The Origins of ScentSatori – An In-Lightning Journey
What Is Satori?
💡 Satori comes from the Japanese verb satoru (悟る), which means “to understand” or “to awaken”
It’s a term rooted in Zen Buddhism that describes a lightning fast flash of realization: a moment where you pierce the veil of ego… and get a glimpse into the true nature of reality, experiencing, however briefly, the intricately woven oneness that is you, interconnected with the entire universe.
Satori relates to the experience of kenshō (見性) which means “seeing nature” or “seeing essence,” and entails a sudden moment where we meet and become fully aware of our true selves. Through kenshō we can begin to have deeper realizations and insights that can be called satori. Experiencing both of these can lead to profound changes in our daily life and how we cultivate mindfulness, and compassion for ourselves and others.
Oshoko and Meditation
The Zen tradition of seated meditation commonly makes use of incense in order to purify the space and create an atmosphere of tranquility. At Ekoji Buddhist Temple in Virginia, the second home of ScentSatori’s founders Alton and Stefan, the ritual of oshoko (お焼香) is practiced where we offer incense to the Buddha, and the Sangha before a group walking and sitting meditation.
Oshoko Ritual (Spokane Buddhist Temple)
The smoke is said to represent the impermanence of all things as it diffuses into the air, and allows us a moment for personal reflection on the transiency of existence and the ephemeral present moment. A scent like sandalwood is often used an incense for oshoko because of its grounding and calming properties. After the meditation sessions we reflect and share our insights on the meditation, and sometimes, through mindful discussion, an impermanent glimpse of satori is revealed.
Science Alert
The olfactory sense is considered one of our most powerful senses because it is directly linked to the brain’s limbic system, responsible for emotions and memory. This is why smelling certain scents can alter our state of being, such as a change in mood or heartrate, even faster than we can have a single thought or even perceive those smells on a conscious level.
Impressive speed. Lightning fast. In-lightning even.
This is why certain scents can evoke vivid memories and emotional responses almost instantly, uniting the past with the present moment. This space of awareness into your own true selves that scent transports you into can act as a catalyst for satori.
Mindfulness at The Rave
To alter our consciousness and seek relief from discomfort is one of the most natural human urges. In the pursuit of states like relaxation, focus, or craving release, we resort to mood-altering behaviors with high risk for harmful consequences and ineffective results. These habit-forming behaviors span substance abuse, risk-taking, and adrenaline-seeking tendencies. The dependency risks among other adverse effects associated with pharmacological self-medication illuminates a clear and dire need for natural, and non-addictive alternatives that can provide peace of mind and alleviate suffering.
💡 “Research indicates that such activities are far more prevalent among music festival attendees, with 73.4% reporting illicit drug use in the past year, compared to 28% of young adults in the general population [1]. High-energy, anxiety-inducing environments like festivals foster elements of de-individuation and crowd psychology that promote this impulsive behavior (Day et al., 2018).”
Both of us are no stranger to this statistic, and we both struggled with addiction as a result of chasing relief in a drug. No judgement however, to anyone doing them recreationally, or in the same struggle of addiction as we once faced. One thing we noticed that gave us a moment of satori at the rave were Vicks and BoomBoom sticks that were ubiquitous in the community. This movement was one of the main inspirations for us to create ScentSatori. We came up with the name as soon as we became aware of the miraculous potential of scent to help us break free from the chains of attachment and unsustainable habits so we can awaken fully to the present moment. If used consistently with right intention, scent can bring about satori at any time and any place: a scent awakening, or, if we may, a ScentSatori. And this does not only happen for the spiritual wook… anyone can achieve ScentSatori. Anyone.
At ScentSatori, we believe aromatherapy can give rise to sudden moments of clarity, awakening us to more creative, effective, and self-compassionate ways to respond to stressors & desires. Now that may sound lofty, but the more you explore our knowledge base and the vast scent research that’s out there, the more you will come to realize that this is no joke.
We are on a mission to do this ourselves, and nothing in the world would make us happier than for you to consider joining us too on this in-lightning journey of exploring olfactory landscapes to learn more about ourselves, and to grow in ways we could never anticipate. If you want, you can sign up below completely free for our optional monthly newsletter that will be packed with mindfulness exercises, rave content, and educational wellness/scent science such as this blog!