WriteSpa – An Oasis for Writers
In my latest novel, Heaven Falls, the heroine, Tess, creates an organic line of essential oils that she hopes will heal, improve, inspire, relax – or even arouse.
Tess knows that an aroma can evoke various moods, bringing us into harmony with our inner nature, as well as to sharpen our awareness of other people and places. Usually, odor either attracts or repels. Did you know that no two people have the same personal odor – and that your odor can change simply because of your mood – or even because of a change in the weather?
Your odor memories tend to be emotional in nature, and immediately make you ‘feel’ good or bad, depending on whether you’re remembering a positive or negative experience. That’s because the sense of smell is experienced in the same part of the brain that handles memories and emotions. You recognize and respond to smells from childhood, such as the smell of fresh strawberries, your grandmother’s perfume, or a new car, even though you can’t necessarily identify the odor itself. Smells often bring up powerful feelings, and you may not know why.
Here are some of Tess’s descriptions of her essential oils from “Heaven Falls”:
- Letting go. Essential oil of Sandalwood has a woody, sweet, subtle aroma that is helpful in letting go of the past and in bringing peace and acceptance. Used in India for thousands of years, Sandalwood in mentioned in the oldest Vedic works. Its musky fragrance is similar to alpha-androstenol, a male pheromone present in human sweat, which explains sandalwood’s reputation as an aphrodisiac. Heaven Falls Essential Oils
- Bliss. Coriander’s warm, sweet, and spicy fragrance encourages spontaneity and passion. It also helps to ease worry and anxious thinking, and to give a sense of security and peace. Cultivated for over 3,000 years, coriander is mentioned in medieval medical texts, and also by the Ancient Greeks, in the Bible, and by early Sanskrit writers. The ancient Egyptians believed coriander contained the secrets of happiness and joy, and it was one of the plants offered to the temple gods. Heaven Falls Essential Oils
- Healing. One of the most healing oils in the world, Lavender calms and balances difficult emotions such as frustration, irritability, and panic. It dispels anger and depression by soothing and clearing the heart. Use lavender to transform inner turmoil into forgiveness and compassion. The fragrance brings you to your highest creative self: one of equanimity and calm. Heaven Falls Essential Oils
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Fun Writing Practice
Describe a smell. Be specific in your description. Tangy – sweet – lemony – woodsy? How does the smell make you feel? Fragrances have a powerful ability to help you recall not just a memory, but to actually transport you to the experience when you smelled it. Be as specific as possible (don’t just write “I feel sad” or “it’s very nice”).
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Daily Happinesses
- being given a bouquet of yellow daffodils during a snowstorm
- a moment of self-confidence
- magic spells
- a long, hot bath on a snowy afternoon
- swimming with sea turtles