SERENITY: Scent Semantics #12

Hey Scent Semantics Crew.

Our very last Scent Semantics. 12 months flew by in the blink of an eye. Even for the six bloggers who have been on the Scent Semantics journey lives have changed inextricably. Suddenly the world opened up and needed us all to get back involved, produce, create, scrutinise, write and read. Sheila is fulfilling lifelong dreams, Daisy is travelling and making podcasts happen, Elena is now a published author and the blog is going great guns, Undina has had family come to the USA and work, Old Herbaceous has also dealt with upheavals in the family and I’ve been getting back into Trivia work, events and property purchasing. Add to this the pall of C19 and Ukraine. It’s been a big 12 months.

Scent Semantics? We get a word, we get a date, we have to choose a single fragrance that fits the word and then have to explain how it fits together, in our way. As much or little as we feel the word/fragrance connection needs. We are going to probe a little into how each of us bloggers see the world, fragrance, ourselves. We get to see how one word can inspire different directions in connection. or not.

SERENITY: Scent Semantics #12

SERENITY is such a good choice, brought to us by Old Herbaceous of Scents and Sensibilities. There is a wide and open choice list for it too. The question was how to narrow down the choices. After some soul searching and questions to a couple of buddies I realised SERENITY means centred to me. When I’m able to walk through the world aware and calm and in the moment. Part of it has to do with being comfortable financially, part to do with knowing I have the ability to deal with life disasters and friends to help with that, quite a bit of it is having enough sleep, work, activities. A huge part of my SERENITY also comes from my marriage with Jin. It’s not always smooth sailing and sometimes he shits me up the wall but we are definitely there for each other in all things, pushing each other to do better, be as good as we can be solo and together. I don’t really meditate but I do like to do some breathing as I wake from sleep or even lying on the bed through the day, a 15 minute breathing session can calm and collect me to the point of SERENITY.

SERENITY

noun,

• the state or quality of being serene, calm, or tranquil; sereneness.
• (usually initial capital letter) a title of honor, respect, or reverence, used in speaking of or to certain members of royalty (usually preceded by his, your, etc.).

Silences PdT by Jacomo 1978

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Galbanum, Green Notes, Bergamot, Cassia, Orange Blossom, Lemon
Heart: Hyacinth, Lily-of-the-Valley, Iris, Rose, Narcissus, Jasmine
Base: Oakmoss, Vetiver, Cedar, Ambrette (Musk Mallow), Sandalwood

A green floral chypre from the days when such things were what they say they are. Silences fits SERENITY in both name and make up. The sheer, searing greenness of galbanum with bulbs and rhizomes layered over a mossy base and vegetal musks is SERENITY in fragrant form.

Wearing it today I’m struck by how full of life and yet peaceful Silences is.

How do you interpret and what perfume would you associate with the word SERENITY?
Portia xx