With my longtime friend, chemist/professor Bill Kurtin, I maintain a website on the art and science of aromatherapy and essential oils, Chemaroma. There is a wealth of information there for the serious student of aromatherapy. We have recently presented seminars at the University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio - notes and pictures on our Chemaroma website.

I'm a certified aromatherapist and have presented workshops and taught classes on the use of essential oils for health and well-being since 1989, when I earned my certification from The Pacific Institute of Aromatherapy. At that time, information on aromatherapy was scarce in Texas, and classes were hard to find. But all of that has changed. There are dozens of new books on the subject on aromatherapy and essential oils every year, and more and more people are becoming aware of its benefits. Here are pictures from a recent class at the Botanical Gard

 Another of my ongoing interests is designing and maintaining the website of the San Antonio Herb Society as its webmaster. The site has lots of herbal information, growing tips, and recipes.

San Francisco herbalist, author, and aromatherapist Jeanne Rose (r.) is the American aromatherapist who has most influenced my work with essential oils. I took an intensive aromatherapy class with her in 1998, and saw her again this spring when she presented a program for the San Antonio Herb Society. I had the privilege of introducing her, and got to visit with her after the program. Her new work on hydrosols is fascinating. Learn more about it at the website for the Aromatic Plant Project - she is the founder and Executive Director.

My aromatherapy classes are almost always full, an indication of the interest in the subject, and I have given presentations for hospice groups, garden clubs and herb societies, mall walkers, holistic health groups - I've even done radio programs on aromatherapy, which is an interesting experience. It's hard to describe scents on the radio!

Here is a short definition of aromatherapy which I wrote for the San Antonio Herb Society's Resource Guide:

"Aromatherapy is the enhancement of body, mind, and spirit with aromatic botanical essential oils. The essential oil of each plant is its life force containing both medicinal and aromatic characteristics, and it remains potent and stable when properly extracted from the plant. These oils provide tremendous healing and balancing properties when used according to proper guidelines. Most often used in baths, massages, and inhalations, they are readily absorbed through the skin, and when inhaled, they affect the brain and the release of neurochemicals. Depending on the essential oil used, Aromatherapy can help you relax, enjoy, rejuvenate, increase mental alertness, and much more."

It's exciting to see how many hundreds of resources are available on the Internet about aromatherapy and essential oils. Here are four of my favorite places: Lorann Oils - especially good for their base and carrier oils - they have also recently begun distribution of their own essential oils Frontier Herbs - a site with excellent information about essential oils and their uses, as well as a user-friendly catalog of EO's Lavender Lane - nice "extras", such as air-drying bottle seals and many different containers as well as oils and fragrances Prima Fleur - very high quality Essential Oils The foundation for serious students of Aromatherapy is a reliable and recommended source for high quality essential oils. On a recent trip to London, I had the pleasure of meeting a prominent English aromatherapist practicioner whose work I respect tremendously, and who pioneered the use of essential oils extracted from organically grown or wild aromatic plants in England, beginning in 1982, with a remarkable high altitude lavender which remains their key note oil. Frances Clifford is an expert in both the production and the therapeutic uses of essential oils. She and her chemist husband, Christopher Clifford, advise on and supply essential oils of the highest quality. Mrs. Clifford has a respected practice on Harley Street in London as well as in the south of England, and was generous with her time and expertise during our visit. Their essential oils are not generally available in the United States, but Mrs. Clifford has agreed to make her products available to us. Their website lists both English and American prices, and you will find many unusual and high quality oils. If you are interested in group ordering, e-mail me.

Herbs, Gardening, and the San Antonio Botanical Garden

See pictures of a Lavender Festival at Becker Vineyards

My favorite place to teach my aromatherapy classes is the second floor of the Carriage House at the San Antonio Botanical Center. The reason the Carriage House exists is a story in itself. I also am fortunate to be a member of the Board of the San Antonio Botanical Society. If you visit San Antonio, please don't miss the Botanical Garden. Their web page is wonderful and it offers a taste of what the Garden itself holds - soaring conservatories, poison dart frogs, lakes and pioneer cabins. And speaking of taste, have lunch at the Carriage House restaurant on the grounds. The presentation is awesome and the food is a treat.

Gardening, particularly herb gardening, has always been an essential part of my life. I'm a member of The San Antonio Herb Society, an active and hospitable group which meets on the second Thursday at the San Antonio Garden Center. The programs are diverse and informative - recent programs included information on Chinese medicine, native plants, and a members' craft market.