Hymn to Pan

[olympia301]

 

Infuses you with wild bursts of creativity and artistic inspiration. Caveat: this blend possesses a hint of 'Rock Star' debauch.

 

The biggest note here is lavender. Very pleasant, with just a kiss of jasmine, and a sort of a small fruit scent in the background to keep the lavender from getting too ponderous. Perhaps I smell vanilla in this blend, but waaaay in the background. When I put my hand further from my nose, I get the fruit and jasmine much more strongly, they do outdo the lavender quickly and make for a winsome combination. As it settles down on your skin the lavender takes a back seat, and it becomes the agent for harmony, as a skilled hand will get lavender to do.

 

 

I have been told that this TAL is for aiding creativity and it does smell like the kind of thing that would clear out all of the day's demands and help you listen to that part of your soul which can dream up things you would love to do.

 

 

Hymn to Pan is only spoken of once in a while, in hushed tones of reverence. Happy I got to try it. Now I think I'll go off and paint!

Edited September 13, 2007 by Shollin

[Nadirah]

MMM this is very herbal, with plenty of lavender and some musk or somthing slightly animalistic. Its not heavy, but the musk adds some depth. I'd have to say that every time I put this on, something dramatic happens. What I mean by that is ~ its the feeling of the party just beginning. Theres that moment before it all comes together. You are anticipating and waiting for that phone call or that knock on thedoor and EVERY SINGLE TIME I put this on it HAPPENS. Its not always immediate, but it always takes place. So when I put this on, maybe depending on the stars, my mood, or whatever my project at the time is, this really helps get the ball rolling so to speak. This blend is truly WONDERFUL the closest scent I can relate this one too would be Buck Moon with Lavender. A definate keeper and I feel truly blessed to have tried this one.

Out of a scale of 1-5 I give it a 5 based on results and a 5 for scent.

Get your hands on some!!!

[shelldoo]

i haven't really tried this for intent, i jsut got a quick sniff. it is a musky herbal. that fades pretty fast on my skin leaving a slightly musky skin type scent.

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

(Another generous gift from She Who Shall Not Be Named. I'm saving most of this for a time when I really need to be creative; I haven't had a chance to use it for intent yet. So I'll just review the scent.)

 

I expected sharpness, possibly civet. Wrong, wrong, wrong. This is a cleaned-up, sharp-dressed Pan (every girl's crazy 'bout a...sorry, sorry; it seems to be inspiring me to be a dork). It's clean lavendar and subtle herbals. I know it's silly as hell but this reminds me of Mr. Tumnus from Narnia. A gentlemanly, English satyr. Gender neutral; everyone needs some inspiration!

Edited December 30, 2005 by Laurel the Woodfairy

[emzebel]

I tried just a drop of this as a decant without actually knowing that it was TAL, and was able to guess that it was from the herbal backdrop. It is nice in a sort of pleasant soapy sort of way - it is herbal and creamy and I actually like it a lot.

 

Looking at the purpose, I am tempted to hunt some down...

[undergroundwoman]

I have not really tried this for its intended purpose, but am rather enjoying the olfactory aspect of it so far. Very herbal... definitely lavender somewhere here--it reminds me a bit of Sylph. I swear I am getting whiffs of fennel or anise. And whatever the heck it is in Val Sans Retour that makes me crave it, that "moist green slot canyon" smell. Something reminiscient of Eidolon as well. I love the herby green scents so this is a winner in my book--slightly soapy, but I tend to like soapy. This isn't particularly musky on me, or at least the musk is blending in with my skin smell. There is a sweetness to it as well--maybe that's the rock star debauch?

 

I can definitely see this helping bring about creativity for me, overall I get the feeling of being outside somewhere where Pan would have liked to hang out and gather inspiration from nature. I can picture the gorgeous watercolor illustration in the edition of The Wind in the Willows (illustrated by Michael Hague) that I grew up with.

[summer]

General impression of scent -- lavender, patchouli, and general herb/dirt notes.

 

More importantly -- -- I just wore this on my wrists in conjunction with Concentration on my palms as I cleaned out my closet. Not only was I uncannily focused (that's for the Concentration review), but I'm not kidding when I say I saw my clothes in a whole new light. I know that this is a rather mundane expression of creativity, but truly -- I was overwhelmed with all kinds of inspiration about color, texture, and layers . . . and this was with my old boring clothes that I look at every day! I truly attribute this insight to Hymn to Pan. It's as though it broke the lens through which I usually see the world and allowed me to see everything anew. What a great aid for seeing creative possibilities in anything!

 

As for the rock star debauch . . . well, let's just say that none of my wardrobe inspiration pertained to my work clothes.

 

I really look forward to using this oil in other contexts. I feel like it's possibilities are endless!

[theshapeshifter]

I'm not going to even try to review this for scent, because I applied it solely for practical purposes today, and was already wearing Blood Kiss for scent. For the record, though, Hymn to Pan is not an unpleasant scent, but it did seem more 'practical' than 'cosmetic', if that makes sense.

 

Reason for use: Mondays are my day off, and I always start out with great intentions to get lots of writing and other creative-type stuff done, and instead usually find that my inspiration dries up when faced with all this free time. I'd been particularly writers-blocked on a story I'm writing.

 

Application: I anointed myself (palms, wrists, and the throat and third-eye chakras) with Hymn to Pan, then also anointed a purple candle while visualizing my writer's block and distractedness falling away and being replaced with wellsprings of creativity. Then I lit the candle and set it up beside my laptop.

 

Results: WOW. Hymn to Pan really delivered. I banged off a really pivotal chapter to the story (with really pleasing results, too, not just random let's-get-something-written crap) in NO TIME - maybe forty minutes or so, when it would normally tend to take a few hours of frittering about. Not only that, but I felt the plot for the next few chapters practically unfolding in front of me, so the next stint should be easy. And then I got another idea for a short piece... AND put together a kickass mixed CD for a friend's birthday. All the while feeling this amazing rush of energy.

 

This is utterly wonderful - and a great first experience using a TAL oil. I'll definitely need to upgrade to a full bottle of this, since I foresee my decant getting a lot of use.

[slave1]

In Bottle: Herbal cola

 

On Skin: This kind of reminds me of the Lime in the Coke you nut… a tart citrus with a sweet syrupy cola note and a brisk herbal background. Very fresh, and it is a very unique scent that actually does seem to get my juices flowing. I sat up in my chair and felt more alert. I think I might wear this the next time I DJ and see what creativity hits me… I know it’s not supposed to be worn, but I can’t really have a candle in the DJ booth. I will also try it out here at home the next time I sit down to do some sewing and see where it takes me.

[dragoncoral]

This'll be my first review of any scent; I've been too intimidated to do it before but this I had to share.

 

First off the scent; it smells a lot like lime popsicles to me. It gets a little more herby on my skin; lime popsicles with a little lavender thrown in.

 

I wore this in my scent locket the other night, more for the "rock star debauch" than the creativity to tell the truth. I had a competitive event I could not miss (bad news for the team captain to bail!) and I started the day feeling like utter crap. This event is (the BAWTOF in Portland) is all about drinking, taking fun/risque pictures and having way too much of a good time.

 

I had a little ritual, put the resulting scented cloth in my locket and away I went. I ended up having an incredibly fabulous time and my team managed to get some pretty damn good pictures and even though the results aren't in yet I'm pretty sure we placed in the top 3. All Hail Pan!

 

Word of warning though: I paid a high price the next day. I was hating life far more than I should have been even taking the hangover into account.

[edenssixthday]

Hymn to Pan - On my skin this is a light lavender that is very different from most of the blends I’ve tried with lavender in them. It’s light, soft, and sweet. Surrounding the lavender is a scent that I can only identify as somewhat musky. It’s just too hard to tell with the sweetness of the lavender that covers it. There may also be some soft herb or spice in this blend that gives it just the tiniest bit of “kick”, although I would never describe it as a spicy scent at all. In fact, as it begins to dry, I can’t help but wonder if it’s not the tiniest touch of eucalyptus that’s providing the “kick” to it, and when I sniff it, it feels cool and actually clears out my sinuses a bit. As it dries down even more, the lavender disappears, and all that’s left is a cool, herbal, white musk scent. I can see how this scent could clear away the things in life that bog us down and get in the way of creativity and inspiration. I have not used it to dress candles, but just put a dab on my skin on a couple of occasions. The scent actually fades so quickly, that the first time I tested it, I forgot I had applied it, and it took me a while to figure out why, in the middle of doing mundane chores around the house, I suddenly had a really impressive burst of energy, and all sorts of ideas about how to make my home an even happier home. The second time, I also forgot I was wearing it, and began to have all sorts of great ideas for cute “crafty” type things that I could do for other people – and I’ve never been a crafty-type person! I’m wearing it again right now, and I’m a little excited to see how it works today. I’ve been very careful with how much I use and the reason I haven’t dressed a candle with it yet is that I’m not quite prepared for any “rock star debauch” in my life right now – it’s just not the right time. But when the time is right, watch out!

[Blood onmy hands]

Hymn to Pan smells just like sweet lavender and limeade on me.

Edited September 10, 2012 by Little Bird

[yeahbutnobut]

Hymn to Pan

 

I've had a real creative low for a long time now, when in the past I would take great pleasure from writing and drawing and sketching and messing around with Photoshop. I'm hoping to revive my creativity-there were little simmerings of inspiration under the surface, but nothing full-blown yet.

 

I dabbed HtP on my wrists and inhaled deeply. The reviving minty herbal lavender scent felt cool on the skin, perfect after this heatwave. A little hint of grain and musk pops up. This is a jaunty little fragrance…I thought to myself. Then I get a delightful powdered sweetness, like vanilla. It's the vanilla-musk combo I love so much. Gorgeous scent, but does it work? I thought to myself.

I picked up some paper and a pencil and then…I started sketching like crazy. You know in the new series of Doctor Who there's an episode with that creepy girl who draws all the time, pencil moving really fast? I was sort of like that at this point. (Except without the freaky child-capturing powers, of course.)

HtP really cheers me up and causes a volcanic surge of creativity and general feel good moods when I wear it-someone mentioned 'the feeling of the party just beginning' when wearing this. That's what I feel too, only maybe in a slightly different way-this makes me feel in a party mood, that excited feeling before a big night out. I also suddenly got reminders and urges to want to do new things that I've not tried before…like for example, I was reading the newspaper and they mentioned a belly dancing class this week. I now want to do this class. It's ages since I've done any kind of dancing, save for drunken ones at parties. I now feel like I want to go out there and do things-like belly dancing. Or maybe music. Or a writing class, or art. I even came across recipe books and suddenly felt that I should start doing some cooking again.

 

This oil makes me want to get out there and get my creative muse going in any way or form. Which is fantastic, since I have about three months ahead of me where I will have nothing to do if I don't get a job, so getting my artistic inspiration a boost now is something that was sorely needed. And I think HtP seems to be helping this happen. All I now need is a bottle and nothing can stop me! (Hmm. Maybe that's the oil's supposed 'rockstar debauch' effect coming into play here? whatever it is, I love it!)

[Mountaingrrl00]

The first couple of times I tried Hymn to Pan were pleasant enough, but nothing special happened. These times were for music performance situations.

 

Then I used it to anoint my studio, and I really did have a wild burst of creativity. I stayed up late working on a writing project and it turned out very interesting and different from anything I've done before. As someone else has mentioned in a review, I too woke up feeling a bit as though I had a hangover. Still, I had coffee and breakfast, dabbed a bit of Hymn to Pan on my notebook, and went back to writing. I felt more willing to experiment and work by feel rather than rules.

 

There's something fizzy about the aroma - I definitely get the "herbal cola" association, or possibly ginger brew. There's also a hint of flowers.

 

When I apply it to my palms, the scent vanishes quickly. Perhaps that's why it didn't work for me previously. Also, my experience with it so far has been on the more introverted side, which I don't associate with "rock star debauch". Personal variations aside, this works wonderfully for me, and I expect to use it more in my work and play.

[kythryne]

I've had Hymn to Pan for quite some time, but unfortunately, I keep forgetting to use it. When I do remember, interesting things happen. Usually nothing too dramatic, but I often find myself falling into a bit of a work trance, and then I come out of it several hours later with sore hands and a pile of finished pieces on my workbench. It's good stuff.

 

For some reason, I always feel compelled to dab a bit of it on either side of my neck. I have no idea why, but it's impossible for me to open the bottle and not do that. I've used it to annoint my hands and to annoint candles, and I'm not sure which works better.

 

The scent... meh. It's a working oil, so I'm not too fussed about how it smells. It's sharp and herbal and feral. Not unpleasant, just not something I'd wear if it was a perfume.

[salamandrina]

I've been working with HtP and Blockbuster lately, trying to bash through this mental block and finish my scripts.

 

The two mixed together smell pleasantly creamy and herbal, and there's a fruitiness to HtP (I usually put that on first) that I enjoy, but since I wear it purposefully, as long as it doesn't send me into migraine-land, I'm not going to care.

 

I had a few false starts...kinda. The first few times I worked with it, I didn't get any writing done, but I did get a lot of the rumination and pondering that usually proceeds my writing done. (Drew says I write like someone with a stomach virus. Pondering, followed by projectile vomiting.) The last time I used it, I managed to get a whole bunch of pages written, including some revisions that were tossed on at the last minute and needed me to rethink several plot lines.

 

Not only was the writing accomplished - it's good - editors and collaborator are quite happy with just what was spilling - no tweaks in dialogue needed.

 

I've been applying to my palms, rubbing them together, and focusing on overcoming my block, and letting out what's trapped inside.

 

I'm pleased. Quite pleased, actually, and it doesn't hurt that I get a whiff every time I open the lappy.

[storme]

Testing primarily for scent, not for intent:

 

In the imp: lavender and herbal limes and maybe a hint of musk.

 

On me, wet: Lavender herby musk. I should like this, however, it's making bile rise in the back of my throat, and I'm not sure why.

 

On me, dry: gah, Pan urinated on my wrist. That's what this smells like once dry, anyway. Ick. No wonder I was reacting badly to it.

 

Verdict: This is not inspiring me to much except mad scrubbing. Fie, off, away, yick.

Edited August 31, 2006 by storme

[starrykitten]

The last time I invoked Pan, I met a man who described himself as goat-like. This man stole some things with me and tried to sleep with me, but also got me startedw writing performance poetry. I wondered what would happen this time. when I first used Hymn to Pan yesterday.

 

I dabbed it on my pulse points and then on my palms and rubbed them together as I sat down to write. I wrote a lot and very quickly, but not in a way that was hugely different from usual. I didn't feel more excited about writing than usual, though, so I went home and took a nap. After waking up, I burned a candle anointed with HtP.

 

I had plans to meet a friend that night to get some advice about a novel I'm working on. We met up and he had lots of good ideas, so I felt better about the novel. I don't know how much of that was HtP and how much was just us. But while we were talking in the cafe, I ran into a new student in my program who invited me to join himself and some of the other new students in a bar across the street. I went to the bar and hung out with the new students, and here's where the rock star debauch began.

 

I just happened to run into someone else I only vaguely knew at the bar, even though neither of us had been at that bar in months. He kept mentioning my perfume, so I know it was noticeable. It was a strange, very Pan-like night where we had great fun, lots of conversation, and some great make-out. It was also very Pan-like that he was being devious in trying to get me to go further than I wanted.

 

So that's pretty much my review. If you want Pan, you get Pan with this oil.

 

ETA: I wore this one night when I was trying to write. I had a sudden burst of inspiration and suddenly wrote a great poem which was entirely different than anything I'd ever written...nice work!

Edited October 22, 2006 by starrykitten

[myoubi]

The first time I used Hymn to Pan I wanted to tap into both sides of the scent; I was entering a new social situation and so I layered it with Road Opener, as an experiment. Didn't have time to focus properly; even so, it did something.

 

I put it on the back of my neck (for the base of my brain), and my third eye with Road opener to see a little ahead of the curve. As I was walking there I felt kind of badass, in a way I haven't felt much before -- not in an on-edge way, like you're psyching yourself up for something, but this perfectly stable sense of self-satisfaction. I sat down and was instantly more present and less shy than usual; what's more, a friend's boyfriend who'd never particularly noticed me before perked right up, and started flirting a little until she gave him a Look.

At several points in the evening, I got teeny bursts of ideas of things I Should Do to enhance a certain dynamic or get a better result from the situation. I was a lot more out-there and flirty and charming than I usually am, and I also felt a lot more attractive. So glad I bought a bottle of this -- I can't wait to see what it does for creativity.

[Inanna9]

I had to lay off the Hymn to Pan for a while. It's a bit on the intense side.

 

But boy, do I love this stuff. I put it on and it goes straight to the reptile brain. I'm fixing to start using it again (heh, I sound like an addict), and I have it on right now. There's so many really deep, non-verbal associations tied up in this scent now for me, it's ridiculous. But it's already working, as it's inspired me to write the review I've been putting off a long time.

 

My results with this started off sort of small: bursts of inspiration and euphoria coupled with a desire to get outside more, even roll around in the grass (my clubbing days are mostly over *knock wood*, so that and the occasional swig of vodka is about as wild as I get these days ). Pretty soon, I was set up outside on my back patio with my laptop, incense and candles burning, slathered in Hymn to Pan and typing furiously away at my novel.

 

I don't really know how to explain the later stages, except to say that there are no boundaries when it comes to Pan energy; there's no sense of taboo, right and wrong or what's "civilized", only What Is - pure and instinctual. (Seriously, I really would be careful about using this at parties or around large groups of people.) My writing got intense to an almost disturbing degree, and things very much bled over into the real world as well. That's all I'm going to say, because the rest is just TMI.

 

One thing in my case: I was also working with Temple: Chthonic and doing root chakra meditations at the time, so maybe I'm just the poster child for caution when combining TALs. I mean, I got fantstic results, but ... yeah. Intense stuff.

 

Highly recommended, though. Io Pan, baby!

[Extispex]

This is a part of my first big TAL order. I got Hymn to Pan because out of all the creative blends, it sounded like it was most suited to the way I work - in 'bursts'.

 

The scent is incredible, I love it. An herbal lavender with a hint of mint. On me it dries down to a soft, almost floral green. Its the kind of scent you want to breath in deeply, because it is more than just aroma - it is sensation. There is an almost tactile quality to it that teases the olfactory senses.

 

And yes, so far I've been getting good results from Hymn to Pan. Just opening it and sniffing it from the bottle, I started tumbling vague ideas over in my mind about my novel, which I'd put away some months ago after hitting a brick wall. I wore Hymn to Pan to sleep last night, to see if I could evoke inspiration in dreams, and I woke up this morning with a strong sense of the direction my novel will take, and some excellent ideas. I feel stirrings of inspiration that seem to be building to the point of explosion. I'm going to let this one take its course and see what happens. I'm wearing it again this morning, and I've annointed my creativity mojo-bag with it and Blockbuster.

 

I also intend to use this in a rite to strengthen my relationship with my muse.

 

I would use HtP even if it smelled like goat-pee, but the fragrance is a bonus, because its absolutely lovely.

[xoe]

Wow. I can't believe I haven't reviewed Hymn to Pan yet.

 

I got it because I knew that I had some situations coming up that were going to require bursts of creativity AND rockstar debauch. It worked a treat! My GOD did this stuff work. It tapped into parts of my consciousness that I didn't even know were there!

 

As for the scent, to my nose it is much more fizzy and dark. VERY DARK BLACK. It is powerful.

[Nimthiriel]

Scent in the vial:

Woah! Strong stuff! It's like an explosion of zesty and kick-ass notes – and worryingly it almost smells like petrol at first. Intense!

 

Scent “in use”:

I anointed my artistic earrings and necklace with this stuff, as I thought that'd be pretty appropriate. It's like... fizzy cola with a herbal streak to it. There might be lavender, patchouli and lime in there. Yes, lavender and lime! Very zesty – sure to perk you up and have you bursting with ideas!

 

Effect:

I wasn't so much inspired by this blend, but I was productive. I got things done! The ideas were already there, but I finished them off with the aid of this. Works in my books.

[innocent]

The scent is pleasant, a sort of herbal musk.

 

It works. I'd been using Blockbuster to help with my writing (also works, but a topic for a different thread) but I recently got a decant of HtoP and decided to try that instead. I've used it a few times now (I just apply to my wrists, neck, and the eyes on my Hands of Fatima tattoos) and its worked every time. It feels very different than using Blockbuster. HtoP tends to inspire me with new ideas and revisions to current ones. It has more bubbly, changable feeling than Blockbuster (if that makes any sense). I haven't experienced any debauch yet... but I've only worn it while at home.

[TheOneTheyCallLuna]

This blend works amazingly well! This Saturday morning I had an early morning art retreat to go to, after being up all night helping a friend come to terms with some seriously heavy emotional stuff. By 6 a.m. I was just totally drained and exhausted. I'd been feeling really blocked lately, and this morning I did feel totally inspired, but only to stay in bed with the warm comfy covers over my head for a few more hours. So, I grabbed some Hymn to Pan, did a little mini-ritual and went about my groggy morning. Well, the art retreat went unbelievably well...I got an almost overwhelming amount of positive feedback on my work, and everything just felt like it was coming so naturally to me.

 

It also smells delicious...On my skin it's a really soft, smoothed out lavender blend with depth. I don't find it to be sharp at all, like previous reviewers. Mine had been aged pretty well, though. I can't really pick out any other notes in the blend. Perhaps a touch of Jasmine? In any case, it's very pleasant, pretty, and calming to the nerves, while also being unobtrusive.

 

I give Hymn to Pan a 4.9 out of 5 for both effectiveness and scent.