From Dr. Benjamin Perkus’ Facebook post of 10/22/25
“I just came across a fascinating neuroscience paper that beautifully explains what we’ve been doing all along in Aroma Freedom — even before the science caught up!
“The study shows that the reticular activating system (RAS) — the brain’s “attention gatekeeper” — has two major branches that shape our emotional and motivational life.
- The cholinergic pathway (acetylcholine-based) activates when we sense threat, overwhelm, or self-doubt. It’s designed to keep us safe, but when it dominates, we can slip into vigilance, avoidance, or even a mild freeze state — like staring at a messy office and feeling unable to start.
- The dopaminergic pathway (dopamine-based) turns on when we feel hope, joy, or anticipation. It powers motivation, curiosity, and creative action.
“These two systems constantly interact in the limbic brain and the medial prefrontal cortex, deciding whether we shut down or move forward.
“Here’s the exciting part: Aroma Freedom directly engages both systems — in sequence.
đż Phase 1: Calming the Mind
When we breathe in calming oils like Frankincense or Stress Away and affirm a higher identity (“I am an organized creator”), we quiet the acetylcholine-driven vigilance circuits. The nervous system shifts from threat to safety, opening the brain’s learning and integration pathways.
âĄïž Phase 2: Energizing the Will
Once calm is restored, we inhale energizing oils like Peppermint or Transformation and affirm our chosen action (“I tidy my office 10 minutes each day”). This stimulates the dopamine system, activating motivation, pleasure and forward motion — literally lighting up the circuits for new habits and confidence.
“In other words, what we experience in AFT as peace -> clarity -> inspired actions is the same sequence the brain uses to move from defense to creation.
“Scientifically, we’re recalibrating the RAS and engaging both emotional branches in harmony.
“Spiritually, we’re aligning with divine coherence — transforming fear into flow.
“If you love seeing how AFT bridges psychology and neuroscience, this paper is worth reading. It confirms that the Aroma Freedom process doesn’t just feel good - it reflects the very architecture of the brain’s transformation network.”
Pretty cool, huh? What do you think?
Here’s an exercise I’ve used for many years that shows how our brain is influenced by the words we use:
Imagine an upcoming event that you feel “nervous” about. đŹ đ đ„ …
Emotional Granularity is the ability to identify what emotion(s) we are feeling at any given time. The closer we can get to naming the emotion(s), the better we will be able to process them and move forward.
I like to explain the difference between an emotion word, and a judgement word, by…
Read more...USE YOUR “B.R.A.I.N.” - HOW TO CLEARLY COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONER:
If you’re like me, you may feel a little overwhelmed when you have to go into the doctor, knowing that you will likely only have a short time to explain your concern(s), and then he or she will only have a moment to access their wealth of knowledge and experience to make a suggestion that might help you: I/E - medication, surgery, psychotherapy, exercise, etc…
SAVORING
{“To Savor” = To derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in}
Have you ever taken a bite of your favorite food and experienced a whole body reaction? For example, when I taste some fresh chocolate ganache, or a spoonful of lemon curd, I close my eyes, smile, sigh, say “mmmmm”, and it seems that my whole body tingles. đ
Read more...
Have you ever instantly reacted with a strong negative emotion to what seems to just be a benign situation? Would you like to be able to calmly handle each situation as it arises?
Hi! My name is Mischa and am so excited to share this life-altering journey called Aroma Freedom with you! Please read my story…
Read more...“Rest when a little rest will suffice.”
I heard this quote recently and I really like it. I find that it takes a great deal of patience and self-control to be able to stop what I’m doing, and rest a little, so that I can keep going AND avoid burnout, crash and burn, flare, etc.
So, how do we start? Well, it seems like it should go without saying, but… it’s worth saying: We need to pace our pacing. What do I mean by that? Well, if you’re anything like me, you may want to start pacing by doing ALL the pacing things. But, that will only wear us out before we’ve even gotten started, right? I think we’ve all done that at least once before, and it doesn’t work, does it?
Read more...Have you ever woken up in the morning with a list of things that you want, or need, to do, only to find yourself half-way through the day with no more energy? I think the increase in sales of energy drinks, coffee, tea, etc., is proof enough that you are not alone.
Is there a way to conserve and s-t-r-e-t-c-h our energy so that it lasts longer and we can feel less exhaustion at the end of the day?
Read more...Here is an excerpt from the book that Dr. Benjamin Perkus is writing, shared with permission, who is the clinical psychologist who developed the Aroma Freedom Technique.
Please let me know how you did on this questionnaire by replying to this email. đș
Please keep reading for the full exercise:
Take care!
Mischa đ
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Mischa's Mise en Place.
(Meeshas Meez an plas)
What a funny phrase! What in the world does it mean? And why am I using it in my business name?
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