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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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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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.

💡 “Research indicates that such activities are far more prevalent among music festival attendees, with 73.4% reporting illicit drug use in the past year… 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.

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. 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.

Peace, Love, Unity, Respect. We say these words and scream out PLUR at the rave, but do we really mean them? What do they mean anyway?

“The universe unfolds in a harmony of chaos and creation / The symphony of the cosmos / An unstoppable crescendo of infinite energy.”
— Griz and Wooli

As ravers unleash their creativity, out comes kandi, totems, sprout clips, perlers, crochet, you name it! The chaos ensues as everyone gives away their creations to friends and total strangers in return for one of their creations, or a hug and some thoughtful words. The unstoppable crescendo is how the abundance grows when we share it with other people, and makes everyone’s experience that much more magical.

This exchange is usually accompanied by a mantra of “Peace” whereby two ravers unite fingertips in a peace sign, “Love” where they make a hand heart, “Unity” where they clasp each others’ hands, and “Respect” where they exchange the trinket or Kandi of choice. This mantra and ritual is so powerful and moving every time it happens at a rave and lights up the souls of those around it.

Repeating these words and symbolizing them with our hands creates that association in our minds and we remember throughout the rave: to be peaceful like a wise wook who solves conflicts with positivity, to show love and spread love in whatever ways you can, to unite as one and welcome any to this amazing community, and to always treat people with respect of their feelings, personal space, and things without judgement. Some people say PLURR with the last R representing responsibility, which is also a key virtue to have at a rave. Being responsible in consumption of drugs and alcohol so that you and your friends have a fun time safely is important, and being responsible for the trash you create and picking up after yourself at the rave is equally as important.

One of my most recent experiences where I felt PLUR(R) was alive and thriving was the at the Valley of The Seven Stars. It was pure magic in every moment. Maybe it was the crowd of people that experimental and trippy bass music attract, or maybe it was the inspirational speeches that Griz gave on every single day of the festival with one of his core messages being to “Show love, spread love.” He even made us raise our hands up and pledge to pick up all the trash that we left on the ground after the music was gone and the rave was over. I am infinitely grateful for everyone who listened because this made our job at Clean Vibes LLC a whole lot easier when we cleaned up the camp grounds after the festival. There was plenty of space to move around, dance, and flow even up by the rail, and everyone was mindful of people sitting, laying on inflatable couches, or popping an Asian squat (we all get floored eventually).