a consideration, having inadequate insurance coverage could have dire consequences should a problem arise, and it is not worth having the cheap option if it doesn’t meet the needs of you and your business. Insurance is often characterized as “a necessary evil” but with that we need to remember that the cost of not having adequate coverage and needing it, far exceeds the premiums that we pay over the length of our careers. It might seem that insurance companies do not make sense or are unfair, particularly when rates increase significantly. Have you experienced a big premium increase because you added a modality, or began teaching, or for no apparent reason? While this is frustrating, it helps to remember that the insurance industry is very competitive. Finding the best coverage for the lowest price might be a matter of working with a reputable Broker and knowing both what you need to ask and have them ask, in order to buy the peace-of-mind that insurance gives. We want people to come to us as Aromatherapy professionals, so it only makes sense that we seek professional guidance in making our insurance choices. ~ Tracey Lewindon
30
Due to the popularity of the Lab Aroma discount, Colleen Quinn has generously extended it for another 3 months for our members. Get yours now!
Are you teaching Aromatherapy? tudy
S Case
We’re looking for student case studies to publish. They are an extremely popular choice for our readers. Have your students send in their best work and they’ll get to see their name in print! See our Author’s guidelines for help on specifications for submission of case studies as well as other types of articles.
Preventative Health Services Group Servicing the alternative field 15 Vicora Linkway, Unit 602 Don Mills, Ontario, M3C-1A7 Tel: (416) 423-2765 www.preventativehealthservices.com
george@preventativehealthservices.com
www.phsg.ca
george@phsg.ca
Thank you for providing us the opportunity of being of service to your members. Preventative Health Services Group is the only organization in Canada run by practitioners and offers group Insurance to practitioners across Canada. We are the only group who offers: 1. Claims Made & Reported Basis Policy - Our mandatory is 2 million professional or errors and omissions with NIL deductible and 2 million commercial general liability with $500 deductible. Both have a 5 million aggregate. Premium $175 ($125 + $50 annual membership fee) And 2. Occurrence Based Policy - Our mandatory is 2 million professional or errors and omissions and 2 million commercial general liability with $1,000 deductible each. Both have a 5 million aggregate. Premium $185 ($145 + $40 annual membership fee). Should you require more information for other optional coverage or higher limits please feel free to contact us by phone or email. Please visit our websites for more details and highlights of the policies. Best Regards George Keramaris, President 32
C A S E S T U D Y
Aromatherapy Student: Cari Giles Goals Soothe Dermal Irritation Heal, Restore, and Protect Skin Anti-Infectious Essence of Thyme College of Holistic Studies AT101 Student Cari Giles discusses working with her client for relief with dermal irritation, to heal the skin and protect it from future damage and to prevent infection using .
Case Description This case study is focusing on a client that is a 70 year old woman. In a previous case study, I focused on enhancing a skin cream that would nourish, moisturize, and hydrate her excessively dry skin. The cream was such a success that my client started using it for another issue she was struggling with‌ diaper rash. My client is wheelchair bound (due to MS) and for the last four years has needed to wear adult diapers. This creates a problem with significant skin irritation, especially when a nurse or personal support worker cannot attend to her in a timely manner. Over the last year she has struggled continuously with rashes, sores, redness, and fungal infections of the vulva and gluteal folds. The retirement home where she lives was using a topical anti-fungal cream, Clotrimaderm (1%) in the morning and evening which did not help with her issues. My client was frustrated and sore so she asked the nurses to use some of the skin cream I had made from our previous case study. She said it felt soothing, left her feeling much more comfortable, and actually started helping with the
33
rashes, redness, and fungal issues! My client’s first concern was to soothe the dermal irritation, inflammation, rashes, and sores. We both agreed the next concerns needed to be helping to repair and protect the skin, and inhibit the growth of germs, especially fungal growth. It seemed wrong calling the blend I would make a diaper cream since it was for a 70 year old woman. So, we came up with some humorous names! Doing this took the humiliation out of adult diapers; it made them okay, normal, and everyday… just like breathing! N.B. The retirement home was given an ingredient list with all essential oils/carriers chosen to run by the doctor. After the “go ahead”, the cream was added to my client’s file for the nurses/personal support workers to use each time they changed her.
Treatment Protocol The focus of this treatment is to aid my client with her concerns and make it possible to be treated naturally moving forward. Directions- Apply a generous amount to the affected areas during each changing. Duration- As this is a chronic issue, I gave no timeline. Instead, a commitment was made to making, storing, and delivering the cream as needed so that this treatment could be done on an ongoing daily basis. The dilution rate of 1% was chosen due to my client’s age, extreme swelling and weight gain that has left the skin stretched, and the multitude of health issues with which she deals. My concern was that a greater dilution could be too much for her system. I would rather start low and up the dilution a little at a time if needed.
Rationale for Excluding Essential Oils All essential oils that benefitted only one of my client’s concerns were left out of the blend except for Frankincense. I felt that the healing benefits to the skin were too numerous to leave out. Eucalyptus globulus and peppermint would have worked for two of her concerns, but I felt the 34
cooling sensation they would bring might not be what my client would be looking for. Myrrh was also indicated for two of the concerns, however, because of the contraindications concerning pregnancy and breastfeeding I excluded it. While it would have been a wonderful addition, there are too many nurses of childbearing age who would be exposed to it. Though the amount I would use would be unlikely to cause an issue, and the nurses should be wearing gloves, I decided to be cautious and choose another essential oil instead. Sandalwood was indicated for all three concerns, however, I did not have any on hand. The price of Sandalwood is often a factor in my choosing to leave this essential oil out. Table 1 : 250 m1, 1% Diaper Ointment
35
Table 2: 280ml Beeswax Creamy Salve
*Please Note: Since there are no preservatives in the blend, I separate it into two (2) 125 ml jars and deliver one at a time, keeping the other sealed in my fridge.
My Client’s Response to Treatment March 5, 2018 Met with my client to deliver the cream and go over the components chosen. Instructions were given for a generous amount to be used during each changing. Patch testing was recommended. 36
March 6, 2018 My client texted to say that she loved the aroma of the cream and the way it soothed her skin already. March 12, 2018 The areas of inflamed, irritated and raw skin have been healing. No new areas of infection starting. This is the best her “bottom” has felt in a long time! March 19, 2018 Skin is doing great and protocol is being followed. March 25, 2018 Delivered more cream. April 2, 2018 Skin is looking great according to the nurses. Delivered another cream. April 16, 2018 All is well! The nurses commented that they do not want to use the medicated cream on her again as the natural approach is working very well for her. May 7, 2018 Client’s skin has been soothed. Skin has healed and no fungal infections or other infections of any kind have started. The area of the gluteal folds was particularly bad at the outset of the case study, however, there has been no recurrence of any issues since the start of the Better Booty Cream! Final Update August 20, 2018 Many batches of the Better Booty Cream have been made, stored, and delivered. The health concerns for which it was created have been fantastic!
Client’s Perspective My client has been grateful for the cream. She is pleased with how amazing it is, how it has cleared up fungal issues, but especially how much better she feels without the rashes, redness, inflammation, and irritation. She enjoys the aroma each time it is used as do the nurses. The nurses also commented that they appreciate the smooth texture as it spreads quickly and smoothly.
37
My Perspective This was a great experience for me! Most people would not have a chance at a case study like this due to the sensitive nature of the health concerns. Without my client, I probably would not have had a chance for this type of case study. I was pleased with the texture and the ease with which the cream spread. It absorbed enough to nourish and benefit the skin, yet it added an element of protection for the skin. This cream is a cross between a regular skin cream and a protective salve. The best part was having the nurses’ comment that it worked better than the medicated cream the home uses! The thought has crossed my mind that using a preservative would enable me to bring a larger container to the retirement home. However, I do not want to mess with a good thing.
Recommendations To use as much cream as needed!
References Thompson, C (2012). Aromatherapy Certification Course AT101 Tisserand R and Young R (2014). Essential Oil Safety (second edition). Worwood, V.A. (2016). The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy. California: New World Library http://www.organicauthority.com/delicious-beauty/babassu-oil-coconut-oil-natural-skin-hair-care.html https://www.livestrong.com/article/192009-skin-benefits-of-beeswax/ http://www.diethealthclub.com/health-food/beeswax.html https://www.newdirectionsaromatics.ca/products/carrier-oils/babassu-refined-organic-carrier-oil.html https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1995764516301407
Cari Giles is currently a student of Essence of Thyme College of Holistic Studies. She enjoys learning all she can about essential oils and is looking forward to applying her knowledge in future endeavours. Cari has been married to her high school sweetheart for 23 years, has four fantastic children, and resides in the beautiful town of Paris, ON.
38
G U E S T
“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.�
~ Anatole France
Animal Aromatherapy Using Hydrosols with our Animal Friends Guest Writer Kelly Holland Azzaro discusses using hydrosols in animal aromatherapy. While aromatherapy is well-known for its therapeutic uses with humans, many might not know that aromatherapy may also be helpful for our animal friends, too. With more and more people seeking the use of holistic and alternative therapies for their own health issues, they are also becoming increasingly aware of many of these same therapies for use with their beloved animal companions.
40
The sense of smell is important to all animals,
animals. The use of hydrosols – also known as
including humans, and is relied upon for
hydrolats – over essential oils is a gentler
health and general well-being, even more so
option when it comes to topical application to
for animals and their survival. An animal’s
the skin and when making a compress to
sense of smell is much more potent than ours
apply to an issue such as a hot spot or abscess.
with some, depending on the species, capable
And, for those just starting out, purchasing a
of detecting scent up to 10,000 times greater
couple of hydrosols for basic care is a great
than humans!
place to begin your exploration into animal aromatics.
Aromatherapy is both an art and a science and includes the use of pure essential oils
Hydrosols are similar to their counterpart, the
(concentrated extracts derived from the
essential oils. Like essential oils, hydrosols also
flowers, leaves, rinds, roots, seeds, and also the
have therapeutic properties and cautions to
gums/resins of aromatic plants and trees) as
follow. Hydrosols do contain a small amount
well as hydrosols (“aqueous product of
of essential oil that is present after the
distillation”) [1]; and botanical bases such as
distillation process but these botanical waters
aloe vera gel and jojoba, which are used to
offer both a safer and more affordable option
both dilute pure essential oils and for their
to the use of essential oils with animals which
own therapeutic properties.
is especially important when exploring natural alternatives for our furry friends.
Essential oils are made up of many different chemical components. It is these components
Hydrosols can be diluted and used for both
that give the essences their therapeutic properties – and most importantly their unique scent – all of which are useful for physical, emotional and mental
inhalation and topical
…these botanical waters
application. A small amount
offer both a safer and more
can be added to a natural
affordable option to the use
wellbeing.
of essential oils with
Whether you want to learn more about
animals…
ingredient-based shampoo to help soothe itching skin; used
in a mist spray bottle to calm welts from bug bites/stings; and
help immensely to both cleanse and
aromatherapy and its safe use for your own
heal hot spots due to irritation from allergens.
animal companions or to expand your
Hydrosols can also be used by way of simple
education on this topic for self-care or to work
inhalation: just spray a bit onto a tissue or
with others, it is important to know that
scent strip and allow the animal to inhale as
animal aromatherapy is different from human
needed.
aromatherapy and that often the use of hydrosols may be better suited for use with 41
This method works well with issues such as
allergies, respiratory support, and helps to
antispasmodic; antiviral; analgesic; calming;
balance emotional upset due to separation
cicatrizing; digestive; nervine; sedating;
anxiety or hyperactive energy. I have also used
stimulating; styptic.
diluted hydrosols internally (depending on the individual’s health history, for which issue,
While both chamomiles are useful for many of
etc.) for myself, family and sparingly with my
the same issues, German chamomile has more
animals. Below I will share a list of my favorite
potent antibacterial properties, especially for
hydrosols and their uses that I have found
wound care and/or chronic fungal skin issues.
most effective when working with animals.
It’s even useful for cleaning hooves infected with thrush. German
A power-packed plant, calendula chamomile hydrosol can Calendula offers a wide range of therapeutic also be helpful for (Calendula officinalis): properties… allergy-prone reactions such as Antibacterial; antifungal; antiitching, hives, and welts; just be sure
inflammatory; antimicrobial; carminative (nervous system); cicatrizing; decongestant;
that the individual is not allergic to the daisy
ophthalmic [2].
family.
If you were to choose one hydrosol to start off
Some individuals that are allergic to
with, I would suggest calendula. A power-
chamomile plants do fine with the use of the
packed plant, calendula offers a wide range of
diluted hydrosol topically, especially those that
therapeutic properties for the skin whether it
are prone to seasonal allergies. I find this most
is used in its herbal tincture form, macerated
interesting, almost as if the minute amount is
infused oil – a mainstay ingredient when
working similar to the homeopathic reasoning:
making balms, ointments and salves – or in the
‘likes cures likes’.
gentle hydrosol form. It seems that German chamomile hydrosol is Calendula can be used as a first aid ingredient
harder to come by than Roman chamomile. If
for skin and minor wound care; applied in
this is so for you, try making a tea with dried
compress form to an abscess, bug bite, sting, or
chamomile herb, allow to cool and then use
inflamed and irritated skin; or to acne, boils
diluted in the form of a compress as needed.
and sunburn. I am never without calendula and helichrysum hydrosols when it comes to
Chamomile, Roman
working with animals.
(Chamaemelum nobile): Analgesic; antibacterial; antifungal; anti-
Chamomile, German
inflammatory; antipruritic; antispasmodic;
(Matricaria recutita):
antiviral; cicatrizing; decongestant; digestive;
Antibacterial; antifungal; anti-inflammatory;
nervine; ophthalmic [2]; tonifying. 42
Dry, irritated and tired eyes. Irritated, itching
a lack of confidence, or manifesting as anger
skin. Bug bites or stings, minor cuts/scrapes,
but is really fear-based reaction.
sunburn. Allergy-related skin itching,
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory,
inflammation, rashes, and welts. Hot spots;
geranium is most useful for the liver meridian
anal gland inflammation. Teething gum pain.
energetics and can be used via compress for
Mucous membrane support (cough, dryness,
liver flank pain, inflammation, and excess or
inflammation). Calming energetics useful to
stagnant heat in the body.
aid in sleep; and when hyperactive, fearful or anxiousness is experienced.
Helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum): Also known as
Frankincense
Immortelle or Everlasting.
(Boswellia carteri):
Anti-inflammatory; antihistamine; vulnerary.
Diuretic; lymphatic, immune, and respiratory support. Dry, irritated skin; mouth and gum
One of the best hydrosols to consider for use
infections; skin ulcers.
with sprains and strains; aches and pains; bruising; trauma from injury; scar tissue;
Also useful for anxiousness, especially due to
abscess; inflammation (muscular and
breathing issues caused by emotional breathing during stressful situations; as well as
respiratory); skin and
Geranium hydrosol is my go-to ingredient‌
for individuals that are grieving or
wound care healing; liver flank pain; and inflamed
gums. Allergy-prone skin usually
having difficulty processing grief and heavy
responds well to the use of helichrysum
sadness.
hydrosol used with a shampoo base and as a compress.
Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens):
Periodontal issues such as receding and
Antibacterial; anti-inflammatory; antiseptic;
bleeding gums may get some relief with the
diuretic; hydrating; insecticide; lymphatic;
use of diluted helichrysum and calendula
tonifying.
hydrosols as a compress applied topically 1-2 times a day.
Geranium hydrosol is my go-to ingredient when making a mist spray to use against
Lavender
biting bugs, in particular fleas and mosquitoes.
(Lavandula angustifolia):
Its freshening floral scent is one to consider for
Antibacterial; antidepressant; antifungal; anti-
use with anger, aggression, or frustration; any
inflammatory; antispasmodic; antiseptic;
type of pent-up energy; and hyperactive,
astringent; carminative; vulnerary.
fearful situations such as being nervous due to 43
Minor wound and skin healing properties.
Blood Orange
Minor burns, including sunburn and feeling
(Citrus sinensis):
overheated. Muscular aches and pains;
Carminative (digestive support); calming
difficulty sleeping; stress and tension. Itchy,
(nervous system); tonic (digestive, immune,
inflamed skin, especially from bug bites and/or
and nervous systems).
stings, rashes, welts, etc. Blood orange hydrosol is simply divine in its Not everyone likes the scent of lavender and
aroma. I use this hydrosol mostly for
for some individuals it can produce an
emotional balance work and, in particular,
energizing effect versus a calming or sedative
with individuals that have suffered from past
one. Be sure to test by using a scent strip or
trauma and abuse, as well as PTSD.
tissue for inhalation. It is also helpful for those with behavioral
Neroli
problems, difficulty in getting adopted from
(Citrus aurantium var. amara (flos)): Also
rescue centers, and for sensitive beings that
known as Orange Blossom.
require a bit of extra care in building their
Antibacterial; antifungal; antispasmodic
confidence and decreasing fearfulness. This
(digestive support); carminative (digestive and
hydrosol can be sprayed into the environment
nervous system); calming; sedative and also
to help uplift the mood, and during training
uplifting.
sessions to increase confidence and focus attention.
Neroli offers both uplifting and sedating properties. It helps one to feel calm and
Rose
relaxed during an anxiety or panic attack, or
(Rosa x damascena):
when feeling overwhelmed by one’s
Antibacterial; antiviral; astringent (mild);
surroundings (too much noise, stress or
humectant; calming and sedative; cicatrizing;
negative energy to process); and when a boost
rejuvenation; styptic.
is needed to feel uplifted from sadness and grief, neroli hydrosol is one to try.
Minor wound and burn care. Soothing to sunburn and minor burns. Useful for wet,
Separation anxiety; hyperactive energy; or
weepy wounds and skin ulcers. Rose hydrosol
anger and aggression. Past trauma; abuse; and
smells like a freshly-plucked rose. The scent
difficulty with any type of change (i.e.
can be calming to those who are over-stressed,
adoption, new home or family members,
and for individuals who have suffered from
travel, etc.) Also useful for digestive support
past trauma and abuse.
due to emotional upset. Rose hydrosol and essential oil are ones that I 44
use for healing a wounded heart, especially for animals that have had a rough life and are having difficulty transitioning from past trauma to a love-filled home.
Some Pros and Cons to Using Hydrosols As you can see by the list below, the pros outweigh the cons by more than double, an
Witch Hazel
important factor when exploring the use of
(Hammamelis virginiana):
hydrosols. With awareness of their properties
Antibacterial; antifungal; anti-inflammatory;
and uses, and how to properly handle and
anti-irritant; antipruritic; astringent;
store them, hydrosols offer an affordable and
carminative (skin); cicatrizing; cooling; styptic;
safer option to the use of essential oils when it
tonifying.
comes to using them with your animal friends.
Witch hazel hydrosol can be used on its own
Pros
or as an ingredient to make an equine liniment rub and a fly spray. Soothing to bug bites; stings; rashes; and welts. Nose bleeds; anal gland inflammation (use diluted); sunburn; and feeling overheated.
• Affordable: hydrosols are cheaper than essential oils. • Gentler to the skin than essential oils. • Less potent in scent, hence a good choice when working with scent-sensitive
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium):
individuals. • Can be used undiluted or diluted
Antibacterial; anti-inflammatory;
depending on the individual and issue
antispasmodic; astringent; diaphoretic.
being addressed. • Ingredient for use in bathing, mist
Aids in skin and wound cleansing and healing. Abscess; hot spot; bug bites; stings; improves circulation. Yarrow hydrosol is especially useful to have on hand with farm animals, especially for minor wound care of skin and hoof issues.
sprays, and as a compress. • Add to other carrier bases to make liniment, and bug-off sprays. • Better suited than essential oils for sensitive mucous membrane areas, e.g. anal gland inflammation; discharge from
I’ve even used yarrow (hydrosol and essential
nasal and eye areas; or bleeding gums.
oil) to help mend torn ligaments, and wounds
• Use diluted to irrigate minor wounds and
that are stubborn to heal. Combined with calendula and helichrysum hydrosol, application as a compress to an abscess can be very effective. 45
draining abscesses. • Better option for use for both younger and elderly individuals, and for those
with sensitivities to potent scents. • Safer option for use with individuals such as cats and smaller mammals. Be sure to highly dilute the hydrosol, and
spores and bacteria from poor handling or storage; past expiration date; or exposure to excess heat. Pour these down the drain and do not reuse the original containers.
use those that are considered safe for use with adult felines such as calendula and
I would not even use these for household
chamomile.
cleaning as the bacteria and mold will be released into the air you are breathing.
Cons • Short shelf life: hydrosols do not last as long as essential oils. • Easily contaminated with bacteria, mold and changes to pH levels. • Refrigeration required to extend shelf life and deter mold spores. • Limited variety: there is not a hydrosol for every essential oil available, i.e. only some citrus hydrosols.
How to use Hydrosols Storage and Handling
Purchase in smaller amounts when getting started and store properly to ensure freshness.
Safety Cautions & Dilutions Use caution with hydrosols with all animals; don’t assume that because they are a gentler form of aromatherapy that they are safe to use with every animal in general. It is still important to learn about each hydrosol and its therapeutic properties, uses and contraindications before using randomly. The best rule of safety to follow is to avoid the use of hydrosols with newborn animals until they are about 1 month old and even then they
Hydrosols are best kept in a refrigerator
must be highly diluted. With that said, I have
dedicated specifically to the storage of
used small amount of diluted calendula
hydrosols, some essential oils and carrier oils,
hydrosol when cleaning feral kitten’s bottoms
or bases. This option is to help prevent
(due to diarrhea) or skin sores.
contamination from food items as well as strong odors which can be absorbed by the
Use caution with animals that are sensitive
hydrosol. Storing in a refrigerator will help to
due to allergens, or if they are a hairless breed.
extend the shelf life and reduce mold spores
These individuals may benefit from the use of
from quickly developing.
diluted hydrosols, just be sure to properly dilute based on their age, size, and breed. If
Contraindications
there is an irritation, then discontinue use.
Avoid use of hydrosols that are old and have become cloudy due to contaminants of mold
Below is basic blending information for dogs. 46
Dilutions for Age & Size
1-3 months old animals, use 1 teaspoon of
hydrosol diluted to ½ cup of distilled water for topical application in a mist spray; compress; or as a skin cleansing ingredient.
3-6 months old animals, use 1 Tablespoon of
areas; or when using for anal gland inflammation, vaginitis or cleaning the rectal area due to irritation from diarrhea. If you do decide to explore the use of hydrosols for yourself and your animal friends, just remember to follow any safety
hydrosol diluted to ½ cup of distilled water for
precautions and if there is a negative reaction
topical application in a mist spray; compress;
then discontinue use immediately.
or as a skin cleansing ingredient.
The more you try different hydrosols, the more
6-12 months old animals, can use up to 1/8
cup of hydrosol diluted in 1-2 cups of distilled water for a topical mist spray; compress; or for non-diluted spot application for specific uses,
you will find how magical these healing waters can be. I’d love to hear your story of how hydrosols have helped you and your own animals.
such as calendula hydrosol applied undiluted
References:
with a compress to a hot spot or abscess.
1] Ann Harman, Harvest to Hydrosol, 1st Ed., 2015
1-2
Ed., 2004
Tablespoons of hydrosol can be added to
¼ cup of a non-scented shampoo base which is then diluted with gallon of water for bathing use.
2] Len & Shirley Price; Understanding Hydrolats, 1st Resources: Hydrosols, The Next Aromatherapy, Suzanne Catty, 1st Ed., 2001 Harvest to Hydrosol, Ann Harman, 1st Ed., 2015 Understanding Hydrolats: The Specific Hydrosols for
Hydrosol dilutions will also depend on the size of the animal. Smaller mammals will require a lesser amount of hydrosol (use half
Aromatherapy, Len and Shirley Price, 1st Ed., 2004 Kelly Holland Azzaro is a Registered Aromatherapist, Certified Bach Flower Practitioner and Licensed
of the amounts listed above or even less with
Massage Therapist; Past President of NAHA and current
very small mammals) and with larger farm
Public Relations, Journal Manager and Co-Editor of
animals such as a horse, if need be, the
NAHA (National Association for Holistic
amounts listed above may be doubled.
Aromatherapy); the Founder and Director of The Holistic Animal Aromatherapy Association. She has over 25 yrs professional experience and educational
Sensitive Areas Mucous membranes: be sure to highly dilute hydrosols that are to be used for cleaning the
training in Aromatherapy and Massage Therapy, with specialized training in Canine and Equine AcupressureMassage Therapies, Animal Communication, Reiki, and Flower Essence Therapy. Kelly offers a 300+hour
skin or minor wounds; if used as a compress to
Animal Aromatherapy Practitioner Certification
apply topically to sensitive areas such as
Course(sm). She and her husband Marco, a Licensed
mucous membranes (mouth and gums);
Acupuncturist, have a Holistic Healing Center in the
wiping discharge near the eyes and nasal 47
Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. To learn more about Kelly, please visit www.animalaromatherapy.com
The Next Edition Even though we just released this one, it’s time to start thinking about the Spring edition. We’ve got lots of places to have your work read so check them out and see what appeals to you! WE ARE LOOKING FOR A FEATURED WRITER FOR 2019 The Feature Writer section is for members who submit 2-4 topic-related pieces for sequential editions (write 3 pieces for spring-summer-fall , summer-fall-winter etc). The Guest Writer section is for single-piece submissions by members and non-members. Send in your Reviews for classes, workshops, seminars, events, books, webinars and products. Research allows you to strut your stuff in the science of all things aromatic. And remember, you can gain CE credits with your submissions! For our Author’s Agreement, or our Advertiser’s Agreement if you’re looking to place an ad, just go to https://bcaoa.org/membership/submissions/ or send an email to editor@bcaoa.org
And the Winner is…
to pursue his professional training with Beverley Hawkins at the West Coast Institute of Aromatherapy and, after successful completion of his Diploma, Justin continued his education in bodywork and massage with the Vancouver School of Healing Arts.
Announcing the Winner of the Name Our Journal Contest Our thanks to everyone who entered with a new moniker for our journal.
A huge congratulations to the winners of the “Name Our Journal” contest! Justin Graham’s submission was the Winner with the name Aroma Wisdom and Nishat Dhillon was the Runner Up with Therapeutic Sense for BC. With 53 submissions, we are deeply grateful for the level of participation amongst the BCAOA members. Justin has won free registration to our Spring CE Event with Dr. Tim Miller and up to $1000 for travel and accommodation to the event.
Now, in a bodywork session, Justin will utilise aromatherapy, awareness of breath, energy
A Registered Aromatherapist, Essential Oil
work, and physical touch to invite his clients to
Therapist, Bodywork Therapist, Reiki
tap into their mind-body-spirit-emotional
Practitioner, and holding a BA, Justin's journey
connection as this is when he finds true
with Aromatherapy began in 2015 after
healing begins for his clients.
experiencing the healing effects of Frankincense firsthand while recovering from
As Justin continues to deepen his practice in
a health trauma.
the Healing Arts, he intends to expand his knowledge into the realms of Aryuveda, Yoga,
The emotional peace and physical reprieve he
and nutrition to lead and encourage others in
received from diffusing this sacred oil led him
their own devotion to Self-Care and connection with self and source. 50
connection can contribute immensely to a client’s healing. She is also trained in various types of energy healing including Reiki and Healing Touch, and completed yoga teacher training, graduating from Open Door Yoga in March 2009. Nishat’s aim is to share her knowledge in holistic modalities for healing and be a part in her client’s journey to wellness. She has been working from a private home-based practice while continuing to work in nursing and raise a family. Our Runner Up, Nishat, has won a $250 gift certificate for Voyageur Soap & Candle Co.
Once again, please join us in congratulating
Nishat has a passion for health and wellness
Justin and Nishat and thanking everyone who
and, from a very young age, always loved to
participated for their continuing support of
help people. This led to her becoming a nurse,
our association.
a profession she continues to work in and enjoys to this day. Her passion for helping people also lead her to
Now that it has its new name, the journal will
explore and gain knowledge in an array of
be putting the BCAOA on the map. As we get
complementary holistic therapies allowing her
it out to sister associations around the world,
to assist her clients on their healing journey. A
schools, the public and local industry-related
graduate of the Langara College Holistic
businesses, we will see growth in membership
Massage and Spa Therapy Program, Nishat has
as well as status. This will in turn allow us to
gained over a 1000 hours of experience in
host more CE Events and expand our
various types of massage and other healing
members’ professional knowledge regularly,
modalities.
heightening our reputation as the best professionals!
As a Registered Aromatherapist, she has been utilizing her nursing knowledge and assessment skills with her clients to customize aromatherapy blends and the therapeutic application of the blends. She believes that integrating the mind, body and spirit 51
To accomplish this, we have: Created a Media Kit which will allow potential advertisers to review our distribution channels and target markets
so they can know their ad is a match for our publication, as well as let them see our journal specifications and prices at a glance Created an annual Essential Oil Safety Booklet which is now available for preorder (see page 29) in a gorgeous printed format. This will allow our members to purchase it at a discount and resell, give away, or use it as a value-added product as they desire. Obtained online and print ISSN numbers for both the Safety Booklet and Journal. This will put them into the global
and water consumption. Sourced online “magazine stands” to allow the digital version of our journal to be purchased by the public anywhere in the world Initiated invitations to other associations to have their members write for us as Guest Writers, and for teachers and schools to have their students submit case studies Have begun research and planning for more CE events and a large scale memberbusiness supporting fair
International Standard Serial Number
We couldn’t have done this without the
Register. The ISSN is an internationally
tremendous commitment from Lilliane Graie.
recognized identification code for serial
She singlehandedly took us from an
publications making it the equivalent of an
association-limited newsletter to a more
ISBN for magazines.
global, inclusive and content-rich journal.
An ISSN provides a method of communicating information about serials between publishers, suppliers, subscription agencies, database providers, researchers, and libraries around the world. With the ISSNs in place, we can now look at obtaining barcodes to simplify and expedite sales.
Thank you, Lilliane!!! Few will know the massive number of hours this took her, but everyone will benefit. We are in the act of creating committees to assist in upcoming projects. If you’d like to get involved, see below for more details. We are also actively looking for new Featured
Sourced and chosen a printer whose
Writers from our membership. These require
values meet our own of environmental
the submission of 2 to 4 articles in consecutive
responsibility.
journals.
Royal Printers uses Sugar Sheet paper, a treeless sustainable and recyclable paper, whose creation process reduces deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions
If you’d like to write for Aroma Wisdom, please see our Submission Guidelines at https://bcaoa.org/membership/submissions/. 52
Our deepest thanks to Anita Kalnay who
2) Ensuring that the new Journal, Aroma
wrote for all of 2018! You can read her final
Wisdom, is content-rich and is capable of
piece on Spiritual PhytoEssencing on page 22.
reaching more than just the current BCAOA Members.
It’s because of supportive members like Justin, Nishat, Anita and all of our other wonderful
3) CE Events – we have had some amazing
contributors, that we are able to keep going
speakers at BCAPA CE Events and have some
and growing as an association because without
equally inspiring speakers lined up for our
them, we would not be who we are today and
future BCAOA CE Events.
will be tomorrow. Thank you to every one of
Unless you’ve been a CE Coordinator, you
you!
won’t understand the massive number of hours involved in organizing a CE Event. We
Warmly,
have been fortunate to have such dedicated CE
Colleen
Coordinators but as we grow, they will need help.
Volunteering for BCAOA Committees To assist the Board with these initiatives, we The two main mandates set by the 2018-2019
are forming committees. Volunteering for a
BCAOA Board of Directors are 1) to increase
committee won’t involve the time commitment
membership and 2) to advocate for insurance
that serving on the Board might but does offer
for aromatherapy services. We can’t focus on
members a way to have a say and give back to
the second initiative until the first initiative is
the association that supports them.
met. As well, it is a way to receive recognition on Our goal is to have 250 members which would
the website as a committee member and to also
give us some credibility when approaching the
receive some perks in compensation for the
decision makers for insurance. In order to
time committed.
reach the membership goal, which effectively doubles the current membership, we need to
The Committee that has been identified as the
be creative in attracting new members. Three
most time sensitive is the Education
areas have been identified by the Board to start
Committee.
the membership drive: The Education Committee will be responsible 1) Recognition of aromatherapy schools
for reviewing potential school applications for
outside of British Columbia. The more schools
BCAOA course recognition. It is important that
that are recognized by the BCAOA, the more
we maintain the standards set forth by the
students will join the association.
BCAOA, and therefore schools must be
53
properly vetted.
This includes a dollar value based upon volunteer hours which could be applied to CE
This Education Committee will be more
Events or advertising in the Aroma Wisdom
project-based rather than having regular
Journal. Volunteers will need to meet the
meetings (i.e. meeting once per month). The
requirements of the specific committee and
BCAOA has developed a Course Audit Guide
Volunteer Applications will be approved by
which will serve as a tool for measuring the
the BCAOA Board of Directors.
specific requirements for course recognition. Course recognition is required for the RA
If you are interested in serving on a committee,
(Registered Aromatherapist) Level and for the
please complete the application available on
PA (Professional Aromatherapist) Level.
our website and email it to the BCAOA Secretary at secretary@bcaoa.org
Volunteers will receive benefits based upon the
Volunteer Applications will be reviewed at the
number of hours they volunteer each year.
BCAOA Board meeting following submission.
Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. ~ Norman Vincent Peale 54
Advertising doesn’t have to be frustrating. Advertise your business, school, course or product with the BCAOA and get exposure across BC and beyond. Our journal gets out to sister associations, related industries and businesses as well as the public and our wonderful members. More eyes on your ads means more business for you. With our steadily expanding market, you can target your sales to match our seasonal editions and be sure people who are already interested in what you have to offer are seeing and responding to your marketing.
Are you ready to be seen?
Get our advertising guidelines, agreement and Media Kit at https://bcaoa.org/membership/submissions/ Questions? Contact the Editor directly at editor@bcaoa.org
R E V I E W
Sacred Mountain Lavender Booth
56
until everyone was wilting as they walked. A pair of comfy shoes and re-usable bags were a definite must, and setting aside an afternoon to see everything worked out perfectly. Beautiful clothing, exquisite pottery, and delicious goodies spread around the room in eye-catching colours and designs, with the unmistakable scents of essential oils and herb floating through the air. There was a nice range of items from frivolously elegant to delectably practical, enough to soothe any shopper. Starting at one end I worked my way down each aisle, pausing here and there to pick up a gift or treat but really only stopping at the booths where aromatherapy products or essential oils were on display. Nearly all the business owners were friendly and knowledgeable, willing to chat and answer my questions without any impatience. You see, I was a bit of secret mission. The idea had come up that we should have a market or large event that brought together the aromatherapy and herbal industries but none of us had any experience with planning something so big or even knew where to start. I set out to gather information from those in the trenches on their level of interest in participating and what would work for them. Everyone was wonderfully helpful and enthusiastic, offering ideas, thoughts, and opinions about times of year, participants and even locations. I couldn’t have wished for better success! Plus I got to check out their products at the same time. Needless to say, my bathroom is now overflowing with gorgeously scented soaps, bath bombs and salts, my personal weaknesses. It was great to see Joanne Arnold of Soulful Sister Aromatherapy again. I recognised her from an association event and was pleased to get a chance to mine her knowledge of these large markets. It didn’t hurt that I also got to spend time at her booth, admiring lip balms, candles (another weakness), misters, and essential oils. Nancy Tucker of Smell the Soap and her mom, all the way out from Ontario, had me laughing in moments. Charming and cheerful, her delightful soaps are as lovely to behold as smell and enjoy. 57
Rich aromas and silky textures promised a nourishing experience for every user’s skin. A small selection of essential oils complemented the soap display and anyone wandering close was quickly absorbed in sniff-sniff-sniffing their way along the table! The gorgeous soaps and bombs from new-to-the-market Tamara Wesley of Island Soap Co. and her daughter, in from Salt Spring Island, were just begging for me to sniff and choose. A lovely lady who’s a delight to talk with, she makes a beautiful rose-scented oil that had me walking around with the back of my hand pressed to my nose for much of the day. This would have been weird were it not for the fact that I spied others doing exactly the same thing! Looking for something different? Tanya Droege’s Sealuxe offers thalassotherapy-based products, filled with the natural healing goodness of the ocean. If you’re looking for a lovely soak, try one of her bath teas that comes with its own reusable muslin bag. Another new-to-the-market company, the Kismet Essentials booth was hopping as I came by and I didn’t have to time to circle back but their products certainly entice and are worth a look. Raphaelle Gagnon’s Boreal Folk Apothecary displayed lovely products made from sustainably harvested plants and they do their own drying, distilling, extracting, dehydrating, infusing and macerating to get an end result anyone would be proud to call their own. As always, the beautiful packaging from Adele Wysyluk’s Trillium Soaps and Candles caught my eye from across the aisle. While I didn’t get to spend long there, I have enjoyed Adele’s products many times over the years and never been disappointed. And she holds a special place in my heart for her support of W.A.G.S and the BCSPCA. Adele’s original signature line “Apricot Signature”, seen here on the right, is currently available online – definitely worth a look! – and will be joined by her newer offerings in the New Year. For now, if you want some of her luscious creations as gifts, you’ll have to catch her at one of the markets going on around town. 58
I didn’t get a chance to chat with Darren Monette of Granville Island Soap Gallery but his stuff looks good enough to eat. His website is coming soon but if you’re a local be sure to check out his retail store on Granville Island, you won’t be disappointed. Ben & Jaqueline Sutton of Sacred Mountain Lavender were lovely to talk with, grounded, open and inviting in that way that only people who love what they are doing can be. With their own lavender farm on Salt Spring Island, how could they not? They also offer retreats and equine therapy on top of their wonderful products.
Earth to Body offers a nicely balanced range of natural products with their zero waste shampoo bars and natural tooth cleanser that caught my attention immediately. They also carry felted soaps, butters and salves, and baby products to name a few. Royal Herbs state that “the herbs fundamental to our products are either organically grown by ourselves, ethically wild harvested, or sourced by supporting other local organic growers” and you can see the attention to such details in their products. Not a bad thing in today’s world of cutting corners and taking the easy way. Their booth was extremely busy and I only got a moment to get their information but they carry essential oils, tinctures, body products, pet products and more. A newbie to the market, Bare Skin Bar was listed as a “budding artist”, a company that is experiencing their first exhibition and has a small stand-up style display as opposed to a booth. It was quite crowded in this area and difficult to keep out of customers’ way but the owner wasn’t there so I decided to just examine their products. Lovely bombs and just a few other products make up their line now but I’m sure that will change since the products show a talent for luxury bath time that anyone could enjoy. Offering over 60 essential oils, floral waxes and absolutes, Karma Suds also carries herbs, flowers and resins alongside their wide product line. They offer dozens of videos under the Soap Making School brand as well as teaching a number of in-person classes at Broadway near Renfrew. Unfortunately, not all reviews can be good. The only booth that made me hesitate, the two people at Matter Company came across harried and either defensive or arrogant, I couldn’t figure out which but they certainly were 59
unable or unwilling to answer any questions. After a very brief chat that went nowhere, I was so turned off speaking to the owner that I simply thanked her and regretfully left without going over her products. Since it was the first day of the Market, she might have been having a bad day already so I felt my time would be better spent moving on. Perhaps I can review her wares next year. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and it is certainly worth it for any aromatherapist to go to this market and spoil themselves with something they didn’t make. Not to mention all the other goodies just waiting to be touched, draped, tasted, tried on, admired, inspected and dreamed over. What I found a little sad though was that out of all the booths, I only ran into one person who had ever heard of the BCAOA. This definitely means we need to push out into the world more and get our name known in the industry as well as was the BCAPA’s. While it was a lovely time and I truly enjoyed getting the opportunity to meet the people behind these amazing products, I do wish I had seen more of our members there with their businesses on exhibition. Of course, I can’t go without giving a shout-out to some of the food booths, specifically The Preservatory at Vista d’oro Farms & Winery with their delicious line of preserves and the two lovely ladies who made me laugh my head off and buy a whack of preserves; Melissa at Mellifera who had the most delicate lavender honey; Salt Spring Island Cheese with their awesome goat cheeses; and Dvorak Gourmet Confections with their tasty Maple nut and chocolate-covered Espresso Beans (at time of writing their site was having some issues); and of course, Gwen Gurgart’s 4 Paws Pure, whose delicious (I’m assuming) natural doggie treats let us get in the door without having to explain where we’d been. I’ll be returning to the market next year and I hope to see some of you there, too! It’s definitely worth the trip. You can check out these vendors at: https://www.soulfulsister.com/
http://www.natural.ca/en
https://www.smellthesoap.com
https://royalherbs.ca/
https://www.facebook.com/BareWithMeSoapCo/
https://www.bareskinbar.com/
https://www.sealuxe.ca/
https://karmasuds.com/
https://www.kismetessentials.com/
http://thepreservatory.com/
https://www.borealfolk.ca/
http://melliferabees.com/
https://www.trilliumsoapsandcandles.ca/
https://saltspringcheese.com/
https://sacredmountainlavender.com/
http://www.4pawspure.ca 60
The Classifieds Welcome to our Classifieds Section. To send in a classified, email the editor with “Classified� in the subject line. SELLING: Gorgeous wooden cabinet geared for aromatherapy field. Includes bowls. Asking $125 Parchment brochures witten by Ceryl Grossman and designed by Julie Nasmith - $0.50 each. For more information or to buy, please contact Cheryl Grossman at cheryl.r.grossman@gmail.com
WANTED: Casaroma Wellness Clinic is looking for an Aromatherapist as a full time addition to our team. We specialize in helping people cope with pain and stress using state of the art health devices like PEMF, LED light therapy, Brain Tap reprogramming, Biofeedback Therapy, and of course our own brand or aromatherapy products formulated in our parent store in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Casaroma Wellness Centre. If you think you would enjoy helping people feel better in our beautiful waterfront location in Gibsons, BC, this may be your dream job. We currently offer Aromatherapy, massage, reflexology, and reiki, as well as other modalities of health care and would welcome people who have experience in helping people attain better health. Training will be provided on all our current devices, and we would welcome someone who could teach us other ways to help people as well. Please forward your resume to Peter Caron at casaromawellnessclinic@gmail.com
VOLUNTEERS WANTED: We are now accepting applications for Volunteers for our upcoming Committees. Join us in making our association stronger! Committees require less time than a Board position and you earn benefits. Fill out an application today at https://bcaoa.org/for-members/committee-volunteering/
Name Our Journal Contest - The results are in! See details on page 50 Come congratulate the winners with us! 61
Want to Learn more about Aromatherapy?
Our recognised schools and teachers offer professional level courses that give you the solid education to allow you to build a business, or just feel secure knowing you are using essential oils safely. The advantages of attending a recognized course and studying under a recognized teacher might include rapid membership processing; no cost for membership application review; and it ensures students have access to teachers with a specific level of knowledge and practical experience who have agreed to teach to the BCAOA’s core curriculums. To see a list of our recognised schools, courses, and teachers, please go to: http://bcaoa.org/membership/education-membership/recognized-courses-teachersand-schools/ If you would like to apply to have your school or course recognised, please contact us at secretary@bcaoa.org to request an application and the appropriate core curriculum.