The Magical and Ritual Use of Perfumes (Paperback)

~ (Author), Iona Miller (Author) "Essence-the primal element..." (more)
Key Phrases: cistus oil, resin absolute, oriental bases, Stellar Visions, Tree of Life, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A comprehensive introduction to the art and metaphysics of perfumery.

About the Author

Biochemist, physicist, and herbalist, Richard Alan Miller is also the author of The Magical and Ritual Use of Aphrodisiacs and The Magical and Ritual Use of Herbs. Iona Miller is a practicing hypnotherapist and teacher of Jungian psychology. Their combined expertise offers original insight into the esoteric aspects of perfumery, while covering all the basic information on how to buy, blend, and use your own magical essences.

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Destiny Books (August 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892812109
• ISBN-13: 978-0892812103
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #769,363 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Am often overlooked treasure! Kabbalah, History, Herbs...., December 5, 2000

By	Kirsten M. Houseknecht "[e-mail]" (philadelphia, pa USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Many people see the word "perfumes" and, figuring that they don't need a whole book on perfume, pass this book by. This is unfortunate, as this book is one of the treasures in my library! I cannot recommend this book highly enough, even if you are downright allergic to perfume!

The book does cover perfume, and is a valuable reference on perfumes in all their uses, BUT it is not only about perfume. This book is one of the best primers on Kabbalistic thought, the tree of life, and ritual magic that a beginner (or advanced) student could hope for. The first few chapters are a basic primer on kabbalistic theory that is seldom equalled in clarity and usefullness, including a very clear example of the middle pillar excersize. The next chapters focus on perfume and incense blending, both for pleasing scents and for magical use.

For the herbal students the middle of the book is the most rewarding. Every point or path on the tree of life is associated with a perfume/incense/scent. Each plant or animal source of that scent is discussed in detail. (Including synthetic, cruelty free, alternatives to the traditional musk and other animal scents) The entry on Olibanum, Frankincense, begins on page 59 and takes three pages, covering history, trade, uses, value, botony, and blending scents. Since every card in a Tarot deck corresponds with a sphere or path on the tree of life, it is also a useful addition to Tarot meditations.

Towards the end of the book, as a delightful bonus, all the planetary rulers and influences, and their typical correspondances and God-forms, are discussed.

This book is a MUST HAVE for any ritual magician, any student of incense or perfume,and anyone studying Kabbalah. I consider it a valuable addition to the library of anyone interested in magic, aromatherapy, or incense making. I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in the history and trade of incense and perfume, which makes this a perfect gift for anyone in one of the historical re-enactment groups.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Very Intersting (and Overlooked) Text, May 1, 2002

By A Customer

This somewhat obscure volume deserves more recognition, particularly within the occult circles to which it is addressed. This book gives ample treatment to the subject of metaphysical perfumery--that is, the ritual use of scent within a magickal context. Not only that, but the book has brief discussions on Qabala and also contains some basic directions for the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram and the Middle Pillar exercise, which should already be familiar to the practicing ceremonial magician. Anybody at any level of occult development could find something of use in this book. The rudiments of perfumery are explained here. Later, various perfume scents are associated with Tarot, Qabala and astrology in a way that will likely prove indispensable to the working magician. Even if you're not interested in the magickal aspects of perfumes and just want a good basic guide to the art of perfumery, this text will likely serve you well. It's a professional and knowledgeable guide to one of the lesser-researched areas of metaphysics--the art of scent and its relation to ritual.