Overview
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils to stimulate healing and promote a sense of well-being and calm. The reason aromatherapy is so effective is that the olfactory nerve, the “smell” nerve, is connected directly from the nose to the brain and is the shortest of the cranial nerves. This means that scent has an immediate connection with the brain and is capable of quickly triggering emotion and memories. Scents can transport you to another place and another time, and this is why, when used in conjunction with music, aromatherapy is so effective, for music has the same quality.
Music with Massage
The choice of music for an aromatherapy massage is critical. It is not simply a case of choosing a piece of music you like and banging it on the CD player. Many CDs have been specifically created for use with massage. The music is timed to fit to the moving hands of the masseur and the notes, instruments and melodies are chosen because they resonate deep within the psyche. An aromatherapy massage with the right piece of music is a deeply moving experience. When looking for a CD specifically designed for massage, choose one which plays for around 45 minutes—the average length of an full body massage—and which has no breaks between the tracks. “Therapy Room-Massage Vol 1” by Stuart James is a good example of this.
Choice of Music
The choice of music is personal. Music, more than any other media, resonates with the soul and can evoke memories and emotions which are deeply buried. People’s tastes in music vary enormously, and what one person finds moving, another person will condemn as irritating rubbish. Says Ali Headeach, aromatherapist at a busy practice in Margate UK: “I hardly ever get complaints about the massage or the choice of oils. Mostly people complain that the music isn’t to their taste.” The main criteria when making your selection of music is choose something slow and soothing to which you feel you can drift away. If you are a fan of classical music, then Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” is ideal, or for something more modern, the music of Enya is equally suitable.
Doing It Yourself
If you want to create your own aromatherapy and music session, choose a place where you are able to sit or lie comfortably or take a bath. Light the room with candles, put your favourite oil in the burner or in the bath water, choose a slow, soothing piece of music, lie back and close your eyes. Let the music wash over you as you inhale the scent of the oils. According to the sleeve notes of “Massage Music” CD by Amrita, the music “gently unfolds its light, soothing ambience upon the listener…featuring a beautiful instrumental sounds (including panpipes, piano, harp and strings)”
Meditating with Music and Oils
If you are into meditation, frankincense is one of the best oils to use. Frankincense has been used as a tool for deepening spiritual awareness for thousands of years. Says Ali Headeach, “Frankincense is great for releasing pain locked in from the past. I use a CD called ‘Tibetan Incantations’ for meditation, which is a collection of Buddhist Chants, and find it combines wonderfully with frankincense.”
The Overall Effect of Aromatherapy with Music
The addition of music to any aromatherapy session will add a new dimension to the experience, leaving you relaxed and with a sensation of floating on air. You may fall asleep during the session, or experience vivid dreams. Either way you will awake relaxed and refreshed.
About this Author
Based in the U.K., Alison Boots is a freelance writer and has been the editor and designer of a 16-page monthly magazine for eight years. She holds a diploma in holistic therapies and is a tai chi/chi gong practitioner and has had numerous articles published in the British press and online.
