The tale of Savitri begins on a train ride from Mumbai to Jaipur, Rajasthan. I was traveling with my mentor, on a tour of the regions aromatic treasures.
We had talked for hours as usual, from the moment we sat cross-legged on the worn blue vinyl of his lower bunk. In the beginning, the harsh slums of Mumbai passing outside the window made an incongruous backdrop for another lively conversation about the hopeful (more…)
By David Crow, L.Ac.
(Published in Maui Vision, Oct. ‘04)
There are deep and mysterious relationships among the soil, water, sunlight, and air, and the bodies of plants that absorb and transform these elements. There are wondrous alchemies in the transmutation of these elements by plants into foods, medicines, and fragrances.
By David Crow, L.Ac.
(Published in Yogi Times, Oct. ‘04)
Lavender is one of the most well-known, versatile, and extensively used essential oils in the world. When we use lavender essential oil we receive the blessings of the feminine, because lavender could be described as an angel of healing from the floral realm, and an expression of the earths compassion.
By David Crow, L.Ac.
(Published in Yogi Times, Nov. ‘04)
The next time you stop to smell a rose, imagine that its deep, rich floral fragrance is a gift from nature to your heart and soul. In her generosity, the earth has blessed us with over five thousand varieties of this beautiful flower. However, only a few give the world-renowned treasure sought by perfumers: the oil of rose.
By David Crow, L.Ac.
(Published in Yogi Times, Dec. ‘04)
Over two thousand years ago, three sages made their way across the desert, following celestial signs. Among the various gifts they carried for the newly incarnated Avatar was a collection of resinous tears, one of the most sacred substances and valued medicines of the time. Ever since then, frankincense has been remembered as a fragrance associated with the Christian holidays.
By David Crow, L.Ac.
(Published in Yogi Times, January 2005)
Like scented stars appearing in the evening dusk, the night-blooming jasmine silently opens her five-petalled blossoms beneath our windows. In the dawn her sister will bloom, again filling the breeze with enchantment. Together, the jasmine sambac (night-blooming) and the jasmine grandiflorum (dawn-blooming) are among the most potent, ethereal, and intoxicating floral fragrances in the world.
By David Crow, L.Ac.
Bakul (Mimusops elengi), champa (Michelia champaka), and parijata (Nychanthes arbotristis) are among the most beautiful and sacred of Indias many exotic flowering trees. Countless souls throughout the ages have lived in the gentle presence of these beneficent beings that give their barks, leaves, roots, seeds, resins, and flowers for medicine, ceremony, and pleasure. So rich are their contributions to traditional societies that the ancient Rishis proclaimed these trees to be gifts from the heavenly realms, bestowed upon humanity and brought to earth by the gods of the Hindu pantheon. Endowed with religious symbolism and divine attributes, these three trees in particular are deeply entwined with the culture, lifestyle, and ancestral memories of people across the subcontinent.
By David Crow, L.Ac.
All creatures are born of the earth, and nourished by her rich flavors. I am the fragrance of the soil, Lord Krishna proclaims in the Bhagavat Gita, reminding us of Gods life-giving presence within the most humble of the elements.
Every plant absorbs the prana (life force) and ojas (nutritive essence) of the soil into its body, transforming them into foods, medicines, and oils for the benefit of other beings. Yet none capture the subtle complexities of the earths mysterious fragrances as completely as vetiver grass, known in India as khus.
By David Crow, L.Ac.
Neroli is the fragrance of orange trees blossoming under the Moroccan and Tunisian sun. It is the fragrance that greets farmers as they begin another spring day of harvesting, gently plucking the tiny golden gems that shine from inside green citrus foliage. Many factors will influence the quality of the neroli oil: each blossom must be plucked when it is just starting to open; the buds must be gathered only on warm sunny days; the flowers cannot be bruised; leaflets and petioles must not be mixed in. By the end of the day, the clothing and weather-aged hands of the dark-skinned harvesters will be saturated with an intoxicating aroma desired by queens and empresses, sheiks and maharajas.
By David Crow, L.Ac.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of studying natural healing systems such as Ayurveda and aromatherapy is the endless variety of plants and fragrances that one meets along the path. A person could spend a lifetime studying just one of these plants (and some do), and still not know everything about it. This month we feature a common spice known to all, but one with many intriguing secrets.
In my hand, between my thumb and index finger, I am gently holding a vanilla bean. It is a dark brown color identical to a rich chocolate, the similarity of their hues revealing the love they have for each other. The skin of this pod is slightly oily and smooth, almost sweaty, and very human-like except for tiny narrow grooves that run the length from the stem to the tip.