The Power Of Scent In Your Home

The Power of Scent

Your home should be an oasis where you can go to refill your cup. Scent is a powerful tool for creating a peaceful serene environment in your home. Certain scents can promote relaxation allowing us to place our focus where it is needed most. If you meditate or use scents in your spiritual practice then you know how greatly they can impact the atmosphere and ultimately your mood. Read more about mediation here.

There are a number of ways available to achieve a serene environment. The trick for some may be finding a scent that works for everyone in your home if you do not live alone. My husband and son strongly dislike the smell of incense, sage, and Palo Santo but they don’t mind candles. So I light tons of candles and burn Palo Santo when they’re not around. I just make sure there is plenty of time for the air to clear before they get home.

Besides candles, potpourri or essential oils are also great choices if you’re not into burning incense or sage. Some of these items can additionally be used as decorative fixtures around the home. Potpourri, for example, can be placed in a decorative dish for an added accent to your space. Below you will find more information on each

Fragrant Options For Your Home

Candles

Candles are probably the most popular choice on this list when it comes to rest and relaxation. They are easy to find and come in a variety of fragrances, colors, and sizes.  A burning candle has a magical way of inducing a calmness that instantly relieves anxiety. This is a wonderful way to add fragrance to the air while creating a beautiful ambient effect in the home.

Potpourri

Potpourri is usually a mixture of dried flower petals, leaves, and fragrant spices that provide a natural fragrant smell to a space. It is normally placed in a decorative dish that can double as a table centerpiece or room accessory. Make your own by collecting dead flower petals and letting them dry, Next, you can add some essential oils of your choice or perfume to increase the fragrance. Finally, mix together and add to a beautiful dish! Click here for another potpourri recipe.

Essential Oils

Essential oils are natural oils extracted from plants and typically smell like the plant they are extracted from. These natural oils are then combined with a carrier oil to make them safe for various uses. In the past several years essential oils have become a popular alternative medicine choice and are commonly used in aromatherapy practice. When inhaled, these oils stimulate the limbic system, which plays a role in processing olfactory sensation and ultimately the regulation of emotions. There are over 90 essential oils but the most popular are lavender, bergamont, rose, peppermint, and sandalwood, and jasmine. These oils can be used to relieve stress, reduce anxiety, or boost energy. Read more about essential oils here.

Sage

Burning sage has typically been associated with spiritual practices but many like to promote it’s stress relieving qualities as well. Although there has not been a ton of research to confirm some of the benefits associated with burning sage, it’s hard to ignore the positive narrative associated with the aromatic plant blend. Besides stress relief sage is also thought to help boost mood, brain, and energy levels. The smell may take some getting used to but there is a noticeable change to a space after sage is burned, leaving a calm clean feeling that can’t be denied.

Palo Santo

Like sage, palo santo is commonly used in spiritual and meditative practices specifically to cleanse a space of negative energy. It is available in two forms: wood and oil. The wood comes from a wild tree that can be found in various parts of South America called Bursera graveolens. It is used for health problems associated with depression, breathing, and anxiety. The aromatic smoke that palo santo provides can have a very calming effect on the body and home environment. Both sage and palo santo sticks can be placed on decorative ceramic plates for fancy finishing touches. Try this Blue Sage + Palo Santo kit from Tamed Wild and let me know how you liked it!

Interesting Read

The Hidden Force of Fragrance in Psychology Today - read here

How About You?

What are some of the scents that you use in your home to evoke a peaceful environment?

Please do share them below in the comments. I’d love to hear them!