Subconscious Reactions to Smells

Subconscious Reactions to Smells

One morning I ran out of shaving cream, almost did not shave. Then I saw my wife's shaving cream in the shower and decided use it.  It was pink and afterwards I smelled like apricots.   The good news was my skin had not felt that soft and smooth in years.   I also ran out of my Irish Spring and used her body wash that morning as well.   It really does not have much a smell though.  Basically I sure smelled pretty this morning.   And my skin was healthy/not dry.  

Smelling 'pretty' that morning got me to thinking about how our subconscious interprets certain smells and automatically associates them.  How is one smell more manly or feminine than another? They really neutral, it is us that decide/decided with what to associate a scent.  If I as a male like the smell of something, say vanilla, and decide to wear it is does that make me more feminine? I don't really think so.  Or say a female likes the smell of Leather and decides to wear it; does that make her more masculine? Again, I do not believe it does. 

The next thought then is, even if it did what does that matter?   It matters not; the ancients perhaps knew this better than many do now.  Everything has its 'Feminine' and 'Masculine' principles.  I for one accept that, if not the definitions of Feminine and Masculine.  

My wife sometimes blends her own perfumes from essential oils and a good base of carrier oils.  Once she loaned a friend a certain blend that was a favorite of mine.  I was at a lecture and that friend walked in.  Before I turned to see her, my brain had already associated that smell with my wife.  My brain then started bringing up feelings and thoughts of my wife.   I turned to see our friend and I was for a brief instant confused.  In my subconscious, that smell WAS my wife. How could somebody else smell like that?  To be honest for at least a tiny moment in time those thoughts and feelings were associated with our friend due to her smelling like my wife.  

To get back to the point, it was all entirely a subconscious reaction to a certain smell.  Being aware of the power of the mind I was still caught off guard.  Imagine had I not been aware?  Our subconscious is a real powerhouse.  We should be aware of this in all our interactions.  Something as simple as a scent can make us feel certain emotions and change our thinking.  To wrap up I smelled 'pretty' that day and I enjoyed it, while being fully aware of the part the subconscious was playing.  

Now if anyone needs me, I will be just over here Pondering the Interconnectedness while Seeking to maintain that Magical Equilibrium.

Bill Schell