Friday, November 28, 2008

Sweet Smells~

Isn't smell an incredible sense? The journeys I find myself on because of a delicious scent wafting through the air, the places I go, the images that are conjured when my nose finds something to delight in.

Mmmmmm, yes, sweet scents, those good smells that whirl us away to exotic places, or lead us to a magical memory from childhood, or who knows, maybe even another lifetime. Are they not completely wonderful, like a kind of invisible gift? The power of a good smell is something to marvel over I think, something to give thanks for, something to cherish before it's gone, a kind of fleeting treasure of the air.

Press your nose into the pink bloom of an old fashioned rose and breath in, and you know what I mean, walk down to the sea at first light, and breath in, get down on your hands and knees and bring the soft earth up to your face, and breath in, press your face against the chest of the one you love, and breath in, stand under the sky of the first snow fall and breath in....and breath in...and breath in.

On these wintry days, I open bottles of Indian rose oil and frankincense. Somehow they have the ability to pierce the darkness of a winter's night and wrap me up in desert sunshine. I drop them into the bath water with dried petals from summer, and burn them in diffusers. I add them to jojoba oil and rub them in to my hair, so that wherever I go, the smell of petals and tree resins from warm faraway lands escort me.  

I think the sense of smell is not given enough credit, often forgotten in our culture. We live in a world dedicated to sights and sounds, and not necessarily smell.   

I recently read  that "In the East, no sense is more lovingly cared for than that of smell, which is regarded as the most "spiritual" of all." (Grandmothers Secrets, The Ancient Rituals and Healing Power of Belly Dancing, Al-Rawi, Rosina -Fawzia)  I thought there was something beautiful about that.

So, this post is dedicated to good smells and the wonderful ways we experience our lives, because of them.

4 comments:

ArtSparker said...

citrusis supposed to be good for low spirits in the winter, I believe. I know I find scented candles comforting.

herhimnbryn said...

I use Rose geranium oil to lighten my mood. Lovely post N.

Anetka said...

another great post!:)
i love the way you make everything so simple and true
you bring life to a basic thing and make me charish it from a different perspective:)

thank you for posting

Karen said...

I so agree!
A smell can lift your spirits, refresh your mind, definitely change your mood.
I love the smell of freshly picked rosemary rubbed through my fingers.In summer I have this tiny old rose that just grows like mad in the garden. The smell is heaven! You cannot walk by without putting your nose in :)
This time of year I love the sweet scents of woodsmoke, pine and spices.