Anahata

[alicia_stardust]

ANAHATA: THE HEART

The Love of Krishna, The Breath of Vayu, the Garden of the Kalpa Taru

The Twelve-Petaled Lotus.

Compassion, unconditional love, psychic healing, empathy.

 

Anahata expresses the ability to follow ones heart, outside the jurisdiction of karma. Decisions truly made in Anahata are unbound by corrupted emotions and unfulfilled base desires.

 

This is where we hold the image of our divine self. This is the quiet and stillness of our true center.

 

In the bottle: I definitely get lavender, and a bit of "airy" quality. There's a slight herbal something in the background, and I know there are more florals back there but I can't pinpoint any of them by name.

 

Just applied: Here's where this gets interesting. The lavender stays present, but for a short while this one starts to smell a lot like Sylph: green rolling meadows, grasses blowing in the breeze, lavender, and a very arid/dry quality to it. But then it morphs again!

 

After 30 minutes: Next I start to smell something very bright and sweet. Guess what it reminds me of now? Parlement of Foules, only for the rose + resin aspect. The lavender herbal blend is still definitely part of this, so don't think it's gone away completely.

 

Rating: What a work of art these oils are. For working with chakras, I give this 5 out of 5 stars. For scent alone, I give this 4 out of 5 stars.

[Lycanthrope]

Anahata.

 

I haven't worked with this with this as a chakra oil yet, as I haven't received all my other Chakra oils yet and it is suggested that one begins with the root and work upwards in opening. That said.

 

In the vial it's a sweet, airy floral, as described above, I get a good amount of lavender mixed with what I think is rose or rosewood, perhaps a brush of lotus and peony. It reminds me of Budding Moon to some degree, as that on the skin it acts soft, gentle, subtle fragrance.

 

It hovers between a smooth, delicate lavender and a blend of dewy rose and airy flowers. On my skin, it makes me feel calm, somewhat detached from the minutae of day to day. While wearing it, it keeps surprising me, what with unsuspecting whiffs of Anahata striking my nose.

 

It's very nice. I'll add a tag after I get a chance to work with it.

[fallow deer]

I'm used to using rose oil to work with my heart chakra, and so I'm interested in using this oil since as mentioned above, it has a more lavender, herbacious quality. It also has a soft floral. I love lavender, it's one of my favourite oils, but I know some people find it too harsh. They shouldn't be worried about Anahata since it is a very soft, gentle blend.

 

I have yet to work with this oil so will update when I do.

[Blood onmy hands]

At first, Anahata almost smells a bit like lime to me, but not as sweet or juicy as lime usually is. This is also rather floral, but I’m not sure what sort of floral it smells like to me. A sweet and slightly soapy floral. I liked it a bit at first, but after a few minutes this went intensely soapy and sour on me, and started to give me a headache

[yeahbutnobut]

Anahata: the Heart

 

In the imp: lavender, and possibly jasmine or lily. A pleasant moist floral.

Wet on skin: lavender strengthens nicely, with hints of herbal green notes around it.

Dry on skin: oh, this is pretty…and I find it similar to Dove's Heart (no surprises, this is also a heart themed scent!) and also Sophia, but this is lighter and fresher, yet also warm and 'sparkling'. It makes me think of a summer garden with lavender and herbs and other dewy florals which I can't identify right now (I'm guessing jasmine is one of them though, and maybe a lily, possibly even rose). I also detect a hint of spice underneath it all. It reminds me of a more complex, daytime equivalent of Twilight.

After a while: once the lavender fades, I'm left with a very pretty jasmine scent. It's heady, sweet, humid and dewy, yet slightly green around the edges (maybe there might be honeysuckle there as well), with a little bit of spice, so now this stage reminds me of New Orleans without the lemon. It's now more of a sultry summer day in a garden full of blooming jasmine sort of scent.

At times, the scent goes a bit olive like on me-I think there's one jasmine (or similar floral) note that does that on me. It's not bad though…

But most of the time, the scent is still a pleasant warm green jasmine, mellow yet heady, but not dry. It does become a bit sour/sharp at times though, but only very occasionally.

The final scent after a few hours is a lovely, slightly tangy jasmine, almost like a lemony jasmine. and it hasn't gone all green and harsh.

Verdict: I quite enjoyed this scent…at first it was a lavender based floral scent with hints of herbs, warm and gentle. Eventually the lavender faded and was replaced by jasmine, a note that was both heady and sultry, and also dewy and fresh and a bit green, with a hint of light spices warming it up nicely. This scent is very similar to New Orleans and Twilight, but without that harsh green drydown I got from those. Although this jasmine does turn a bit 'olivey' at times, and there are fleeting moments when it gets sour or sharp, I really like this jasmine scent. At times, it makes me think of lazy summer evenings, and at other times, it resembles Dove's Heart somewhat, so it seems like quite a compassionate scent which seems fitting. I probably don't need a bottle but I'm keep this decant.

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

My yoga teacher always says that the element of the heart is air, and that when we work from the heart we create more "breathing room" in our lives. Anahata does indeed have an airy feel to it--a light herbal with a touch of floral underneath. Reminds me a bit of the "soothing" Voodoo blends--High John, Water of Notre Dame. Lavender, definitely, and soft flowers that have the warm quality of Eos--possibly the same honeysuckle and jasmine. Nothing with jasmine will ever make me just thrilled, but this is a mild enough blend to wear for Chakra work without it bothering me.

[Aredhel]

Rating (on skin): 0/5

Efficacy (if applicable): N/A

Summarised in a word or two: Roses and lavender.

 

In the imp: Rose and lavender -- two of my very least favourite notes.

 

On skin, wet: Rose. And lavender. Together. There's not much more to say about it, because I can't sniff the scent long without wanting to gag.

 

On skin, dry: Both floral and herbal, and very strong. It's not that I dislike lavender or rose -- it's that I really freaking hate them. Nothing against Anahata, mind, nor against Beth or the Lab; it's not *their* lavender or rose I dislike so much, it's the notes in general. Don't like 'em; not digging Anahata.

 

Conclusion: I'm not sure why I've been tempted for some reason to review the Chakras as scents before testing out their real uses. I do intend to use them as I imagine they are intended, but I haven't yet, so I can't comment on that aspect. I can say, however, that I will not be wearing this as perfume.

[edenssixthday]

Chakra - Anahata: The Heart - This is a very pretty blend. It's subtle and fresh with a light touch of rose and a very, very light herbal quality. My first impression is that breathing in this scent is like breathing in clean, mountain air, and there are no particularly distinguishable notes. As it dries and settles into my skin, a light rose note is discernible and something even lighter and softer underneath it, like the faintest wisp of lavender -- the prettiest BPAL lavendar I've experienced. It is a very pretty blend, but a bit too subtle for my particular taste. How lovely that it's intended for heart Chakra work.

[Galatea]

In the Imp: Slightly sweet, airy floral. Smells like peony to me.

 

Wet: Sharp bit of lavender and clean woods. Still very airy feeling. I think I detect rosewood or maybe cedar here...

 

Dry: Still sharp and clean, but more and more has a scent of greeness. This is very much a "clean scent", but has bits of woodsy and floral and green along with it.

 

Throw: Really quite a good bit of throw.

 

Overall: This is lovely. I have a love for all things lavender (but only the EO or other natural lavenders, the fake lavender scents are the worst), and so this just seems to me to be lavender plus plus. I typically like woodsy notes, and if this does contain rosewood it's right up my alley.

Unfortunately, the strangest thing happened with this blend. It was strong for about an hour and then it just up vanished completely. Weirdest thing.

This would make a great bedtime scent, and this would solve the body chemistry making it disappear problem.

 

Edited July 6, 2006 by Galatea

[LiberAmoris]

Mmmm, Anahata. Lavender, rose, and resin and woods? Totally relaxing and nurturing. Almost a bit like Sophia or the sleep blends. Perfect for being at peace.

 

This blend is so comforting and comfortable. It's absolutely a perfect match for the chakra.

[filigree_shadow]

I have no idea how to use the chakra oils, so I'm just commenting on the scents.

 

In the imp, it smells a bit herby, a little golden.

 

On, at first it smells almost exactly the same as it did in the imp. But as it dries I think I can detect something floral in it. It smells yellow to me. There's something about it that reminds me of that yellow Johnson & Johnson's baby shampoo.

[Diana]

wet: soft, slightly herbal/floral. i can't pick out this note.

 

dry: sweet, very light florals. i can barely smell it anymore, so it's especially hard to pick out anything specific from it at this point.

[fiddledragon]

In the bottle, I get lavender pears. (ooo...I bet that would be really tasty!)

 

On me wet, it's sharply lavender and herbs. It becomes very faint on me as it dries...hopefully this one will come back in the final drydown; it's one of the chakras I was most interested in working with.

 

Wow...it's still faintly sweet herbal lavender, but sitting and smelling this is helping with some of the disassociation feeling I've been dealing with recently. I'm not sure how I want to use this, but it's definitely a working oil. It's not embodying compassion for me so far -- I think I'll stick with my usual Rose Cross or Kali for compassion-based meditations.

 

Other people get jasmine from this? Weeeeird...my skin usually amps jasmine beyond all reason and I'm not getting it at all here.

[supremegoddessofall]

Jasmine and rose-scented cleaning product. Not awful, but not something I would choose to wear.

[Shollin]

First sniff: Wonderfully sweet resins, just this side of sticky.

 

Wearing: I swiped this on in the usual places and added a dab just over my heart. Seemed appropriate. On my skin, it’s… fantastic. Stunning. Resins sometimes don’t work on me, but whatever is in this, I love it. It’s light and sweet, but at the same time, it’s solid and grounded. Like white flowers blooming in the sunlit topmost branches of a very old tree.

[emzebel]

My impression of this is as something fresh and warm, with just a touch of citrus. I actually don't get much floral out of this, which must just be a trick of my chemistry.

[hkhm]

imp: jasmine and lavender with some spicy/herbiness behind them.

 

wet: jasmine with rose? it's got a soapiness that only rose can attain.

 

dry: this has gone to soap on my skin and must be rose. whatever else was in this blend is eclipsed by the rose.

[Frills]

I got these for chakra work, so most of my review will be about that.

 

I started with this one because I've been feeling very conflicted lately, and I've had a lot of trouble balancing three specific chakras, the heart being one of them.

 

I put this oil over my chakra points (focusing on my heart) and then on my wrists, just to be sure I'd get the full scent. While meditating it was much easier to focus and my attention was definitely drawn to the unbalanced heart chakra. After I was done meditating I felt much calmer, and I feel much more on balance now. It definitely made it easier and more relaxing to meditate.

 

Scent-wise, I honestly don't remember any notes specifically; it brought to mind a very soft rosey-pink color, though, and it was very calming.

 

I'd recommend this to anyone.

[Czarina]

Yep, rose and lavender. Fairly harsh and aggressive lavender. No, wait, that's just a brief flareup of scent during the drydown.

 

My heart chakra isn't one one of my problem areas AFAIK. This oil isn't doing much for me one way or the other. Think I'll keep it on hand on the assumption that circumstances change.

[Tess]

In the bottle - Lots of flowers. Smells like lavender, rose and a touch of lotus. Is there carnation in this? I'm getting that spicey note from it and something woody.

 

Wet - There really is something anchoring this, like a wood. Rosewood? No, something deeper.

 

Drying - Lavender is really strong in this, with quite a bit of rose. But I'm also getting something dark, like a bitter patchouli. No, more like frankincense. This isn't nearly as airy as what other people are saying. In fact, it's not airy at ALL. I really have to wonder if someone mislabeled this. It's very heavy on the frankincense with a touch of floral.

 

Dry (2 hours) - Well, it stayed with that heavy "darkness" for about 30 minutes, then it went back to the bottle scent with an added bit of soapiness for about 1 to 1.5 hours and now it's almost totally gone.

 

Overall - I'm not convinced that there's something up with my imp, as this was NOTHING like what I was expecting or what others got. In fact, I'm not going to even try this out for meditation because, well...

[fairnymph]

Sniffed: Golden oil. Flowers and greenery. Slightly sour (in a floral way), herbal medicinal/mentholic. Jasmine, with a soapy edge.

 

Wet: Sharper, and almost foul-smelling rotten things - pungent. Like dead animals/roadkill. Ylang ylang and jasmine, and this is both heady and soapy. The whiff from a few inches is pure roadkill.

 

Dry: That rotten note is definitely at least in part iris, and it and the other florals are totally dominating on my skin. Greenery - is cool and a little bitter, maybe even a little spicy - some dandelion, and maybe some ivy?

 

Later: This is a very pungent but not overly sour jasmine - the same note as in Thalassa, actually. I'm positive about that dandelion, but other green notes (woefully light) evade identification.

 

Summary: Dry, woody drydown of rosewood and cedar with fainter hints of jasmine and iris - all greenery gone. Rather masculine, and more pleasant than the wet stages, but still not for me. Very strong throw and longevity.

 

I don't get any lavender...I wish!

[zankoku_zen]

Anahata starts with a lavender overlay over rosewood. As it dries, the lavender gets replaced by ylang ylang and the jasmine comes to the fore.

 

So I smell of jasmine, ylang ylang AND roses.

 

Erm...

 

PASS!

[Greensleeves]

In the bottle: Medium yellow oil. Incense and fruit.

 

Wet: Sweet incense, perhaps sandalwood, and something like peaches, and honeysuckle, oh honeysuckle, I would know you anywhere.

 

Dry: Honeysuckle, fruit and incense, possibly some jasmine. This smells a lot like Twilight. Maybe a hint of rose.

After a few minutes: Honeysuckle, rose, jasmine, and amber.

 

After first hour: Faint honeysuckle and jasmine.

 

After two and a half hours: Faint honeysuckle and jasmine.

 

After 5 hours: Gone.

Final verdict: Pretty, but it doesn't stand out for me.

[Lethran]

In bottle: Rather sweet and over ripe. I’m getting maybe dragon’s blood or some berry and some supporting florals as the main scent. I’m not good with florals, but I’m guessing lavender, rose, and maybe lotus, maybe jasmine, maybe lily, or maybe something else. This is not my sort of thing. Wet: The lavender stands out more as does the rose. It turns a little nasty on my skin, but I expected that, along with the rose pretty much eating everything else. An herbal thread steps forward more. Dry: Jasmine dominant, with an herbal under scent, and maybe a touch of dragon’s blood or something similar.