The history of Indian attars goes back for five-thousand years. During this time people have loved them both for their beautiful fragrances as well as for their aromatherapy properties: Gulab/Rose supports a woman’s feminity. Mitti is grounding and good for hysteria. Kewda is clarifying and useful for mental fatigue, etc.
But Attars have also been used to enhance meditation and spiritual growth. They still have value for these things to this day.
Known as the “Oil of Tranquility”, Vetiver is cooling and soothing. The pure hydrodistilled oil of Vetiver from India is called Ruh Khus. It is quite strong and may be better appreciated when diluted to 10-15% in jojoba oil. A rich emerald green, this beautiful oil can take your scattered mind and help pinpoint it to a calm, still center.
Genda Attar is made from humble marigolds of gold and orange, but its fragrance is gloriously “green”! Genda is used to make garlands and curtains that help to purify the air. When worn, you feel its purifying effect in the lungs and sinuses. When you wear Genda, you will find yourself taking long, deep breaths (inspiring) without effort. Thus, Genda Attar is a wonderful aid to pranayams, or breathing exercises – it helps us feel literally “inspired”!
You may be familiar with Nag Champa incense. This famous incense is made from golden flowers of the Michelia Champaka tree. A botanical “cousin” to the magnolia, golden champa flowers exude a sweet, etheric perfume. These generous, magnificent trees are so beautiful, so beloved, that they are often planted near temples to fragrance the air all around them.
When made into an attar, the sandalwood base gives Champa a balance and depth that is truly beautiful. For meditation, Champa Attar helps to reconnect us with Divine Love.
Another amazing attar for meditation is a fairly recent one: White Lotus Attar. Only in recent years have people been able to extract the elusive fragrant oils from the lotus flower. There are three kinds of lotus flowers that produce fragrant oils: pink, blue and white. I find the White Lotus to be most appealing, both as a perfume and as an aid to meditation.
Of the three lotus perfumes, White Lotus has the most etheric effect on the mind. It works directly on the Crown chakra. It opens the crown chakra and locks your attention there, so meditation at that level becomes effortless.
The aromatic balance of White Lotus with Sandalwood oil also provides an energetic balance of etheric and grounding energies. Thus, White Lotus Attar can be an excellent aid for astral projection and other psychic work.
