Jill McKeever - The Spirit of Botany

Contents

About This Book

The Spirit of Botany is intended for anyone seeking a deeper connection to nature through their senses. Its an exploration of botanical aromatics and their effects on the mind as I have experienced them in my life and work. The energies of plants can hold significant meanings and induce deeply visceral responses. This book is a collection of methods and recipes Ive developed through alchemical experiments in my home and studio, using materials that are nothing less than magical.

Developing a personal relationship with the natural environment is essential to understanding ourselves. Many of us live our entire lives in cities covered in concrete, which suppress the nourishment of the earth in favor of the conveniences and values of modern society. It can be very difficult to leave this construct, but there are ways to bring the elements of nature back into our lives, even if we live in an urban environment.

The stories and recipes in this book are focused mainly on aromatherapya topic I have been exploring for over a decade in my work as a natural perfumer. Some of the methods used in these recipes may require some extra research if you are a beginner, and some of the materials may be difficult to source. I intend to keep many of these materials available at forstrangewomen.com and provide links to other recommended sources.

Above all, my hope is that something in these pages helps you to understand your senses and mind in a new way, broadening your sensory awareness in the realm of aromatics.

The information in The Spirit of Botany is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease. It is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being.

Tools Youll Need

Before creating one of the recipes in this book, youll want to make sure you have the right tools on hand. As a general rule, choose amber or cobalt glass bottles for storage.

Mortar and pestle (or suribachi)

Kitchen scale

Measuring spoons and cups

Small pipettes for measuring milliliters

Heat-safe glass liquid measuring cup or beaker (small)

Double boiler

Cooking thermometer

Fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth

Coffee filters

Tea strainer or gaiwan tea set

French press

Funnel (3 to 5 inches wide)

1 and 2-ounce jars or tins with lids

Lip balm tubes (.15 ounce) or tins (.25 ounce)

5-milliliter glass bottle with airtight lid

8, 12, and 16-ounce mason jars

1 and 8-ounce glass bottles with fine-mist sprayers

16-ounce spray bottle (plastic or glass)

Labels

Bakhoor incense burner (and charcoal)

One

MY STORY

I have loved exploring nature since as far back as I can remember. As a child, I was fascinated by insects, seeds, herbs, trees, and animals. I was intrinsically drawn to dance and music, as the energies of these arts also felt like a part of nature to me. When I wasnt running around in the outdoors, discovering all that was alive, I was tracing invisible pathways through space with my body, bringing a new dimension of the music I loved to life through my dancing.

Since then, my creative energy has guided me in many other directions , including photography, film production, music production, and graphic design. My work has been shaped by supportive guides and serendipitous connections, several years of living below the poverty line, and, often, a punk attitude. It has been developed by the beauty and talent of those who surround me, my uncontrolled curiosity, psychedelic plants, and a strong dependence on intuition. It has also been derailed by alcohol, trauma, and even success itself. For a time, I even lost my connection to dance and music, as the pressures of finding my place in the world (a common dilemma for artists) depressed my inspiration. But when I discovered botanical perfume, the interaction with sublimely extracted aromatics brought me back into my body, which is why working as a perfume artist has been my focus now for over a decade.

When I was a teenager, my Catholic mother enrolled me in two years of classes to be confirmed into the church. Looking back, I realize I took the confirmation process a lot more seriously than the other kids my age, believing that once I became formally indoctrinated, I would no longer be free to choose my religion. And so, during those two years, I researched every religion and esoteric spiritual philosophy I could before it was too late. Although it was fascinating to learn about the perspectives of so many cultures in my search, I did not come to any definite conclusion. Nothing seemed to fit. On the day before my confirmation ceremony, I informed the church that I did not want to be Catholic. That night, I isolated myself in my room (which doubled as a shrine to the Smashing Pumpkins), opened a journal, and wrote that I wanted to find my own version of god.

At that time, I worked at a craft supplies store, and that week I decided to get the materials to make soap at home. The only problem was that the synthetic soap scents at the store were terrible and gave me headaches. Then, a customer buying soap supplies told me there was this place on the internet where you could purchase real essential oils. In the year 2000, this was a whole new concept! I ordered the oils, and upon opening the bottles, I began to feel that connection to the spirit realm I had been hoping to find.

Throughout history and in every culture, humans have intuitively utilized aromatic plants to bridge their connection to the divine. Incense has been used to invite spirits and connect to enlightened states, ritual baths for spiritual protection, infused anointing oils to heal and sanctify, and essential oils have even been buried in tombs for the departed to carry into the afterlife. These methods have all been used in various rituals of protection, purification, healing, and invocation. There may be a lot of different religious and spiritual philosophies in the world, but I have yet to find one that does not use the aromatic spirits of botany to connect to the goddess/universe/enlightenment.

My work as a perfumer began nearly ten years after my introduction to essential oils. It started as a creative outlet I adopted to soothe myself during a couple of years of stressful compromise. I was working as a graphic designer in a communications office in a conservative suburb of Kansas City. The environment was soul crushing, but I desperately needed the paycheck. This was during the Great Recession, and I had purchased a house right before the market collapsed. I found myself far underwater on my mortgage and unable to rely on anyone else for support.