The Psychological Impact
The Power of Aromas
Smells can bring us back to past events within milliseconds, making us feel a certain way based on past events, whether we realize why we’re suddenly feeling that way or not.
Essential oils, for example, can have dramatic effects on limbic function and how you feel.
Because the strong fragrances they hold, which are found inside volatile molecules can make their way into your bloodstream, and travel directly through the blood/brain barrier very quickly.
We are always sensing our own odor clouds to change our cognition and behaviour – whether you realize it or not
In our most basic behaviors, we follow our nose not our eyes: if a food is visually appealing but smells bad, we are less likely to eat it; we’ll be more attracted to a romantic partner who smells pleasant regardless of looks versus a potential partner who looks nice but smells bad.
Smell and memories are linked: first-time experience of smell develops a particularly robust memory cue.
Information processing is linked to olfactory inhalation.
Nose breathing shapes cognition: there is data supporting the idea that nasal inhalation is timing and modulating cognitive processing.
"Smells are one of the quickest ways to change mood and emotion and can induce memories."
~Dr. Alan R. Hirsch
Our sense of smell is estimated to be 10,000 times more acute than our other senses with sensitivity to some 10,000 chemical compounds..............
We only use Young Living Essential oils - the world's top quality bio-dynamic oils.
Participants are required to come with their own Young Living Feelings Kit.
Check here if you do not have a way to purchase your kit.
Participants are required to come with their own Young Living Feelings Kit.
Check here if you do not have a way to purchase your kit.
Amygdala Gland and Smell
Activating the amygdala gland through smell is the easiest and most direct way to control emotions and reach a higher consciousness.
Hence the reason why the essential oils are important. Essential Oils were historically used for spiritual enlightenment.
Smell is the only sense that is direct to the subconscious, besides which smells have a stronger link to memory and emotion than any of the other senses.
Dr. Joseph LeDoux, New York Medical University discovered that the amygdala plays a major role in storing and releasing emotional trauma and plays a crucial part not just in acquiring emotionally laden memories but also in consolidating them.
In a study entitled: 'A Specific Role for the Human Amygdala in Olfactory Memory' the data provided neuropsychological evidence that the human amygdala is essential for olfactory memory.
The Magazine of Harvard Medical School recently published a report on 'The Connections Between Smell, Memory, and Health'. The article addresses the issue of odors having the ability to bring to mind past experiences which has intriguing scientific and therapeutic implications.
“Smell can instantly trigger an emotional response along with a memory, and our emotional states have a very strong effect on our physical well-being,” says Rachel Herz, a neuroscientist at Brown University who studies the psychological science of smell. (taken from the Harvard Article).
Numerous psychological studies have investigated what's called 'the Proust phenomenon' in human subjects. This has led to a number of findings that have confirmed that odor-cued memories trigger a much more emotional response as compared to those triggered by visual or verbal cues, or other senses.
What is also interesting is the finding that odor-activated memories have also been described in much more vivid words as compared to those recalled following auditory or verbal cues.