Yogi Bhajan, who brought Kundalini Yoga to the West, left that quote specially for me - I’m sure! No one else I know has ever seen it in any of his writings. Sometimes that’s the case. Spirit will speak through whoever is willing to ‘say the words’ and often, they may have no idea whatsoever of the significance. That’s the magic of Yoga - or UNION - where the known meets the unknown in a pure moment of synchronistic perfection!

What is .... Fragrant Yoga???

I LOVE fragrance! And I can’t separate it from that which has the most meaning in my life - my yoga and meditation practice! And - I also can’t separate it from how I teach yoga to my students. I want them to understand and LOVE these pure essences of nature and know how to use them as part of creating their own daily rituals.

Light UP your LIFE!

Essential Oils are PURE ETHERS...

They contain ‘prana’ - the living essence of the plants. Prana is the source of energy that sustains a ‘unified field’. In Ayurveda it is known as the ‘light of consciousness’. As our ability to run this pranic energy increases, so does our ‘awareness’.

Consciousness ‘awakens’ as we begin to open our senses to experience more subtle fields of energy. This dimensional awareness connects us - much like a rainbow - to the ‘unseen’ wisdom within - evident in moments of ‘aha’ and glimpses of ‘insight’ that can occur through meditation or mindful living.

The essence of daily practice as a Yogi - is to close the gap between the authenticity of our inner SELF - albeit hidden - and the actuality of daily living or how our life plays out around us. This daunting daily task requires not only discipline but also an understanding that ‘meaning and purpose’ are derived out of the task itself.

Many angels of wisdom have written volumes on the topic and every spiritual practice does its best to convey through stories and metaphors - the alchemy of joining together these seemingly oppositional elements of Unity. So, wherever you draw your inspiration from... start there ... and stick with a Path that is right for you!

YOGI is a term, not a ‘religion’. Look at it as a descriptive noun - YOGI.

Connecting to the ‘Genie in the Bottle’

The ‘intuitive SELF’ is the ‘genie’. The one that listens to all our wishes - the ONE that no one else can sense or hear except us. Can fragrance help us cultivate a stronger relationship ... with the ‘genie’? Absolutely!

By nature - all distillates are ‘ethers’. Without a bottle to contain them, their vapours would easily diffuse and within minutes their fragrant molecules can enter the blood stream through inhalation alone. The hypothalamus - the master controller of the brain/body mechanism - processes scent directly. Studies show that these natural chemicals influence not only physical changes but also use the very same receptor sites that process emotion and stimulate glandular secretions such as endorphins contributing to health and longevity. Much like flower essences, living fragrances are also vibrational medicines. We ‘perceive’ the qualities and conditions of the plant as ‘complimentary elements’ because we all share the same ‘prana’ - as part of the ‘unified field’.

Pure plant ethers - which contain the prana of a living Universe - can ‘unlock’ the doors to ‘higher consciousness’. Not because it has the key - but because it doesn’t need one! It can slip right through the keyhole of consciousness and communicate directly with what’s on the other side.

So, it stands to reason then, that utilizing distilled aromatics, derived from 100% natural sources would be a helpful tool for those interested in awakening consciousness. Ayurveda categorizes scent as the sensory organ of the earth element. Rudolf Steiner (Anthroposophical Medicine) also reminds us that ‘matter is most spiritual in the perfume of a plant’.

Essential oils are distilled from every part of the plant including roots, leaves, bark, resin, flowers, seeds, fruits and depending on where the plant was growing, can evoke qualities of any of the elements including earth, air, fire, water and of course ether.

How to use scent in your yoga practice to Deliver your Destiny!

Each of us has our own destiny pathway and all of our life experiences, skills, talents and challenges are the stepping stones along the way. The ancient tools that Yogi’s and Alchemists left can be the building blocks of a life well lived.

Just start with ONE Aromatic oil

‘Creating’ your daily sadhana - or check-in, can be very simple. Just start with one essential oil. I like frankincense because it is an oil that aligns body, mind and spirit. It slows the breath, calms the mind and prepares one to focus inwards.

Tap one drop of liquid onto the inside of your wrist, rub both wrists together once and inhale as many times as you like. Greet the fragrance like you are meeting a long lost friend  - with attention and grace.

Begin your daily practice - whatever it is, in this way. It could be as simple as sitting down to write in a journal, a more established yoga practice, meditation or a walk in the woods. Only 20 minutes of daily practice is all that is needed to nourish a strong inner connection and stay on track!

Cleanse a Space

Create a sacred space each day by misting your practice area (wherever it might be - even a corner of your bedroom) with a clearing mist. Combine a few drops of lavender, frankincense and some juniper berry in a spray bottle filled with distilled water.

2 drop frankincense

5 drops lavender

2 drop juniper berry

9 drops total -  per ounce of distilled water. Shake well. Add a few drops of unscented soap such as castile to help emulsify the blend. Essential oils are NOT water soluble. So, ensure that if you spill some on your skin, wash with soap and water.

You can also use the same blend in a room diffuser. Fill your diffuser bowl with water and add 5  - 7 drops of your blend or favourite essential oils. Light a tea candle underneath and enjoy! More is not better! In only 10 minutes, you will have inhaled all that you need.

If you are a Yoga Teacher - mist the room before class to avoid ‘spraying’ anything on your students directly. All essential oils have qualities as well as contraindications. So, whichever oils you choose - read about them on the internet. Everything you will ever need to know is there!

In my Kundalini Yoga classes, I match the fragrances to specific kriyas and meditations, much like ‘Yoga Therapy’. This result combines the ‘effects’ of the aromatics AND the effects of the yoga - both! I encourage my students to keep a yoga journal to record their insights and contemplate.

Consider using a Natural Perfume in your daily Practice

All the Natural Perfumes in the Flying Colors collection are also healing essences and relate to the themes and energies of the chakra system.

Natural Perfumers use a wide variety of distilled essences - many more than traditional aromatherapy. This ensures that the beauty of the fragrance will unfold over time as each layer of scent reveals itself. They are constructed using top notes, heart notes and base notes and include absolutes, concretes and attars. Sometimes the same plant is distilled in several ways which adds to the artistry and effect of the final creation.

Due to the cost of these sometimes rare ingredients, I prefer to wear them directly on the skin because a little dab is all you need. And of course just ‘sniffing’ them will also have a wonderful effect!

Create your own Chakra Kit

Discover your favourite essences from the Flying Colors Natural Perfume collection and start your daily practice with inhalation and anointing. As the energy of your practice grows, you will be able to use your scent anytime to anchor the effects of your yoga practice throughout the day.

Click here for a quick reference guide to perfumes and the healing qualities of the Chakras.

** Creating your own chakra kit is a wonderful workshop for you or your students! Contact Anita to book one! And the sales from the workshop itself cover the fee!

Create your own custom scent with me

If you can dream UP the theme or quality that you want to ‘work with’, we can ‘put it in a bottle’. Once you start to LOVE and appreciate the power of scent, you will want a combination or blend that has special meaning to you. With almost 500 ingredients and over two decades of experience to draw from - I promise YOU - you will enjoy the process of working together with me to manifest your own special fragrance! Anita also specializes in Ayurvedic Aromatics. We can test your ‘dosha’ and make something specific to both balance and harmonize at every level too!

And if you are a Yogi who LOVES to chant, select a scent from our Meditation Essence Collection. Each scent was carefully designed using chant and the healing energy of ‘sound’ and devotion as part of the design process.

Spiritual Phyto-Essencing - the ART of engaging a deep psycho-spiritual experience through scent

I’ve written extensively about this process, which is based on ‘the story of YOU’. Provoking the psyche at the psycho-spiritual interface is much like the process of homeopathy. Essential oils are selected for their ‘energetic’ likeness and the process is directed at unravelling the cloudiness that covers and separates us from the all knowing wisdom within.

This process begins with the telling of your story and 24 essential oils are combined to capture its essence and act as a ‘mirror’ to draw you into a deeper relationship with your SELF. Click here for more about this process.

There is a ‘true Alchemy’ to the Artistry of creating scent

I hope someday you will share the same enthusiasm that I have in discovering your blends for you, helping you create them and showing you how to use them safely and appropriately. There are volumes of practical and hands on information to be shared and much FUN to be had!

*Please contact me with your questions - I am delighted to use my fragrant talents to serve you.

Sat Nam!

*attend a Fragrant Yoga class - click here

*sign UP for our mailing list - click here

*join our Fragrant Yogi Community on FACEBOOK

*invite Anita to speak to your group or Yoga class

*design a special scent for your practice or to use with your yoga class. Let’s have a chat about your idea?

Anita Kalnay is a Registered Aromatherapist, Artisan Natural Perfumer, Kundalini Yoga Teacher and everyday Yogi.

All the Flying Colors Natural Perfumes use 100% natural ingredients.

Contact Anita