A Journey into The World of Oud Part Nineteen
How to Approach Oud/Agarwood oil
As a meditative sacrament
Just today, I sent a friend a little sampler of Ouds, so he could try them out and get a good introduction to Oud.
It occurred to me to write this page as a set of instructions to beginners on how to most appreciate and approach the magical oil.
I'd like to start by saying that Oud is most appreciated when you have the time to give it your full attention. (In fact, I would discourage people just meeting Oud from applying it and then driving.)
Choose both a time and place when there are no demands or time pressures, and pick three oils to explore. Being in nature and smelling Oud can be a really lovely experience.
Start with the (visually) lightest oil, and finish with the darkest one.
(If the cap of the vial is hard to remove, use your thumb to push the cap away from you, and then pull it back, and rock back and forth until it opens. And if an oil is very thick, then invert the vial and wait for it to reach the dabber, or place the vial in a little hot water to warm it up.)
Oud is very potent, so even a tiny, tiny amount on the dabber will be sufficient.
Give each oil a sniff, then tune into it, and a second sniff, and wait again, and finally a third sniff.
I would suggest that novices not apply Oud to their body until they are familiar with its effects.
Oud has a very persistent aroma, so don't wear it if you are going to be around others who won't appreciate it.
And have a wonderful inner journey with the Oil of Light.
-------------------------------------------------- Where to Start in Collecting Oud
If you want to start listening to Oud, the best way is to first find out what types of Oud speak to you.
Since no two people have the same sense of smell (everything smells differently to everyone), your preferences are likely to be very individual.
It's best to start with pure high quality samples, so you don't get put off by adulterated or coarse (e.g. unaged) oils.
I suggest that you get the Ultimate Oud Sampler from Ensar Oud (priced around $600) with its 9 samples of lovely oils.
This is a very fine collection of oils from many different locations (and of many different styles).
--------------------------------------------------
End of Part Nineteen
--------------------------------------------------
Table of Contents see all of the pages of my Oud blog
Click to Return to
Send e-mail to Hank Friedman by clicking here
Copyright © 2020 Hank Friedman --- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED