illumine future self scent
ILLUMINE Future Self
Open your heart and mind to the possibilities of your Future Self. Anoint your self with the Illumine FutureSelf scent to more strongly encode neural network maps of your personalized Future Self Vision.
The Science of Scent
All ILLUMINE® scents are doorways to open your mind to new altered states of being. By shifting neural networks, laying down the chemistry of memory, and cultivating textured and varied elevated moods, your foundation and motivation for transformation to a more authentic self may become enriched.
When you smell something, the aroma enters through your nose to an area of the brain called the olfactory bulb. Shaped like a not-yet-bloomed flower bud, this area then connects to two powerful centres in your brain, the amygdala and hippocampus. Constantly growing new gardens of neurones, the hippocampus is like a lush rainforest garden in your brain, a rich source of diversity and change, mapmaking and storytelling. The hippocampus uses the emotion from the amygdala to record moments into memories. The memories you create then inform the inner maps that influence how you navigate your future decisions.
For the Illumine FutureSelf essential oil, we chose scents to call you to the renewal of your wild inner nature, and to potentially help you renew a sense of vitality, energy, clarity, and vision. Elements from the wilderness on the edge of the west coast of Canada were wildcrafted in alignment with the original people of the land. Our aim is to provide you with the support of plant essences in a meditative practice to reclaim your wild and true inner vision.
ILLUMINE Future Self Meditation Series
In the Illumine FutureSelf guided meditation series, you practice focusing on what you wish to create in your waking life. As you cultivate your focus, you may begin to understand the richness and life-giving energy of your wish. You might gain greater appreciation for the exquisite details of obstacles and challenges that keep you from the joy of your wish becoming true, and thus learn how to move through and past these obstacles to realizing your future dreams.
KEY ELEMENTS
Blue chamomile: known in German as “alles zutraut” which translates to being capable of anything, blue chamomile has a myriad of healing abilities. The key to its potency is chamazulene, an anti-inflammatory found only in chamomile essential oil. German chamomile has the highest levels of azulene, which gives the oil a rich blue hue in addition to promoting immunity. Blue chamomile also slows the creation of prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and histamines. Several chemicals found in the essential oil have potentially profound effects. Apigenin, a flavonoid in blue chamomile, enhances communication between nerve cells in the brain by encouraging the production of new neurons in the brain, and also strengthens connections between brain cells to support learning and memory. Myrcene reduces cortisol, while Thujone may help GABA alleviate stress. Alpha-pinene inhibits an enzyme that breaks down neurotransmitters that help with memory.
Also, the beta-pinene found in blue chamomile essential oil may lift low mood, help detoxification systems, and slow the growth of cancer cells. Farnasene, also found in the skin of apples, can help calm frayed nerves, and reduce muscle tension. Luteolin was found in a study at the University of Illinois to inhibit microglia in the brain that would otherwise cause inflammation. Coumarins in blue chamomile may protect cells from the oxidative stress due to pollution. Other studies have shown that the oil of blue chamomile helps relax blood vessels, improving the flow of blood and reducing high blood pressure.
Neroli: the flowers from the bitter Seville orange are sweet and known to alleviate stress and anxiety. Neroli is named after Anna Marie Orsini, the 17th century Princess of Nerola, Italy, who made the use of neroli popular in products to enhance beauty. We now know that neroli stimulates healthy skin cells to come to the surface of the skin, and enhances collagen production.
Sage: in Latin, Salvia officianalis means “to save”. The woodsy earthy scent of sage holds both an ancient history of a protective and cleansing power, as well as potent memories of the desert of interior western Canada, often called simply The Interior. The Lakota people called it the “master herb”. Thought to stimulate and clarify the mind, sage may enhance memory and ignite courage. Sage was used in ancient times to vitalize a person’s inner life force such that the person cleanses the mind of negative thoughts and thus behaviour patterns. Sage has also been used to open doorways in the mind to more mystical and safe experiences.
Bergamot: known in Latin as Citrus bergamia. Used for thousands of years to balance the heart and the hormonal systems, research has confirmed the ability of bergamot to control blood sugar and regulate feminine hormonal systems. Flavonoids in the oil stimulate the production of serotonin and dopamine, thus improving nerve function and relaxing the body and mind. Bergamot essence may also relieve feelings of despair, self judgement and low self esteem, and generate movement in energy systems to bring hope. Igniting self care, bergamot can recharge the energy field, reducing stress, shame, and promoting relaxation.
Palo Santo: in Spanish, Palo Santo means “Holy Wood” and originates from the coast of South America. On a very practical level, the scent keeps away insects. On a less physical level, the scent is thought to alleviate nervousness, low mood, and emotional pain. On a more spiritual level, Palo Santo has been believed to protect from spirits and hold space for sacred journeying and meditation, a practice and scent that dates back to the Inca era. As Palo Santo has recently become endangered, the Palo Santo in this blend is sourced from a private property that grows Palo Santo trees and harvests only from these trees.
Frankincense: frankincense has been used for centuries for both perfume and ceremony. Its healing properties have been studied and found to reduce physical pain, inflammation, and lung conditions. The boswellic acid molecule in the resin is related to benefits for reducing the inflammation in osteoarthritis, contributing by decreasing the degradation of cartilage. Frankincense is seen in studies in animals to reduce anxiety and low mood, by interacting with TRPV3 channels in the brain. Frankincense has been believed to restore harmony to energetic fields that have become disharmonious, or disrupted.
Clary Sage: Clary sage is chosen for its potential to help you relax and for the symbolism of it being a scent that help you to imagine and envision. A stronger scent from an herb that flowers with tiny blue and white flowers in the Mediterranean, clary sage has a potent anti-stress effect on both animals and humans; the essential oil may reduce anxiety and dominance behaviour due to its rare high percentage of esters which balance the neuroendocrine system. On a more mystical note, clary sage has been attributed to enhancing intuitive vision, clearing the energy centre referred to as the third eye to enter trance, induce euphoria, and clear the way for a refreshing sleep and healing dreams.
All of our scents are intended for enjoyment and enhancement of meditation to enhance your well being. For treatment of any medical or other diagnosed conditions, please consult your personal physician or appropriate expert.