VICTORIA EDWARDS
DAY 2
17/2/24
“A Visionary Aromatherapist“
I was born in Chicago on New Year's Eve 1949. My father is Swiss, and my mother is from New Orleans; her family is French. I grew up in post-war Germany. I spent a lot of time in the forest and collected flowers. Red clover flowers were my first medicine. Nature was my real teacher. My family moved to California when I was ten. My education, Art, is my passion. In college, I studied Art and journalism and have a degree in Graphic design. During the '60s Hippie revolution, I lived in San Francisco and Berkeley, where I discovered Herbal medicine. Jeanne Rose's book" Herbs and Things" became my bible!
I had a baby girl, Cassandra Rose, in 1972 and married Bill Edwards, a musician and teacher.
I was living in a small village of Artists and musicians. Fair Oaks is right on the banks of the American River, where I first studied plant ID with Rob Menzies. I started Herb Walks and also studied Botany. Close by was The Village Sauna. I studied Swedish massage and reflexology. I started making infused flower oils for massages and had a business selling massage oils, balms, and salves. I wrote articles in Vegetarian magazines about herbs and was introduced to aromatherapy in 1980. My life changed considerably from herbs to essential oils. I met Kurt Schnaubelt and took his mail-order course. We became friends and later formed the AATA in 1987 with Marcel Lavabre.
My business, Leydet Oils, transformed into Leydet Aromatics in 1984. Then, distilling oils began. I studied with Jim Symes, who invented a glass still and taught organic chemistry and distilling. Soon, I started working on my book, and after twelve years, I finally got "The Aromatherapy Companion" published in 1999, and 2 other small books later. I self-published "La Cuisine Aromatica." I had a busy massage practice and was involved in Jin Shin Jyutsu. My mail-order business evolved into a website business.
I was travelling and lecturing all over the US, Canada, and Japan. In France, I co-created "Aroma Camp", a travel seminar in the south of France at a distillery by our teacher, Patrick Collin. The seminars were on medical Aromatherapy and distilling. The last Aroma Camp happened in Corsica at the Kyserslinken distillery.
Next came forming A.I.R (Aromatherapy Institute & Research). Classes were three-day weekends and continued to expand with more teachers. I helped start a Massage Institute. Then, with Dorene Petersen, Sylla Sheppard-Hanger and others, we created the tests for the National Board for Registered Aromatherapists. In 2004, I moved to France, into a whole new different life. I regularly returned to California, and employees eventually took over my business.
I live in a rich biological agriculture centre in Castelreng, South France. I tend to aromatic gardens, and I am inspired by the young people in Paysans who are busy with medicinal plants and paving a new future. My visions have always taken me to where I can be closely connected with the Earth, Mother Gaia.
