10mL 100% essential oil blend in a glass bottle.

Pains of Patriarchy is a blend with a story. Tynan Rhea, its creator, recounts:

I wish I could say I created it, but really, it asked to be born. I’ve been a musician and singer-songwriter for most of my life. I have written songs that I was so present for, during their creation, it wasn’t until later that I was able to decode their meaning. I’ve heard other artists speak of being vessels; interpreters more than inventors. I wish I could say this happened every time I sat down at the piano and wrote, but alas! I am grateful to know the feeling all the same.

The Pains of Patriarchy blend came to me in much the same way. I am not a dedicated meditator. I’ve half-heartedly tried many times to make it a routine in my life, but I’d rather sit down with a good book or stare at the wall, quite frankly. One night, I had an incredible internal urge to meditate. No, not an urge. I was being demanded to meditate! It was aggressive! Go meditate now! Something inside me yelled. I even considered not doing it, I don’t like being told what to do, but it was coming from inside me and it seemed rather stupid to ignore it.

I had already been mulling over a sort of basis for a blend that week. I had just started to get to know Marjoram and I thought a Frankincense carterii and Marjoram combo would be excellent. Then, “randomly”, I remembered I had some Peru Balsam in my collection and I kept getting pulled back to this oil by the same internal voice. I’d smell it, forget what it smelt like, smell it again, think about it all day… I was obsessed! I wasn’t putting it altogether, though (literally and figuratively).

Back to this screaming meditation… I decided I was going to diffuse a blend I’d already made that had a Frankincense base in it, and add a bunch of Peru Balsam. I felt like I was scratching an itch. Then I sat down to meditate and concentrate on the smell. My brain kept building this blend from the ground up… Frankincense… Balsam… Marjoram… Quiet brain! I’d internally yell, I’m trying to meditate! But my head wouldn’t stop. It just kept saying these three ingredients over and over in the back of my mind until I finally realized– oh! THIS is why I’m meditating. So I let my mind run free.

Frankincense… Balsam… Marjoram… Frankincense… Balsam… Marjoram…

BERGAMOT! Bergamot? Huh? I don’t know anything about Bergamot. I can’t even remember what it smells like. Isn’t it an orange that’s not an orange or something…?

I mapped out the drops and wrote it down. I couldn’t wait to put them together. I had no idea what it was going to smell like, but I had a feeling it was going to be awesome.

The next night was Anarres New Moon Circle. After the class I asked if I could quickly put together this blend I had literally just meditated on. I ran around the shop, excited and nervous. I shook up my blend and gave it to my teacher, Tracey.
She closed her eyes and took a big snog. “THIS is GOOD.” She said.

I told her the ingredients. She got excited. “It’s a story of Colonialism! Go look it up! Watch this video! Listen? Do you hear what they’re saying? You need to go home and write out the meaning of each ingredient and tell its story!”

I went home and made notes. These were my notes:

1. Peru Balsam. Evidence of “opening” one up. Helps us process feelings of violation/abuse from the past so one can let them go. One source specified abuse by men. Deeply soothing. Relaxing while stimulating.
2. Frankincense carterii. Helps calm a racing mind with a myriad of thoughts that can be overwhelming. Strengthens neural pathways. Heals relationships with masculine aspects.
3. Sweet Marjoram. Focus! Helps relieve obsessive thinking and bring our focus around to our true needs. Helps those who are feeling isolated and prone to addictive behaviour.
4. Bergamot. Releasing pent-up anger! Anger that has left us feeling irritated and eventually depressed. Helps circumvent addictive loops and let go and move on.

Blend’s story: Releasing the tension caused by the root trauma, the abuse of men and masculinity, as well as addressing the current negative self-defeating behaviours as a result of the original damage.

I don’t recall having to think much about what to name it, the name came to me as swiftly as the blend itself - Pains of Patriarchy.

As promised, I also looked up each of the ingredient's origins. Peru Balsam comes from El Salvador in South America and was used widely in North America in anointing oils for Christian and Jewish ceremonies. Bergamot comes from South East Asia but was brought to Europe gaining great popularity in Italy. Frankincense is another oil used in religious ceremonies (one of the gifts for baby Jesus) originating from Egypt and traded for over 5000 years from Africa. Marjoram also originates from Egypt and was given its name “Joy of the Mountains” by the Greeks who used it as a medicine.

This blend is not for the light-hearted. This blend is a calling, a warning, and an answer. I believe this blend symbolizes the importance of coming together. To share in the hurt, the anger, the pain, and come out the other side! To stick it to the patriarchy through healing! Rejuvenation! Rejoicing!

I’ve since used the blend in many ways. In the bath, in a body spray, smelling it straight from the bottle. I’m awed by its elegant scent every time. When I smell it, I feel connected to something greater than myself. And I feel hopeful and bright. That’s why I want to share it with you.

Let the revolution begin in your senses!

Created by Anarres Apprentice Tynan Rhea. Other products created by Tynan can be found here:

Edible Warming Massage Oil
https://www.anarreshealth.ca/content/massage-oil-ginger-kiss-edible-and-...

Nom! Nom! Balm
https://www.anarreshealth.ca/content/nom-nom-balm

Tynan Rhea is now a registered psychotherapist
specializing in sex and relationships https://tynanrhea.com/

I especially call attention to their post https://tynanrhea.com/2017/04/10/7-complicated-feelings-i-have-about-aro...