Top Takeaways from NAHA 2018
At Rocky Mountain Oils, we love expanding our knowledge of natural living and connecting with those of similar values and passions. That's why we were so excited to attend the National Association of Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) Conference this year, which was held right here in Utah!
The NAHA Conference is designed to educate and integrate aromatherapy into a range of health practices that complement the benefits of aromatherapy. Each conference has numerous classes and presentations, and it hosts renowned writers, healthcare professionals, businesses, and other prominent figures in the aromatherapy and health industry.
This year, we were happy to have three of our outstanding product specialists and aromatherapists-in-training at the NAHA Conference, and they wanted to share what they learned so that you, too, can learn how to better incorporate aromatherapy into your life and improve your overall well-being.
Courtney
"The 2018 NAHA Conference was packed with so much valuable information, but some of my biggest takeaways were the discussions about AromaChemistry by Dr. Tim Miller, and the Role of Scent in Culture and Spiritual Practices by Salvatore Battaglia. "Dr. Tim Miller's class was just as fun and engaging as it was informative. He was such a wonderful teacher.
He made a subject as complex as organic chemistry so simple to understand! The focus of the class as: do functional groups influence therapeutic action? The answer? Yes, absolutely they do! He broke down a few of the basic constituents found in aromatherapy and helped us understand why they have the therapeutic benefits that they do.
Having this understanding of the constituents also helps to have a better understanding of why a particular oil might have safety cautions. "In Salvatore Battaglia's class, we discussed a bit of the history of essential oils and what roles they played in society and culture throughout the years. For instance, did you know that essential oils were once regarded as the Quintessence, or the fifth element to join Fire, Earth, Water, and Air? How about that essential oils and incense were used in religious ceremonies to create unity with others? This was achieved because each member of the gathering was smelling the same scent, no matter how poor, wealthy, high status, or low status they were. It essentially leveled the playing field.
We were also able to get our hands on Sal's third edition of The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy while we where there! "Overall, NAHA 2018 was an amazing experience. It was wonderful to be surrounded by some of the most highly regarded individuals in the industry, and to learn first-hand from them."
Dayna
"The NAHA Conference this year was absolutely amazing! It was the most educational conference I have been to yet. "Not only was it educational, but it also gave you a sense of community with an amazing group of people who all want the same thing: to improve their health and wellness, and overall quality of life with the use of 100% pure and natural products. "I loved seeing studies that showed how effective essential oils can be. The conference made me excited for the future as the industry of essential oils and other natural products becomes more known and more researched."Hannah
"NAHA 2018 was an absolutely amazing experience. I feel so privileged to have met and learned from some of the greatest minds in the Aromatherapy industry. The education provided was more than I could have asked for. "The presentations that resonated the most with me were given by Salvatore Battaglia, Dr. Timothy Miller, Valerie Cooksley, and Nyssa Hangar. "Salvatore Battaglia spoke about Aromatherapy in such an interestingly positive manner.
We learned so much about the history of essential oils and that Aromatherapy has a place in all alternative therapies and modalities. "Hearing Dr. Tim Miller's presentation and ease during the breakdown of AromaChemistry was inspiring. He made learning about chemical and molecular structures so fun and easy to understand. "Valerie Cooksley's presentation on staying connected with plants was truly mind altering.
She reminded us where these precious oils came from and encouraged us not to forget about what live plants can do for you, whether you are staying connected through gardening, creating mandalas, or simply taking a walk in nature. "Nyssa Hangar spoke about using essential oils in writing practices. She was inspiring in sharing her passion and writing techniques. She explained that writing is something you should just do. It's not about perfection; it's writing for the sake of writing. It was also incredible to be able to test and experience the difference in writing before deep inhalation of an essential oil, and writing after.
You have to experience it to believe it, and it is a technique I will continue to practice. "Not only did I learn, but I felt a deep connection with everyone that attended. I grew my reading list, and I learned that the aromatherapy and essential oil industries are not dead but only growing and evolving to be so much more than just a medical alternative."