AROMATIC DISTILLATION
with Erika Galentin
Postponed – TBA
Friday, April 24 9am – 4pm
CREATING OUR PERSONAL BOTANICAL PERFUME
– AROMA, PSYCHE AND OUR SENSES
Come a day early and explore aroma and our senses of olfaction (smell) and gustation (taste) and their powerful influence over the psyche and body. Erika will explore the anatomy and physiology of these two senses, as well as examples of how our psyche can influence our body’s physiology. There will be hands-on, experiential opportunities to interact directly with different aromas as well as create your own botanical perfume / anointing oil. Our work with aroma will be followed up with a leisurely herb walk adventure.
Saturday & Sunday, April 25 & 26
AROMATIC DISTILLATION:
A RITUAL JOURNEY OF SELF-REFLECTION
Join Erika Galentin, for a two-day workshop exploring aromatic distillation as a ritual journey of self-reflection and an empowering platform for the development of sacred plant-human relationships. Day one of this workshop will dive deeply into honoring the plant we will be distilling using Goethean and phenomenological techniques of subjective observation. Through various exercises, the expression of the plant will reveal itself to us in preparation for the following day’s distillation. Day two of this workshop will focus on the aromatic distillation itself, including a primer on the ‘anatomy and physiology’ of aromatic distillation using a cooper alembic still. In addition, we will utilize this ancient alchemical process as both a physical and metaphorical platform for journeying with our psyches, our hearts, and our spirits.
Participants will be asked to bring with them an object of personal significance which speaks to them of something they wish to transform in themselves. This could be a totem, talisman, piece of art, written word, or poetry. These objects will be placed on a distillation altar as a means of creating safe, sacred space for our collective work. They will also be drawn upon in a facilitated discussion as the aromatic distillation is taking place. With these gestures we will seek to not only distill the aroma of the plant itself, but to also distill an essence of our personal and collective transformations which will ultimately be inherited by the hydrosol that is produced. At the end of the workshop participants will take a bottle of the distilled aromatic hydrosol home which can be used for further support, inspiration, and guidance in our personal journeys.
Participants are also asked to bring a journal with them to capture the reflective exercises. In addition, please bring your favorite drawing/painting medium including colored pencils, crayons, pastels, watercolors, etc. Bottles for hydrosol will be provided.
More about the Workshop and Erika’s approach to Aromatic Distillation
Aromatic distillation is the process used to extract essential oils and hydrosols from aromatic plants. Distillation is alchemical in nature; it is a process that relies on the four elements of earth, air, fire, & water for the physical transformation of one form into another. However, alchemists of old considered their work to also be a journey of personal and spiritual self-development, with each stage of the process holding significance. Modern alchemical scholars have interpreted this metaphorically whereby alchemy can also be considered a progression of processes within the psyche. In this interpretation, the ‘lead into gold’ of the alchemists of old becomes an inspirational allegory for the work required for the refinement of Self and emanation of the Soul. Therefore, each aromatic distillation can provide a platform for developing deeper relationships with ourselves and our unconscious.
About Erika Galentin, MNIMH, RH (AHG)
Erika is a Clinical Herbalist, aromatherapist, distiller, grower, and medicine-maker, consulting from Sovereignty Herbs in Athens & Columbus, OH. She holds a degree in Herbal Medicine from the University of Wales, Cardiff, UK and Scottish School of Herbal Medicine, Glasgow, UK. She is a professional member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (UK) and the American Herbalists Guild (USA). Over a decade of clinical practice has provided a platform for witnessing the efficacy of medicinal plants and aromatics within a clinical environment. It is through this clinical practice that Erika seeks to encourage positive, learned relationships between plants and people and people and their bodies. She is a firm believer in celebrating the role that emotions and the psyche play in the ecology of our physical terrain. In addition to clinical practice, Erika is both a student and teacher of horticulture, native medicinal plant conservation and ecology, and the phenomenological and Goethean study of plants and their medicinal virtues. Erika participates as a member of the Education Committee of the American Herbalists Guild as well as the Stewardship Committee of Appalachia Ohio Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of land and water in Southeast Ohio. Follow on Facebook & Instagram: @themedicinegardener, @sovereigntyherbs
Registration & Details:
Entire weekend $350; Friday only $100; Saturday & Sunday only $285
