Fragrance and Feeling - The Primitive Response

In the spring of 1999, ocelots at the Dallas zoo were listless and refused to mate. The solution keepers used to rekindle their passion? Obsession Fragrance by Calvin Klein

According to Daniel Goleman in his bestseller Emotional Intelligence "Every living entity, be it predator or prey has a distinctive signature that can be carried in the wind." In primitive times the sense of smell meant survival. In emergencies - fear, danger, and yes, mating - which is a primary survival instinct,  we revert to this primitive brain. 

Try as we might to be logical, when it comes to matters of the heart, our emotions can ambush our rational thought every time. When a friend says "I don't even think about him anymore", but her eyes well up with tears, you're witnessing her rational mind (thinking) trying to control her emotional mind (feelings). This natural, gut response is why hearing a certain song, seeing her handwriting on an envelope, or catching a whiff of his perfume can instantly take you back in time to a lost romance. 

Our emotional mind doesn't stop and think. That's why you blush involuntarily blush when spotting "him" across a crowded room. Later, it may turn out not to be him, but your blush was uncontrollable, nonetheless. We're a bundle of primitive responses. When angry, blood flows to our hands so we can defend ourselves (and changes our handwriting); when scared, blood flows to our legs, allowing us to flee; when surprised, eyebrows raise, allowing the eye to absorb more light and information. (Watch men involuntarily raise their eyebrows when an attractive woman passes by). When we're in love, neurotransmitters program a state of calm, promoting cooperation. 

Fragrance too, triggers our primitive response. In addition, our senses - sight, hearing, are interrelated, so it's not surprising to find participants in Ann Mahony's study describe Calvin Klein's fragrances in terms of other senses - "reminds me of sleigh bells, a crackling fire"; "burgundy leather, soft, supple"; "sea green ocean, ice cream, summer cottage"; "red hot strapless top, salsa dancing"; "children giggling;" "starched white linen shirt on a beautiful man"; "sun in Santa Fe"; "Rachmaninov full tilt, in my convertible with the top down". Wow! The brain is a powerful storehouse of sensory impressions.

Handwriting too, reflects primitive changes in emotions, often instantly, without our awareness - like stress and tension as you trade names and numbers on a scrap of paper at the scene of an accident, to worry and fear while taking notes at the hospital, to gratitude and calm compassion as you write a thank you note to the doctor three weeks later.

Capture Your Signature Style
Just as fragrance is described in terms of the behavior it evokes, so handwriting is described interims of the character it portrays - bold, meticulous, flamboyant, sensuous, etc. Whether delicate or dynamic, handwriting reflects the character we've created over time. As she did for Calvin Klein Fragrances, let Ann Mahony help you discover your Signature Style, to maximize the impact you can make with your personality.

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