Perfumes
Perfumes and scents have been used for at least six thousand years. The first scents were burned as incense offerings to the gods. In the Bible, the sons of Aaron the High Priest, made offerings of this sort. “And he shall bring it Aaron’s sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made of fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord” (Leviticus 2:2).
Fragrances of extremely high quality have been made since the time of the ancient Egyptians. When Howard Carter opened the Tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922, he was astonished to discover scents that were still vibrant after three thousand years.
Our sense of smell enables us to recapture long-distant memories, many of which are symbolic. My grandmother wore a highly distinctive perfume. Whenever I come across someone else wearing the same scent, I am suddenly eight or nine years old again, listening to my grandmother playing the piano. Scents make highly evocative symbols.
Even air can be considered symbolic. The Greek Stoic philosophers thought air symbolized the soul. The pure, cold air found at the top of a mountain symbolizes “heroic and solitary thought.”71 Air laden with strong scent symbolizes the emotions.
Wind, air, and breath are closely related in symbology. The second verse of Genesis says: “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” In other words, the Spirit of God moved like a wind or breath. Winds are commonly considered to be the breath of God.
Wind has a variety of symbolic meanings. It can symbolize instability and unreliability because it varies in degree and ferocity. Wind was considered a sexual symbol in China because it was an essential factor in pollination.
Air is one of the four elements of Fire, Earth, Air and Water. Unlike the others, air is invisible and is considered spiritual. St. Martin (c. 316 C.E.–c. 400), the patron saint of France, called the element of air “a palpable symbol of invisible life.”72
Breath is universally considered a symbol of life. The ancient Celts believed it possessed magical properties. They believed they could obtain wisdom from the element of air. Mogh Ruith, a mythical druid, used his breath on a number of occasions to defeat his enemies. An epic poem called “The Siege of Drom Damhghaire” tells how he breathed on all the warriors who surrounded him during the battle. His breath made them all look like him. They then proceeded to kill each other, while Mogh Ruith escaped. On another occasion, Mogh Ruith turned three druids into stone by breathing upon them.73
The sense of smell works on the limbic node of the brain. This is the oldest part of the human brain, and it deals with memory and emotional responses. The olfactory organ at the top of the nose captures any scents and passes it directly to the brain. The olfactory organ is amazingly sensitive, enabling us to subconsciously sense (“smell”) other people’s states of health, sensuality, and emotions. In fact, we are subconsciously using all of our senses, all the time, as part of our survival instinct.
There are many ways in which we can use pleasant smells to enhance our lives. Perfume has been used throughout history to attract and captivate others. Essential oils are another way to receive the benefits of scent. Aromatherapists use them to help people with a variety of problems. Incense also provides pleasant odors.
One of the best ways to make the most of a particular scent is to relax in a scented bath of herbs or bath salts.74
You can also heat essential oils on an electric oil burner. These can be obtained anywhere essential oils are sold. They are usually pottery or ceramic. All you need do is place ten drops of the oil of your choice on the burner, and turn it on. The burner heats the oil, releasing the scent, and filling the room with a delicate aroma.
You may prefer to use a spray bottle. You will need fifty drops of essential oil and fifty drops of oil soluboliser. Dissolve this in three or four ounces of pure water. Shake well. You can spray this on yourself, or use it as an air freshener wherever you happen to be.
Essential oils can also be used for inhalation. Add ten drops to a bowl of hot water. Place a towel over your head and the bowl, and inhale the vapor for two or three minutes.
A few drops of an essential oil can be used to scent a tissue, flannel, or cotton ball. This can be placed close to a source of heat to release the scent. This works very well in a car.
Using an essential oil can enhance the pleasures of a massage. The benefits are obtained both by breathing in the scent, and directly through the skin. You will need to obtain good quality carrier oil. Use about fifty drops of essential oil to every three ounces of carrier oil.
Another method is to use a scented dream pillow. These are small cushions filled with fragrant herbs or flower petals. Dream pillows are a traditional method of encouraging a peaceful sleep and pleasant dreams. Dream pillows can sometimes be bought at craft fairs and gift stores. However, they are easy to make. They consist of a small cotton pillow, six to eight inches square, and a slightly smaller inner pillow made of muslin or fine netting. Mix the herbs and flower petals in a bowl. Add two or three drops of an essential oil. Mix the herbs again, and then pour them into the inner pillow. Do not overfill the pillow. You want the contents to be able to move around freely. Close off the pillow and place it inside the larger pillow. Use your dream pillow until the herbs lose their fragrance. Dispose of the herbs and replace with a new mixture.
Scents can be used as powerful symbols of love and romance. Here are a number of scents that can help you in this area of your life.
Aniseed
The scent of aniseed promotes confidence and self-esteem. It also enhances cooperation, diplomacy, and all dealings with the opposite sex.
Camellia
The scent of camellia enhances love and romance, and also helps stimulate long-term relationships.
Carnation
The scent of carnation stimulates virility, while also providing confidence and courage.
Cascarilla
This unusual scent smells like cinnamon and cloves. It provides enthusiasm and energy, and also encourages love and romance.
Cedar Wood
Cedar wood provides feelings of health and well-being. It stimulates home and family life. It is especially good for long-term relationships. It also provides willpower, persistence, and courage.
Chamomile
Chamomile allows you to release anything that is not working for you. It can be used to end a relationship gently. Chamomile is freeing, and allows you to eliminate bad habits and preconceived ideas.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon allows you to relax and enjoy life, while releasing the passion inside. It is a useful scent to use when you feel emotionally empty. It also provides enthusiasm and energy.
Citronella
Citronella works on the emotional level. It enhances virility and stamina.
Coriander
Coriander is a highly positive scent for people seeking love. It provides stimulation, sensuousness, and voluptuousness.
Cyclamen
Cyclamen is a good scent for people wanting to become pregnant. It is believed to enhance the attractiveness of the opposite sex, and make the wearer feel desired.
Cypress
Cypress is believed to possess aphrodisiacal qualities. It stimulates the emotions, while providing stamina and energy. It also provides comfort, support, and protection.
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus allows you to free yourself from restrictive situations. If you feel hemmed in and unable to be your true self inside a relationship, eucalyptus will provide you with the necessary strength, courage, and confidence to break free.
Hawthorn
Hawthorn stimulates feelings of well-being, and is a good scent for people who have ended one relationship and are starting to look ahead again.
Heather
Heather is a virile, sensual, stimulating scent that provides energy and a positive state of mind.
Jasmine
Jasmine is a highly stimulating scent that increases the charm and attractiveness of the wearer. It allows you to make the most of the present. It also encourages conjugal love.
Lavender
Lavender is a nurturing and comforting scent. It provides emotional protection. It enables you to step outside yourself and your concerns, and gain comfort and peace of mind.
Lilac
Lilac encourages pleasant dealings with the opposite sex. It enhances communication and makes people more outgoing.
Lily
The scent of the lily enhances all dealings with the opposite sex. It improves creativity and intuition. It also smooths troubled waters and provides a degree of luck.
Lily of the Valley
The scent of the lily of the valley provides feelings of abundance and well-being. It enhances all friendships and provides affection and love.
Magnolia
Magnolia stimulates a desire for sex in both men and women. It enhances all forms of physical activities.
Marjoram
Marjoram allows you to eliminate feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and insecurity. It is calming, reassuring, and positive. If you are currently on your own, marjoram will allow you to enjoy social encounters once again.
Musk
Musk is one of the best-known aphrodisiacal scents. It heightens all the senses, and creates a desire for sex and physical contact.
Nutmeg
Nutmeg provides enthusiasm, passion, and energy. It allows you to overcome challenges and obstacles, and start again, without disillusionment. It provides both emotional and physical energy.
Oregano
The scent of oregano provides virility, stamina, and energy. It is believed to heighten the sexual response of women.
Rose
The scent of rose is invigorating and restorative. It provides comfort and love. It is nurturing, supportive, and sensuous. It enhances all close relationships.
Sage
Sage encourages platonic love. It provides wisdom, peace of mind, and the ability to see things as they really are.
Wallflower
The scent of wallflowers increases people’s ability to deal successfully with the opposite sex. It promotes both creativity and love.
Wisteria
The gentle scent of Wisteria promotes feelings of tenderness and love. It encourages reconciliation, forgiveness, and peace of mind.
Lucinda’s Experience
Some years ago, I attended a weekend aromatherapy workshop and happened to sit next to a middle-aged woman named Lucinda. It was a good choice. Lucinda had a wonderful sense of humor and saw the bright side of everything. I was amazed when she told me about her life, as she had experienced much more than her share of tragedy. Despite this, she was the most positive person in the room. She had come to the workshop as she was interested in perfumes and thought aromatherapy would help her find a new partner.
The lady teaching the course did not think aromatherapy should be used in this way. Rather reluctantly, she listed several scents that she thought would help Lucinda achieve her goal.
I did not see Lucinda for several months after the workshop. When I did see her, she was sitting in a park reading a book. She was delighted to see me, and we exchanged our news.
“Are you still using aromatherapy to attract love?” I asked.
Lucinda laughed. “Of course. I’ve discovered rose is the right scent for me. It makes me feel good. I feel inspired whenever I use it. I’m sure it’s attracting love to me.”
“Have you found the right man yet?”
Lucinda laughed again. “You’re so nosey! No, not yet. It’s brought several men into my life, but none of them have been right for me. I think I’ve been sending out the wrong signals. Now, when I use rose, I visualize exactly what I want. You wait and see—it’ll work!”
I visited Lucinda on several occasions after that. She was continuing to meet people, but “Mr. Right” was proving elusive.
“Maybe you’ve set your expectations too high,” I said.
Lucinda sighed. “Fancy you, of all people, saying that. No, I’m prepared for it to take time. I know it will be worth the wait.”
In fact, it took almost two years in total for Lucinda to attract the person she wanted. She still uses rose all the time. She told me that it symbolizes love for her, and using it all the time ensured she would always be surrounded by love.
71. J. E. Cirlot, A Dictionary of Symbols (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited, 1962), 252.
72. St. Martin, quoted in The Penguin Dictionary of Symbols by Jean Chevalier and Alain Gheerbrant, translated by John Buchanan-Brown, (London, UK: Penguin Books Limited, 1996), 10.
73. John Matthews, Taliesin: The Last Celtic Shaman (Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions, 1991), 44–46.
74. Scott Cunningham includes several recipes for bath salts in his excellent book The Complete Book of Incense, Oils and Brews (St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1989). These include baths for celibacy, love, lust, and protection.