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 Miwahu.
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 Miwahu 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 Miwahu 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 Miwahu. This amplifies the properties as it confers the following encoding and intentions TO Miwahu : attracting beneficial energies, favorable circumstances, clarity and harmony.
The use of Miwahu 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, Miwahu 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.
Peace, Joy and Love,
Blue Eagle