What Lighting Incense Taught Me About Memory

July 29, 2025

A Morning with Unexpected Magic

This morning, I lit one of my newest incense fragrances. It was something I had hand-blended, tested, and fine-tuned like I always do. But the moment that smoke curled into the air, I was no longer standing in my home. I was suddenly a little girl again, happily splashing away in the stream with my sister, which ran from the natural spring behind my grandparents' house in the Northern Kingdom of Vermont.

The Stream in My Mind

It wasn’t a grand river or a dramatic landscape. Just a quiet, winding stream that flowed softly past mossy rocks and shaded roots. That place is etched into my soul. The scent this morning, earthy and green with a hint of something I can't quite put my finger on, brought it all rushing back. The cool water on my fingers. The water gliders skimming over the surface of the water. The stillness only childhood can hold.

Why Scent Unlocks Memory

Science tells us that our sense of smell is closely tied to the limbic system, which handles both emotion and memory. That is why the smell of cedar can catch you off guard and bring tears, or why fresh-baked cookies remind you of holidays long gone. Scent does not just describe a place or time. It moves us there. Sometimes without warning, and always with feeling.

What I Try to Bottle

When I create incense, soap, or body oils, I am not just focused on what smells good. I am thinking about what smells honest. What might bring back a forgotten summer, a secret hideout, or a kitchen in the mountains. This morning reminded me that scent is more than fragrance. It is a key. And we never know which door it might open.