Early Autumn Scents

After the hot balmy days of the summer many of us have just experienced, this change of season has provided a welcome shift. The heat is gradually retreating and there is a distinct nip in the air during the early hours of the morning and the evening time.

As the wheel of the year turns once again, the bright colours of the summer months begin to fade and disappear, and the leaves start to turn from their lush bright greenness to the most stunning shades of gold, brown, orange and red.

And we seem to follow suit, craving a similar palette that brings feelings of warmth and cosiness. However, early Autumn isn’t about hunkering down in front of a roaring fire, with woolly socks, a cup of hot something and a good book.

Not just yet anyway.

We still have work to do, as the time around the Autumn equinox and the September full moon is when we harvest what has grown in the fruitful summer months, both in nature and in our own lives too.

It’s a time to process what the speedy lighter and brighter months have shown us, give thanks for the seedlings that have grown, let go of those that haven’t and call in what we have lovingly tended to.

As in the natural world, September is a time of deep transition for many of us too. Younger children starting a new school year and all that entails, older kids leaving for a new life at university, some flying the nest completely,

It seems to act as a natural check-in point, a time of reset, a point in the wheel where we course correct aspects of life which may have gone a little awry over the summer months. A  time to gain clarity and ground ourselves solidly back in our daily lives again - and the natural scents that surround us support us in doing this.

Early Autumn aromatics

However, rather than rushing headlong towards the comfort that spicy scents bring, or the warmth and joy that a burst of sweet orange gifts us in the colder seasons, perhaps consider others right now. Those that offer us a first step towards them, giving us an opportunity to pause, reevaluate and gather strength for the coming months.

Paying homage to the pause

Lavender, chamomile and Frankincense are all well known for their calming qualities and can help quieten the mind to allow for that pause.

Where I live there is still a little lavender left on the bushes, so if you don’t have essential oils and are quick, or have had the opportunity as I have had to dry your own, then gently crush some beneath your fingers and inhale deeply. Or take a moment out of your day, pour a cup of chamomile tea, perhaps add a little honey and sip slowly.

Nature provides us with so many opportunities to stop and pause.

Get grounded

The summer months have hopefully been full of joy, light-heartedness and social occasions, and can often bring a devil may care attitude with it. Early Autumn brings us back down to earth and we may need some help to find that grounded feeling.

In aromatherapy and aromachology, warm, comforting essential oils of Vetiver, Cedarwood and Frankincense help ground our body and our spirit, providing some much needed balance and reflection.  In perfumery, these deep base notes also help ground a fragrance, prolonging its longevity and providing a depth that can’t be found with lighter aromatics.

Clarity and focus

Clearing a mind that may be still clinging on to the past or hanging on to the remnants of the summer, can help bring clarity to the way forward during times of transition.

Traditionally around the time of Autumn equinox, herbs such as rosemary and sage were used clear out old energy and cleanse a space. The clarity and focus that lemon and peppermint bring can also be useful as their effects are often sharp and immediate.

Let it flow, and let it go

Allowing life changes to happen and letting go of things that just weren’t working for us, or meant for us, can be a tricky process.

Cypress, the majestic tall, slender trees we see lining the roadsides in Mediterranean landscapes, gives a crisp, clean green scent and traditionally symbolises strength, calm and resilience. It steadies us when the transitions during our life’s journey become emotional, allowing life to flow rather than stick.

So, before we rush headlong into the colder, darker months, perhaps we should take time to pause, ground ourselves and give thanks, but also be a little more kind to ourselves as we allow what needs to fall away to gently leave.

By choosing to intentionally utilise the aromatics that the natural world provides for us, in all their forms, we can help these times of transition flow a little more easily, knowing that as always, nature has our backs.