Expanding Reality – Work, Study, Nature

Expanding Reality – Nature

This is the third in a series of three articles sharing insights from my recent reality-expanding 7-week adventure in Europe and the UK. Instead of Eat, Pray, Love (although I experienced all these too) I’ll call the articles, Work, Nature, Study. You can read the first and second articles in the series here and here.

Late last year my brain started to itch. It was a familiar itch – to learn something new – stimulate and nourish new pathways. I was inspired by the experience of being a student of something that was objectively unrelated to my vocational work over the last decade or so. While I can be pretty good at beginner’s mind – I wished to truly be a beginner and feel out of my depth completely. I reflected on what to study and after some time arrived at the need to study something related to the natural world – not purely theoretical or intellectual.

Over 25 years ago I studied clinical aromatherapy – I have used that knowledge simply in my home since and to help friends and family but my studies moved into different areas of interest. I’ve always had a “nose” and I decided to bring my passion for scent forward in a new form and study perfume making.

The challenge was – I don’t like synthetic perfume at all. I walk past a perfume counter in a department store, and I feel nauseous. I have even been known to cross the road if someone is doused in a strong synthetic perfume or deodorant. As a result, I knew I couldn’t study synthetic perfume making which is most commonly available today. I needed to find a teacher who could impart the use of natural oils and essences to make pure natural perfumes.

I joined Salaam’s perfume-making experience after searching for a natural perfume course online. A bonus was that it was in Italy – inland from the Adriatic coastline. I applied with an open mind and a strong intuition that it would help to channel and expand my passion for aromatherapy and natural essences.

Salaam is a traditional teacher whom I truly enjoyed learning from. He is uncompromising when it comes to principles. He shares his vast knowledge and experience freely and creates a disciplined education experience.

He teaches with a sublime balance of firmness and kindness – seeking to bring out the gifts of his students and moderate their challenges. I have a huge respect for his teaching approach. He engaged us in learning through doing and at the same time in understanding the way of scent and the alchemical philosophy that underpins it.

We were taken on a journey of discovery into the realm of scent and perfume making and ourselves – as we recognised inner barriers, arrived at profound insights, and diligently approached each perfume we made with our minds, hearts, and souls.

Salaam’s sharing of knowledge was not just a lecture, it was a transmission that enveloped us at the essence of our being and created a new distillation of who we could be as human beings and as perfumers. Upon completion of the course in Natural Perfumery, I felt transformed by the experience and ready to take what I had learned, learn more, and apply it.

True teaching and study, the transmission of knowledge – is a relationship, one I seek to embody in my role as a teacher, working with leadership teams and as an educator in the Academy. As an educator, I intend to continually learn to teach.

I am aware that the transmission of knowledge is as much about the intention and presence of the educator, as it is about the knowledge that is imparted. Before any educational experience, I set a clear intention for participant outcomes and for myself including who I wish to be and what I choose to bring. This intentionality creates a foundation for magic to happen.

Creating anything worthwhile takes time, discipline and effort. As I created the New Millennium Leader Academy, I distilled over 30 years of intensive learning, practical experience, facilitation and teaching in the fields of leadership and personal transformation. At times it felt a little tedious, distilling the essence, putting it in a practical format, editing and recording. I reminded myself of my intention – that I was creating a platform for magic to unfold.

We experienced this kind of challenge in the perfume course – distilling bay leaves on an unseasonably cold day in Coriano near Rimini in Italy. Taking leaves off the branches and mulching them, setting up the equipment, and staying alert to the process. A huge number of leaves created a couple of bottles of the essence – the magic was in the process of distillation and the essence it produced. Salaam explained that the essence would take time to settle and that the process is a trauma of sorts for the plant.

Photo credit to Daniela Rivera Antara

Distillation of our true essence takes work and sometimes a bit of necessary ego trauma – The Academy has been designed to help you through this process with the right equipment (frameworks, guidance, experiences) that can help you to distil who you are and can be.

Photo credit to Daniela Rivera Antara

Our limiting beliefs, self-talk or worldviews can impede this process and understanding these and finding ways to rewire our thinking and ways of being for more of our true potential to shine is important. In the Academy, we provide several ways to do this. One is the extraordinary Immunity to Change process.

On September 5th, 2023, I’m sharing a distillation of the Overcoming Immunity to Change process with anyone who feels inspired to join. This is a process I have been learning and teaching for around 15 years. I’ve shared it with thousands of people, many of whom credit it with success in their careers and even avoiding burnout, saving marriages and family relationships. If you are interested and would like to know more, email experience@newmillenniumleader.com and we can send you more details.

In 2024 I look forward to taking my study of natural perfumery deeper – and even starting to create some personalised perfumes for clients and friends. Regardless of where it takes me – my life’s scent has been elevated as a result.

Photo credit to Daniela Rivera Antara