The Dream Scape

During my first year in art school I discovered the book Drawing from the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards. That book completely shifted the way I "saw" and in turn my drafting skills. These days instead of seeing I am more focused on aroma...but there is a unifying thread. The binding unifier is my interest in the brain, how it works and the possibility of being much more than we perceive and using more of our brain capacity.

Certain books and genres explore these themes brilliantly, one such luminary is Christopher Nolan. Christopher hit the radar with the psychological thriller Memento, although he didn't peek my curiosity until later when we met Wally Pfister through our children. Wally has been Nolan's photography director since Memento.

Our friends took us to the Gold Class Cinema in Pasadena last night to see Christopher's newest film Inception. Like Memento and the Prestige, Inception is a mind bending, psychological thriller set in layers of the dream scape. A genius concept, which like Fringe, taps into science and visionary ideas in the same way that the Matrix did in 1999. Wally's photography direction in Inception is his best ever and might just finally earn him his well deserved academy award.



Although the Matrix is much more in the SciFi arena than Inception both share the idea of simulated realities, action and exceptional visuals. In fact, Inception has raised the bar on film visuals just like the first Matrix film.

Getting back to the brain and the senses, the principal raw material used in authentic botanical perfume is essential oils. These volatile essences have been scientifically proven to have antibacterial and antifungal properties. Marguerite Maury and Rene Gattefosse, the mother and father of aromatherapy, recognized the physiological and physicologial affect of essential oils.

When an essential oil such as Mandarin is inhaled the tiny molecules go up our nose traveling to the lungs and limbic system of our brains. The limbic system, the oldest part of our brain, is our emotional brain. Mandarin essential oil, according the Chapter 13 of Aromatherapy for Bodyworkers, tempers tantrums, depression, anxiety and may assist in clearing out old ideas. I personally use mandarin as one of the ingredients in my evening relaxation essential oil synergies which promotes sweet dreaming.