The Art Of Mind’s Blog

by Lisa A. Riley

During a walk on an early spring morning, remnants of a chill from the night before, the day warmed by a slowly rising sun. Random thoughts sifted through a list of chores, calls to return and emails to answer. My mind no longer present, instinctively I reached towards one of the many lavender bushes I passed along the way. The persuasive aroma escaped the velvet leaves as I rubbed them between my palms. Before I could digest the fragrance, it cultivated a collage of vivid images, memories and scenarios. Suddenly, I was propelled to another time and place, enveloped with familiar sentiments. An array of ideas began to bounce back and forth in my imagination and I was struck by an impetus to create.

The sense of smell is one of two senses that are hotwired as a direct highway to the brain. Scent instantaneously activates memory recall and a flow of interconnected thoughts wrapped in feelings and emotions. This is why suddenly an entire scene from our past can manifest on the screen of our mind; thrusting us in the midst of an experience as if it were occurring at that very moment. All by a single whiff of an aroma. Our sense of smell is a pathway in which we take in the world as well as imagine a world internally.

This can be a powerful tool used to awaken a muse and ignite our creativity. Perhaps it’s the spicy aroma of coffee, the tang of citrus, or your favorite essential oil that stirs up inspiration. Customizing your palette of carefully selective scents and allowing your imagination to take flight can be a suitable complement to your creativity routine.

Content © 2008/2009 by Lisa A. Riley, The Art of Mind’s Blog. All Rights Reserved.