Shanti Dechen, CCAP, CAI, LMT
Copyright 2018
Aroma Apothecary Healing Arts Academy
Meeting Shanti
While attending the National Association of Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) conference in 2018 I was fortunate enough to meet Shanti. Shanti has had a lifelong passion for natural healing. You can see her diverse training on her website here. She is a professional member of many associations including a Regional Director for NAHA in Colorado.
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This book was released just before conference, so I was excited to pick up a copy and of course have Shanti sign it for me. This 131-page book is packed full of information on several healing modalities with a focus on aromatherapy.
Introduction to Harmonized Aromatherapy
Due to Shanti’s diverse training she conveys through the first two chapters the importance of using many holistic modalities. Working with things such as healthy organic nutrition, meditation and prayer, and exercise/movement are just a few items listed on page 3.
As a person that is deeply connected to plants, I appreciate the quote on page 13. “Learning from the essential nature of the marvelous plant kingdom to adapt, communicate, and cooperate within our own relationships, generates an inter-dependent partnership with plants in which we can balance and heal ourselves.”
If you are missing out on self-care the second chapter offers many simple ways to integrate this into our daily life. She provides information on many simple tasks like drinking a cup of herbal tea. There are also summaries on different bodywork and massage modalities that you can try.
Chapter 3
This provides an overview of medicinal plants. She provides a brief description of the many herbal preparations. Since the focus of the book is aromatherapy she does go into further detail on essential oils, hydrosols and CO2 extracts.
Conclusion of book
The remainder of this book is about seasonal wellness as the title states. Here in the United States we are spoiled by the accessibility of everything. These chapters are a good reminder of focusing our life with the seasons for better health.
As you journey through the seasons Shanti provides us with a variety of ways to use plants to support us. In Autumn focusing on immune strengthening. In Winter supporting our emotions and taking time to relax and renew. In Spring cleansing both our bodies and our spaces. In Summer helping to cool our bodies and be prepared with first aid during our busy days. The variety of ways to use plants to support and nourish ourselves is vast.
As with any book with recipes I will caution you to do your research and adjust the recipe so that it is right for you. In aromatherapy I feel recipes should always be viewed as a guide and not an absolute.
I do recommend this book. It would be good for anyone wanting to learn more about a variety of healing modalities. If you are looking to become more in tune with the seasons this book will give you a good start.
