What could primordial space, the ray man shabd, Metatron’s cube, white lavender and sweat pea and the ‘golden flower’ of light possibly have in common?

They are all ‘components’ of the perfume ‘Sweet Naam’.

Sweet Naam is a delicate Flower of Light

conceived by the power of sound and incarnate in the dimensional subtle body or light body that resonates within each of us. It portrays an ethereal link to infinity and the presence of an unseen, all loving force that nourishes us from the heavens with its sweetness.

I was privileged to be invited to participate in the Primordial Scents project for 2012 - divinely orchestrated by Monica Miller - Permaculture and Perfumista. The project reads like a worldwide collaboration using scent to evoke the elements. Monica’s mission was to draw attention to the “health of the Elemental Environment, using beauty to highlight the love we all have inherently for nature and all living things”.

As an earth activist who has the dubious honor of having ‘Starhawk’ as her stepmother, Monica was inspired by the book “The Fifth Sacred Thing’ - soon to be made into a movie.

Can Perfumes be Magical Potions and Liquid Conduits of Energetic Intent...

Here’s my story and the story of Sweet Naam.

I have always considered myself to be a ‘concept perfumer’. There are many aspects to the conception of a fragrance that deeply move the artist. In that way, all creations portray a ‘living insight’ into the artist’s ability to embody the concept in such a way that those who use the fragrance can also experience it.

Perhaps that is the magic!

The Celtic Shamanic Teachings are dear to my heart. Their traditional medicine wheel honors 7 directions. 

East - air - Qualities: quick thinking, multitasking, problem solving, desire, nervous system, light-fast voice

West - water - Qualities: flow, creativity, bonding / relationship, sensuality / touch, feelings, attachment, sexuality, rhythmic flowing voice

South - fire - Qualities: action, motivation, enthusiasm, vision, ideas, appetite, digestion, metabolism, sharp clear staccato voice

North - earth - Qualities: organization, structure, patience, safety, security, personal boundaries, skeletal system, lower back specific, colon, slow movement pattern

Spirit - centre/ether/space - and the dimensions above - below and within - Qualities: space, expression, openness, spirituality, silence, letting go, joint mobility, open resonate voice

The perfume project would span from September 4th 2011 to June 1st 2012. We had 9 months to conceive and birth a new ‘earth consciousness’ using scent. For me, there was no doubt that I wanted to work with the element of Space.

In that time we would pass through the energetic portals of the 11:11:11 energy and move into the much awaited year 2012 which holds the significance of being the end of one cycle of 26,000 years and the beginning of a ‘new golden age’.

As a healer and yogi, I recognized the demand on the human body, mind and presence was such that we were being challenged to leave behind old patterns that no longer served us and UP our game to play with these very high NEW frequencies now available.

We are being called to ‘dance with the universe’ - to a ‘new beat’ - an uplifting, lilting, joyful beat in perfect alignment and harmony with our own inner rhythms.

The Ray Man Shabd

Shabd is the Hindu word for the ‘sound current vibrating in all creation’. Shabd means ‘without ego’ (sha-ego, bad-without). It is also known as the Word (in Christianity), and Nad or the Naam in Yoga. A shabda is a collection of hymns that describe the ‘qualities of God’. They are sacred combinations of sounds that when recited bring a state of ecstasy, healing and grace.

Each year the Ray Man Shabd is repeated 11,000 times in India.

When you listen to and/or recite this Shabad, there is a sound current that has a subtle but profound effect on all levels of your being. This sound current travels through every cell of the body and adjusts your inner vibratory frequency to a happier, healthier, holier state. This has been described as a state of grace, the state of the Golden Buddha, and by many other terms in many spiritual traditions. ”

All I can say is that from the beginning of my study as a yogi within the Kundalini tradition, the Ray Man Shabd always created a magical connection for me at some level. NOW was my chance to find out why.

Listen to the Ray Man Shabd by Snatam Kaur.

I challenged myself to chant with this sacred shabd daily - at least long enough to memorize its complicated lyrics. I started November 13, 2011 and it wasn’t until early January that I could chant all the words, by heart, with my eyes closed! By the end, I had completed a 2.5 hr. chant.

Magic begins to happen...

My first version of the perfume began with the concept of creating a powdery floral featuring white lavender and sweat pea. White lavender symbolizing the centre place of balance and harmony and sweet pea symbolizing a colorful palette of sweetness and innocence.

I explored every element of space:

-space is not empty

-holding the space

-making the space for..

-clearing space

-the space inside and out

-the element of space in the chakra system - the throat and 5th chakra - speaking one’s truth and listening to hear the truth

-alignment within the space of the centre/spirit

-the cube of space

Many many changes occurred in my life - most specifically during the transit between 2011 and 2012 when I was challenged to correct (or leave behind) everything that was not in alignment with these new energies! I often felt I was whirling at the speed of light. At times I felt empty and grieved my emptiness - adding Kewda to my formula to appease a sense of loss. Always, my daily chanting and use of the perfume I was creating uplifted and energized me.

The Cube of Space

Metatron’s cube is also called the ‘cube of space’. It symbolizes many things including the 13 celestial spheres. It is a metaphor for completion and wholeness using sacred geometry and it symbolizes the “exalted experience of being human”. It is also called the merkabah or the vehicle for ascension (becoming aware and attuned to embody higher dimensions - anything above 3D). It is often symbolized as a 12 sided dimensional star.

So here I am chanting with my cube of space and perfume ‘jus’ daily and building the perfume in layers based on the Kabbalistic Tree of Life -  the theory of which suggests that incarnation takes place via a series of levels of spirit ‘descending’ into form.

During this process I made a visit to a friend of mine - Karen Van Dyke - a perfumer whom I had just recently met - who was trained under the tutelage of Mandy Aftel. While sniffing through her attelier, the two of us began to fill in the gaps in the Sweet Naam formula which had taken several twists when the Bulgarian lavender I ordered arrived as an entirely different color and scent. I was immediately attracted to the sharp penetrating Kewda oil and she suggested also incorporating a ‘dip’ of white cognac which completed the new formula beautifully!

Upon returning Karen thanked me for allowing her to be part of such a creative Symbiosis. At which point, I began to suspect real magic was in the air.  There is no way she could have known that each day after my chant, I stored the lovely little bottle of ‘jus’ atop my favorite visual inspiration - a painting by Autumn Skye Morrison - entitled “Symbiosis’.

How did that unusual word - symbiosis- come to mind. The only way I could imagine was that “the molecules of scent themselves could hold memory!” Was that possible? I know crystals could and were often programmed, but I had no idea that scent was also so ‘scentient’.

The Exalted Experience of Being Human

The soft floral notes of Sweet Naam resonate with the 4th chakra (the heart) and the 9th chakra - 4 feet above the head, which holds the karmic blueprint of the Christ energy ‘abilities’ waiting to be released - the upper ‘root’ chakra where creation and manifesting energies exist in potential. Also, the 11th chakra, which allows us to access the spiritual library of the multi-dimensional self.

Top notes: white lavender, lime, chocolate peppermint, bergamot and white cognac

Heart notes: ylang ylang, carnation, cinnamon, jasmine, gardenia and kewda attar

Base notes: vanilla, tonka bean, honey, orris, ambergris, boronia, guaiacwood and white lavender absolute

Sweet Naam is available June 1, 2012.

Let the soul be the alms bowl in which to collect the sweet naam. Fill the emptiness with the nectar of the heavens through meditation until you are meditating without meditating.

to Purchase Sweet Naam Perfume - click here