Welcome to Stories for the Senses
When Intuition Speaks...Listen
It’s definitely time…
Today marks the beginning of a journey I've been preparing for without even knowing it. As I sat down to write this first post for Stories for the Senses, I felt that familiar flutter of uncertainty. Is this the right path? Will anyone care about the connection between memoirs and scent?
Rather than letting these questions spiral, I did what I always do when seeking clarity—I turned to my essential oils.
The Intuitive Scent Test
Without overthinking it, I gathered my collection and allowed my intuition to guide me. Three oils practically leaped into my hands:
Bergamot - bright, citrusy, uplifting
Palo Santo - woody, grounding, clarifying
Myrrh - earthy, complex, transformative
I hadn't consciously selected these three to work together before, but as their aromas mingled in my diffuser, I realized they were speaking directly to the journey I'm embarking on with you—and to the power of memoir itself.
What Our Scents Reveal
These three oils tell a story that parallels both my new direction and the essence of what makes memoirs so powerful:
Bergamot brings courage to embrace vulnerability. It lifts the fog of uncertainty and encourages us to share our authentic experiences. In memoir writing, this is the courage it takes to put one's truth on the page, knowing others will witness it.
Palo Santo offers clarity and spiritual alignment. Traditionally used for purification and protection, it creates a safe space for exploration. This mirrors how memoir creates a container for difficult truths, allowing both writer and reader to examine experiences from a place of safety.
Myrrh represents the wisdom gained through transformation. Historically used in healing rituals and sacred ceremonies, it embodies the alchemical process of turning pain into meaning. This is the heart of powerful memoirs—they transform personal experience into universal truth.
The Scent of Your Story
This experience reminded me why I'm launching Stories for the Senses. Our sensory memories—particularly those related to scent—are intimately tied to our most meaningful experiences. When we read memoirs, we're invited into someone else's sensory world, but often only through words on a page.
What if we could experience these stories more fully?
What if the scents described in a powerful memoir about survival could actually fill your room as you read?
What if the emotional journey of transformation could be supported by aromas that speak directly to your nervous system?
What to Expect from Stories for the Senses
This Substack will explore the intersection of memoir, emotion, and aromatherapy. Each month, we'll journey through powerful memoirs with all our senses engaged, focusing on:
Memoir Explorations: We'll examine powerful memoirs through a sensory lens, highlighting moments where scent, touch, taste, sound, and sight create emotional resonance.
Aromatic Recipes: I'll share custom blends inspired by these memoirs, designed to enhance your reading experience or process similar emotions in your own life.
Author Conversations: We'll speak directly with memoir authors about their sensory experiences and how these shaped their writing.
Emotional Processing: We'll explore how both literature and aromatherapy can help us metabolize difficult experiences and find meaning.
Your First Blend: Courage to Begin
If you're feeling called to start your own new chapter—whether that's writing your story, processing a difficult experience, or simply embracing change—here's a simple blend inspired by my intuitive selection today:
"New Chapter" Diffuser Blend
3 drops Bergamot (courage to begin)
2 drops Palo Santo (clarity of purpose)
1 drop Myrrh (wisdom through transformation)
Add to your diffuser as you journal, meditate on new beginnings, or whenever you need courage to step into the unknown.
Note: For those with sensitive skin, this blend is best used in a diffuser rather than topically, as bergamot can be photosensitizing.
(But trust us on the “subscribe” buttons!)
Join Me on This Journey
Stories for the Senses will be a place where literary exploration meets embodied experience. Where the wisdom of memoir writers combines with the ancient knowledge of aromatherapy. Where your own story can find new dimensions through sensory awareness.
Free subscribers will receive monthly posts exploring memoir through a sensory lens, along with a simple aromatic recipe.
Paid subscribers will unlock:
Complete aromatic journey collections for each featured memoir
Extended author interviews about sensory writing
Audio guides for sensory meditation with specific blends
Discount codes for in-person "Stories for the Senses" workshops
Whether you're a memoir lover, aromatherapy enthusiast, or simply someone seeking deeper connections to your own story, I invite you to subscribe and join this sensory journey.
What memoirs have affected you most deeply? Which sensory experiences from books still linger in your memory? Share in the comments, and let's begin this exploration together.