From Aroma to Art: a Labdanum-inspired Poem and Collage

At the beginning of my Aromagnosis Mentorship, the first oil I worked with deeply on my own was Labdanum Absolute.

As I explain here, Labdanum is the aromatic created from the gum-resin of the Cistus ladaniferus plant. We also get another aromatic, often called Cistus, that is steam-distilled from the leaves and twigs of this plant. Both have a deep, rich, haunting odor.

My assignment was to sit with the aroma, breath deep, meditate, and allow the plant material to communicate with me (and also allow me to communicate with my unconscious).

I will often use automatic writing and collage to help this process. This time I ended up finding a poem in my writing.

Calling in the Corners

The farther you stretch,

the sooner you'll break

through the surface

see what's at stake,

hidden, forbidden,

only when you wake

can you find the true North.

Put down your stake,

claim your true power

that's been locked inside,

covered with water

placed up on high

in a tower

now crumbling down,

down falls the water,

tumbling on down.

There in the dirt,

you find your true crown,

mud covered jewels

you realize you've found

a mirror of sorts

imperfect, round.

It calls the four corners,

the center is found

in that place in your chest

within a bony cage

containing centuries

of trauma, destruction, rage.

The time is coming

to let it all go.

The tears bring mercy

through the ebb and the flow.

Face each direction,

sing to the wind,

the family of souls,

ancestors, kin.

Fear has a place

maybe even as a friend,

but don't ever let it lock

your heart up again.

Want to learn to use aromatics to help you go deeper into what’s inside you? I’ll be leading students through a Healing Circle Mentorship this fall, starting August 1. Join us here.