The Seven Planets

Why seven planets?

For the creation of the Astral Perfume, we chose to use the seven planets of ancient astrology because plant spagyrics refers to these for planetary signatures.

Until the mid-eighteenth century, in fact, only the planets up to Saturn were known, because they were visible to the naked eye.
Many scholars over the years have grappled with the planetary signature of plants, from Plotinus to Paracelsus, from Culpeper to Angelo Angelini.

Olfattiva's team of astrologers, botany experts, and aromatherapists has drawn on ancient lineages to propose a selection of essential oils governed by the seven planets of classical astrology and re-propose them in the composition of the astral perfume, tailored to the person's birth chart.

Spagyric Tradition, Modern Astrology

In classical astrology, planets were considered true deities—it's no coincidence that they are named after the gods of Olympus—capable of directly influencing human destiny. While acknowledging these elements, the perspective we wish to offer is more modern, linked to humanistic astrology and the concept of the archetype.

The Astrological Archetypes

An archetype is a symbolic representation of content, a universal model ingrained in the collective unconscious: these are experiences that are part of the entire human heritage, to which the individual psyche instinctively relates. Consider, for example, the archetype of motherhood.

In humanistic astrology, planets are treated as archetypes: full of meaning, each embodies an aspect of the psyche, i.e., of personal identity.
Astral Perfume combines the meanings expressed by planetary archetypes with the properties of essential oils, drawing on phytotherapeutic and spagyric traditions.
Let's briefly summarize the main meanings of the planetary archetypes.

Sun

The Sun represents the sense of identity, the Self. It embodies the masculine aspect that translates into a drive towards self-realization, meaning one's action in the world, one's life project, and self-expression. It is the center, the core of consciousness, around which the other archetypes revolve.

Moon

The Moon expresses the feminine and receptive part of identity: emotionality, sensitivity, empathy.
It is the part of the psyche responsible for sustaining, nourishing, and feeling. It represents the most intimate needs – acceptance, support, care – which, once met, lead to emotional maturity. The Moon embodies the tendency to merge with others and the sense of community. This planet is strongly connected to childhood, as well as to motherhood.

Mercury

Mercury is the logical, analytical, communicative mind. It is responsible for the exchange of information, quick contact, as well as curiosity. In classical mythology, it is no coincidence that Mercury was the only deity who could frequent all worlds as the messenger of the gods. This planet is synonymous with dynamism and movement. It reflects connections, synapses.

Venus

Venus embodies relationships: the relationship with the other in which lunar needs have been overcome and which arises from the mutual pleasure of being together. This planet represents affection that stems from an evaluation, a choice. One of its characteristics is mediation, an indispensable tool for building a relationship. Venus is linked to pleasure, aesthetic sense, and harmony, also understood in a spiritual key. The archetype's beauty and search for harmony are expressed in all aspects of life, including health and the arts.

Mars

Mars is energy par excellence: action, self-affirmation, aggression. It is driven by a strong will towards what the "I" wants to achieve, and, in its brightest aspects, reflects the noble figure of the hero serving an ideal. If not channeled well and if it lacks objectives, Mars can be impulsive and disruptive, driven by great anger. Anger is an emotion linked to the reptilian brain, the most primitive, which risks checkmating rationality.

Jupiter

In our personality structure, Jupiter represents the desire to know, to look and go far, beyond the everyday, the conquest. In it, trust, discovery, vision, and imagination are expressed. It is linked to nourishment in a broad, philosophical, and spiritual sense. It governs higher studies that require elaboration and synthesis. The nature of this planet is expansive; it tends to expand and amplify what it encounters.

Saturn

Saturn represents autonomy and independence, leaving the nest, self-fulfillment, and maturity. It is inclined to accept the responsibilities that come with being an adult, standing tall. Saturn deals with the sense of reality (even in a slightly pessimistic sense): it has the ability to assess the situation, evaluate, and verify. "The great pruner" eliminates what is unnecessary to make room for what truly matters.