By (author) Kamila Aubre
An insightful guide to the relationship between entheogenic and aromatic botanicals, and their role in shaping consciousness and supporting healing
This unique and exciting book presents a comprehensive guide to the use of powerful aromatic plants. With particular focus on their under-discussed role in sacred rituals and altered states of consciousness, Sacred Aromatics illuminates the olfactory dimension: how scent has historically functioned as a powerful catalyst for spiritual experience, emotional grounding, and therapeutic integration.
Drawing from ethnobotany, anthropology, natural perfumery, and psycho-aromatherapy, the first section of the book presents theoretical and practical foundations. It explores the cultural history of aromatic use, distinctions between indigenous and Western traditions, and how scent may interact with perception, mood, and altered states. Also introduced are methods of preparation and application, ethical sourcing, and safety considerations, alongside practical frameworks for ritual and symbolic use. Special attention is given to therapeutic support and integration, demonstrating how aromatics can act as anchors, bridges, or subtle modulators in altered states and spiritual contexts.
The second part of the book presents an A-Z materia medica of the plants commonly used in this practice, providing detailed information on botanical identity, ritual and historical use, aromatic and psychoactive properties, safety guidelines, and modern relevance.
Designed for a diverse readership—psychedelic facilitators, herbalists, spiritual seekers, aromatherapists, and scholars—Sacred Aromatics is an essential and timely contribution to the evolving field of plant medicine, reviving ancient practices for contemporary healing and spiritual work.
By (author) Kamila Aubre
Kamila Aubre is a Belgium-based independent botanical perfumer and aromatherapist. Since 2015, she has been exploring the relationship between natural aromatics and the human psyche. She creates micro-batch fragrances from the finest raw materials in her studio. On her Substack, she develops educational tools that integrate scent, reflection, and sensory awareness, while also writing about botanical aromatics and their role in personal and creative life.
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“This book is a wonderful merging of the spiritual and the scientific. Such integration is challenging but Kamila Aubre succeeds, making the text a highly refreshing read. I’m delighted to see that she has taken on board the message of safety, which is important for any use of essential oils, and yet it is uncommon when writing about their spiritual properties. Most essential oils are not pharmacologically psychoactive, but they can still influence our state of mind, especially when linked to meditation and ritual. The emerging field of aromapsychology is perhaps a different aspect of this, but in the ritualistic context of a therapy session. It has always fascinated me how ‘essential oil’ derives from ‘quintessence’—the fifth element, often called ether, being the most subtle, and therefore the one that connects us most directly with the divine. In some European languages, essential oils are ‘ethereal oils.’ Thank you, Kamila, for bringing me back to this place, but with a new context.”
— Robert Tisserand, author of Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals
“Working with non-ordinary states is both science and art—it depends on knowledge, but also on a sensitivity to the invisible threads that hold a session together, and scent is one of them. I have incorporated aromatics into my facilitation work for years, guided mostly by intuition rather than formal understanding, and Kamila Aubre’s work finally gives depth, context, and language to a dimension of practice that has long deserved more attention. Aubre invites us into the world of sacred scent, where fragrance and subtle perception become supports for deeper unfolding. Sacred Aromatics beautifully expands our understanding of how carefully chosen aromas can enhance therapeutic and ceremonial spaces.”
— Marc Aixalà, author of Psychedelic Integration: Psychotherapy for Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness
“With the advent of the industrial era, a profound shift occurred in the role of fragrance. As perfumes became increasingly detached from their roots in nature and more widely accessible through the emergence of synthetic molecules, they gradually lost the sacred, protective, healing, and even magical functions they had fulfilled since time immemorial.
In recent decades, however, there has been a renewed appreciation for the sense of smell, fueled by the work of historians, anthropologists, philosophers, and, more recently, neuroscientists exploring the intimate connections between olfaction, emotion, and memory. At the same time, the ancient roles of fragrance are being rediscovered, particularly through the rise of scientific aromatherapy pioneered in the twentieth century by the chemist and perfumer René-Maurice Gattefossé and the surgeon Jean Valnet. The remarkable properties of essential oils—capable of penetrating the skin, entering the bloodstream, and reaching the body's organs—are now increasingly recognized and used in hospitals and residential care settings.
It is within this promising movement to reclaim the forgotten powers of fragrance that Kamila Aubre’s work finds its place. Her research explores the influence of natural aromatics on sensory perception and the inner life of the psyche.”
— Annick Le Guérer, author of Scent: The Mysterious and Essential Powers of Smell
“Sacred Aromatics is a rare and luminous treasure. Kamila Aubre has created the shamanic companion I’ve been waiting for—an elegant, deeply researched guide to how aromas, botanicals, and essential oils can shape consciousness, transform ritual, and enhance visionary experience. This remarkable volume fills a long-neglected gap in entheogenic literature. With clarity, beauty, and scholarly depth, Aubre maps the subtle yet profound ways that scent influences psychology, neurochemistry, and the spiritual imagination. She catalogues sacred and psychoactive aromatic allies with exquisite care, weaving together ancient ritual practice, modern therapeutic insight, and the experiential wisdom of a seasoned practitioner. More than an encyclopedic compendium, this book is an initiatory guide—an indispensable companion for psychonautic exploration, ceremonial work, integrative healing, and anyone seeking to deepen their relationship with the plant world. Most highly recommended.”
— David Jay Brown, author of Dreaming Wide Awake and The Illustrated Field Guide to DMT Entities
