🌸✨ Her Enchanted Garden: An Aromatherapists Fairy Tale ✨🌿
Richmond Heights Library - Talk: Sept 26, 2023
If you’d like to listen to this story, Click This Link - this audio version is approximately 5 minutes long.
In the midst of a sprawling garden, my attention was irresistibly drawn to the Gardener, her serene countenance a portrait of devotion. With a gentle grace, she met my gaze and softly posed a question that hung in the air, "Could there be a more splendid day?" Surrounded by the vibrant garden beneath an azure sky, bathed in the sun's warm embrace, her words resonated as an undeniable truth.
"It is, indeed, a day of real splendor," I replied, my soul harmonizing with the beauty that enveloped us. Eager to prolong our exchange, I ventured, "What fills your hours when you step away from this exquisite sanctuary?"
Her eyes met mine, and a grin unfolded across her cheeks, revealing the endearing wrinkles of a life truly well lived. "When am I not amidst my garden?" Her words carried the essence of her profound connection with this place.
Curiosity led me to ask, "And what about those precious moments before slumber or upon awakening? How do you experience life beyond these captivating borders?"
With a relaxed demeanor, she mused, "Those may well be the moments when I craft my finest creations." Engaging me with her conversation, she continued.
As she spoke, I noted her quiet patience, mirrored by the velvety cadence of her voice. "Each night, just before I drift into slumber, I am enveloped by the promise of gardens yet to bloom, teeming with unparalleled beauty and joy—visions so vivid, I can feel, smell, and touch them as tangibly as our present reality. In those moments, they are as genuine as the world we inhabit."
Her words conjured a vivid tapestry within my mind, and my feelings were transported to a garden that transcended the splendors of our current surroundings.
"Indeed," she chuckled, "mornings bring an entirely distinct enchantment." With serenity and grace, she continued, "Upon awakening, I am greeted by an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the beauty that awaits me."
A pause ensued, marked by her smile, which briefly ventured skyward before returning to meet my gaze. "Mornings," she contemplated, "mark the genesis of my emotions, nurtured by the vibrant imagery that unfurls within my mind, destined to flourish throughout the day. It mirrors the art of tending to seeds in this very garden. We often label it as gratitude or appreciation, but for me, it resonates as gardening. Each dawn, as I open my eyes, I embark on my craft, firmly believing that, akin to nurturing this soil and ensuring each seed receives the precise measure of sunlight and water tailored to its unique essence, being a proficient gardener necessitates care, attention, and intention."
Once again, she paused, a tranquil moment of stillness, as if to absorb the beauty emanating from an ethereal realm enveloping us.
"I feel," she reflected, "that gardening has endowed me with the gift of crafting beauty, both here," she gestured towards the resplendent landscape around us, "and here." Her hand, tender and graceful, alighted upon her heart's center. "It's as though the sunshine, water, and soil are symbols for the thoughts, emotions, and actions that, when cultivated with care, yield the same richness of experience in life as a well-tended garden. These emotions can awaken our senses to the most delightful sights, tastes, and fragrances."
Leaning gently upon her spade, her smile radiated a profound inner peace.
After a moment of contemplation, she met my gaze directly, her eyes shimmering with a soft, twinkling luminescence. With deliberate care, she selected her final words. "For me, it is a blessing to realize that one's life can be whole and complete, regardless of career or passion. I could say, in essence, that I am a peaceful, contented gardener—both within and beyond. Wherever I journey, even in this conversation, during meals, and yes, even in slumber, joy prevails. This gift brings me such elation that I cannot help but wish this blessing upon everyone I encounter."
As an aromatherapist who treasures botanical perfumes, I am immediately captivated by the scents of this garden. In my work, I utilize its botanical treasures and essential oils to craft perfumes and home scents, aiming to capture the very essence of its beauty. The fragrances here are my palette, and I blend them with care to evoke emotions, healing, memories, and sensations. Just as the Gardener tends to her garden with love, I, too, cultivate these scents, fusing them into harmonious compositions that weave the garden's spirit into the tapestry of daily life, offering aromatic moments of solace and delight. In the fragrant world of aromatherapy, I seek to encapsulate the profound connection between scent and the soul, translating the essence of this enchanting garden into fragrant masterpieces that stir the heart and soothe the spirit, both within and beyond its verdant confines.
PDF of Presentation Given at In-Person Talk
Below is a link for the presentation used in my talk at the Richmond Public Library in Cleveland Ohio on September 26th, 2023. This link is available until December 31st, 2023. After that the presentation is available to for paid subscribers only (note: all paid subscribers have access to all of my presentations, whether given in-person or online).