For 2012, Dr. Joie Power is going to present her Level I & II Aromatherapy Workshops twice as five day sequential events.

The Level I Aromatherapy Workshop will be presented over two days, and then the Level II Workshop will be presented over two subsequent days with a one day break in between the two workshops.

Students may elect to take both workshops or just one. Level I is available to all Healing Arts Practitioners (or with special permission). Level II is open only to graduates of Level I.

Level I: Foundations of Aromatherapy for Healing Arts Practitioners - Next Level I June 2 & 3 & then again August 18 & 19.

Level II: Creating Essential Oil Blends for use in Clinical Settings - Next Level II June 5 & 6 & then again August 21 & 22.

Level III: Clinical Practice in Healthcare Settings - Next Level III: September 22 & 23.

Cost for the 2012 two-day workshops is $295.00 Early / $345.00 Late (less than 30 days prior) - Reserve your seat for $150.00 (one class).
Register for the Level I and Level II sequence and Save $50.00 $575.00 Early / $675.00 Late - Reserve your seat for $250.00 (two classes).
Note: Classes are beginning to fill so be sure to Reserve your Seat.

All of the above workshops will be at Wyldhaven, Dr. Power's Farm near Asheville - Quite a beautiful spot about 30 min SE of Asheville / 20-25 min. S. of Black Mountain / 15 min. N. of Bat Cave / 40-45 min. NE of Hendersonville

Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata var. genuina)

Ylang ylang essential oil gives us one of the most beautiful aromas in the world and it is sometimes known as “poor man's jasmine”. It is distilled from the flowers of Cananga odorata var. genuina, which is a tropical evergreen tree that grows to about 60 or 70 feet in height and is native to the Philippines. It has large fragrant flowers that mature to a pink, mauve, or yellow color. The yellow flowers are considered best for essential oil extraction and are generally the only ones that are distilled. Ylang Ylang trees have been planted and are farmed for oil in a number of tropical climates, including Hawaii but the best ylang ylang essential oil comes from Madagascar, Reunion, and the Comoro Islands off the SE coast of Africa.

You need to be aware of the difference between true Ylang Ylang, which comes from Cananga odorata var. genuina and its close cousin, Cananga, which comes from Cananga odorata var. macrophylla. Cananga oil is greatly inferior to true ylang ylang so make sure you're getting the right essential oil when you purchase.

In the Malay language, ilang ilang is said to mean flower of flowers. There is a lovely custom in Indonesia of spreading ylang ylang flowers on the bed of newlyweds and it has been used in some of the SE Asian islands in a cosmetic ointment for the hair and skin and also to prevent fever and fight infections. In the Hawaiian Islands, it is mixed with coconut oil and the mixture, known as borriborri, is rubbed on the body and hair. It was used in Europe and America during the Victorian era in a popular hair treatment called Macassar oil and also to soothe insect bites.

The best essential oil is extracted by steam distillation of the flowering tops, which yield a good ester content. Cheaper oils may be produced by including lower leaves in the distillation but such oils will not be good for aromatherapy.

Ylang Ylang (YY) essential oil is unique in that it is distilled in “fractions” and is therefore not a “whole” essential oil. Six “grades” of Ylang Ylang are extracted by this process:

• YY Extra Superior - this is the highest grade and comes only from certified organic flowers produced on Mayotte Island off the Coast of Madagascar- it is the first fraction of the distillation, taken after one to two hours. The supply of this oil is very limited and so it is expensive and extremely hard to find.
• YY Extra - this is very similar to YY Extra Superior; it is taken off early in the distillation process during the first hour or so but is not necessarily from certified organic flowers. It's also produced in the Madagascar Islands but not on Mayotte Island. This is the grade that's considered to have the most ethereal aroma of all the grades that are readily available for use in aromatherapy. Like the YY Extra Superior, it has higher levels of esters than other fractions and is most calming.
• YY First (aka YY #1 or YY Premiere) - this is taken off in the second to third hour of distillation. This fraction is rich in esters and sesquiterpenes.
• YY Second (aka YY#2 or YY Seconde) - this is taken off at the fifth to 8th hour of distillation and is not good for AT.
• YY Third (aka YY #3 or YY Troisieme) - this is taken off after 8 to 13 hours and is also not good for aromatherapy; however, it is widely used by soap makers and is therefore sold by many suppliers.
• Sometimes, the first three fractions are combined and the resulting product is called Ylang Ylang Complete. I have found some aromatherapists who prefer to use Ylang Ylang complete; my personal preference is Ylang Ylang Extra.
• Note: According to Guenther, there are no fixed rules regarding the times at which each grade is taken off and every producer follows their own method, with some using time and some using specific gravity to define each fraction.

Ylang Ylang essential oil is traditionally credited with having many useful properties but is most noted in Western aromatherapy literature for being uplifting yet calming and as an antispasmodic, nervine tonic, reproductive system tonic and aphrodisiac. It is said to have balancing and regulating actions in both the reproductive and nervous systems. Ylang has been shown in some studies to reduce addictive cravings.

In its subtle effects, Ylang Ylang is said to help integrate our physical bodies with our emotions. I have offered this oil to people who have suffered traumas, including abuse, and have found it to have a strong energetic action in those situations where trauma has left a person feeling emotionally numb and disconnected. In Chinese Medicine, ylang ylang is said to be energetically cool and moist - in other words, it is a yin tonic- and consistent with this classification I have found it to be beneficial during menopause and for people who are suffering from nervous exhaustion.

Ylang ylang is non-toxic and non-irritant but has been removed from many cosmetics due to the fact that it has been found to cause allergic reaction/sensitization in some people; it is especially important to do sequential patch testing prior to using on larger areas of the skin. The aroma, although very beautiful, is very heady and causes headache and nausea in a few people so use it in moderation (low concentrations and not for long periods).

©Copyright 2012 Joie Power, Ph.D. / The Aromatherapy School

Be sure to check out the special sale prices offered by Artisan Aromatics below.

We'll be sure to let you know when these projects completed.

Artisan Aromatics Artisan Aromatics carries three Ylang Ylangs, Ylang Ylang Extra, Ylang Ylang Complete and Ylang Ylang III. In addition to the 100+ Essential Oils that are available online including over 35 organic or wildcrafted essential oils, Artisan Aromatics has many new Aromatherapy Blends as well as quite a few "ready-to-use" massage blends.

April Special: 15% Discount for all Newsletter Subscribers.
Order online and use Coupon Code: Newsletter15 when you check out.
Sale ends on April 30th. Order NOW: Online Shop

Artisan Aromatics offers a great selection of professional quality essential oils and absolutes including Gardenia, Rose, Tuberose, Lavender, Tea Tree, Ylang Ylang, etc. and offers substantial discounts to Healing Arts Practitioners as well as Students of The Aromatherapy School. To receive the Practitioner Discount, enter Practitioner10 in the Coupon Code box when you check out. Current and former students of The Aromatherapy School receive an even larger discount of 20%: enter Student20 in the Coupon Code Box when you check out.

Artisan Aromatics has also created three Aromatherapy Kits for The Aromatherapy School (buying the kit saves 5%). Each kit (for Level I, Level II, & Level III) contains all the oils covered in each level. Students are not required to purchase the kits but, if you are in need of a number of essential oils, Artisan Aromatics has made these professional quality essential oil kits available at a discount. The Kits are available to all, not just students and practitioners. When you buy a kit, you get a 5% discount over individual essential oil prices plus Healing Arts Practitioners and Aromatherapy School Students get further discounts. 10% off for Healing Arts Practitioners / 20% off for current and former students of The Aromatherapy School.

Artisan Aromatics