Exploring the Fragrant Forest with Bonnie Kerr

Summary Bonnie shares her background and journey with aromatics, from her childhood experiences in nature to living in different environments like New York City, the Caribbean, and Hawaii. She discusses how these experiences shaped her connection with nature and her approach to creating incense. Bonnie emphasizes the importance of using whole botanicals in her incense-making process and the unique scentscapes she creates. She also explores the history and uses of aromatic plants like myrrh and frankincense in ancient cultures. In this conversation, Alyssa and Bonnie discuss the power of aromatics and the importance of connecting with nature through scent. They explore the significance of burning incense and how it can connect us with our ancestors and the non-physical world. They also discuss the difference between natural aromatics and synthetic fragrances, highlighting the depth and meaning that comes from working with natural plants. Bonnie shares her love for working with resins, mushrooms, and lichens, and how they contribute to her incense blends. They also touch on the importance of understanding the energy and properties of plants when working with them. Takeaways

• Bonnie's journey with aromatics began in her childhood, where she developed a deep connection with nature.
• She creates incense that is heated rather than burned, using whole botanicals to capture the full aromatic profile of the plants.
• Bonnie's incense-making process is inspired by her experiences in different environments, such as the forests of Hawaii and the boreal forest in Canada.
• She explores the history and uses of aromatic plants like myrrh and frankincense in ancient cultures, highlighting their significance in women's medicine and spiritual practices. Burning incense can connect us with our ancestors and the non-physical world.
• Working with natural aromatics provides a deeper and more meaningful experience than synthetic fragrances.
• Resins, mushrooms, and lichens are unique and powerful ingredients for incense blends.
• Understanding the energy and properties of plants enhances the experience of working with them.

Sound Bites

• "I was living in the rainforest off grid. You didn't really need one there, just like a screened-in room."
• "I view the fragrance as the voices of plants."
• "I specialize in incense that you heat, as opposed to burning it. So there's no smoke."
• "Burning incense connects you with the non-physical world."
• "Working with natural aromatics is so much more than just a smell."
• "Mushrooms are a big part of the forest sensecape."

Links

https://espritdelanature.ca/ instagram.com/espritdelanature

instagram.com/incenseexplorer instagram.com/floboincense incenseexplorer.com

Chapters 00:00Introduction and Background 02:31Living in Different Environments 10:06Creating Scentscapes with Whole Botanicals 13:08Heating Incense and Avoiding Smoke 21:19Exploring Myrrh and Frankincense in Ancient Cultures 32:03The Power of Aromatics and Connecting with Nature 33:11Natural Aromatics vs. Synthetic Fragrances 36:25Exploring Resins, Mushrooms, and Lichens in Incense 48:23Understanding the Energy and Properties of Plants Keywords aromatics, incense, nature, fragrance, plants, Hawaii, forest, essential oils, myrrh, frankincense, aromatics, incense, nature, ancestors, synthetic fragrances, resins, mushrooms, lichens, energy, properties