As early as 1500 B.C.E., healers and priests were employing aromatics for a wide variety of mundane and metaphysical functions. The Babylonians, for example, perfumed construction materials used for building temples. The Egyptians utilized scented oils for everything from seduction to mummification.

In recent years, aromatherapy — healing with scent — has entered the mainstream. The term was coined by the French chemist and perfumer René-Maurice Gattefosse in 1928 when he discovered, quite by accident, that lavender oil helped heal a burn on his hand and prevented scarring. Because scents affect the limbic system of the brain, causing shifts in brain-wave function, they have a wide range of beneficial applications — physical, psychological, and magickal.

Botanical Correspondences and Properties

Aromatherapists employ various scents for therapeutic purposes. Lavender, for example, calms stress and can aid sleep. Peppermint stimulates the mental processes and promotes clarity. Witches pay attention to the magickal uses for aromas as well. Here are some common magickal correspondences for aromatics:

Aromagick is one of the loveliest types of spellworking. As you work with scents, consider both their mystical and physical effects. Combine two or more to “customize” your spells.