New Scents for 2020: The Sacred Sampler

This sampler includes the following six scents. For the other six new scents of 2020, please see New Scents for 2020: The Profane.

ANUBIS—You are dying. Your body has lost the ability to feel and you have disconnected from everything you know. Familiar faces and places fade from your grasp. Just as your fear feels like it will overwhelm you, there is a large, black wolf which appears, wagging his tail and beckoning you to follow. You follow because you don’t know anything else to do. You are now pure soul, looking down at your body. The wolf you are following morphs into a tall, muscular man. His oiled skin gleams ebony and his gold bracelets and anklets clink as he walks.  His manner is somber yet somehow infinitely tender. He explains that he is about to weigh your soul, yet you are also watching him bathe, anoint, and wrap your body. You ask yourself how any human can possibly be that tender. The answer comes to you instantly even though you didn’t think you spoke your question aloud. He’s not human; he’s a god. His name is Anpu but most know him as Anubis. You see scales, hear music, and smell myrrh. Then you see Anubis morph back into the large canine, and you see that he is guarding your grave. Forever. 

My blend for Anubis, the Egyptian god of the Underworld starts with a subtle bouquet of herbs and fig. It continues  with resins and precious White Lotus. The base is composed of many types of Myrrh. This is a deep and enduring blend which takes time to mature on your skin. 

DANU—As roiling ocean waves crash on rocky shores, the spirit of Danu, the mother of all Irish legends, moves across the land. She IS the ocean. She IS the land. She is rich pastures and mossy boulders. She is fog and rain and velvety earth. She is flowers and grain and seaweed. 

Danu is the mother of the Tuatha de Danaan, the children of Danu. Mythology tells us little about her other than that she is the progenitor of the mighty Irish deities. Her scent embodies the ocean with a hint of Seaweed absolute, as well as the land with notes of rainwater and fresh herbs. Feel the green embrace of an ancient mother goddess when you wear Danu. 

THE MORRIGAN—The Morrigan is the Irish goddess of war, death, prophecy, and fate. Flying high above the bloody battlefield, she is the shape shifting Phantom Queen. The Morrigan can appear as a crow or as a raven. She appeared to the Irish hero Cu Chulainn as a milk cow and as an eel. There are many stories about her, and she has been depicted as part of a triple goddess of the life cycle  as well. She is associated with rivers and lakes.

My scent tribute to her opens with the strong, smoky tang of battle, giving way to elements of water and Irish Heather. The Morrigan’s scent finishes with a blend of moss, milk, and musk. This is truly a scent like no other. It is at once bold and mysterious; brash and earthy. 

OTHERWORLD—Imagine you are walking through the woods. It is twilight and the shadows are deepening around you. Did that tree branch look exactly like that a moment ago? Was that faint music you heard? You suddenly have goose bumps. Something feels different. You have stepped into liminal space: the world of elves, faeries, animal spirits, and dragons. The Otherworld. In his enchanting new book, Chris Allaun gives a lovely description of the Otherworld along with exercises to transport you there and tips on how to communicate with its inhabitants. Otherworld the scent is made as a companion piece to the Otherworld book. The scent begins with a melange of green herbs, then leads you deeper with rare Elecampane and notes of dewdrops upon greenery. Finally,its roots appear with darkly sweet Tobacco and Oakmoss. Visit the Otherworld with this mystical scent. 

PERSEPHONE—Persephone is the goddess of spring who spends half her time as the goddess of the underworld and wife of Hades. Her myth includes references to fields of flowers and to a promise made with a pomegranate. Her scent includes notes of fresh grass and spring Lilacs as well as deep Myrrh and earthy Vetiver to represent the underworld. 

THOR—The Norse god of thunder and lightning, Thor is an archetype of traditional masculinity. He is known . Finally, Thor’s scent expresses his sexual prowess with a blend of deep musks. 

for his strength, virility, and bravery in battle. Thor meets challenges directly, with force and skill. He is also a god of trees, forests, and protection. The day of the week Thursday is named after him. Thor has been popularized in the Marvel comic books and movies.

My oil blend for Thor strikes with notes of pine and spruce. It develops into its middle note of smoky fir with a hint of Mead