Concentration

[Tesseljoan]

A useful aid in study and ritual. Dot this oil onto your palms and then rub them together vigorously. Then inhale the scent to intensify your mental focus and clear your mind of errant thoughts. This blend will sometimes provoke sudden insight into problems, and consequentially can be used for inspiration.

I really needed this. I have some procrastination issues, and usually only get worried by a deadline when it's staring me in the face..

I used this once so far, for writing an article that's due tomorrow. I inhaled, sat myself behind my work computer and suddenly felt motivated, of all things. Did a good half hour of non-stop writing (which is remarkebly long for me), and I'm well underway for tomorrow. Good stuff, will need gallons of this for when I start working on my thesis.

Edited to add: While I'm waiting on a TAL order with Meditation in it, I decided to try Concentration for single-pointed concentration meditation (I'm not sure how to say it in English, but it's the kind where you focus on a single point. I usually practice mindfulness, but I decided to experiment with this blend and see what it would do). It works quite well for this kind of meditation. I was able to sit longer then usual and felt my mind wander off less. I usually use this blend when I need to get work done, but it turned out to be useful in this aspect as well. Will continue to experiment.

[Brienze]

It's a good starting scent, the kind of "start doing what you have to!" but it doesn't have a good lasting power.

 

This was my experience too. The scent is sharply herbal (I wasn't paying attention to specific notes) and has a good "hey! you! pay attention!" sort of vibe. I do my best work when pushed to an absolutely immovable deadline, when I have to get something done and my critical brain shuts up (or just gives up) and lets me get on with it. Concentration dropped me into that mindset without it being 3am the morning that a project is due. I think my mind and my body are used to working at the point of exhaustion, though, because as soon as the scent faded (which only took an hour or so) my interest in plugging away at the work faded too. I didn't experience the "lost time" that happens when work is going really smoothly and I'm getting lots done.

 

I'm openminded, but not so openminded that my brains fall out. I do my best to be respectful, but I don't believe an inanimate object can push me around. The sharp topnotes gave a kick-in-the-ass to my concentration level, but the drydown didn't seem to make any difference. For me, Concentration is an interesting (and decent-smelling) novelty, but is no substitute for native Stubbornness.

 

Scent: herbal/woodsy. sharp. not sweet, but not acrid either.

[filigree_shadow]

I can't comment on the scent because I don't remember what it smelled like. I used it last night while I was studying for my physics exam (which is today at 6:00 pm).

 

The problem is that I was awake until 4:30 this morning because I couldn't shut my mind off. I just kept thinking. And thinking. I had to actually mentally tell myself to concentrate on SLEEP in order to fall asleep. So I would recommend caution when using this oil.

[PixieSkull]

I used this blend in combo with Clarity to help me focus on a Calculus test and studying for the test. I didn't get it until the test was about 4 days away, but I felt prepared.

 

Scentwise, it's chock full 'o mint and black tea. It's like drinking women's toning peppermint tea, soothing and nice.

 

Usagewise, I believe it helped me. I did use it only WITH Clarity but I do believe it helped me. I prayed quickly before I biked my way over to class and applied the scents to a pad for my scent locket then applied it to my wrists. I studied a final time with it in a quiet coffeeshop, then reapplied right before the test. During, I felt like nothing could distract me, I felt like I was on top of my game for whatever problems I understood.

 

Scent: 4/5; comforting and pleasant

Usage: 4.5/5; almost perfect, besides the random "I have no clue what I'm doing, I'm in waaaay over my head!" thoughts

Imagery: 4/5; with sniffing... None, nothing, zilch; with use... but that's a good thing.

[Blood onmy hands]

Where Clarity smelled like mint with hints of lemongrass and dish soap on me, Concentration smells like lemongrass with hints of mint and dish soap. They are pretty similar to me. I don't like mint, citrus, or most soapy scents, so I'm not crazy about the smell... thankfully, this is a lot lighter on me and has less throw than Clarity did. It softens to a barely there hint of lemon after about fifteen minutes.

Edited May 9, 2013 by Little Bird

[zenvodunista]

You won't need that second cup of coffee.

 

WOW.

 

Also, do not use more than once during day. Now I've got a Concentration High that just won't quit.

 

n.

[edenssixthday]

Concentration - Today was the busiest day I’ve had in the past 3 months at work, but I couldn’t seem to bring myself to focus. It’s a Friday and I’ve had a long week and my boss was gone, and I just wanted to goof off. After lunch time, I realized that if I didn’t buckle down and get my work done, and done fast and accurately, I was going to hve to stay late…on a Friday! No way! Well, I happened to have a bag of decants in my purse, and Concentration was among them, so I pulled it out, rubbed some on my palms, applied some to my crown chakra and my third eye. I put my hands in front of my face and I breathed deeply several times, inhaling the scent (and clearing out my sinuses in the process – wow, is that some strong stuff!). For the first 15 minutes after I applied it, I kept finding myself getting distracted and doing stuff other than the work in front of me, but around the 15 minute point, I noticed that I was really starting to focus and I also got this weird energy boost and just started hammering away at the tasks in front of me, pounding them out one by one. I am amazed at how fast I was able to do to my work and how accurately, and how I never once got confused or frustrated like I usually do the four times a year I do this particular project. I slammed my work out so fast that I got out of the office before quitting time. No long hours for me today! I’d say Concentration works! As for the scent, I’d say it’s predominantly lemongrass or lemon verbena (I can’t tell the two apart usually) and eucalyptus with perhaps a touch of mint, as well. It’s a keeper, of course!

[girl_android]

My mind's been particularly skittish over the last week or so; it's been a little difficult to find focus, put my head down, and get through everything I need to do at work. Even without this additional scattery brain thing, my usual state is pretty all over the place to begin with - DH sometimes thinks I think in non-sequiturs.

 

However, I didn't test it at work, mostly because I didn't necessarily think my co-workers would appreciate the scent, but also because I didn't feel unklutzy enough to handle an imp, kindly provided by a lovely forumite, at work.

 

Instead, I used it tonight, after dinner. I had a number of things that needed to get done, mostly so that the weekend wouldn't be filled with domesticities, especially seeing as we're losing an hour of sleep due to daylight savings kicking in *grin*

 

I gave the imp wand a test sniff - it's sharp, bright, lemony, minty with a eucalyptus kicker. I applied a swipe to my palms, cupped my hands, and inhaled deeply. It's a definite sinus clearer, and it did have an effect on me.

 

I had a mental list in my head, and it got done. Bearing in mind I didn't give this a huge challenge (besides overcome my usual post-work state of not wanting to do anything), things did get done. I am going to give this another go, and now that I've established that nothing is in the oil that would cause me to sneeze, have a rash, or have any other unintended adverse reaaction, I'm saving for a bottle, because I'm going to need all the help I can get going back to finish my degree while continuing my current job part-time.

[hangingfire]

This one really clears the head -- both literally and metaphorically. I suffer from bad seasonal allergies, and this blend goes right through them. It's great for pushing through the mid-afternoon energy slump, and for regaining focus on one's work. I've been dabbing a small drop on my palms, rubbing the hands together and inhaling, which works well.

 

(It also smells very much like Celestial Seasonings' "Tension Tamer" tea. It's the combination of mint and lemon that does it.)

[Voleuse]

On first sniff, this is a potent lemon and mint, reminiscent of the kind of cough drops that really work. Maybe there's a bit of eucalyptus? It's cool and a little sweet, and definitely clarifying. The blend wakes me right up! I'm not sure about the efficacy of the blend, but this is definitely something I could use as I try to focus on a big project.

[starrykitten]

Wow!

 

Based on the notes people mention in reviews, I expected to loathe this. But I don't. It's actually awesome and a little addictive. It's a great oil to chill out and feels nice when you're tired. I put it on and my thoughts quieted right down so I could work on a poem. It also seems to work well for issues of clarity.

[dronzeka]

I used this for the first time yesterday. I'm not much of a one for formal ritual, but I like the idea of using the oils with intent. I put it in a diffuser (one of the candle things - I never know what to call it) with a couple of candles on either side, and breathed it in for a few minutes, concentrating (heh!) on what I needed to be doing. Then I sat down to work on an essay that's overdue - and it definitely helped. I've been having a terrible time concentrating lately, but I did get into my work (so much so that when my youngest cat knocked something off the kitchen counter I jumped about three feet!). This is just a decant (thanks, VelvetFlyTrap!), so I may need to buy a big bottle soon.

 

As for smell - it is a refreshing kind of lemongrass/mint combo. Light but strong, if that makes sense. I wouldn't wear it as perfume (even if it were that kind of oil, which it's not), but it's a very pleasant scent, rather than pungent.

[Heretic]

I used Concentration for the first time this morning and was very pleased with the results. I am currently writing my doctoral dissertation and I have made myself a promise to write first thing every day, whether I feel like it or not, even if it's only for half an hour. My biggest problem is that once I sit down to write, I often find it difficult to stay focused on the writing-- my mind wanders to the pile of dirty clothes that needs washed, what we need from the grocery, what's going on the the BPAL forum, etc. Today was one of those days.

 

I anointed my palms with Concentration, cupped my hands in front of my face and breathed in as deeply as I could. I swear, I inhaled the fumes. I felt a little click in my brain, enjoyed the scent for a minute (I agree with the description of this as lemony mint) and then set to work. Call it a placebo effect or call it an effective magical oil-- in the end, I wrote for two straight hours and churned out quite a bit of text. I'm very pleased with the efficacy of Concentration and won't hesitate to use it again to keep my brain on track.

[storme]

Reviewed primarily for scent here:

 

On me, wet: verbena and buttery peppermint. Very fresh, very clearing-the-mind-and-sinuses-ish.

 

On me, dry: the back of my brain feels like it's been sprayed with coolant - this is a chilling scent.

 

Verdict: I'm not yet sure of the efficacy - I haven't yet settled down to do any work - but it makes me feel like I am going to blaze through whatever I set my mind to today. It's pleasant enough to wear, but non-perfumey enough that it feels like it has a purpose. A keeper.

[Browneyes]

I have used this by rubbing it on my palms and inhaling. The smell is strong - strong enough to smell up my bottle box! The mint and citrus cut all the way back into the sinuses, in a manner that seems to remove all clutter in there, and boost you up for some sharp thinking.

The scent is a little strange after a while. Like it's mint, citrus, and something more... It's pleasant enough though.

I think I will try it in an oil burner, because I can imagine that this would fill up a room with some seriously clean and sharp energy. On the skin it seems to disappear a bit fast.

 

edit: it does seem to work well for its intent on me, but unlike others (who say they only need to use it once), I seem to need to re-apply every so often, otherwise the concentration breaks. Earlier today I was trying to work but kept getting distracted by naughty daydreams () so I applied some drops of this to my hands and quite instantly the naughty thoughts diminished, until I couldn't even feel them physically anymore. This impressed me. But I'd say the effects last for only about half an hour on me, then I need to re-apply, or sort of force my constantly wandering mind back into focus.

Edited August 9, 2007 by Browneyes

[Mountaingrrl00]

I've had excellent results with this. It smells kind of medicinal (lemon-eucalyptus?) but it gets the job done and that's what counts. I've been able to focus on a complicated new project and am way ahead of deadline. The smell fades fairly quickly but I find the concentration lasts beyond it. One reapplication in a twelve-hour period sufficed.

[Hayet]

I combined this one with determination, because I had a busy-work task ahead of me that I'd been putting off for months and HAD to get done.

 

Now that I'm still awake at 3 am after churning out data for nearly five hours, trying to get sleepy, perhaps that wasn't such a great idea!

 

Generally I dislike the scents of both of them very much- all I smell is citronella in concentration, and vetiver in determination (yuck!). But this stuff works wonders, even better than "clarity" which I used until my latest order arrived. (Oddly...I have a cold and can't really smell much at the moment, and they worked anyway...I suppose one could argue I'm wired on sudafed, but I was doing actual work instead of surfing the net as usual which is very strange for a procrastinator like me!)

[Nia]

Lemongrass and mint and more. Let's see: pure mint, the BPAL Lemongrass single note, and Phobos (which smells of lemongrass and nothing else to me) are so strong they are distracting.

 

Lush has a temple balm called Whoosh which is meant to help in concentration. It's citrussy. I added a drop of mint AND added equal parts vaseline because, again, it was too distracting.

 

Concentration is exactly perfect because it has everything in my "improved" whoosh, only sweeter, fresher, and not at all so overwhelming that the only thing I can concentrate on is the smell. It lasts for hours too, although I think that the effect is much more aromatherapeutic than magickal.

 

ETA: After continued use, I think that Concentration is good if you are tired, unmotivated, uninspired. It hasn't worked for me when I was too stressed. It helps creating energy when I don't have any; for example, it was great to keep me awake in long lecture sessions. On the other hand, if the energy is already there, but it's just creating "mental static electricity", Concentration makes the problem worse for me. It's like trying to relax by drinking coffee.

Edited November 28, 2008 by Nia

[voodoocatwoman]

Lemon and mint. Definitely clears the head. I find that I DO need more than one dose because my head is filled with such extraneous chatter. One good whiff is enough to get me back on track for a while longer.

[windbourne]

Wonderful, FAST punch in the head of clarity and focus. I keep forgetting that I have this since I put all my TALs in a special box rather than leaving them out with the rest of the imps & decants. I need to use it more often when I'm feeling muzzy and distractable.

 

It's got a brisk (almost brusque!) minty-lemony-tea scent, but it doesn't matter because it works extremely well for me. I do tend to use it with a little Determination, so that I don't get bogged down in the wrong thing, but it really helps me keep to task.

[MisterShrapnel]

UM.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS IS IT. From this moment onward, I am a avid (rabid) fanatic for TALs, because this TOTALLY WORKS!

I have a hideous, and I mean absolutely hideous work ethic. I'm apathetic and tired and lazy all day, can't focus on a single thing and can't muster up the self-discipline to immerse myself in an assignment unless it's, say the 3 AM before the assignment is due, I've got a hearty dose of caffeine trickling down my throat at the moment, and... yeah. So I think part of me could have used some Determination (maybe that's for more long-term effects, and projects...), but I used this in conjunction with Block Buster, and for the last three days that I've been using it I got crap done. Not sure if part of the effect is from Block Buster (great stuff) but... wow.

Usually other people are a major distraction from homework, especially in the afternoons. But today I was actually a little bit cold (oops) and aloof without really meaning to be, because in my head I was thinking "Can't talk now, have to read this thing first, have to kick some ass" and I never stopped to chat with anyone even when they came up to me. Even at lunch I couldn't "turn it off" and the conversation was making me antsy after I had finished eating, and I went to the library to do more work. WHAT?!

Even after a good night's sleep I can be so tired all day, and it's frustrating when I fall asleep almost every afternoon in class and in the library after school when waiting to go home (where I could be getting some stuff done, but I don't). Once I'm home I collapse in an (inexplicably) exhausted heap and amble about aimlessly on the Internet and shuffle through the rest of the evening wishing I could get something done.

I have serious suspicions that I could have maybe ADHD inattentive or at least some sort of mild depression (people have brought it up), and I've tried a temporary prescription for Ritalin and I get the same creepy, MAGICAL effect from Concentration. It's like my brain is wearing blinders (like for horses). Tunnel-vision. Also, this brain/horse is on serious steroids. Everything that isn't part of the plan, the schedule is irrelevant and for once (save for the Ritalin doses) in my life I feel like I can get things done normally. Even better, my heart isn't beating a painfully and frighteningly fast tattoo against my ribcage like it does when I'm on Methylphenidate, and my head doesn't hurt quite as bad (just a little bit, unfortunately), I'm not a snappy cranky obnoxious bitch when Concentration "wears off," and I don't need an Rx! Sometimes when I try to throw myself into something I get a twinge/tic of the old bitter reluctance, but I just shove it aside (Block Buster? Concentration? Sorry that I haven't reviewed these independently!) and forge ahead. And I have the drive to switch to a new assignment when I've finished the first, and that too is fantastic.

Also, I'm usually "on" at least 200 mg caffeine in the mornings to wake up, and in the afternoons to try to stay awake and function like a normal person for the rest of the day. However for the last three days, I haven't touched a single mg of caffeine and I've actually had trouble sleeping (just like with the Ritalin) and I've been fantastically energetic and driven all day. God, what does the Lab put in this?! At this rate I'm going to go through a bottle a month... I've been carrying it with me everywhere.

As for scent (which really shouldn't matter for something so effective), it's a minty eucalyptus-y lemongrass-y treat. Kind of sugary for me, and yet herbal. I really like it. (Lemonade with ice? Lemon Italian ice? Sorry.)

Fades quickly from my palms but the effects are strong. VWOOSH, etc.

[mspixieears]

Tried this a few times, specifically for work - at present am really struggling with medication-induced drowsiness. I like to use this alongside Clarity, but don't really find it very effective. The smell isn't overly pleasant to me but with TALs I am cool with that as I know they are blends with a purpose. I guess this, as well as Clarity, I find that they perk me up like sugar, or like coffee, but don't find the effects overly everlasting. I'd like something a little more long term acting. I still find that the underlying brain sluggishness is there albeit masked, if that makes sense.

[aquazoo]

Mint, almost a pennyroyal, with a soft citrus. Definitely a wake-up scent.

 

[puddingirl]

This smells exactly like lemon green tea, I can see why that would help you to concentrate.

 

I will update with how it works when I have used it. I imagine that I will anoint myself before doing something that needs extra focus.

[bpalscentsual]

Yes, lemongrass and mint. I'd say pure lemon, but it feels more herbal than that. And it's helping to keep me focused today, on a day where a migraine is determined to leave my concentration by the wayside.

 

I also have a feeling that this will layer well with Embalming Fluid, which is my GC love, and so it makes me happy that I'll be able to wear a TAL blend, especially a utility blend, on possibly a daily basis.