{"id":12764,"date":"2016-10-25T02:12:19","date_gmt":"2016-10-25T02:12:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/iamsignificant.ca\/?p=12764"},"modified":"2016-10-28T17:16:24","modified_gmt":"2016-10-28T17:16:24","slug":"spirituality-sense-smell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iamsignificant.ca\/home\/soul-significance\/spirituality-sense-smell\/","title":{"rendered":"Spirituality and the Sense of Smell"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last Sunday afternoon, my family and I took a walk in a park along the Old Man River in Southern Alberta. The gusty west winds had done <\/span>their<\/span> job relieving the old Poplar trees of <\/span>their<\/span> leaves. The gusty wind was shifting, and swirling the fallen leaves on the ground.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>With each <\/span>step, the crunch of the fallen dried leaves<\/span>\u00a0served as natures reverb.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

With <\/span>the brisk fresh westerly blowing through the trees I was struck by a uniquely autumn fragrance. The fragrance of freshly fallen leaves. Putting words to such a fragrance is difficult for me – I suppose to use the adjective “leafiness” wouldn’t be much help, so I have to trust that perhaps you too have had a similar experience.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The smell of the leaves filled my senses, and it brought back some wonderful memories from my childhood. Happy days running through the deciduous forest at my <\/span>grandparent’s cottage in Northern Ontario. In my mind, I was transported 35 years into the past, and in a very real <\/span>way, I could see the cottage, the boat dock, and then my <\/span>grandparents. With that came a sense of contentment and a smile took shape on my face. I was reminded of a simpler time in my life. I <\/span>was also reminded of my grandfather’s tall tales about his horse that pulled the bread wagon and jumped the pot holes, and the time making a teepee with my grandma and how our\u00a0intended campout was nixed by a severe thunderstorm!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I was grateful for the gift of the <\/span>leafy smell of the fallen leaves on our family walk yesterday. Thankful that the smell stimulated a part of my brain that held such wonderful memories.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cNothing revives the past so completely as a smell that was once associated with it.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n – Vladimir Nabokov<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Perhaps sometimes taken for granted, our sense of smell is a very primal sense for human beings. Consider the connection of moms and their\u00a0babies; from birth, the sense of smell can produce a sense of connection and sense of security and well-being for both mom and baby.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many smells are associated with our memories – the pine scent of a fresh Christmas tree, the smoke from a wood fire or a turkey cooking in the oven can transport us back to holiday memories and times with family. The smell of a summer rain shower as the cool rain hits the hot pavement or the smell of freshly mowed grass can be comforting and loaded with an array of powerful emotions.<\/span><\/p>\n

(Yes, some scents can also take us to some unpleasant memories too.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Certain kinds of fragrances interact with <\/span>specific areas of our brain that can influence a variety of processes in the body. This area of therapy is often referred to as Aroma Therapy. For <\/span>example, Lavender oil in a diffuser produces a sce<\/span>nt that often produces a calming effect. All this to say that our sense of smell is often under-appreciated in the <\/span>context of our five sense.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

There is also a rich history of fragrances being an integral part of many spiritual traditions. We see references to the burning of incense on the <\/span>altar, the smoke that filled the temple and some references to the fragrance of the Lord. \u00a0So scents can be a wonderful addition to our regular spiritual practices whether we add burning incense or atomizing essential oils, to becoming aware of the various smells during our walks in the forest, prairie, mountains, lake or ocean. \u00a0By becoming aware of these smells, it helps us be present in the moment, making us more present.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ways we can use Scents to enhance our spiritual practice:<\/span><\/h2>\n