Impending Darkness

The night and day of equal length beckons us in the Northern hemisphere to prepare for the shadow, the season of the dark and cooler temperatures. Called by many names including Mabon, Autumnal Equinox and Meán Fómhair, the pagan holy day of the harvest reminds us to be grateful, assess where we are at and begin our inward journey.

The opening illustration by Gustave Doré depicts Archangel Michael casting out the arrogant angels. During this season we also celebrate Michelmas in honor of St. Michael who defeats Lucifer and St. George who tames the dragon, both of these beinging symbols of conquering our shadow side.

The emblem of the five pointed star, also known as the pentagram, is often used to deepen into this season. If we cut in apple in half through the horizontally we will see the hidden star contained within. This image repeats within our body and in nature, another reminder of our perfect one-ness with the Earth.

Today I poured a Cimbalom round tin for a customer and was reminded of the apple note contained within the fragrance. Then, later in the day, I found myself contemplating Greg's Enchantment print hanging in the hallway of our little woodland cottage. Thus, my fragrance this evening is the heavy jasmine inspired floriental Cimbalom, auspiciously heady pink jasmine flowers have five petals.

Opening image: Archangel Michael casts out the arrogant angels. Illustration by Gustave Doré, 1866.

Radiance of the Moon

"I rise through the strength of Mi-cha-el, Light of the Sun, Radiance of the Moon, Splendor of Fire, Swiftness of Wind, Depth of Sea, Stability of Earth, Firmness of Rock. Mi-cha-el!"
- St. Patrick

Happy Michelmas! It's the feast day marking the end of the harvest with the yearly play at our Waldorf School. My intention had been to have made a loaf of Dragons Bread so that we could slay the dragon with our knife and spread the slices with blackberry jam. This is one of the customs in the early grades of Waldorf education. I so love the symbolism connected with Michelmas and the slaying of the dragon lurking deep within us.

Many of the holy days throughout the quilt of spiritual traditions have started their ceremonies of honoring the light as we here in the northern hemisphere move into the dark of the season. These ceremonies, often celebrated with the lighting of candles, will continue for many months to come.

Thus dearest readers I wish you much courage and compassion with slaying your own inner demons. Some of the essential oils that are most often associated with courage are those of the trees such as Spruce, Fir, Pine and Cedarwood. I am partial to Frankincense, albeit blended with other tree essences is quite splendid as well. Of the Illuminated line I recommend Chaparral or Sierra, both of these are rich with the essences mentioned above. Best of all though is to follow your intuition with what makes the light within you shine brightest.

Image: Michelmas from a German manuscript, circa 1300

The Dark is Rising

When the Dark comes rising, six shall turn it back;
Three from the circle, three from the track;
Wood, bronze, iron; water, fire, stone;
Five will return, and one go alone.

~ Susan Cooper,  from The Dark is Rising

Here we are, once again, at the cross roads moving into the dark half of the year. In my little universe here at the edge of the Santa Monica Mountians it doesn't quite feel like the dark half yet. The weather has been particularly strange and erratic, as if she needs some some Clary Sage to bring her hormones back into balance or something.

The title and quote above are from one of my very favorite series of books by Susan Cooper. In the Celtic, Wiccan and Pagan traditions we just celebrated All Hallows Eve and Samhain. In ancient times the people saw correlations between things much more so than we do now in modern society. The changing of the landscape from warm to cool and as nature begins her winter sleep indicated a time for sentient beings to go within as well. A time to tend the inner flame within. Samhain is one of the many festivals of light during the season that calls forth our inner light as nature goes into her winter sleep. The first to start of the season was Michelmas in September.

Many of the dark and viscous essences we use for botanical perfume are base notes. These are essences that have a fixating quality, similar to "earth" element. Theses essences facilitate in holding things down, as if they have a gravitational pull in their tenacity.

For this time of the year I suggest blends that match the energetics of the season. Pairing earthy basenotes with those of fire, like the spices is a particularly nice combination.

“No matter how dark the night, 

somehow the sun rises once again and all shadows are chased away”
~ David Matthew Click

Image above by Greg Spalenka

The Dragon's Breath

"We're our own dragons as well as our own heroes,
and we have to rescue ourselves from ourselves."
- Tom Robbins

Today marks the autumn festival of Michelmas, one of the ancient holy days that I have a fascination with. I first became conscious of the day when I attended the Michelmas play at my daughters Waldorf school. At the time Eve was only about four years old and having a challenging morning saying goodbye to me. The teacher suggested I stay and come along to see the Michelmas play up the hill put on by the second grade.

The play and festival centers on the brave night St. George who is assisted by the Archangel Michael to conquer the dragon. The story is a metaphor for taming that inner dragon within each of us.

Many of the holidays that begin now focus on light, often referred to as festivals of light. We enter the darker portion of the great seasonal wheel, as nature moves toward inward sleep, humankind is challenged to find the light within and courageously banish the dragon.

So, during these most challenging times of great Maya, we look inward for that most luminous light within which will carry us forward into uncharted waters.

Botanical perfume ingredients that have a dragon-like feel are those associated with fire. Here are a few possibilities: spice, some of the resins, tincture or infusion of dragons blood, amber bases, sulphuric aromas and something with a burnt quality like choya or cade. The spice will help add lift as well as pepper and some citrus.

Read last years post on Michelmas here.
Roxana Illuminated Perfume

Image: "Apocrypha" ©Greg Spalenka, an original painting and avialable as limited edition Giclee print. (I was the model.)