Floracopeia Blog

Dear friends:

In the last week we have traveled from here:

To here:

 

Pure Sandalwood Essential Oil that is sustainably produced is a rarity in the world of aromatherapy, a true aromatic treasure. This week, we are releasing a brand new Sandalwood oil that is as exquisite as any other in the world. If you're anything like us, you will fall in love the first moment you meet this intoxicating oil.

Why is this Sandalwood oil so special and what sets it apart from almost any other Sandalwood oil in the world? Watch the video below to find out.

Watch the Video: Introducing Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood Essential Oil 

Excerpts from the work by David Crow

If the tranquil heaven of sages gone to bliss had a fragrance, it would be sandalwood. The scent of “chandan,” as it is called in Sanskrit, is said to be the auric perfume emitted by those whose minds have cooled the flames of worldly passions, who are free of all attachments and egoistic cravings, who have transcended all sufferings of impermanence and ephemeral transitory existence. If purity of being, openness of heart, and loving kindness born of inner peace had a smell, it would be that of the finest golden oil suffused throughout the heartwood of the oldest sandalwood tree growing in the deepest forest of its native land. If there was a single aroma that evoked the memories of devotion, remembrance of the Divine, and aspiration toward enlightenment within the collective soul of the innumerable beings that have passed through this world, it would be that of sandalwood’s blue-gray smoke curling upward from the temple censer. 

A flower essence is a bioenergetic imprint of a flower that has been transferred and stabilized in water. It is the Qi or life force of the flower that has been captured by water. Flower essences work directly on our energetic system such as the acupuncture meridians and are used primarily to address issues involving our emotions, mind and soul and to support the healing of physical ailments. Flower essences are a primary treatment for what Traditional Chinese Medicine calls Shen or Spirit. Traditional Chinese Medicine primarily views Shen or Spirit as our psychological health and well-being.

 I am pleased to announce the release of the new traditionally made FlorAlchemy Flower Essences. I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to bring many unique flower essences, such as Immortelle and Palo Santo, to the world for the first time.

Flower essences, a primary treatment for what Traditionally Chinese Medicine calls Shen or Spirit, are energetic in nature working on the immaterial parts of ourselves such as our mind and soul.

One of my favorite things about flower essences is that they can be used safely by all ages, including babies, applied either topically or taken internally.

Until now, our travels through the agricultural regions, the argan forests of the coastal areas, the Atlas Mountains and the cities of Fez and Marrakech had been delightful, intriguing, educational and productive, but not otherworldly; the Sahara would change that.

We departed from Marrakech relatively early in the morning, as we had a long journey ahead. I had come to appreciate why Fez was Hamid’s favorite city and Marrakech his least favorite: the serious traffic, heavy pollution and general hardship of life for the crowds in the streets reminded me of similar claustrophobic scenes in cities of India. At least I didn’t have Hamid’s job of negotiating the car through impossible impasses of honking motorcycles, taxis, tour buses, horse-drawn carriages filled with tourists, cargo trucks, laborers pushing overflowing handcarts and the occasional donkey. We were also fortunate to have stayed in a tranquil riad in the middle of the old city, the silence of its thick walls and inner courtyard a surreal contrast to the chaos in the surrounding alleys.

A cold fog was blowing through the forest. Hamid pulled the car over and let us out along with Mohammed, our guide for the morning. We were outside of Ifrane, where we had spent the night. He drove off down the winding mountain road, with plans to meet later in the day at an unknown destination.

Mohammed was a recently retired schoolteacher who was born and raised in the alpine terrain of the Middle Atlas Mountains. “I did not see the coast until I was nineteen,” he told us, “even though it is only two hours away.” His true passion was nature and the local environment, and he was a highly knowledgeable botanist. We were setting off on a rugged hike to meet the local plants.

Sara and I were grateful that we had our winter clothes. Ifrane gets heavy snow, which makes the faux Swiss ski village a playground for the wealthy. Spring had not arrived yet.

“I will take you to a place I don’t take other people,” Mohammed confided in us. “I am afraid that if I show people this place it will be ruined.”

In the village of Azrou, situated in the Middle Atlas Mountains, we had the good fortune of meeting the women of the Al Amal Cooperative.  Al amal in Arabic means hope; it is here that nine women have dedicated themselves to the preservation of traditional botanical medicine for the last seven years.

The progressive Moroccan government, led by its very popular king, helps to financially support hundreds of women's cooperatives around the country.  The objective of these programs is to support women that most need work, such as those who are widowed, divorced or with very low paying jobs.

“Today we will see distillation in the home,” Hamid announced. We had just emerged from the medina and were ready for our afternoon excursion. I had no idea what he was referring to, but it sounded intriguing.

We drove through the new city of Fez; modern, hip, and affluent its wide boulevards crammed with cars were a stark contrast to the tiny walking lanes of the old city. The old and new cities seemed to have completely different cultures as well, with the new city having a distinctly younger westernized population and the old city appearing as left over from the past, with traditional clothing the norm and the general age of the people noticeably older. It was easy to imagine that many of people we had encountered in the shops of the medina never went outside the walls of their ancient realm.

I woke to the voice of God speaking in the language of birds and bubbling fountains; a short time latter two small earthquakes shook the pillared riad where we were staying. Welcome to Fez, the place the Sufis call “the city of saints.”

I lay listening to my heartbeat, a practice I do often; as always, the flow of the outer world dawned as its pulsating reflection.

We were in the heart of the medina, three hundred and fifty blocks of twisting narrow passages, stairways and tunnels where artisans and  merchants and their families have lived and died since the city’s founding in 809. Built to human scale, no car has ever passed this way or ever could. It would have been impossible to find our way to the guesthouse from the entrance of the old city, and equally so to find our way out.

Casablanca disappeared behind us in a haze of diesel fumes, street dust and factory smoke. It took a long time to get out of the crowded city, but eventually we were passing through oak groves harvested for their cork bark and small stands offering fresh melons and forest-harvested truffles. Our destination was the agricultural region of Meknes and Khemisset, midway between the Atlantic coast and Fez.

It is neroli season in Khemisset, when the exquisite aroma of citrus blossoms fills the air and their precious perfumed nectar is carefully distilled. Unfortunately, the manager of the first distillery we visited was not happy to see us.

The plane glided from the stratosphere toward dawn spreading across Morocco. Layers of violet and indigo sky gradually changed to blazing gold and fiery orange as the first rays spread across the cloud layer hiding Africa’s Atlantic coast. I savor such sublime moments, not only because another adventure is waiting but also because I abhor turbulent flights, and the ending of this one was so smooth that it felt as though we were suspended in space.

We are gearing up for our Earth Day Celebration this week.
To get started watch this inspiring video on The Learning Garden in Venice, Ca. This amazing program teaches high school students science through direct experience with plants and nature.

Great inspiration for a Learning Garden in your community! 

Today's video features a new essential oil offered from an Eco-project based in Haiti. David Crow shares how one amazing aromatic plant not only produces a soothing oil that is so needed in today's world, but also restores the Earth where it is planted.

Check out this new video where Jai Dev Singh, Ayurvedic Educator, explains how to use the Ayurvedic Essential Oil Blends he developed to create balance and support wellness year round. Learn a powerful way to use essential oils and aromathearpy based on ancient Ayurvedic principles.

Watch: Floracopeia's Ayurvedic Essential Oil Blends

While many people have a general idea of what Ayurveda is,

few have discovered its real powers.

There is no one thing that can define Ayurveda.

Ayurveda is not just a system of healing, or a way of eating...it is a yogic art that unveils the secrets to living a life of purpose, of dharma, and of happiness.

Dear friends...
Many of you may know that I enjoy meditation practice, and find artistic and spiritual inspiration from contemplating our deep intimacy with nature's elements. Many times in daily life, filled as it is with worldly responsibilities, I have wondered whether what I am doing is ultimately of any purpose and value, and whether I am on the right path or not; I know that I am not alone in such existential ponderings, nor or they anything new in human life.

Working with flower essences for over fifteen years now, I consistently see great results with them. In fact, I make custom blends for nearly every client I see in my clinical acupuncture practice. Flower essences are subtle energetic remedies that work directly on the immaterial parts of ourselves such as our emotions, mind and soul and their effects can range from subtle to profound. Over the years, I have wondered if there was a way to enhance the effects of the flower essences to make them more effective for a greater number of people. This interest set the stage for something I feel is quite innovate and profound to emerge.

Your wedding is a special event to cherish and share. What better way to preserve your treasured memories than to incorporate essential oils into your ceremony. Our sense of smell aids us in the most potent form of recall and can help us remember details that may otherwise remain forgotten. We have all had the experience of being transported to another time and place with just one smell of a familiar fragrance or essential oil. Why not use the fragrance of essential oils to keep the feeling of your special day alive?

Valentine's Day is coming up. Now is the time to gather your essential oils and begin daydreaming your perfect romantic evening. Aromatherapy is a great tool for creating a romantic, relaxing atmosphere. Read the steps below to create a truly memorable evening on Valentine's Day or for any special occasion.

Savitri is perhaps the most famous of Floracopeia's perfumes. Savitri is made up of what is said to be the finest combination of any two fragrances: Rose and Vetiver.

It has been several years since we have made this very special aromatic treasure available to the public.

We are very excited to have a special batch to share- just in time for Valentine's Day. Watch the video below as David tells the story of Savitri Perfume.

Video: David Crow Tells The Story of Savitri

Right now, millions of people around the world are purchasing commercial perfumes for Valentine's Day gifts

For those of us who appreciate and cherish the finer fragrances of botanical perfumes, it is hard to fathom wearing the harsh scents that dominate the aisles of every department store across the country.

David Crow did an amazing job delivering this point with crystal clarity in his latest video that you can watch below.

Watch: David Crow on Natural Perfumes and New Releases

As it happens every year, this day of Valentines is centered on attraction, couples, candy hearts, etc.  Although nothing wrong with this approach necessarily,  I feel like as a society we are missing an opportunity to focus on a greater truth about Love and go deeper into the heart of it.

We have been big fans of Sophie Uliano for years now. Her work to promote Natural Beauty on her website Gorgeously Green is fun and inspiring. She educates on the benefits of using natural products for our own health and the health of our planet.

Sophie highlights the best of the best in health and beauty products and is a wonderful resource for us all to narrow our search for natual beauty products.

Each year Sophie Uliano and Gorgeously Green select their top favorite products and issue Beauty Awards.

Floracopeia is pleased to be the recipient of the 2012 Award for "Best Essential Oil Blends & Perfume Attars" from Gorgeously Green.

Last year Sara and I were in the San Diego area for an event. I was approached by a young man who introduced himself as both a perfumer and a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which I thought was a very interesting combination of careers. We spent some time talking and I found that he was very inspired by the Floracopeia vision and mission of supporting sustainable production of aromatic treasures around the world.

The next day he brought some of his collection of his own aromatic treasures. It was a fascinating encounter: he had a box full of not just one agarwood oil, but numerous types of agarwood oils from all over southeast Asia, some of which have been aged for 50 years.

It's that time of year...

Throughout the country, millions of people are struggling to protect themselves from the hardships of winter. The news is filled with flu season stories that can put everyone on edge. While it is important to be proactive, it is counterproductive to be fearful.

Years ago, in college, I was enamored with Dreams. I studied Jung extensively and explored the symbols and meanings that our dreams can hold. Inspired by a course I was taking, specifically on dreams, I spent a year journaling my dreams, reflecting on them and discerning their meaning. It was a powerful time for me, as the more I reflected on my dreams the more vivid and insightful they became.

Years have passed since those dreamy days of college and in that time my dream journaling practice fell by the way side. Recently, I have sought to reestablish that deep connection with my dreams, and realized that essential oils and aromatherapy offered me a powerful tool to do so.

As part of our value of education, Floracopeia has been compiling a collection of Do It Yourself educational videos over the past few years. We have shared some of these videos with you through our Essence of the Season Celebration and our Community Immunity Project, and now we want to make this full library accessible to you.

Essential Oils and Natural Incense Resins are powerful tools for our meditation and spiritual practices. In addition to acting on the physical body to induce states of calm, essential oils and resins help still the mind so we can access higher experiences in our meditations and daily life. This opens the door for us to be able to create what we truly desire in our lives. Below is a list of the Top 8 Floracopeia Essential Oils for Mediation.

This blog post is inspired by the article How To Use Essential Oils Effectively. Click Here to read the full article from David Crow. Essential Oils are a potent form of plant medicine, so it is always best to use caution and educate yourself on safe essential oil use before using essential oils. Below are the Six Best Ways to Use Essential Oils for Health and Healing.

New Year's is an important time of year for reflecting on the year past and for opening up to the energy of the new year ahead. A champagne toast at midnight is one way to celebrate, but you can incorporate a more sacred element into calling in the new year using natural incense resins and essential oils.

Holidays are here sprinkled with sparkling smiles, laughter like wind chimes and glistening little lights to brighten our spirits.  And wishing, wishing for good things for ourselves and our lives, our world, our neighbors and our children...

Dear friends:

Without a doubt, those of us at Floracopeia will remember 2012 as an extraordinary time, the year that our little company truly blossomed.

There are a lot of kids in my family.  I have 3 sisters, and between them they have given me 8 wonderful nieces and nephews.  I have a son and a daughter myself.  The holidays are a hectic, chaotic and joyous occasion in my family.  We are blessed to all live in the same small town.  Mom still does holidays for our entire brood, plus 20 or so extended family and friends every year.

A warm, tasty, aromatic beverage is just the thing to keep us warm and festive when the weather outside is frightful. Meghan and Mojo of Floracopeia share some delicious Holiday Beverage Recipes Here. Please feel free to post your favorite Holiday receipe below!

Incense resins have been gathered and treasured for thousands of years. The aroma that these burning resins produce is a soothing natural incense that offers benefits to the mind, body and spirit. This simple practice can turn any indoor space into a temple. Learn how to Use Natural Incense Resins by watching the video below.

The world of Aromatherapy offers so many amazing gifts and treasures, many of which are focused towards women. So what do you gift the Men in your life? We would like to share some gift ideas that will be well received and appreciated by the Men on your list that range from the practical to the sublime.

Note- these suggestions have been approved by the men of Floracopeia and are sure to be enjoyed by all recipients!

It is so easy to overlook ourselves when we are busy with the Holidays and their preparation. Taking 15 minutes or less to pamper and nourish yourself is essential for wellness and wellbeing. Here are a few simple aromtherapy practices that will help you stay calm and relaxed through the Holiday Season.

The lovely and always radiant Meghan Archer of Floracopeia shares her secret for amazing skin. As a mother of two little ladies, Meghan keeps her skin care routine to only the key ingredients that yield results. Enjoy!

Judy Godec is the Goddess of Natural Skin Care. Judy is the owner of Venus and Vetiver and creator of Floracopeia's Aromatherapy Secrets for Flawless Skin Course. Here Judy offers us essential tips on keeping your skin radiant and glowing all Holiday Season!

Flower essences offer humanity a gift of renewal through their ability to transform the various way in which we may be limiting ourselves. Often times limitations only exist in our heads or in our own subjective awareness. What would our lives look life if we were able to see ourselves from the Great Divine perspective?

Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffusers are wonderful to use anytime of year. Around the Holiday's Diffusers can be come a simple tool to make your whole home more fun, festive and inviting.

Here are some ideas from a few of us at Floracopeia who love to incorporate Aromatherapy and Essential oils into our Holiday Celebrations.

The New Book by David Crow

Sacred Smoke: The Magic & Medicine of Palo Santo

Now Available in Paperback and Kindle Version

Watch the new video on how to make Aromatherapy Spritzers for Holiday Gift Giving

The word "Raj" conotes royalty and all that is of the highest calibur of creation.

A few years ago Floracopeia came upon a handful of products that exceeded all expectation in fragrance, quality and benefits. We created the Floracopeia Raj Collection to convey the excellence of these products which include a exquistie, ethically producted Sri Lankan Sandalwood and a White Rose CO2 solid Perfume -the finest sandalwood essential oil and rose essential oil we have come upon.

Today I would like to share a video from David Crow on our White Rose CO2 essential oil and introduce a new member to the Raj Collection.

This week we have shared some easy to make gift ideas, but one question you might have is how do I come up with my own aromatherapy essential oil blend?

There are many ways to develop a blend, but I would like to share a simple method to create custom essential oil blends for perfumery or making natural products.

There are so many ways to use essential oils! One of my favorite ways is to encorporate essential oils into each aspect of my personal care routine. Making your own personal care products with simple ingredients and essential oil is an easy way to ensure your skin care is natural and the perfect fit to your tastes.

The following recipes will guide you through creating the ultimate aromatherapy bath collection- a wonderful gift for anyone on your list who could use some pampering, yourself included! This Collection contains all natural Aromatherapy Bubble Bath, Massage Oil and an exfolliating Sugar and Salt Scrub.

On there own they each nourish and soften skin, and combined they make for an amazing gift package.

Watch this short video to see how easy it is to make all natural Aromatherapy Bath Salts using Floracopeia Essential Oils.

A trip to your mail box can be so much fun this time of year with all the Holiday Greeting Cards arriving!

You can easily make your Holiday cards even more special with the addition of Essential Oils.

It’s that time of year, where the weekends are set aside for making Holiday Gifts.

I love making gifts with essential oils and in this week I will be sharing some Do-It-Yourself videos and recipes that you can use to make your own special gifts.

First Impressions speak volumes.

My first impression of Floracopeia oils, when I met them years ago, was that they were connected to the lands from which the oils came. These were oils made from plants grown in their optimal environment, where they could meet their full potential, under the conditions that Mother Nature intended. There was a sense that this bottle came to me directly from the plants and distillers that produced them. There was an energy to the oils, beyond their incredible fragrance, that was unlike anything I had experienced in my years of working with essential oils.

The winter holiday season is filled with sacred inspiration. Traditions around the world honor the return of light even after the longest night. We gather with those we love and honor all that is and all that we wish to create in the coming new year.

We want to offer you inspirations on how to invigorate your holiday season with ancient wisdom, some modern innovations and the essential oils connected to this time of year.

Starting the day after Thanksgiving, we’ll begin a special online event called The Essence of the Season: Floracopeia’s Aromatic Holiday Celebration

Aromatherapy Diffusers are a great tool for any parent to utilize to keep their family happy and healthy. There are many reasons why we would want to diffuse essential oils for children that I want to share with you.

If you are new to diffusing essential oils, you might want to start with an Essential Oil Blend formulated for diffusing. Floracopeia has a unique line of 100% pure, undiluted Essential Oil Blends that can be added directly to your diffuser.

The air we breathe has a major impact on our health and wellbeing. Studies show that the air in our homes contains toxins and microbes that negatively impact our immune systems functioning. With winter weather driving those of us in the Northern Hemisphere inside, we need to bring our attention to the quality of our indoor air and focus on what we can do to improve it.

Never in modern history have medicinal herbs been as important as they are today. Never has the knowledge of using herbs and food for health and healing been so vital to our livelihood.

In this current time where high stress is a fact of life for so many of us, where environmental toxicity is so prevalent, where depression and anxiety have become the norm, and where our societies have been detached from the wisdom cultures that once guided us, the knowledge of using healing herbs and foods as a daily lifestyle could not be more urgent.

I am very pleased to announce that after about a year of working on the new FlorAlchemy Flower Essence Line that they are now ready for all of you.  This line represents a long journey for me in which I have been putting together many special ingredients, some from far away lands such as the island of Corsica.  My work with the flowers is close to my heart and this line is very much a co-creation between myself and the flowers with the intention of spreading floral healing to more people. -Sara Crow

by Eric Cetnarski

Article published on triplepundit.com as part of the Lessons In Sustainable Business series by students at the Presidio Graduate School.

This rejuvenative skin serum was discoverd by David and Sara Crow on their tour of Corsica. Watch as David Crow Introduces Floracopeia's newest and most effective skin care product- The Nectar of Immortelle: Rejuvenative Skin Serum.

Sometimes one finds the most incredible treasures in the most unexpected places. In this case, the treasure was off a highway running along the southern coast of Corsica, down a steep and rutted dirt road where cars could not pass without fear of being stranded at the bottom of the ravine, across a small creek, a moderate walk through the forest and then a stroll across an open plateau overlooking fields of helichrysum and beautiful valleys.

These days we are so overwhelmed with chemical exposure that it is essential to keep our homes as chemical free as possible, especially with the rise in reported allergies and chemical sensitivities.

Why are we calling Floracopeia's new, wild Helichrysum the world's #1 healing oil? Watch the video Below.

Immortelle by David Crow

(From Beloved Plants)

"How did immortelle come to have its name?" I was once asked.

I don't know. I don't want to know. I would prefer to avoid what botanists and historians and linguists might have to say or postulate; I would rather not search for archaic herbal lore that would lead to stories about Napoleon’s infatuation with the perfumed landscape of his Corsican home and other such tiresome and probably inaccurate anecdotes. No, I would prefer to leave the question a mystery

Lavender essential oil is an aromatherapy favorite, as it has an extensive list of uses and an aroma that appeals to almost everyone. For most of us, it is the first essential oil we experience, and for good reason! Lavender is gentle enough to use with children and the elderly, and effective enough to provide deep healing for the mind, body and spirit. What a wonderful combination for the both the novice and the experienced aromatherapist!

Watch as David Crow introduces the Unique Medicinal Oils from Corsica.

Going back to school is an exciting and stressful time for school-aged children and those who love and care for them. That is why I always bring my essential oils into our Back To School survival routine! As the parent of two special-needs children, age 11 and 12, I have endured the joys and trials of back to school time since my daughter was 3.

The first time I met Cistus oil was many years ago. I used it a few times in some experimental perfume blends and was impressed with its depth, richness and intriguing complexity. After that I put the vial away and forgot about it; when I opened the drawer many years later and took out the oil its fragrance was as full and intense as when I had last smelled it.

I was first introduced to flower essences over seventeen years ago. I still marvel at what happened during my first year of using them. With the help of the flowers, I was able to overcome some significant deep-seated and painful challenges I was experiencing at the time; it was then that I really took notice of how powerful flower essences can be. I still feel deep gratitude for this gift of grace and healing from the natural world.

     The heat of summer is here. Fortunately, Floracopeia has an array of essential oils to keep you cool, refreshed and grounded all summer long. 

It is very important to keep yourself cool during the long hot summer days. Otherwise, an excessive amount of heat can accumulate within the body, causing irritability, skin problems, mood swings and exhaustion.

You may be surprised how effective the smart use of essential oils can be for keeping your body and mind balanced throughout the summer. 

Below are the Floracopeia Staff’s Top 10 Cooling Oils for summer comfort and wellbeing, as well as our Top 10 Summer Essential Oil Uses.

Ylang Ylang essential oil is distilled from the tropical flower, ylang ylang or Cananga odorata. The name ylang ylang means “flower of flowers” and it is no wonder since the aroma is exquisitely floral. If ever there was a fragrance of heaven on earth it is ylang ylang. It has both a delicate, heady floral note and an earthy musk, a blend of the ethereal with the terrestrial.

Frankincense resin and Frankincense essential oil have been key ingredients in both the sacred rituals and daily life of many cultures. Used as Incense to elevate the spirit and promote wellbeing, frankincense resin supports health with each fragrant breath. Frankincense essential oils, distilled from frankincense resin, offer a powerful yet gentle remedy for many health conditions, while simultaneously drawing the mind to higher, more meditative states.

Named for the Sun, The Floracopeia Surya Collection, reflects the full potential of men’s natural fragrances. Unlike men’s colognes that contain synthetic fragrance and alcohol, Floracopeia’s Natural Perfumes and Botanical Fragrances utilize only the finest essential oils and organic jojoba oil. This combination creates a natural fragrance that not only smells better then synthetic men's cologne, it is better, for your health and wellbeing.

The Floracopeia Ayurvedic Skin Care Line is formulated with the wisdom of Ayurveda to promote true, radiant, natural beauty. The collection is a full natural skin care line, developed by Dr. John Doulliard, consisting of six products that can be used individually, or ideally used as a Complete Collection for optimal results.

There is no flower that has captivated humanity quite like rose. Its sweet, delicate fragrance inspires feelings of love that range from agape to passion. This flower inspired perfumers to develop technologies to best capture rose essential oil to preserve its alluring fragrance. A natural perfume of rose is hard to come by as there are plenty of synthetic attempts on the market. Few distillers can capture rose fragrance into a natural perfume that will do rose justice. Rose essential oil is costly to produce so many people never get the chance to experience a true rose essential oil or pure rose absolute.

Floracopeia now offers a beautiful natural perfume of Rose in its recently launched Chandra Collection of Natural Perfumes infused into jojoba. Rose absolute is blended with organic jojoba oil to produce an oil that is much less expensive rose essential oil and captures the fragrance of rose that we all seek to emulate naturally.

With the launch of this new rose perfume, it seems the perfect time to republish an article on Rose written by David Crow which features Rose Natural Perfume. If you have not had a chance to experience the Rose Petal Infused Perfume you are in for a real treat.

In the meantime, enjoy this poetic celebration of Rose.

Click here to exlpore all Floracopeia Products that feature Rose.

The Art of Perfumery extends far back into the history of humanity. Essential oils and Absolutes have been extracted from the World’s most exotic flowers in an effort to preserve their aromatic beauty and extend their floral fragrance to the lucky recipient of the precious oil.

A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing Floracopeia founder, David Crow.

The subject matter was the use of aromatherapy and essential oils according to the ancient wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

David's perspective is quite intriguing and his mind is very attuned to the intricacies of the subject. Through his expertise in both aromatherapy and TCM, he accomplishes the difficult task of taking something that is relatively modern (the use of essential oils) and teaches it through the lens of a traditional medical context (TCM). The result is wonderful. We are left with a sophisticated and comprehensive approach to using aromatherapy that leaves no stone unturned in its ability to address the health of the human being.

There is no better essential oil to support wellbeing through the transition of Spring then Tulsi Essential Oil. Tulsi, or Holy Basil, is renowned for its purifying effects on the air we breathe. In India, this sacred plant is grown outside of temples and surrounds the precious Taj Mahal in efforts to reduce the impact of pollution.

Your wedding is an event to cherish and remember. What better way to preserve your treasured memory then to incorporate Essential Oils and Aromatherapy into your ceremony. Our sense of smell aids us in the most potent form of recall that can help us remember details that may remain forgotten.

When inflammation and icky, dirty conditions arise, where do you turn for a natural, holistic fix?  Most of us in the aromatherapy world answer this automatically with tea tree oil.  Tea tree oil is a fantastic substance that those of us in the know turn to for the health and well-being of numerous skin issues and for its natural cleansing properties.  So, what do we do when we encounter someone who is allergic to plants in the melaleuca family, which is the genus that tea tree belongs to?

If you have had the chance to smooth Rotuma oil on your skin you know how nourishing and revitalizing it is. Now, in honor of International Women’s Day, let us share with you the beautiful story of how the production of Floracopeia’s Rotuma oil nourishes and revitalizes the community and traditions on the remote island in which it is produced.

This morning I was greeted with a most enchanting message when I opened my email inbox. The email did not have anything to do with the usual day to day business matters that I am accustomed to receiving each morning.

The message was from David Crow.  He was writing from coastal Ecuador, where he and his lovely wife Sara have traveled to study one of the great aromatic treasures of the global garden, Palo Santo.

Over the next few weeks, David will be sending all of us his dispatches from Ecuador; updates from the Palo Santo Journey. The trip will culminate with a special webcast class David will be teaching from Ecuador entitled, Palo Santo: The Tree of Life. In addition, he will release an exclusive eBook called The Tale of Palo Santo. (To register for the webcast and to receive the dispatches from David's Palo Santo Journey right to your inbox, enter your info in the webform at the bottom of this email.)

The Floracopeia Wish List is now functional!  Thanks to the requests of our valued customers, it is now easier than ever to let your loved ones know exactly what you desire.  Whether it is for a birthday, holiday or other special occasion, make sure that they know that you want the gift of Floracopeia.

The recording from Kris Wrede's class Aromatica Erotica: How To Make A Love Potion is now available. Register & Listen Here.   Here are the love potion recipes from Kris' class so you can re-create the romantic mystery in your own life. The key is to honor the sacred nature of perfume and to breathe it in.....literally and figuratively every day.  Remember the root word “per-fumem” and think of it when you create a magical offering to the universe.

Learn the fine art of using all of your senses to bring alive a full expression of heart-centered sensuality, passion and seduction. Learn how to use plants to enhance and awaken ones passionate heart. Begin with food, libations, flirting, intimate love letters, poetry, and massage using your own custom love potion. Open up a whole new world by increasing your inherent sensuality and attracting more love and abundance into your life!

Mitti Attar captures the fragrance of the earth, derived from distilling cakes of mud into sandalwood. This rich, earthy, soothing, and exotic aroma was created by the ancient Indian perfumers to capture the smell of the first monsoon rain on the soil. 

"And suddenly these molecules of attar they acquire your auric field. Your entire aura becomes fragrant. And wherever you go you are highly welcomed by the people... It has a great self healing power."~Dr. Vasant Lad

Mitti attar is widely known in India for it's grounding, calmative effect. In Ayurvedic circles it is a great vata pacifying oil.

See the video of Dr. Lad talking about his favorite attar: Mitti Attar.

Dear friends,

The holiday season has both its joys and its stresses...and it is easy to get caught up in the hustle of the consumer gift craze.

This year we've tried to pull off something miraculous...in fact, we attempt it every year...

We try to somehow stay connected to the deeper essence of the holiday season, while simultaneously making sure that our business is very successful during this time.

Often, these two things are not resonant with one another....they clash. Most of us do not feel good about the materialistic pursuit that has become the primary focus of our sacred holidays.

Watch part two...

As many of you know, this week we have officially released David Crow's Aromatic Alchemy Course. After a long wait and lots of anticipation...it is finally here! Watch what Jai Dev has to say about David's course...and then below the video, enter your email to get a free intro class to the course (as well as a pretty sweet discount code for those of you who would like to get the whole package). 

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 this practice “Aromatic Alchemy.”

Floracopeia has a selection of what we consider to be the finest natural perfumes that you can get. If you aren't familiar with Attars, they are the traditional perfumes of India. They are laboriously hand-crafted, using ancient distillation methods. These methods, which produce superior grade products, are being abandoned because of competition from cheaper, synthetic, low-quality substitutes.

Save 15% off Frankincense Hydrosol thru Thur Oct 13th.

If you are reading this post, you probably already understand the value of using botanicals for health, beauty, and hopefully, ritual practice. Today we’re digging into one of my favorite facial toners: frankincense hydrosol.

You know that Floracopeia’s essential oils are irresistible when a perfect stranger follows you through the aisles of a bookstore just to ask which perfume you are wearing.

The love affair with aromatic and medicinal substances of oily texture smeared on the body has ancient origins. Although the word anoint has been part of the English language only since c. 1303 A.D., historical records show human beings engaged in the act of either anointing or being anointed since the times of Ancient Egypt.

Aromatherapy Diffusers are a great way to use your essential oils to stay healthy during cold & flu season. We've found they are one of the easiest ways to use essential oils safely and effectively.

Dear friends of Floracopeia:

Those of you who have been following the growth and development of Floracopeia know that we are much more than an essential oil company: we are devoted to ongoing education through our numerous events, articles and courses; we have launched MedicineCrow.com as our online botanical community; and we are deeply committed and involved with sustainable and organic production of essential oils from many continents.  Even our lines of Aromatic Treasures reflect this diversity, with every month seeing many new oils, resins, and hydrosols coming from farms and distillers near and far.

In the age of the internet, it is rare to come across a piece of writing that truly stirs the soul, that moves us in a way that is similar to how we feel when we've just heard the song of a superb vocalist, watched a cinematic masterpiece, or tasted the cuisine of a master chef. 

Yet, that is how I felt many years ago when I first turned the pages of In Search of the Medicine Buddha (pages that have since been worn out from constant revisiting), and it is also how I felt today when I opened my email and had the good fortune of reading the latest prose born from the mysterious mind of Mr. David Crow.