‘Tis said that when
The hands of men
Tamed this primeval wood,
And hoary trees with groans of woe,
Like warriors by an unknown foe,
Were in their strength subdued,
The virgin Earth Gave instant birth
To springs that ne’er did flow
That in the sun Did rivulets run,
And all around rare flowers did blow
The wild rose pale Perfumed the gale
And the queenly lily adown the dale
(Whom the sun and the dew
And the winds did woo),
With the gourd and the grape luxuriant grew.
So when in tears
The love of years
Is wasted like the snow,
And the fine fibrils of its life
By the rude wrong of instant strife
Are broken at a blow
Within the heart
Do springs upstart
Of which it doth now know,
And strange, sweet dreams,
Like silent streams
That from new fountains overflow,
With the earlier tide
Of rivers glide
Deep in the heart whose hope has died —
Quenching the fires its ashes hide, —
Its ashes, whence will spring and grow
Sweet flowers, ere long,
The rare and radiant flowers of song!
A sunlit ancient forest, dotted with wild roses, grape vine, and queenly lilies, clothed in swirls of opium smoke.
ksdmediamania –
I am sure this is exactly what the Buddha smelled like. I love it, its heady, earthy, full of incense, herbal, meditative yogic blend.
SupremeCort –
I’ve been a BPAL fanatic since 2008 and Coiled Serpent remains my #1 favorite. This one gives me cedar, sandalwood, mellow aged patchouli, and frankincense, in that order. There’s likely other things in there balancing everything out (there might be a type of amber or another resin?), but that’s the lineup I can identify. It’s like the smell of a cedar chest that only ever held incense. Nothing screeches, nothing shouts. Everything is in perfect balance and creates a reassuring, kind aura of peaceful groundedness. I just adore it and it is in constant rotation. If you enjoy anything earthy, and if you like incense at all, you must try this. Blends well with other notes (vanilla does beautiful things) but is stellar on its own. As long as it exists, I remain devoted.
YahDingus –
I purchased an imp of The Coiled Serpent & upon opening I personally could not smell anything. Once applied it was a heavy incense mix that quickly became delicate on my skin & it changed into a delicately, sweet scent. I wouldn’t say that I get a sultry feeling from it. I do enjoy this perfume & all the stages it goes through. I found myself reflecting on it quite a bit during my time wearing it (in a positive way).
gaia.earth24 –
– [ ] This one is hard to describe. Very resiny and incense-y but light. Changes on the skin and gets almost green. Like green tea. Very intoxicating and heady. Hours after application it’s light and sensual. Definitely a new favorite. I find myself reaching for it often. Will absolutely buy a bigger bottle.
lotuseaterarts –
A delicate, balanced blend of wood and incense.
serenitea –
Like ‘satyrcynic’ stated, this oil almost seems naughty to put on and then walk out into public.
Definitely an earthy and calming, yet subtle and intriguing scent.
Will definitely be getting a bigger bottle of this, and will always keep it in my rotation of BPAL oils.
I HIGHLY recommend this oil!
satyrcynic –
It seems inappropriate to put this oil on my body and take it out into public. I’d much rather warm a little over a candle for meditation. Inspiring, warm and subtle.
Velvet Lilly –
Rich, earthy, and centering. Focusing and calming. Quietly powerful and beautiful.
I’m thrilled to find a yogic oil like this.