According to Ashley Sierra, an herbal botanist in Asheville, using plants as medicine is a practice dating back to the time of ancient Romans and Egyptians. Alchemy and distillation are the basis for modern-day chemistry, says Sierra, who uses distilled plants to make a variety of items ranging from topical care to cleansing products.
“There are artifacts from nearly every ancient culture,” she explains. “The Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians all used aromatic plants for beauty and healing.” By the 13th century, she adds, European essential oils were in common use for perfume and medicine — but information on how the plant essences were extracted isn’t clear.
Even in modern times, Sierra had a hard time finding anyone to show her the botanical-distilling process. Wanting to understand more about the medicinal benefits of plants, she began her journey six years ago. “I reached out to others for advice, but finding teachers or classes on distilling was far and few between, so in the start it was mainly experimental and long-distance learning,” she says.
The process of distillation yields hydrosols known as “essential water,” explains Sierra. Since essential oils and aromatherapy are becoming more mainstream, she used her increasing knowledge to start her own business, Ritual Botanica.
“Hydrosols are still making a comeback from the day when households had rooms to produce flower waters — however, most people are familiar with rose water or witch hazel,” she says. “Saturated plant waters,” as she calls them, can be used topically in body care or internally for “physical and energetic medicine.”
A handful of methods can be employed to distill plants, but for beginners, Sierra recommends the stovetop method involving plants and pots. As the maker becomes more comfortable, purchasing distilling equipment is the next step. Her “how-to” approach lends a practical air to an ancient endeavor: “I’ve always been intrigued by the occult arts, and distillation’s roots in alchemy definitely fall into this category.”
Ashley Sierra teaches “The Magic of Botanical Distilling” from 6-8pm on Sunday, December 17, at Villagers (278 Haywood Road in Asheville). $30. Register at forvillagers.com or call 828-215-9569. For more information, see ritualbotanica.com.