Aromatherapy for the skeptical

Yes , I know....it sounds a little flaky to some of you all - to think that a smell can change your mood. But I have to say you're not thinking too hard when you think that. You are triggered by your nose buds all day long.

Your nose is actually the gateway into some very fine and uplifting experiences you might be missing - even though you are probably more than aware of the smells you want to avoid for their adverse effects.

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Here are some good scents that work for me:

Feeling ungrounded?...a little spacey?... Try Eucalyptus Oil and Cedar Oil (5 drops each) on a cotton ball in the area where you are trying to get something done - I affirm that this works for at least some people, namely me! :)

Smelly smells from the outside world that don't dial your personal number - for me it's that indescribable toxin they currently add to laundry detergent and dryer sheets that then floats out and permeates the neighborhood or sometimes the more benign loved one's garlic laden epicurean concoction....if your nose is stressed, try 10 drops of lime and 5 drops of spearmint and filtered water to fill a 3oz. spray bottle to bring the nostril stress level down to peace and harmony in no time. What a relief!

We react like heck to our nose but also blow it off. Treat it to some fineness. You will be surprised how in touch your nose is with your moods.

I like Aura Cacia's scents and while some of them are very pricey, some are quite affordable and it's not necessarily qualitative. Less expensive does not mean less intoxicating.

Only the nose-dead diss Aromatherapy.

Geo-Vibes

There are places on Earth that have power to rejuvenate and revitalize people. Often these places underlie the decisions to place certain buildings where people gather.

Not that all such places attract every type of person - on the contrary - each person can find the places that rejuvenate them.

St. John's College in Santa Fe with Sun Mountain to the left and Moon Mountain to the right

I'm not sure when Alex and I first started spending time at St John's College in Santa Fe - probably 20 years ago. It's come to be a favorite place - a place we return to again and again because we always feel good when we are there. We sit by the Koi pond and listen to the waterfall. (I was surprised today the Koi were awake because there's already been snow and thawing in Santa Fe this year.)

We spend hours (and $) in the kick-ass book store and we hang out in the "lounge" which has humongous windows with an amazing view of the Santa Fe foothills.

Looking out windows of the student lounge

The vibe here in the land and at the school is a bit austere - relaxingly so for the likes of us. It's very peaceful and contemplative. One overhears the conversation of "bookish" folk and being of that sort ourselves we feel at home here - a haven of sorts where the vibe, for us, is a kind one.

Beckon

I am a bit of a word junkie. My dictionary is always close at hand and I especially love etymology - which is the science of where the word came from in the first place.

I woke up this morning beckoning. That's what my mind told me.... I woke up steeped in the thought that I was beckoning something towards me. I was beckoning what I want - good things, joyful things, creative things...love.

All this happened under the covers with eyes closed. It's Saturday morning and I lay there drifting in and out of Saturday morning sleep, awakening on and off to the "I don't have to get up" feeling. But as soon as I do get up - I head to the dictionary definition of "Beckon"

Just like it feels - it is a rich word - it means more than "seeking or asking" - it adds a gesture, an active summoning or signal.

Digging for Roots

One of the secret reasons I plant Dahlias is to dig up the roots in the fall and to safely stow them in sand for next year's garden. Growing Dahlias becomes an ongoing relationship with a plant - that beautiful flower lies dormant in the tuber. The root that I store buried in the sand over winter is the life force of that beautiful flower.

Crimson Clover

I didn't want it to end...but did it need to? No! I knew there were "Winter" crops but living in places like Santa Fe and Taos, NM - it seemed unrealistic to think I could grow those. Now I'm in Albuquerque and the Crimson Clover I planted in late October is turning into a lush green meadow. In Spring - I will turn it under to provide Nitrogen to the soil - or maybe I won't..... I'm thinking I could just dig areas out and plant things and leave the clover in as an on-going cover crop. Is that doable?