A Healing Scent

There are many ways we can approach healing our minds, bodies and spirits. Alternative types of healing for example, crystal healing; when thinking about it does a smell comes to mind? When you think of non-traditional medicine do fragrances enter your thoughts? Think of ingredients like Burning Sage, Incense, and of course the sacred wood Palo Santo. After all many alternative therapies use fragrance as part of the treatment. But even something as simple as a squirt of fragrance can totally lift your spirits. Tom Ford latest perfume Ébène Fumé is set alight with ritualistic Palo Santo smoke. Although certainly not a medicine, this fragrance works wonders. Read more Here in A Healing Scent and meet Tom Ford’s latest bottled elixir.

Main Image Anna Martin 

It is widely known that crystals have properties beyond our understanding and these have been used in many cultures around the world for healing in diverse ways. For example, the Romans believed that wearing crystal talismans attracted good health, prosperity, and wealth.

The Egyptians also often used crystals when burying the dead, they believed the energy from these crystals helped the dead to help find their ways in the afterlife.

Indians still embed these crystals into jewellery and keep them close to the body as they believe these crystals have healing properties such as helping control impatience and anger.

Other forms of non-traditional healing include Aromatherapy that has been known as one of the best healing methods for both mind and body for many years. Starting around 3500BC in and around China, India, Egypt, and Iran and it is now seen all around the world.

Aromatherapy is an ancient art of massage used with Essential oils. Essential oils are also known for their healing properties and are mostly used in conjunction with things like massage to enable the receiver to be in a calm space during treatment. As well as some oils having a direct effect on our limbic system, the part of the brain involved in our behavioural and emotional responses. For example, Rosemary is known to concentrate the brain so it is a wonderful oil to burn whilst working.

Another way of releasing scent in healing activity comes from things like smudge sticks. In Native American culture, smudge sticks are used to clear negative energy and attract positive energy and for things like cleansing the aura before meditation or prayer, or by bodyworkers and therapists before treatments.

And then there is the burning of Palo Santo, a wood known for its purifying properties and for removing negative energy.

Palo Santo is a wood from the tree Bursera Graveolens tree also known as Palo Santo in Spanish. Often seen in stick form for easy use. The smell of Palo Santo stick is usually described as a bright, sweet, piney, lemony, woodsy scent. Perhaps a bit musky. Shamans and healers traditionally used it for its energizing and healing properties. The sticks tend to burn for around 30 seconds to one minute releasing positive energy to heal your mind and soul along with flushing out the negative energy that constantly builds up.

Tom Ford’s new perfume has Palo Santo’s, earth notes at its core and has other materials like Violet leaf, Rose and Ladbadum that can be also used for aromatherapy. Justifying the meaning behind Tom Ford’s statement

‘I wanted a scent that captures a meditative feeling. ÉBÈNE FUMÉ has an almost spiritual sensuality that uplifts your mood…which might be the most seductive indulgence of all.‘ Tom Ford

The new perfume is a delightful combination of black Pepper, Violet leaf and Incense on the top; Leather, Labdanum, Papyrus, Cade oil and Rose in the middle and further into the base find notes of Resins, African Ebony tree and Guaiac wood. Some of these notes add to the almost golden glow of the juice itself which gives it a depth of colour; think echoes of the woods, almost rich smokey whiskey like in colour.

Rich with depth, sexy and smokey, it may not actually be a healing ingredient but it is definitely a scent to spray and take you to a place of peace and happiness, it is, after all, a scent that evokes a transcendent, centring spirit or simply sees it as a very uplifting elixir as every great fragrance should be.

Find the Fragrance Here at TomFord.co.uk If you enjoyed reading The Healing Scent, have a look at Last Summer in Whales