INVOCATIONS' NATIVE ESSENCES

Messages : 8 Localisation : Wendake, QC, Canada

For native peoples of all the continents, the truths
and realities of the world, whether spiritual or philosophical, lie within
nature itself. They have been inscribed directly there by the primordial
intelligence that we, descending from the First Nations of North America, call
Great Spirit. Although various names are used depending on the culture or religious
tradition, reference is always to the same Creative Intelligence. Invocations goal
is to convey a philosophy and spirituality of life in balance and harmony with
nature

I chose to convey this ancestral wisdom through all
the activities of my life. I have therefore written books, composed music and created
the Native Essences, a specific form of First Nations aromatherapy. Two Native
Essences have been developed to date: Chiiyaam and Miwah^u.

The idea behind the creation of Chiiyaam came to me as
I was helping First Nations patients from the Far North being treated in an
intensive care unit. I had been called in as a First Nations’ medicine-man, but
it was impossible for me to practice the traditional purification rites, since
they imply the use of smoke (cedar, sage and sweet grass).

I therefore turned to essential oils, adding sweet grass
extract and corn spirits to the white sage and Canadian cedar. The first blend
turned out interesting but its smell was unpleasant. That is when I decided to
train with a renown French perfumer – Michel Roudnitska (see also Art and Perfume) – and an essential oils specialist – Mikaël Zayat. I was then able to work on creating an essence that would have a
pleasant fragrance and be effective at the same time. I undertook a spiritual
search as well: my creation had to qualify as an offering if it was to be
equivalent to traditional smudging. I therefore included a ritual aspect to the
manufacturing process. I call this encoding since it adds specific intentions
to the liquid, such as “purification”, “protection”, “healing” and
“inspiration”. The result was very satisfying and my essence seemed even more
effective than traditional smudging.

I realized that it could be useful to
many people. So I decided to add a purifying plant essence to the formula—one
for each human type: lavender for the European type, frankincense for the
African type and sandalwood for the Asian type. “Invocation’s Liquid Smudge”,
now called Chiiyaam, was born!

Many therapists use Chiiyaam. Chiiyaam purifies the
environment and people much like traditional smudging. To purify yourself, simply
spray Chiiyaam onto the palms of your hands and move them, palms open towards
you, around your body. To purify a room, spray Chiiyaam towards its four
corners and, for an object, either spray it directly or use your hands, moving
them around the object. Therapists have appreciated the power of its immediate
effectiveness and the fact that it clears fast, leaving a light and very
pleasant scent.

The story of Miwah^u began a few years ago
when the Liquid Smudge, now Chiiyaam, was still the only Invocation essence. It
all started with a request from the ladies working in our offices for a more
feminine Native Essence. I imagined using sweet grass as the main ingredient,
and worked for nearly two years to select the plants that would harmonize with
this sacred herb. The resulting fragrance, Grâces,
turned out to be too expensive to produce. But I have high hopes that it will
be available someday, and am now working on a counterpart for men.

Meanwhile, I turned to French high perfumery for help
in manufacturing a decently priced Energizing Native Essence. Perfume master
Michel Roudnitska was instrumental in the process of creating Miwah^u
to which I gave a few pointers in its final stages.

The selection of plants used creates a synergy that
develops in time like a symphony. The top note, featuring bergamot and
mandarin, is light, conveys enthusiasm and stimulates creativity. The middle
note, or heart note, with clary sage and vetiver, is floral and slightly heady.
It attracts beneficial energies and encourages them to remain. The base note is
deeper and persistent. It features sweet grass, oak moss, cistus and vanilla.

I perform an ancestral First Nations ritual on each
batch of Invocation’s Native Essence—for both Chiiyaam and Miwah^u. This
amplifies the properties as it confers the following encoding and intentions:
attracting beneficial energies, favorable circumstances, clarity and harmony.

The use of Miwah^u complements that of
Chiiyaam. Ideally, it is best to use Chiiyaam first, to appease, soothe and
purify. It is immediately effective and soon clears. After a fifteen-minute wait,
Miwah^u can be used to foster dynamism, enthusiasm and creativity. It
will come into effect gradually and its fragrance develops throughout the day
when it is applied to clothes or directly on the skin.

Five other fragrances will soon be available, forming a
series called The Five Elements. Make
sure you stay connected!

Peace, Joy and Love,

Blue Eagle