External Consciousness: Smell

The sense of smell, or more precisely, olfaction, is one of the most primal and evocative of our external consciousness senses.

Smell connects directly to the brain's limbic system, a region involved in emotion, memory, and behavior, making it uniquely powerful in influencing our mood and recollection. Unlike other senses that pass through the thalamus before reaching their respective processing centers, smell travels a direct neural path, allowing scents to trigger vivid memories or intense feelings instantaneously. For example, the smell of fresh-baked bread might transport you to your mothers kitchen, or the aroma of a particular perfume may remind you of a special first date. This direct connection makes smell an essential gateway to understanding the deeper interplay between sensory input and emotional consciousness.

Smell also plays a vital role in our survival and social interactions, often without our conscious awareness. Historically, the ability to detect and differentiate smells helped humans identify food that was safe to eat, avoid predators, and sense environmental dangers such as fire or spoiled meat. In modern life, while the need for these survival functions has diminished, the social and psychological impact of smell persists. Scents can influence how we perceive others—pleasant smells are often associated with attraction, comfort or sexual desire, while unpleasant odors may create aversion. Smell also has a strong cultural component, with certain aromas carrying symbolic significance in rituals, cuisine, and even spiritual practices.

In meditation and consciousness training, engaging with the sense of smell can create powerful experiences. Aromatherapy, for instance, uses essential oils to enhance relaxation, focus, or emotional healing, tapping into the deep connection between scent and the brain. During meditation, focusing on the subtleties of smell—such as the aroma of burning incense, the freshness of outdoor air, or the scent of a cup of tea—can be used to anchor your attention and deepen your sensory awareness. This practice highlights how deeply entwined smell is with mindfulness and emotional regulation, offering a grounding sensory experience that connects the external world to your inner state of consciousness.

The use of smell in religious and spiritual ceremonies is a universal tradition that transcends cultures and time. In Hinduism and Buddhism, incense made from sandalwood, jasmine, or agarwood is burned to purify spaces, honor deities, and symbolize spiritual aspirations. Christianity incorporates frankincense and myrrh in rituals, with the rising smoke signifying prayers ascending to heaven. In Islam, bakhoor and oud create an aromatic atmosphere of reverence during prayers. Indigenous traditions use smudging with sage or cedar to cleanse and connect with spiritual realms. Ancient Jewish Temple worship relied on sacred incense blends to evoke divine presence, while Zoroastrians burn frankincense in fire temples as a symbol of purity. Across modern and ancient practices, the fragrant smoke of incense enhances focus, cleanses spaces, and connects participants to the sacred, illustrating the enduring power of smell in spiritual life.

One of the my most powerful spiritual connections with smell was a temple I visited in Hong Kong. The whole temple was filled with large, spiral incense coils hanging from the ceiling. The air was filled with wafting, curling smoke, and somehow the smell created a barrier to the outside world. Several monks were meditating in absolute silence, almost invisible behind the veils of smoke. The overall effect was incredibly powerful, like a gateway into another world.

Smell can also provide insights into our subconscious reactions and personal preferences. Different individuals may respond uniquely to the same smell, finding it pleasant, neutral, or even repellent. This variability reflects both personal history and cultural influences. Becoming aware of these associations during meditation or mindfulness practice can reveal deeper layers of your emotional and cognitive patterns, enabling you to explore how sensory input shapes your perception and behavior.

The most amazing story of smell I’ve ever read is the 1985 novel ‘Das Parfum’ (Perfume) by Daniel Suskind. If you are lucky enough to understand German, read it in the original German, the language is mesmerizing. If not, get an English translation, or watch the film ‘Perfume: The Story of a Murderer’.

Interestingly, the loss or reduction of the sense of smell, known as anosmia, can profoundly impact quality of life. People with anosmia often report feeling disconnected from their environment and emotions, emphasizing how critical our sense of smell is to our overall life experience. Studies on individuals who regain their sense of smell after anosmia highlight how much joy and richness this sense brings to daily life. These accounts remind us not to take our sense of smell for granted and to consciously appreciate the scents that surround us every day.

By cultivating a greater awareness of smell, you can deepen your appreciation for the subtle ways this sense influences your life and emotions. Whether it’s savoring the earthy scent of a forest, the crispness of fresh laundry, or the comforting aroma of a favorite meal, smell offers a rich sensory pathway to both our external and internal world.

Practice: Smell like Never Before

In this exercise, you will need to move around. Some parts might require you to close your eyes, so make sure you will be undisturbed at those times. 

For the next few minutes, you will be directing all your attention to only your sense of smell. If you find yourself using any other sense, gently direct your attention back to just your sense of smell.

First, close your eyes and take a deep breath through your nose and notice the most obvious smell around you.  Is it strong or faint? Try not to label it or talk about it to yourself—just experience that smell, scent or aroma as a sensation. Do this for about 30 seconds.

Next, direct your attention to the background scents that might not be as noticeable at first. Can you detect any lingering smells in the air in your environment —perhaps wood, fabric, plants, or food? Open your eyes and move between several different spaces, or go from indoors to outdoors, noticing how what you can smell changes as you do so. Do this for about 5 minutes in different spaces.

Next, choose a specific object and smell it very intentionally. This could be your favorite beverage, a piece of fruit, a flower, or even the air near an open window. Close your eyes and inhale very slowly and and as deeply as you can, pouring all your attention into only the smell of that object. Notice if the scent changes as you breathe in. Then move slowly away from the object. Try using the 'sniffing' technique, where you take a series of short sharp intakes of breath rather than one longer one. Notice how much the scent decreases after you move away. How far away do you have to move for the smell to disappear? Do this for about 30 seconds with different objects.

Next, contemplate how smell interacts with your memories and emotions. Does a certain scent trigger a memory or a feeling? Observe how smell influences your overall perception of that moment or feeling. Do this for about 30 seconds.

Now, observe yourself and how you feel after doing this exercise. What did you notice? Did you smell more than you usually do? Do you feel more open and relaxed?

Self-Reflection: Smell

• What are some of your favorite smells? Why do you think they hold meaning for you?

• Have you ever had a strong emotional reaction to a particular scent? What was the context?

• How does smell influence your daily mood or decisions, such as the perfumes you wear or the places you feel drawn to?

• Are there smells you strongly dislike? Can you identify a past experience that caused such a reaction?

• Have you ever experienced anosmia, or loss of smell, even temporarily? How did it affect your experience of the world?

• How often do you consciously pay attention to the smells around you? Would deliberately practicing more awareness of your sense of smell enrich your experience of life?

• What cultural or personal associations do you have with specific smells, such as incense, spices, flowers or nature?

• If you were to lose your sense of smell, how do you think it would change your perception of the world?
  

Your PERSONAL Insights

Make notes in your journal about your relationship to your sense of smell.