Smells like Sho-kaku
Rozanne got me thinking about candles today. I love them. Especially when they smell good.
About nine years ago I had a job writing promotional copy for a very small aromatherapy company here in town, and in the course of researching articles and working with the product development person (there was only one of them – she and one other guy and I constituted the entire staff) I learned more than I ever knew there was to know about the art and science of aromatherapy. Maybe it was the hours and hours of sitting in their garage/office/factory/warehouse, surrounded by not only the products themselves but also the delicious-smelling raw materials used to make them, or maybe it was the fact that I really did feel better when I started experimenting with treating my various emotional ailments with essential oils and flower essences, or maybe it's just that it pleases me to believe that plants really do have energy and possibly even some kind of souls or consciousness, and that it's possible to connect and communicate with them to some extent, and that some plants are friendly to people and are willing to help us heal and be happy – whatever the reason, I really love aromatherapy, and aromatherapy candles are one of my favorite ways to bring it into my everyday life.
I light candles every morning and every night and find it really helps anchor the ends of my day – if I'm in a place where I can't do it, I feel like something's missing. I especially like to fall asleep with a candle burning. I use a beeswax birthday candle in a little homemade holder, and it's just the perfect amount of light to settle into sleep with – a gentle transition between the bright light of an electric bulb and the total darkness that falls so abruptly when you flick the switch. A birthday candle will burn itself out in about ten minutes, which is usually long enough to clear out my head and get relaxed but not long enough to go unconscious and burn the house down. By the time the flame flickers out my mind is clear and calm and ready to rest. It's a nice way to end the day.
If you want to spend a little more time with this kind of light but don't want to deal with the charred wick on a half-burned votive, taper or pillar candle at the end of the evening, you can use Chanukkah candles or Sabbath candles, both of which are designed to burn themselves out in hour or two (depending on the size). I like the natural beeswax candles from Coyote Found, and the entire aromatherapy line from Aroma Naturals.
People who burn a lot of candles or incense or any other smoky thing inside the house should be aware that any kind of burning material will affect indoor air quality. I like to keep windows open so rooms can air out naturally. If it's too cold for that, or if you live where outdoor air is unsafe, consider getting an air purifier with a Hepa filter.
(An aside: Hah – sometimes when I'm posting here I catch myself slipping back into the style of those fluff articles I used to do for a certain other employer a few years back. One of these days I probably oughtta buckle down and start writing those (and selling them) again.)
Speaking of burning things in the house, for my birthday last summer Mr. A gave me a very generous gift certificate from the local hippie stuff boutique, and I spent the entire amount on gorgeous expensive incense from Japan. Money to burn! I get so much enjoyment out of it, though – and isn't that what money is for? To help us enjoy our lives while we have them? (And to share, of course, but that's another topic.)
Anyway, I was perusing the Shoyeido website this morning and came across this: Sho-kaku, or Translucent Path, which sells for $1399 a pack. I didn't drop a decimal there – it's almost fourteen hundred bucks for less than a fistful of sticks! I would love to know what Translucent Path smells like – or to meet a person who buys it.
Me, I have less expensive taste – White Cloud is my mainstay. It's the benzoin that does it – I can't get enough of that stuff.
Also – appropos of aromatherapy – are you aware that sandalwood is in danger of becoming an even more endangered species? The last time I bought sandalwood essential oil, the tiniest little bottle cost me about $26; this week I went to get another one and the same bottle is now $85! Supposedly the higher price is an attempt to protect a dwindling supply; I'm not sure I totally believe that. I do worry, though, that if I buy it I'll be supporting poachers and others who really don't care about the health or even the continued existence of these beautiful trees. Something to think about.
And finally: for lunch I ate a grilled panini consisting of thin-sliced sourdough, pork loin, triple-cream Brie and grilled onions. That was a very good sandwich.
About nine years ago I had a job writing promotional copy for a very small aromatherapy company here in town, and in the course of researching articles and working with the product development person (there was only one of them – she and one other guy and I constituted the entire staff) I learned more than I ever knew there was to know about the art and science of aromatherapy. Maybe it was the hours and hours of sitting in their garage/office/factory/warehouse, surrounded by not only the products themselves but also the delicious-smelling raw materials used to make them, or maybe it was the fact that I really did feel better when I started experimenting with treating my various emotional ailments with essential oils and flower essences, or maybe it's just that it pleases me to believe that plants really do have energy and possibly even some kind of souls or consciousness, and that it's possible to connect and communicate with them to some extent, and that some plants are friendly to people and are willing to help us heal and be happy – whatever the reason, I really love aromatherapy, and aromatherapy candles are one of my favorite ways to bring it into my everyday life.
I light candles every morning and every night and find it really helps anchor the ends of my day – if I'm in a place where I can't do it, I feel like something's missing. I especially like to fall asleep with a candle burning. I use a beeswax birthday candle in a little homemade holder, and it's just the perfect amount of light to settle into sleep with – a gentle transition between the bright light of an electric bulb and the total darkness that falls so abruptly when you flick the switch. A birthday candle will burn itself out in about ten minutes, which is usually long enough to clear out my head and get relaxed but not long enough to go unconscious and burn the house down. By the time the flame flickers out my mind is clear and calm and ready to rest. It's a nice way to end the day.
If you want to spend a little more time with this kind of light but don't want to deal with the charred wick on a half-burned votive, taper or pillar candle at the end of the evening, you can use Chanukkah candles or Sabbath candles, both of which are designed to burn themselves out in hour or two (depending on the size). I like the natural beeswax candles from Coyote Found, and the entire aromatherapy line from Aroma Naturals.
People who burn a lot of candles or incense or any other smoky thing inside the house should be aware that any kind of burning material will affect indoor air quality. I like to keep windows open so rooms can air out naturally. If it's too cold for that, or if you live where outdoor air is unsafe, consider getting an air purifier with a Hepa filter.
(An aside: Hah – sometimes when I'm posting here I catch myself slipping back into the style of those fluff articles I used to do for a certain other employer a few years back. One of these days I probably oughtta buckle down and start writing those (and selling them) again.)
Speaking of burning things in the house, for my birthday last summer Mr. A gave me a very generous gift certificate from the local hippie stuff boutique, and I spent the entire amount on gorgeous expensive incense from Japan. Money to burn! I get so much enjoyment out of it, though – and isn't that what money is for? To help us enjoy our lives while we have them? (And to share, of course, but that's another topic.)Anyway, I was perusing the Shoyeido website this morning and came across this: Sho-kaku, or Translucent Path, which sells for $1399 a pack. I didn't drop a decimal there – it's almost fourteen hundred bucks for less than a fistful of sticks! I would love to know what Translucent Path smells like – or to meet a person who buys it.
Me, I have less expensive taste – White Cloud is my mainstay. It's the benzoin that does it – I can't get enough of that stuff.
Also – appropos of aromatherapy – are you aware that sandalwood is in danger of becoming an even more endangered species? The last time I bought sandalwood essential oil, the tiniest little bottle cost me about $26; this week I went to get another one and the same bottle is now $85! Supposedly the higher price is an attempt to protect a dwindling supply; I'm not sure I totally believe that. I do worry, though, that if I buy it I'll be supporting poachers and others who really don't care about the health or even the continued existence of these beautiful trees. Something to think about.
And finally: for lunch I ate a grilled panini consisting of thin-sliced sourdough, pork loin, triple-cream Brie and grilled onions. That was a very good sandwich.
3 Comments:
I, too, like the idea that plants might have vital energy and healing powers. Once my period was really kicking my ass and draining me of all energy. I happened to pass a place that sold essential oils. I bought this itsy-bitsy bottle of some sort of blend of essential oils that was supposed to be uplifting and energizing. Bergamot was a key ingredient.
I had a dentist's appt. that afternoon and I took a giant hit off of that bottle before taking to the dental chair. I think it did perk me up a bit, but it may have just been me wanting to think it perked me up.
At any rate, I never regretted buying the oil and bought a few others. I even bought one of those oil burning thingies.
Have you ever tried Archipelago candles? My favorite candle of all time was one of theirs.
They're spendy but worth it. You can get them from this place: http://www.sensia.com/archipelago.htm
I have smelled Translucent Path. You can too, just purchase Shoyeido's Sampler (it's there and affordable, trust me).
Maybe I have a genetically ungifted nose, but all aloeswood based incenses smell like cumin-ish/marijuana-ish -- and a bit like electronic components-- to me. I don't like it at all.
I truly like Shoyeido's Amethyst especially after aging 5 years or so. Smooth as a vanilla cinnamon latte.
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