Aromatic October Rituals: Playful & Profound

Hello Friend!

The days leading up to Halloween carry a certain electricity. Pumpkins grin from porches, the air feels alive with a crisp edge, and we find ourselves leaning into the thrill of mystery with costumes, flickering candles, and rustling leaves that sound just a little louder in the dark.

Beneath the excitement, this season also invites us inward. The shorter days and lengthening shadows remind us that nature is slowing down and preparing to rest. This is a natural time for us to pause.

Long before candy bowls and costume parties, this turning of the year was marked by Samhain, a Celtic festival that honored the harvest and the shift into the darker months. It was believed that the veil between worlds grew thin, making it a sacred moment to remember those who had come before us. Even now, it feels like the perfect time to quietly honor the special ones who live on in our hearts.

This is what makes late October so rich. It is playful and profound, a season when we can delight in carved pumpkins and laughter while also honoring the deeper rhythms that connect us all.

Keep reading!

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Aromatic Creations Recipe

Season of Remembering Diffuser Blend

This week I’ve been leaning into a blend that carries the warmth and spice of the season while holding space to remember loved ones who feel especially close. Diffused in the evening, it fills the room with a sense of comfort and quiet connection.

Season of Remembering Diffuser Blend

• 3 drops Lavender Oil (Lavandula angustifolia)

• 2 drops Clove Bud Oil (Syzygium aromaticum)

• 2 drops Geranium Oil (Pelargonium graveolens)

• 2 drops Nutmeg Oil (Myristica fragrans)

Lavender softens the edges and calms the mind, clove brings a spark of warmth, geranium gently opens the heart, and nutmeg adds depth and richness. Together, they create a fragrant reminder that joy and remembrance can live side by side.

Notes of Discovery

Clove Bud Profile

This season, clove bud (Syzygium aromaticum) feels like a fitting companion. Its aroma is rich, spicy, and unmistakably warming.

For centuries, clove has been treasured both as a culinary spice and as a source of comfort and protection. In traditional practices, it was often used to preserve food, ease discomfort, and fortify the body during the colder months. Its potency gave it a reputation as a guardian, helping to keep both the home and the spirit strong.

On an aromatic level, clove has a way of kindling warmth from within. It stirs the senses, brings energy to the heart of a blend, and adds depth that feels grounding and reassuring. In the rhythm of autumn, it connects us with the protective, nourishing qualities we naturally seek as the days grow shorter and the nights longer.

Read our full profile of clove buds’ benefits & uses on our blog.

Product Spotlight

Clove bud (Syzygium aromaticum) 

Clove bud essential oil has always held a special place in my heart. Does anyone remember Clove Chewing Gum or Black Jack? I loved those flavors as a child. Clove has been a favorite since I can remember, especially during the holidays when pies were baking and the house filled with the aromas of spice and sweetness. My grandmother and mother knew just how to create that kind of magic, and to this day, the scent of clove takes me right back.

Clove bud (Syzygium aromaticum) has a bold, spicy aroma that instantly brings warmth and depth to a blend. It also brings a host of supportive properties to a blend:

• Naturally supportive for pain relief

• Helps protect against unwanted microbes 

• Rich in antioxidants, which help protect and support the body

• Offers anti-inflammatory properties that can help calm tension and stress

• Aromatically, it is warming, grounding, and energizing

Clove bud does have some safety considerations. Because it is such a strong oil, it can be irritating on the skin and mucous membranes, and it is not recommended for use in baths, on babies, or on children. For topical use, it should always be diluted to a very low concentration (0.5% or less) in a carrier, which is 2-3 drops. For those with clotting disorders or impaired liver function, it is best to avoid this oil.

In a diffuser blend, however, clove bud shines safely and beautifully, which is exactly why I shared the Season of Remembering Diffuser Blend in Aromatic Creation. It’s one of the most comforting ways to bring its warmth into your home this season.

From The Vine

Rituals for the Turning Season

As the end of October approaches, it feels natural to mark the season with a few rituals. These small practices create moments of presence and connection with nature, with ourselves, and with those we hold close. Here are three you might like to try:

1. Light a Candle of Remembrance
As you diffuse your blend, light a single candle in honor of someone special who lives on in your heart. Let the flame be a quiet reminder of their presence and the light they brought into your life.

2. Gather Fallen Leaves
Take a short walk and collect a few autumn leaves. Place them in a bowl or on your table to honor the season’s beauty and impermanence. When you’re ready, return them to the earth with gratitude.

3. Share a Seasonal Treat
Bake or prepare something spiced, perhaps with clove, nutmeg, or cinnamon, and share it with a friend, neighbor, or family member. Food has always been one of the simplest and most joyful ways to celebrate the turning of the year.

4. Trick-or-Treat with a Child
Step into the playful side of the season. Walk with a child as they go door to door, soaking in the laughter, costumes, and magic of Halloween night. Sometimes the simplest joy is found in seeing the world through a child’s eyes.

Small rituals like these remind us that the season holds both playfulness and depth. 

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Stay Inspired!

As the leaves turn brilliant colors and fall from the trees, we’re left with the sight of bare branches. But we also find it easier to see what the leaves used to obscure: the sky with all its beauty, and the sweep of the landscape stretching all around us. Clarity often arrives when something falls away. What feels like loss is also an invitation to see farther, to notice more deeply.