Buck says our olfactory systems can also pick up pheromones; chemicals released by animals that trigger behaviour or hormonal responses in animals of the same species, for example, aggression or mating. Sensing the odour of a predator triggers the fight or flight response, an invaluable self-defence mechanism.
Smell is vital to our health and well-being. According to the Mayo Clinic, people with partial or complete loss of smell may lose interest in food and suffer from malnutrition, weight loss and depression.
Here are some tangible tips you can use to feel the healing power of smell in your own body:
• Consciously smell the aroma of fruit before you begin to eat it. Savour the aroma of your herbal tea, wine or fruit smoothie.
• Plant a pot of herbs next to your front door and rub the herbs between your fingers when you come and go.
• Select aromatic flowers for your garden or vase, particularly those with scents that invoke happy memories. "Perfumes are the feelings of flowers." – Heinrich Heine.
• Consciously cultivate a garden to delight. Imagine yourself blindfolded and walking along the aromatic path. "My garden, with its silence and pulses of fragrance that come and go on the airy undulations, affects me like sweet music. Care stops at the gates, and gazes at me wistfully through the bars." – Alexander Smith.
• Anoint yourself and the one you love with a healing aromatic essence such as rose or jasmine to intentionally deepen and set forth an invitation for an ethereal spiritual union together. Choose the best quality natural aromas you can afford. Note: Chemical fragrances may have a similar smell to natural aromas, however they can cause excessive irritation and do not offer the benefits of a full holistic healing experience that natural aromas provide.
• Try a drop of clary sage on your pillow to help you recall your dreams.
• Put a sprig of lavender on your guest’s pillow.
Let your nose take you on a voyage through our rich aromatic world. Sojourn for a while and allow all your senses to savour the marvel of this moment – whether it’s to ride the wave of a feeling for true healing and liberty, or to invite your body, mind and soul to be present in the now. Our sense of smell holds out this invitation to our consciousness.
“Love is like the perfume of a flower; one or the many can smell it. What matters is the perfume, not to whom it belongs.” – J. Krishnamurti