Time travel with plants

““In a hundred different ways, we have mastered the art of space. We know a great deal about space. Yet we know pitifully little about time. It seems that only in the mystic state do we master it. The “smell brain”—the memory area of the brain activated by the olfactory nerve—and the “light brain”—the neocortex—are the keys to the mystic state. With immediacy and intensity, smell activates memory, allowing our minds to travel freely in time. The most profound mystical states are ones in which normal mental activity seems suspended in light. In mystic illumination, as at the speed of light, time ceases to exist.””

— Jitterbug Perfume, by Tom Robbins

Smell has always been a dominant sense of mine.

I remember following my Grandfather around as a child, while he tended to his lush garden, and being especially captivated by the fragrance of his beautiful pink roses. They smelled light and lemony refreshing. And whenever I come across roses that smell similar, I’m instantly transported back to the yard of my grandparents house in Portsmouth, RI in the late 1980s. 

This is the “smell brain” that the quote is referring to. The link between the olfactory system and memory center on the brain, which is how aromatherapy works. 

Grateful to my grandfather for introducing me to plants at such a young age, and unknowingly (or was it?) planting the seed for what would become some of my most fulfilling work in life thus far.

I teach people how to tap into the “smell brain” using the wisdom of pure and potent essential oils. Message me if you’d like to receive a sample set of 3 oils with aromapoint therapy protocols to support nervous system balancing and creation healthy boundaries.

Also, today is Imbolc, the ancient Celtic agricultural holiday marking the midway point between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. Traditionally the ancients would celebrate the day by honoring Brigid, the Celtic Triple Goddess of fertility, poetry, and smithcraft with offerings and rituals - lighting candles or building fires, visiting holy wells to pray, and weaving Brigid’s crosses for protection and to symbolize the new life stirring beneath our feet as water (rain/snow) & fire (the sun) unite to catalyze the verdant rebirth of Spring.

I must admit, though, the day feels a little anticlimactic considering how mild it has been this year. However, I did notice that the sun was still out when I arrived at my flute lesson on Wednesday, while the previous week at the same time it was dark already, and that realization gave me butterflies for Spring!

Speaking of butterflies Asa Angel & I hosted a beautiful ceremony for Imbolc last year called Dream Weaving. Guided meditation with Asa, and a sound journey with me for weaving your dreams, like a Brigid’s Cross, into reality. If you’d like to experience the ritual, the audio recording can be purchased for $11. Venmo @nicole-benisch with your email address. Learn more about our inspiration, and Imbolc in general here.