India Herbs

Publication: DNA World

Author: Shivangi Ambani-Gandhi

Date: 12 October 2006

SYDNEY: Walk into this Irani residence in a quiet suburb of Sydney and you are instantly overtaken by a thousand smells from the exotic Indian garden-mogra, ashwagandha, rose and sandalwood.   The home belongs to Farida Irani, a clinical aromatherapist and a qualified ayurveda practitioner.  Her unique blends of oils and fragrances, marketed as Subtle Energies, combine her expertise in the two sciences.

Irani will present a lecture on oils derived from sacred Indian plants on November 9, at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, as part of the Goddess: Divine Energy exhibition.  Her factory in Sydney manufactures these blends which are supplied to spas globally and a large chain of hotels in India.  She also conducts workshops and seminars in ayurveda aromatherapy and runs a clinic in her Sydney home.

“Aromatics have been a part of Indian tradition-like the burning of incense sticks,” adds Irani, who was recently invited to speak on the subject at the aromatherapy conference conducted by the National Association of Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) in Boston.

“Base oils of ayurveda such as black sesame seeds, ashwagandha and amla are not known to be used in aromatherapy. On the other hand, black pepper, cumin seeds and others, which find use in aromatherapy can be combined with ayurveda,” explains Irani.   “I enjoy talking to people about how they can make use of these oils - they act as moisturisers, smell good and are therapeutic,” she says.

Irani is the author of The Magic of Ayurveda Aromatherapy and was a committee member of the first international ayurveda and yoga conference in Sydney in April 2006.

The Australian government has also accredited her course, ‘Diploma in Ayurveda Aromatherapy’.  Not only does she tell people about combining aromatherapy and ayurveda to induce wellness, she also teaches them the Bowen therapy.  This technique, first developed by Tom Bowen in Australia helps empower the body’s own healing resources.  Irani trains Bowen practitioners in India.  “A lot of students just want to grab the concept and start teaching.  I tell my students after each module, to seize their spouse, mother, children — anyone-and practice on them.  Each experience in therapy is unique,” she says.   She has some inspiring stories of the remedial power of Bowen — a cancer patient whose health improved so greatly that she turned into a practitioner; stroke patients whose gait improved; children who couldn’t speak at all started talking a little.

“We may not be able to increase the life span of chronic patients, but we can improve their quality of life,” says Irani. “However, these techniques only complement conventional medicine.”   Irani does voluntary healing in her clinic in Cusrow Baug, Mumbai. “Many of the practitioners I teach in Mumbai go to the Happy Home and School for the Blind in Worli.  For a therapist, compassion is very important.” 

Farida Irani’s blend of oils and fragrances — manufactured in Sydney — are supplied to spas all over the world.

To learn the Bowen technique in India, contact Farida Irani at subtle@bigpond.net.au.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS