A New Dimension for Aromatherapy

Everyone who is not from the Middle Kingdom and has recently visited China must be impressed by the brand new gleaming sky scrapers and the intensity of economic activity. New infrastructure reaching to Central Asia, the Indian Ocean and even the Middle East and Africa is in the works. Historic concepts of the Silk Roads and Spice Routes are being revisited to implement these new strategies of trade across Asia and into Europe.

For the perspective of aromatherapy the rise of Asia provides interesting new stimuli. Let’s start by realizing that modern aromatherapy as we know it, is of European origin. This is reflected in aromatherapy staples like Lavender, Rosemary and Thyme or florals like Rose

But Aromatherapy works with oils from all over the world. Some aromatics originating from Asia such as Pepper, Clove and Nutmeg have become global staples and their essential oils are widely used in aromatherapy. But there are many aromatics from the East which have remained popular in their native cultures without being popularized in Europe by colonial trade.

‘Distinctly Eastern’ explores those oriental aromatics, which have not yet attained a global character like Pepper or Clove and instead have retained a character reflecting an Eastern fragrance universe.