Have you ever brushed past jasmine in full bloom and had a sudden childhood memory come rushing back to mind? Or have you smelt a bbq sizzling somewhere down the street and immediately been transported to a different moment in time?

Your sense of smell is more powerful that you can imagine and it has a unique connection to your memory bank - which is why we often find ourselves thinking about certain things all because of an aroma we encounter.

The reason for this strong aromatic connection is due to your neuroanatomy... where things happen in your brain. Your thalamus is where most sensory information first arrives... when you see, taste, touch or hear something.

Your thalamus is like your internal relay station that sends important pieces of news to different places... including your limbic system which incorporates your hippocampus - responsible for memory, and your amygdala - which is involved in your emotional processes.

But with your sense of smell, the aromatic information bypasses the thalamus, through your olfactory system and goes straight to the your brain's smell centre - the olfactory bulb.

Inside your brain, the olfactory bulb is located right next to the hippocampus and amygdala, which helps to explain why smelling something can trigger a vivid memory or intense emotional response so quickly. It is not something that you can control... it's just part of the amazing way your brain is wired!

If you want to learn more about aromas and create your own essential oil blends. Why not join us for an upcoming Natural Scent Blending Workshop... we know you will find beautiful scents and make some fun new memories!