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THE ANOINTING
Smell on you
BY NINA WILLDORF

Françoise Rapp has a unique way of treating patients for everything from melancholia to severe pain. She dabs on blends of essential oils and tells them to take a whiff. The San Diego–based aromatherapist — who has whipped up olfactory-bulb-teasing blends for the likes of Madonna and Deepak Chopra — has pioneered a marriage of science, religion, and the senses. She calls it aromalchemy. We sniffed around for more information.

Q: What is aromalchemy?

A: This is a process that I designed. I use the power of essential oils to heal emotional, mental, and spiritual patterns. I use also a lot of my intuition. I’m able to determine which energy center is imbalanced, then I determine what type of fragrances I’m going to choose and how I’m going to blend it.

Q: So, like, could you treat a broken leg?

A: I would recommend them a doctor. I could also soothe the pain by relaxing. In France, we use aromatherapy as a medical means. It’s extremely powerful and could be dangerous if you don’t know how to use it.

Q: How does one become an aromalchemist?

A: I have an international license of aromatherapy. I was also trained in France by an alchemist and a Catholic priest in preserving the ancient art of anointing.

Q: What have you done for Madonna and Deepak Chopra?

A: I created personalized fragrances. For Madonna, gardenia was the dominant scent. It’s uplifting, comforting, and it’s also awakening. It’s beauty. It’s purity.

For Deepak, it was more woodsy citrus. It’s grounding, centering. Citrus is going to be gently uplifting, bringing joy and happiness and confidence.

Q: Using your intuition, what would you prescribe for me?

A: What came to me is more the citrus. I would use some orange, some grapefruit, and some jasmine. It is spiritual love, compassion, also very soothing, calming for the emotions meanwhile. It also brings euphoria and joy.

Françoise Rapp and her aromalchemy can be found at www.aromalchemy.com, where her treatments run from $35 to $175. She conducts phone consultations and does prescriptions at (617) 299-2335.

Issue Date: March 21 - 28, 2002
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