A Message from David Crow: Aromatic Alchemy Retreat
Dear friends:
Floracopeia has now hosted two of the three training programs that will constitute our complete teacher certification series, both of which were spectacular successes on all levels. The first, “In the Garden of the Medicine Buddha,” was a celebration of how plants and natural medicine can create a healthy spiritual culture. The second was our Teacher Training program in essential oil therapeutics. The third is coming this fall, titled The Aromatic Alchemy Retreat.
Many people have asked about the nature and content of this retreat, scheduled for September at the beautiful Shady Creek center.
There will be three primary subjects and activities.
The first is guided body-centered meditations to experientially study the nature of essential oils, their effects, and the botanical pranic intelligence they contain. These are the mindfulness practices that have been offered during the Contemplative Aromatherapy retreats for the last two years around the country, but we will have more time to explore them in a sustained and comprehensive way.
The second is an in-depth focus on the therapeutic uses of specific oils. We will do this by studying herbal texts and monographs that explain the properties and functions of each plant and its oil in detail, complemented with an overview of recent scientific studies.
The third is teachings on the principles of eco-spirituality found in Ayurveda, and its relevance specifically to aromatic plants and their functions.
We will move cyclically through these three activities in a relaxed but focused way, from a study of therapeutics to a meditation to a discussion about the Ayurvedic interpretation of the teachings and contemplative experiences. Each cycle of study will last about twenty minutes, so we will explore one oil or one group of oils from all three perspectives 
every hour.
When we approach an essential oil with concentration and mindfulness it begins to reveal hidden dimensions of beauty, power and intelligence that are not ordinarily noticed. As we integrate these new perceptions into a greater awareness of our own physiological reactions to the plant’s essence, we begin to understand how we are deeply connected to all of life, specifically to the photosynthetic beings that give us nourishment and medicines. By exploring this biological unity through our own senses, we come to realize directly that the processes of life occurring in and around us are truly the expressions and manifestations of an underlying miraculous and profound consciousness, as so eloquently described by the language of Ayurveda. For that reason, we call are calling this retreat Aromatic Alchemy.
Unlike the previous retreats where many teachers were featured, I will be teaching the entire program.
With the completion of this third retreat, Floracopeia will have reached an important milestone: offering a complete teacher training program in three large events, consisting of a global vision of the healing power of plants, a more focused study of the field of aromatherapy and the uses of oils, and a contemplative and still deeper study of the intelligence which the oils contain. It has been a truly remarkable year of growth, expansion, hard work and celebration for all of us at Floracopeia; we thank you for your commitment and support, and invite you to join us for the completion of this series.
David
Learn More and Register Here
Tags: alchemy, aromatherapy retreat, aromatic alchemy training, Ayurveda, David Crow, essential oil, essential oils, Floracopeia
This sounds great! I was already signed up but I thought it would be mainly contemplative aromatherapy — which I was really looking forward to. But I’m glad to know there will be more about therapeutics as well. It sounds like a great mix of activities and a great way to learn deeply about the different essential oils.
I am a little confused about something in your post. You say it’s the 3rd class required for certification. But at the spring retreat, you gave us all certificates and didn’t say anything at that time about needing to take another course. In fact, I seem to remember you explaining at that retreat that it was only the Medicine Buddha retreat and the spring “Certification Training” retreat that were needed to qualify us as Floracopeia instructors.
I’m already signed up for the Aromatic Alchemy because I wanted to do some of the contemplative aromatherapy experiences. That’s actually what I thought was going to happen at the retreat last fall and I was disappointed that we didn’t really do that. So I’m glad I will finally get to do more of what I was introduced to at your half day workshop in Chicago several years ago.
But it seems like you’re changing the certification requirements in midstream for some people. Plus I’m still wondering whether this certification is going to be recognized by NAHA to qualify us to take their exam to become a registered aromatherapist. Have you been working with their guidelines to put this whole certification program together?
By the way, you don’t necessarily need to post this. I just wanted to raise the questions.
Hey Susan,
Thanks for the questions. There has been a little confusion over this so let me address it here. The certification course you took in March/April is a full certification course in itself. However, as we’ve developed these programs, we realized that it is really the three of them together that cover the comprehensive Floracopeia vision and approach. It is something that is developing organically for all of us and it seems to have a life of its own. Nothing has really changed other than the language we are using to describe it. It just makes sense that the three be thought of as a complete package at this point. The In the Garden of the Medicine Buddha retreat is based on the synthesis of medicine, ecology and spirituality and brings out the deeper essence of the vision. It is the foundation. The Floracopeia Certification Course is based on the use and science of the aromatic medicines, and the Aromatic Alchemy Retreat is based on the meditative approach and the deeper layers of the science. With that being said, the certification is as valid today as it was when you received it in April. The certification requirements may or may not change going forward but either way, the current graduates will be grandfathered/grandmothered in. Thank you for your concern. I’m sure a lot of folks will appreciate you voicing it….
All the best…hope to see you on MedicineCrow soon!
Jai Dev
Hi! Is it possible for people to attend this “third part” who have not done the other two first, and will you then be offering the other two courses again in the future? I will be attending the retreat in Chapel Hill, NC this weekend, so I will ask David there also – about all this great stuff you all have going on! Thaks! -Ione