We are quickly aware
of a new smell in our apartment or in the street.
We rapidly find an odour pleasant or unpleasant.
Sensitivity to odours is unique
to each person. Men are generally less sensitive
to smells than women.
The subtlety of our perception
of odours is both a natural gift and the result of
training, of renewed attention, of the pleasure we
get from it.
Like a taste, an odour requires
our attention to be perceived. Developing our sense
of smell means first finding pleasure in experiencing
pleasant odours.
You can exercise with aromatic
herbs: thyme, laurel, lavender, rosemary. Smell them
and try to name them with your eyes closed.
You can do the same with
flowers and perfumes. Smell them and then classify
and describe them. Men’s olfactory sense is usually
less keen in recognising their subtleties, their differences,
and in finding the names of these characteristics.
