Plant Profile

Higher Mind Incense Listening To Incense Program

Patchouli

This very exotic, earthy scented aromatic herb of the ancient Orient has a rich history associated with upscale artisan craft, divine inspiration, intimacy, sensuality, and meditation. Its unique, rich and complex aromatic proﬁle has made it one of the classic fragrances of the Eastern World. When I breathe in the heavenly scent of Patchouli, I tend to take longer inhales than I do with most herbs. Aged Patchouli is like a thick, robust nectar of a far away tropical paradise.

Patchouli is a small, bushy perennial shrub native to Southeast Asia, speciﬁcally Java and Sumatra. It grows up to 3 feet high and produces soft, fuzzy leaves and small white to light purple ﬂowers. It is cultivated throughout tropical regions of Asia as well as West Africa. The leaves and aboveground plant are harvested, dried and used for their strong fragrance in perfume and incense, and for their healing qualities in folk medicine. Today, the essential oil of Patchouli is more popular than the use of the physical plant itself, and it is one of the rare aromatic scents that increases in quality with age.

When most people hear the name Patchouli they usually think of its correlation with the 60‘s, hippies and peace signs. But before Patchouli ever came to America it was traditionally used by many Southeast Asian cultures, as well as throughout India and China. It was a very popular aromatic plant used in the perfume industry, in incense, as a fumigant, in traditional medicine, and in the textile industry. The unique, robust fragrance of Patchouli was highly sought after in perfumery for centuries and became an upscale scent among the European upper class in the 1800’s.

Patchouli was an important aromatic herb in the clothing and fabric industries of India and China during the 19th century. Its dried leaves were packed in with shipments of ﬁne silks, textiles, and other imported goods to ward off destructive moths from laying eggs and eating holes in the fabric. The scenting of garments with a pleasant, exotic aroma was an added bonus. Over time, Patchouli’s scent became the stamp of authenticity for true Oriental fabric throughout Europe. Many French garment makers eventually caught on and began using the sweet aroma to scent their Oriental textile imitations and knock-offs.

Patchouli oil and incense became extremely popular in the United States during the 60’s and 70’s as a result of the counter-culture hippie movement. I can still hear my father saying the scent reminds him of those times, though he’s certainly not a fan of Patchouli. Patchouli has so much to offer, but unfortunately its widespread popularity has been severely hindered due to its link to those decades. From my experience, people either love the sweet scent of Patchouli, or they hate it, the latter being more common, often due to this association and closed minds. Today Patchouli essential oil is widely used in the perfume and cosmetics industry as an exotic fragrance and ﬁxitive.

Patchouli has been a very popular incense ingredient for ages among many different cultures. There are literally thousands of different incense recipes that call for this aromatic herb. Hindu, Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese, and many Southeast Asian incense crafters have used this plant to help people connect to the Divine and to their higher selves in their spiritual practices. It is widely used to aid meditation as it has a very grounding nature, stabilizing the mind when there is worry, anxiety, or over-thinking. Many ancient myths also report Patchouli helping to bring about altered states or visionary experiences during meditation.

Patchouli has the ability to aid mentally over-active people who tend towards tension, helping them to get in touch with their body, senses, movement, creativity, sensuality, and nature. Patchouli incense is traditionally used for nervous and mental disorders, and to help those who are often overpowered by their own mind and thoughts.

Patchouli is used as a sedative and nervine in incense and essential oil form to reduce stress and tension and to treat insomnia, anxiety, depression and nervousness. In Malaysia, Japan, and other countries, the herb is used to treat various nervous disorders, colds, fever, headaches, and much more. In ancient times, In addition, Patchouli was used in fumigation to prevent the spread of disease, fevers, epidemics, and infection, as it is highly antiseptic.

© 2016 Evan Purcell, Higher Mind Incense LLC. All Rights Reserved. Patchouli is a famed aphrodisiac known for its magical properties, helping lovers to become more calm, relaxed, and open to romance and sensuality. Essential oil, incense, topical applications or internal dosage have all been prescribed to help with impotency, loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, and sexual anxiety by increasing healthy sexual drive in both men and women. This lovely herb has the power to break down walls deep within the mind that act as sexual barriers and help to stir up and enliven the more sensual and positive emotional feelings associated with intimacy and love making.

Magical and Metaphysical Uses

The energizing aroma of Patchouli incense or oil has the ability to connect the heart chakra with the lower sacral and root chakras. It is traditionally known to connect people to the Earth, back to their roots, and it is especially helpful during times of meditation when thoughts can be overpowering. Many people have claimed of its powers to bring about altered states of reality during ceremony or deep contemplation and meditation.

Latin Name: Pogostemon cablin Other Names: Pucha Pat, Patchouly Family: Lamiaceae Planet: Earth, Saturn Element: Earth Chakra: Sacral Chakra Parts Used: leaves, shoots Aroma: warm, sweet, musky, earthy, spicy