Join Erika Galentin of Sovereignty Herbs at Oshala Farm in Applegate Valley, Oregon for a full day hands-on, deep-dive into the ancient alchemical art of aromatic distillation. Participants will learn the nuts and bolts of aromatic distillation of essential oils and hydrosols using a traditional copper alembic still as well as experience aromatic distillation as a ritual journey of self-reflection and an empowering platform for the development of sacred plant-human relationships.
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What you will learn about Aromatic Distillation…
You will leave this intensive with all of the knowledge you need to get started on your own aromatic distillation journey including:
- How to distill aromatic plants for essential oils and hydrosols from start until finish using a copper alembic still.
- How to set up the still and how to dismantle, clean, and care for it
- How to load the still for best distillate quality and yield
- How to decipher and monitor hydrosol yields & separate out essential oils during the distillation process
- Maintaining cleanliness and sanitation to ensure a high quality hydrosol with longevity of shelf-life
- What considerations should be made when purchasing your first still
- What you need to know about burners and fuels, pumps and plumbing
- Hands-on harvesting with focus on ethical and sustainable techniques.
- How to ascertain the volume of plant material needed for your distillation
- The many ways to process harvested plants for the best aromatic outcome
- Plant study methods to enhance your relationship with the plants you distill
- Ways to incorporate hydrosols into herbal medicine-making & self-care practices.
- Learn the difference between hydrosols and essentials including use and safety
- How to implement aromatic medicine into your personal and professional practice
- How aromatics from plants can positively impact both body and psyche
- How aromatic distillation can be used to develop deeper, more respectful relationships with plants, ecosystems, and ourselves.
The tradition of Aromatic Distillation you will experience…
Aromatic distillation is a traditional method of extracting and capturing the aromas from plants. It is alchemical in nature – a process that relies on the four elements of earth, air, fire, & water in the transmutation of one form into another.
The Alchemists of old believed their work to be a spiritual discipline. Modern alchemical scholars, such as Carl Jung, have interpreted this spiritual work metaphorically; Alchemy could be considered a collection of
psychic processes shared within the totality of human experiences, or what
Jung termed the ‘collective unconscious’. In this interpretation, the ‘lead
into gold’ of the Alchemists becomes an inspirational allegory of the work required for the refinement of Self and emanation of the Soul.
The process and tradition of Aromatic Distillation that Erika teaches is most certainly a spiritual one, involving both ceremony and celebration; the aroma of a plant is likened to the ‘Soul’ of the plant and aromatic distillation a ritual that beckons the soul of the plant to reveal itself.
In this workshop you will learn the Aromatic Distillation process as both an attempt to foster a deeper relationship with the plant kingdom, a relationship full of metaphor, story, and personal myth, but also deeper relationships with ourselves and our unconscious. In this regard, you will experience aromatic distillation as a platform for self-discovery and exploration of the natural world.
What to expect during this Aromatic Distillation intensive…
This Aromatic Distillation intensive is taking place Monday, June 30, 2025 directly after Oshala Farm’s Herb Camp. The intensive will begin promptly at 10am PST and finish at 6pm EST with a 30 min lunch break and several shorter breaks scheduled throughout the date.
The intensive will begin with meeting, studying, and preparing the plant we will be distilling. As we load the still together, the group will learn about the ‘anatomy & physiology’ of aromatic distillation including putting the still together, sealing the seams, what type of burner to use, options for hooking up the condenser pump, and the different types of vessels you can use to capture your hydrosol and essential oil.
As the distillation is taking place, Erika will take participants through a journey of ‘embodied’ aroma as we explore how distilling aromatic plants provides us with a ceremonial journey of self-reflection. Participants will be guided through the alchemical process of aromatic distillation as both a physical and metaphorical platform for journeying with our psyches, our hearts, and our spirits.
During the distillation, participants will also learn about deciphering the hydrosol through both sensory and analytical means using taste, smell, as well as pH readings. We will also be discussing storage and bottling of hydrosol to maximize shelf stability. Once the distillation is complete, each participant will go home with a bottle of hydrosol we created together.
Benefits of attending this Aromatic Distillation intensive…
- Sacred space of the stunning Oshala Farm in Applegate Valley, Oregon.
- An intimate group setting to deep dive into aromatic distillation with lots of opportunities to ask questions.
- Discount code on copper stills from Iberian Coppers.
- Important handouts to guide you into your own distillation process.
- Everyone gets to take a bottle of the distillation home.
- Learn aromatic distillation ‘hands-on’ by actively participating in each step of the process.
- 7+ hours of instruction and experiential learning
About your Instructor
Erika is the Lead Creatrix, Clinical Herbalist, and Clinical and Business Mentor of Sovereignty Herbs. She is the host of the Herbal Practice Connexion (HPX) and the Herbal Sensorium podcast. Her home base and medicine gardens are located just outside of Athens, OH but she serves a national and international community with her renowned herbs & wellness coaching, online and in-person classes and workshops, and clinical mentorship programs.
Over 20 years of clinical practice has provided a platform for witnessing the efficacy of medicinal plants and aromatics within a clinical environment. It is through this clinical practice that Erika seeks to encourage positive, learned relationships between plants and people and people and their bodies. She is a firm believer in celebrating the role that emotions and the psyche play in the ecology of our physical terrain.
Erika has been distilling aromatics and guiding distillation workshops for almost a decade with a specific focus on celebrating and honoring the role of aroma and the distillation process in supporting the alchemy of the human psyche. Erika is also a student and researcher of phenomenological and Goethean study of plants and their medicinal virtues and explores aromatic distillation as a process to deepen this study.
What is provided and what to bring with you…
Participants will be asked to bring the following:
- Food and snacks. Please note that participants are responsible for bringing their own nourishment as no meals will be provided during this intensive. There are several grocery, restaurant,s and take-out options available within a 35 minute drive, but planning ahead is advised:
- Footwear that can be worn on dirty, uneven surfaces (we will be on foot for the farm tour & harvesting).
- Anything you need to make sitting and standing for long periods of time most comfortable. Bring your own chairs if you are able as there are only a limited amount of chairs available at the farm.
- Warm clothing and rain protection (just in case).
- A journal for note-taking and self-reflection during the distillation and something to write and/or draw with.
- An object of significance that represents something within yourself that you would like to honor during the distillation (this will be placed on the distillation altar and returned to you after the workshop).
- Kindness and an open mind.
What will be provided:
- Drinking Water & Hot herbal tea grown on Oshala Farm
- Handouts about aromatic distillation
- Glass sprayer bottles to take a sample of the distillation home