A Reminder About Wearing Fragrance with a Purpose!

Not a very good photo, will have to change when I get one with better lighting.

   Well back to the subject of utilizing perfumes with a purpose in mind. Some you just instinctively know what to use them for. The fragrance as a whole conducts energy or creates a pathway for energy to flow through. But then there are the times when you are looking for a specific note. You know you need to be wearing a perfume with cedar for example.... or frankincense. That's when being able to look up the notes comes in really handy! But you still need to try the fragrance first in order to see if it really suits your needs. Is that particular note prominent enough so that you can work with it? 
    You can charge any fragrance with a specific use in mind, but I find it works better if the scent correspondences match up. (Theres a reason why certain plants and resins have been used for specific purposes for hundreds, if not thousands, of years...... its been PROVEN that they WORK!)
   Here is a personal example that covers several aspects of this. Things have been a bit tough lately... and I'm trying to function at what I call  "overload capacity". (Like a lot of other folks!)   So I asked my guides what perfume I could wear to help better sustain me. In answer I received a mental image of my bottle of Esprit d'Oscar. My first thought was along the lines of "really? you've got to be kidding". But then I remembered that it turns into a huge heliotrope bomb on my skin.... with a strong dose of tonka bean.  And I used to use heliotrope oil back in the day for protection and dreaming. So hmmm, time to look up a few notes in this perfume.
   Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens) aka cherry pie plant, turnsole. Lets see, it is said to increase psychic abilities, aid in prophetic dreaming, assist in meditation, used for protection from physical harm, and for success and wealth. So WHY am I not wearing this ALL THE TIME? chuckle
   And an obvious question came to mind~ if a fragrance note is reproduced by synthetics in a perfume will it still be able to call in the same energies? My answer is that it certainly seems so. At least it has in the fragrances I've worked with so far. And heliotrope in Esprit d'Oscar is a good example... it works! And it is a synthetic. The flower's almondy, vanilla like scent is recreated by something called heliotropin.
   Tonka bean (Dipteryx odorata) aka cumaru fruit. This is where coumarin comes from. The scent is described as "new mown hay with bittersweet almond". Well yeah, if you put in some vanilla and a pinch of cinnamon and cloves. Very pleasant smelling. These always went into mojo bags for making wishes come true and to help give you courage. And as we all know, sometimes those two things go hand in hand!
   Lemon cleanses away negative vibrations.  Use for purification and healing. Well, it looks like you can't go wrong with lemon! (I wonder if a lemon meringue pie would do the same?  Or is that just wishful thinking haha)
   Oakmoss (Evernia prunastri) is a species of lichen. Long used as a fixative. It lends an earthiness to perfumes. Its the wondrous note that my beloved chypres all have in common. I just love this description of its scent from an article at Fragrantica... "an inky, bitter smelling forest floor evocative". Mmm, doesn't get much better than that!
   Now, due to some extremely narrow minded restrictions that have made it almost impossible to use in fragrance, the perfumers have had to get creative... down to the molecular level. Just enough to get around the restrictions or they go the synthetic route. I know they're trying, but if you get a chance to sniff a vintage chypre.... please do!  An older perfume loaded with true oakmoss is a thing of beauty!
    But back to the subject at hand. Oakmoss is traditionally used for clairvoyance and divination. Also inspiration and prosperity. Another case where the two often go together!  AND its used in breaking hexes and even exorcism! Pretty darn useful if you ask me!
    Of course there are lots of other notes to this particular fragrance, but I chose the main ones that bloom on my skin... and the oakmoss! chuckle    I have to say that since I've been wearing it my overall mood has greatly improved.  I don't feel as "beaten down" as I did before. And that's after only three days. So in the future I intend to be much more mindful of what fragrance I use. Its so easy to forget things like this in the hustle and bustle of everyday life!
    Have you done any research on the fragrances that you love and surround yourself with? Give it a try!

Kanon for Men.

   Here is one of my comfort fragrances. I've always loved the smell, feel, appearance and energy of wood. Trees are some of my favorite people!!! Back in the day I spent 14 years making a living doing pyrography. And in that amount of time I handled a LOT of wood slabs, plaques, boxes, etc. If it was made from wood it wasn't safe from my woodburner. 
   I came across an opened bottle of the aftershave in one of the local discount stores. Some liquid had been splashed out and had soaked into the wooden part of the cap. Took one sniff and I was hooked! It starts out with a little bit of a bang, then settles into a nice clean woody fragrance. The patchouli is noticeable, but well blended. At one point I always think I smell leather, but its very discreet on my skin. Is that a drop of amber? There are some fir needles or cedar in there. Very nice.  As it dries down the oakmoss becomes more evident. And it gets a bit of a powdery feel. Just lovely! Now don't get me wrong, this is a classic masculine fragrance all the way through. Kind of like walking through a heavily wooded part of a forest on a dry, cold day. But with an elegant touch.

   The boxes look like this one in the photo. I put the bottle of EDT in the background. It has a drier feel to it. As I said, I personally prefer the aftershave. Did a little research and couldn't really find out much about it. One reference had it listed as a woody aromatic. DON'T THINK SO! And they listed notes as being: Virginia cedar, Woody notes, Oakmoss, Patchouli and Citruses.  Another had it in the leather chypre group... that's more like it. It came out in 1966. Some folks think it smells "dated". I think its perfect!
    This can be used in rituals addressing any woodland Diety or spirits. I do a lot of energy work dealing with the efforts for the reforestation of Mother Earth. This fragrance helps open up pathways for my prayers to flow on. Plus I find it very soothing and comforting for sleep.
   Usually can be found very inexpensively priced, I recommend giving it a try!

On Incense and Who is that Smell?

  

The last little bit of my "stash".

Well, I discovered that my old stick incense stash is running out faster than I thought it would. Oooops!  And since there is nothing close by in the way of shops that sell incense of any decent quality around here, I started searching online again. (No. I don't want to drive an hour in heavy traffic. And if I can avoid going to the city for any reason, I'm quite content!)   As for online shopping, I didn't know you could type in what you're looking for and add "best price".... then hit search. Wow, I like that feature a lot! Found a five pack of Blue Pearl Majmua at 36% off an all ready low price.  Its a gorgeous fragrance. I use it on my altar a lot. The Nature spirits certainly seem to enjoy it.
    In the mornings that I work I'm usually in a bit of a hurry, what with trying to get the animals straight and all.  Plus its still dark when I leave!! Anything I use has to be quick and easy.   And its almost always dark before I get a chance to do my evening prayer work. Yep, stick incense is the way to go most of the time. 
   I really don't think that life should be so harried. Every time I'm standing out there under the stars I can feel the energetic pace of the land. Calm and steady with currents like soft breezes blowing through and around everything. I try and make the time so that I'll be able to slow my pace and watch and listen to the signals that inevitably appear.  
   Last night I was outside walking around while talking to a friend on the phone about a variety of subjects. Mostly the need for the realization by people that we are all spiritual beings. And that's how we should approach our physical existence, etc.. You know, the usual. When all of a sudden the smell of vetiver appeared out of no where.... and "followed" me wherever I went. I never got a fix on who it was, but it felt immensely reassuring.  Funny, I use scent to tell me when certain "folks" are stopping by to visit! I can smell my one grandfather's cigarettes.... that's our signal. My other granddad arrives with the scent of his old  flavored pipe tobacco. When I smell just regular tobacco I know its one of my Native guides. And of course that Tibetan monk smells like... you guessed it!...  Tibetan incense! chuckle    Orange blossom  always heralds an angelic visitor.  The list goes on.   I'm still not sure who it is when the fragrance of freshly sliced, perfectly ripe cantaloupe starts. I'd love to know. They have really happy vibes!
   On a funny note: Someone comes to see my youngest aunt and they smell like cinnamon buns! But none of us can think of anyone it might be. haha Does anyone else have this happen to them? I feel certain that they do, but do they notice? 
    Everyone take care and sweet dreams to all.