Listening to Scent

The olfactory journey described in this book introduces readers to the pleasures and benefits of educating and training the 'nose', our olfactory palate. Jennifer Peace Rhind explores the process of cultivating our sense of smell and demonstrates how the process itself can be therapeutic and enjoyable, as well as informative. She highlights the different skills involved, from olfactory vocabulary, awareness, and memory, through to discrimination and fragrance creation, and the activities that can help to acquire them, emphasizing the value of experiential learning. She describes the Japanese art of koh-do or the 'way of incense' and suggests ways of creating group events inspired by this. Based on her twenty five years' experience working with essential oils and aromatic plant extracts, she also leads the reader through a variety of scent families, with information on the botanical source, odour profiles, olfactory notes, and suggestions for comparison with other scents.This method of educating and training the 'nose' is fascinating, challenging and life-enhancing and will be of interest to anyone eager to develop their sense of smell, and of incalculable use to aromatherapy students and practitioners who must acquire these skills for their career.

Jennifer Peace Rhind is a Chartered Biologist with a Ph.D. in Mycotoxicology from the University of Strathclyde. Her long-standing interest in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) has led to qualifications in massage, aromatherapy and reflexology, and for thirteen years she worked as a therapist and partner in a multidisciplinary complementary healthcare clinic. During this time she became involved in CAM education in the private sector and co-founded the first professionally accredited CAM school in Scotland. She was a lecturer on the B.A. (Hons) Complementary Healthcare programme at Edinburgh Napier University for fourteen years, and remains involved in scent education. Jennifer is the author of Essential Oils, Fragrance and Wellbeing and A Sensory Journey, all published by Singing Dragon. She lives in Biggar near the Scottish Borders.

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• UBC Press Listening to Scent book Paperback