Essential Aromatica Amy Anthony

Psychophysics and scent. What’s that all about?

You’re reading this text, taking in visual information while simultaneously breathing in hundreds of scent molecules. How much of your attention is on those various aromatic molecules? How would you describe those scent molecules? Could those scents be considered art?

Meet NYC-based academic and gallerist Andreas Keller who lives, breathes and contemplates these olfactory-based topics on a daily basis! With PhDs in neuroscience and philosophy and specializing in olfactory perception and psychophysics, Andreas revels in the messiness of scent so much that he opened one of the only Olfactory Art galleries in the world: Olfactory Art Keller.

A vanguard of the olfactory art movement, Andreas explores “the scent problem”—how smell is not an analytical sense like the visual one, and how paradigms of perceiving, talking about and analyzing scent and olfaction are lacking in our culture. If scent perception isn’t analytical, what is it? Settle into the episode with some of your favorite (or least favorite!) aromas to find out!

Be sure to say hello to ⁠Andreas at his gallery⁠ when you’re in lower Manhattan and give Amy a buzz to say hello and ⁠book a one-on-one aromatherapy experience⁠! Visit my Instagram post to see the artworks mentioned in the episode.

Learn more about Andreas and Olfactory Art Keller at the ⁠gallery website⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠.



Episode highlights:


Re-learning from children on staying curious with scent rather than judgmental and "right."
Understanding the “task” nature of smell, its evolutionary roots and why it is often hard to go deeper into scent as information.
Exploring our psychophysical, multivalent relationship with scent: memory formation & retrieval, chemo-neuroendocrine impact, mind-body-spirit connection.
Appreciating the ephemerally degradable qualities of scent molecules.
Creating a scent perception paradigm: talking about, describing and analyzing scent in new ways outside of the default visual paradigm.
Embracing the nature of scent and its perception as a lived, messy, evanescent experience that is intertwined with the malleability of memory.
Opening up to Olfactory Art: why scent-based art doesn’t “belong” in traditional galleries and museums—yet.

Ciao for now!


---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-aromatica/message

When you hear the word “goo,” do you think of skincare, sustainability, and psychoneuroimmunology? If you don’t you may think differently after spending time with Jodi Scott, co-founder of Green Goo and Good Goo!

In this episode, Jodi shares insights into herbalism and a need in the OTC market for plant-based first aid care for our family medicine cabinets. She shares how important the foundational-herbalist process of creating macerations is to the company’s philosophy and how we can and should trust plants. I learned a lot about B-Corporations (Green Goo is one!), fostering a sustainability mind-set and how the continuous B-Corp certification process fosters a “learn more do better” perspective.

We also get into the mind-body, holistic importance of skin care and health psychology (i.e., skin care is for everyone and not about vanity).

As Jodi said and many of us herbal and plant people agree, weeds make good medicine. That certainly is sustainable.



Websites and Social:


Learn more about Green Goo and Good Goo (CBD focused
wellness).
Green Goo on Instagram.
Check out what Jodi's up to on Instagram and LinkedIn.

 

Ciao for now!


---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-aromatica/message

Join Renèe Hughes and me in a lively conversation that spans her journey into wellness, what drove her to start the Aromaspecialists, psycho-aromatherapy, her “mood makeover method” and an overall roadmap for starting business ventures.

“Begin with the end in mind and highlight your unique gift.”

Starting a wellness-based business promises to entail excitement and challenges. How do you get your unique voice and offering heard through myriad marketing clutter and vie for the attention of potential clients? This is where someone, such as Renèe, who focuses on specialization through a wellness and business lens may come to the rescue!

From talking business, to sharing case studies and thoughts on touching souls (yes, we go there), this is a conversation filled with golden nuggets for moving forward with your business, and shining where you specialize.

Oh, and we definitely geek out about psycho-aromatherapy, the power of one-on-one engagement, ingesting essential oils, chemistry talk, touching souls and information that is “whispered from the plant.”

Make a lovely cup of herbal tea and join us for a spell, being sure not to spill your cup as I did mine in the middle of the episode!

Shout out! Sign up for the Client Attraction Clinic and stay tuned for the “Herbs and Oils Experience” summit.



Website and Social Links:

Web: Learn more about Renee and the Aromaspecialists @
https://thearomaspecialists.com/⁠LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/reneehughescoach

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thearomaspecialists/

Free Guide, Write Like a Human: https://thearomaspecialist.com/writelikeahuman/




---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-aromatica/message

Frankincense. It's more than a word, it's about a plant, several plant species called "Boswellia" that create a healing resin humankind has had a special relationship and worked with beyond biblical times.

Meet Robin Kessler, CCA, MIFPA, a certified clinical aromatherapist specializing in hospice care and the therapeutic application of Frankincense resin and its many extracts. She's definitely called the Queen of Frankincense for a good reason--tune in to find out!

Get your favorite pen and pad of paper out to take notes! We get into the nuances between the different species and their resins and the importance of learning about a plant, including Latin names.

Look forward to the immersive topic of extraction methods: from resin infused oils, Frankincense essential oil and hydrosol to the remaining biomass that can be powdered. Oh---and don't forget about incense--through smoke: the benefits of burning Frankincsense resin as incense.

Have you heard all the buzz around Boswellic acid? Robin gives us the low-down and some wonderful success stories you don't want to miss.

Bonus? She spent years researching and creating a special anointing oil of Biblical proportions which included consulting with a Rabbi and Priest.

Learn more about Robin and her offerings here:
All things Frankincense (and more!): website: https://www.robinsresinsplus.com/#/ & Facebook

Aromatherapy consulting: website: https://www.rbkaromatherapy.com/ & Facebook






---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-aromatica/message

This episode's title could also be "how to smell an oil", but that doesn't read as good in my opinion. This episode topic has been on my mind for years, but recent correspondence with an aromatherapist and physiotherapist based in Switzerland (thank you, Katrin!) prompted me to take thought to spoken word and make a Venn diagram (I love diagrams, charts and tables!).



In a nutshell:


Pondering "scientific"/clinical + "empirical" aromatherapy.
Spike Lavender--a special guest appearance.
Liking and disliking.
Being an observer.
Scent detection and reception.
Embodiment (reception).
Intersection of spirit/mind/emotions/mood/body/soul
Scent is chemical information and multifaceted.

 

Links to Reference:

You Are Not Your Emotions Article

The World of Lavender Class

Lavender Plant Talk Video


---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-aromatica/message

This Spotlight on Aromatherapy episode features my friend and co-host of the former Irreverent Aromatherapy podcast: Bekki Fishelson Kuber, founder of Blue Marble Botanicals.

Get ready for a lot of laughter, irreverence and getting into hot- topics such as "this is good for that" and aromatherapy shower discs (bombs).

Look forward delving into the following topics during our conversation:


Tornado chasing (yes, for real!)
How "Wellness from the Earth" is more than a tagline.
Cures, ailments and how holistic aromatherapy may fit in.
Stepping back from making therapeutic claims.
Blending seasonally such as Bekki's Solstice blend with Frankincense, Myrrh and Blood Orange and loving it for what it is.
Starting a business based on a passion: aromatherapy, "the world needs this!"
Staying curious: featuring Amber "essential oil", making mistakes and learning from them.
Ask questions: contact suppliers.
Marguerite Maury and the "Individual Prescription", featuring Patchouli (shout out to: Spiritual Sky!)
Soap Box topic: Aromatherapy candles ("there's no way there's Sandalwood oil in a candle!")
The specialness of essential oils.
Shop Local! Finding special suppliers such as Wild Root Acres.
Yes, we go there again: the specialness of essential oils.
Shower bombs & washable products with essentials oils: don't go there (essential oils down the drain!?)

Learn more about Bekki and her special offerings at BlueMarbleBotanicals.com and on Facebook.

Thanks for tuning in! Stay in-touch with comments and questions.

Ciao for now!


---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-aromatica/message