We’ve all experienced moments where we catch a hint of a smell in the air, and all of a sudden, we’re remembering a time, place, and feeling from the past. Some people say they smell freshly cut grass and think of summertime, or walk by a bakery and suddenly feel like they’ve been transported to a relative’s house for the holidays.
Smell and memory are closely linked because our olfactory bulbs are located near the frontal cortex in the brain, where our memories and emotions are housed. Often, scent reminds us of feelings from the past, but we can also use it intentionally to conjure up good feelings in the present.
The key is to link a fragrance to a good feeling in the moment. That way, when you need a mood shift during a later time, you can take a few deep breaths of that fragrance to help remind you of the good feeling you felt earlier.
Try one of these activities to create a ritual to summon a good feeling with scent.
• In the parking lot before you enter your office, apply a few dabs of Courage Sensory Oil. Say the affirmation, “I am becoming courageous as I speak my truth.” and notice how you feel. Later in the afternoon, if you feel you need a reminder of your Courage, reapply the Sensory Oil and take a few deep breaths of the fragrance. The more you do this, the stronger the connection between fragrance and your Intention becomes. After a week, you’ll be able to change your mood more quickly, just by applying the Sensory Oil.
• If you practice meditation or yoga in the morning, light a Scented Candle during your ritual. That evening after a long day, summon the feelings of relaxation and calm that you get from meditation by relighting the candle (or using the Linen Spray in that same Intention). Take a few deep breaths and remember how you feel when you are meditating to give you that same feeling in the present.
• If there is a point in the day when you feel most frazzled, try brewing a cup of Tea and performing a Gratitude exercise. As your tea is steeping, take a few deep breaths to take in the aroma of the tea. Think about 3 things in your life that make you feel grateful and why. Write them down, if you prefer, to look back on later. Afterwards, your mood should feel improved and you can drink your tea, connecting the taste and smell of the tea to your good mood. The more you do this, the more you will be able to summon a good mood by brewing a cup of this tea.
Capture Summer with Scent
If you find that connecting scent with a good feeling appeals to you, try capturing something you like about summer with scent. If your favorite part of summer is the lushness of nature, apply a dab of Sensory Oil each time you go for a walk in a favorite park. In a few months, when the weather isn’t so nice, you’ll be able to reapply that fragrance, and be transported to the things you love about summer in an instant.
As summer winds down, how would you capture the things you love about summer with scent? Share with us in the comments below!
My family and I traveled to the southern part of our state on Saturday. To the area where I grew up. When I was a kid, we always went to my Aunt’s camp in the summer. As we were driving, I was seeing the contrast between where I live now, and where I grew up. We drove by the camp road, I could see the lake, smell the pine trees, feel the breeze. I was totally aware of all of these elements. It was like being transported into the past, to a time when I was a little girl. Carefree! My only cae was that mom was going to make me get out of the lake for lunch…and then make me wait , that unendurable half hour to get back in the lake. Just thinking about it now…I can smell the delicious scent of the BBQ, hot corn on the cob dripping with butter. Oh the lazy days of my childhood summer. I can only hope that I have created lovely memories like this for my children.