Aroma & Touch
T H E
S C I E N C E
O F
The AromaTouch Technique® is a combination of two of the most powerful senses, used in conjunction to
establish one simple way to give those you care for an individual essential oil experience. But just because it’s
simple doesn’t mean it isn’t profound. Whether it’s offering a hand technique to a new acquaintance or a full
AromaTouch Technique to a close friend, the olfactory and sensory stimulation induced by volatile aromatic
compounds and human touch is a scientifically validated means to developing a strong connection with
someone and positively influencing their well-being.
18 / WINTER 2018 LIVING MAGAZINE
grove can immediately induce
powerful memories of your
childhood? Or how the faint aroma of
cinnamon can remind you of mom’s
Sunday-morning cinnamon rolls, even
30 years later? It is basic human
biology. There is a direct connection
between your nose and your brain’s
emotional control center: the limbic
system. This is because the olfactory
bulb is the only neural structure in the
forebrain that takes input to the
amygdala yet does not receive
reciprocal projections. In other words,
information from your nose goes
Touch
The AromaTouch Technique is all about
creating an emotional connection, and
the science behind that connection is as
validated as it is compelling. Tactile
communication is our first form of
communication. We begin receiving
tactile signals in the womb, and then
touch plays a critical role in parent-child
relationships before verbal communi
cation is possible. It is, in essence, the
first sense we acquire and it is astonish
ingly effective. In recent studies, research
ers have shown that emotional commun
ication is very effective through touch,
nearly as effective as words and facial
cues. Not only is touch able to
communicate the tone of emotion
(whether it is positive or negative,
intense or subtle), but it may allow for
precise differentiation between types of
emotion. With voice and facial cues, we
can identify just one or two positive
signals that are not confused with each
other. Research has exhibited that touch
can communicate multiple emotions—
love, gratitude, sympathy, fear, anger—
and with astounding exactness. This
effect isn’t just limited to loved ones;
another study found that touch
communicates emotion nearly as
effectively when it occurs between
strangers. While our understanding
of the mechanisms involved with touch
and emotional messaging is still limited,
we do know that it can be more effective
than even verbal communication in
strengthening existing bonds and
developing new ones.
Along with the emotional
component, gentle touch can
also influence physiological
responses in ways other
communication simply cannot.
directly to the limbic system, which
controls mood, memory, and emotions.
Your body also contains far more
receptors associated with smell (over
1,000) than it does for any other sense.
Due to this, you are cap