Archive for the ‘Olfaction’ Category
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DANGEROUS INHALATIONS
Tuesday, July 6th, 2010
Modern consumers are faced with a bewildering array of commercially prepared, synthetically scented products as well as the huge range of complex sophisticated perfumes in our department stores. We witness many passing moods and trends that affect consumer choice of products. Commercial advertising is fully aware of the tool they possess in offering an attractively perfumed product of all kinds including household products. They remain alert to consumer preferences as for instance, lemon or apple scented washing suds prove most popular.
In modern life we are surrounded with scents and perfumes but not the natural ones that are so beneficial to use in reviving our energies and spirits as in the woodlands and outdoors in gardens and in natural surroundings.
The general use of perfumes in commerce, once an exciting new innovation, has now become a threatening influence, not only through volume but through the complex chemicals used, many of which are positively toxic to our health.
In the case of chemicals used in food production, some injurious substances have been identified. Health authorities for years have sought to determine carcinogenic material in particular and to restrict artificial colouring agents in food. But regulations have been shown to be difficult to put into practice and to police. The appearance of new substitute chemical agents is constantly increasing beyond the ability of the health authorities to keep pace with scientific proof of their safety.
Research into chemicals that are inhaled rather than ingested is taking longer. It is even more difficult a task to control the chemicals used in the perfume industry. Only recently has it become mandatory to list 26 of the presently identified carcinogenic or toxic chemicals used in commerce.
For our self protection, the message remains clear……
Avoid artificially produced scents and concentrate on conscious inhalation of the beneficial perfumes created by nature.
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THE OLFACTORY SENSE
Thursday, April 8th, 2010
The five senses – sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch enable us to experience life in different ways and would seem to play roles of equal importance as means of making contact with material life.
However, as individuals we have developed each sense to serve us with differing degrees of development. It is common that many of us would claim the sense of taste, for instance as more important to us than the sense of olfaction and many of us certainly tend to exercise it more than our sense of smell!
Human sense of smell is generally limited compared with the extremely acute sense in animals. Although it plays an important role in our lives in helping us discriminate in judging quality of things, we are not faced with self preservation or hunting for food as the animal but rather have developed our olfaction as a tool for our sensory enjoyment.
Yet our perception of perfume varies enormously. Some people have a fine perception of a wide range of perfumes from unpleasant to exquisite and others are limited, not only in registering a range of scents but in their ability to enjoy them. The most masterly development of the sense of olfaction is known in the perfume industry where specialist perfumers are known to be capable of distinguishing up to 700-2000 different perfumes – compared with an “average” range of about 200.
Our first interest is usually to extend our perception and this offers a fascinating exercise in becoming familiar with, and learning to identify the perfumes of essential oils.
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CARE OF THE NOSE – PRIMARY ORGAN OF OLFACTION
Saturday, November 21st, 2009
Because of the extreme sensitivity of the tiny nerve endings and olfactory hairs, and the incredible delicate structure of the olfactory system as a whole which relays instant messages to the memory centres of the brain and the pituitary gland it is advisable never to have the nasal passages cauterised.
The olfactory cells in our noses register the size and shape of the molecules involved in each emanation of perfume. Camphor and musk for instance have round molecules and other such as lemon and peppermint have different cubic and square shapes Our modern sciences have developed to the extent that even such a subtle substance can be measured and this opens a window upon new avenues of exploration and confirmation of this gentle art of aromatherapy.
Yogis look upon the nose as the chief organ of absorption of prana or vital force which is inhaled as subtle nourishment to the brain centres. Agreeable aromas induce deeper, slower inhalations which benefit the nervous system directly through relaxing the solar plexus, and reduce nervous tension. Offensive odours inhibit the depth and rate of breathing. Our brain cells are quickened according to the vibratory rate of the perfume we inhale. Aromatics used in incense assist in awakening all the brain centres to sensitivity.
It is best to be aware of some of the processes we now understand in olfaction and determine to experiment with techniques known to sharpen our sense of smell. The simplest is to practise washing the nostrils internally. This is usually done with the aid of a neti pot when it is easier to flush the water into one nostril and out the other. However it can be modified by using the hand and just drawing up water into the nose and expelling it through both nostrils. Cold water is best, but not chlorinated or fluoridated water – be sure that any internal consumption or cleansing avoids these chemicals.
If internal water washing is not possible for some reason, then external cold compresses over the bridge of the nose can help relieve colds and sinus conditions.
An ideal method is the traditional yogic neti pot used as illustrated.
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