Close your eyes, and as the gentle blue scents fill your senses, see endless fields of lavender in the hot blue gaze of the provencal sun. This is aromatherapy at its best a balm for mind and body, a wellspring for health, vitality, and serenity. Combining science with the versatility of nature, aromatherapy aims to restore the delicate balance between mind and body. There is a scientific basis for aromatherapy, although the way it works has been documented only relatively recently, especially if one bears in mind that the practice of aromatherapy, albeit in different forms, has been around for hundreds of years. The ancient egyptians are widely regarded as the first proponents of aromatherapy although they had no knowledge of distillation, using heavy oil or fat-based unguents instead. The survival of the mummies remains as testimony to the efficacy and potency of these oils, however, primitive their manufacture. The art of distillation, which produces oils in the form used today, can be traced back to mesopotamia, where the Persian physician Avincenna is credited with having discovered and perfected the art in the 11th century-this method has barely changed in 900 years. The benefits of aromatherapy were also well appreciated by the hedonistic Greeks and Romans both of whom made of extensive use of flowers, plants, and oils for medicinal purposes and as mood enhancers. The origins of aromatherapy as it is known today lie with the pioneer perfumier, Rene Maurice Gattefosse. After an explosion in the perfume laboratory where he worked, he used the closest substance at hand to cool his burn this happened to be lavender essence. The instant relief its brought, and the subsequent speed and degree of healing, were so significant that he pursued his studies into the therapeutic properties of plant oils. This work was extended by Marguerite Maury who combined the use of oils with massage, instead of administering them orally. As science and technology have evolved , it has been possible to established scientifically, what empirical evidence has shown for thousands of years. It has facilitated the isolation of components that make up the oils so that their specific properties can be investigated. The word 'essential' is derived from quintessence, which is defined as an extract or substance containing its principle in its most concentrated form. Essential oils are highly concentrated, active substances extracted from various parts of aromatic plants and trees. Such is their significance that they have been referred to as the life force of the plant and equated with the human spirit. However, in more scientific terms, they contain a highly complex mix of hundreds of organic compounds including ketones, esters, terpenes, and aldehydes, and many other molecules too comlex to identify. The complex chemical structure of the oils means that a single oil can be used to heal a range of disorders. Owing to the minute nature of these components and their volatility, the active elements are readily absorbed through the skin, and sometimes the lungs into the bloodstream and organs. The treatments available at the Royal Spa today are a merging of eastern and western methodologies, of the traditional and new, translating into a modern holistic therapy. Only the finest oils from E'SPA are used. Sourced world-wide according to carefully selected criteria, and for their purity and therapeutic qualities, a comprehensive selection of oils (either single or in blends) is available to treat disorders from stress and insomnia to more mundane problems such as sinus or headaches. In aromatherapy, essences are rarely used on their own being too highly concentrated. They are typically diluted in light carrier oils such as almond or grapeseed oil. Although there are many ways and techniques in which essential oils can be administered, massage is acknowledge to be one of the most effective, combining as it does the active concentrated oils with the therapeutic power of touch. In addition to inducing a pleasant sense of calm and well-being, massage is also particularly effective in improving circulation, reducing muscular and oint pain, and stimulating the immune system to improve resistance to disease. In the gentle and discreet ambience of the Royal Spa, qualified Therapists harness the aromatic benefits of E'SPA's all natural oils with massage to treat the whole person. The wonder of aromatherapy is that it can used as a treatment at so many levels- it gets to parts where conventional medicine doesn't, sometimes working profoundly on many different parts of the body and mind.