Pg. 42-47 7 minute read
We thank our colleague Rita Van Parys for translating this "Giants" interview with Dominique Baudoux for our subscribers. The complete interview can be read in Summer issue 11.2 of Aromatika magazine.
Dominigue's work and vision, " I'm working on replicating the business model I developed 35 years ago in India, leveraging local aromatic plant resources. This initiative aims to enable India, a major producer of essential oils, to utilize them in pharmaceutical applications to potentially treat 2 billion people."
How did you initially get involved with aromatherapy, and what made you start working with essential oils?
My story kicked off quite unexpectedly with a phone call from a friend who practised homoeopathic medicine. He was already a believer in complementary therapies. He had no specific plans that evening, and neither did I. Out of the blue, he invited me to join him at a conference. Curious, I inquired about the topic. "Aromatherapy", he said. I remember responding with a puzzled "Aroma what?" as I had never heard of it before. Driven by curiosity, I decided to go along. As I listened to discussions about essential oils and scientific aromatherapy at the conference, something clicked inside me. It was as if a tiny, luminescent diode in one of the darker corners of my brain lit up, whispering, "This is what you need to do with your life. Embrace these plants. You've always been close to nature." That evening felt like a revelation, and I walked away determined to explore this path and help restore the reputation of essential oils.
Aromatherapy is a science that is not simple and is often misunderstood. How do you see the teaching and sharing of this science?
You mentioned that aromatherapy seems like a challenging science to crack. I often find myself explaining to my students that "difficult" might not be the best word to describe it. Instead, aromatherapy is complex. Let me tell you why.
First, consider the rich history that spans millennia, highlighting the use of essential oils across various civilizations. It's fascinating. But then, we must dive into botany because, at its core, aromatherapy is all about plants.
However, the effectiveness of these plants comes from their molecular structure, where biochemistry comes into play. We need to understand these molecules to grasp how essential oils work. And, of course, the quality of these oils is paramount. That's why the analytical aspect of studying essential oils is crucial – it ensures we know these beneficial molecules are present and active.
What do you think about the role of the Aromatherapist in the healing process?
The role of the aromatherapist is fundamental because, as I said, the symptom is just a tree that hides the forest. We see by the symptoms that there is a patient who is suffering. Simply curing the symptom, whatever it is and its location, is not a cure; it's just putting a bandage on something that is not right, and momentarily, it will be better. However, the pathological process is always in the patient. That is why I would say that treating a symptom is a first job, but the biggest job of the therapist is to go and treat the soul of the patient, his emotions because, at the start of any symptom, there is necessarily a psycho-affective disorder that opened the door to the establishment of some symptoms. In addition to that, let's remember this notion of the terrain, immune terrain, and emotional terrain, which are obligatory passages so that effectively, we have the patient who comes in his body, comes in his heart, and comes in his head. But Hippocrates never said anything other than that. So that's where the therapist's role is a key phenomenon for a lasting cure.
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