Hima Jomo Lhasa Rose1924 courtesy of the brand
A fragrance born where souls breathe deep and wild. Hima Jomo
There are those who are marked down in the annals of historical record and stand out, not only through their deeds or words, morality or conscience but for the fact that they turn convention on its head and think and act beyond the societal norms of their particular time, they live by their own terms, ignoring the constraints imposed upon them and their gender. Pushing boundaries to further knowledge and to benefit the whole of humanity. Alexandra David -Neel was one such woman, a person of constant curiosity, she sought the necessary challenges to feel alive, to walk the way on her own terms, exploring constantly. A woman far beyond her time. A beacon for all women.
To the one who knows how to look and feel, every moment of this free wandering life is an enchantment. — Alexandra David-Neel
Perfumers Margaux Le Paih Guerin and Amelie Bourgeois of FLAIR Paris
Hima Jomo and its founder Vittoria Liu, pay homage always to the land and the culture of Tibet, their current collection reflects all its nuances of season, culture, history and artistry. In this latest release Lhasa Rose 1924, by perfumers Amelie Bourgeois and Margaux Le Paih Guerin of FLAIR Paris, they pay homage to a quite extraordinary woman, Alexandra David -Neel who left a comfortable, expected existence, leaving her husband (with his blessing) in the late 19th century to voyage and explore hidden lands banned not only to women at that time but also banned to foreigners. Somehow with incredible tenacity she managed to travel to remote places in Asia during the early years of the 20th century, even managing to enter the holy city of Lhasa in 1924 incognito, which at that time was inaccessible to outsiders. Reading her biography, one cannot help be moved by her continuous courage, formidable determination and an enquiring and curious mind that pushed her to constantly destroy the boundaries imposed by the social mores of her time and imposed on her gender.
Alexandra David-Neels in Tibet, Wiki, Lhasa Rose 1924, Hima Jomo images
Hima Jomo Lhasa Rose 1924 is a sacred voyage in lands untouched by time, seen through the ever searching eyes, it accompanies us on voyages of exploration, bergamot and geranium, paired with a vibrant pink pepper pierce through the meniscus of our preconceptions, opening wide the vista of possibilities, mountains and passes before us. Footfall upon footfall leads up deeper into sacred lands, the chants of prayer’s uplifted on spiraling bundles of lit incense.
courtesy of the brand
Alexandra David-Neel walked her truth, finding in these unknown lands a constancy, a kind of spiritual odyssey that resonated with her, the Roses within Lhasa Rose 1924 is the vibrant combination of Rose Centifolia and Rose Damascene, a profound femininity forged through with strength and resilience. This combination of roses acts as an invitation into ancient halls carved in time and symbolism stretching back millennia, here ancientness is imbedded in the very fabric of the land and its peoples. Wafts of incense curling from within secret chambers where magic and ritual forge links with God’s. Alexandra was privy to these hidden realms, fueling her lifelong study within Eastern Philosophies and Religion, she wrote more than 30 books in her lifetime and entered secret society. In Hima Jimo Lhasa Rose 1924, we have her essence encapsulated. Fascinating, captivating, courageous, imbued with sacred resins and incenses, yak wool clothing heavily impregnated with the scents of Tibet, the wild purity of her landscapes, the monastic heritage, devotion and ritual, life and death. Something intangible wends it way through this perfume, a slight wind like the exhalation sigh of a devotional syllable let loose upon the fluttering of prayer flags on summits, illumination of heart, mind, body and soul, the beauty in raw simplicity and the profound act of surrendering to something beyond our physical comforts.
Alexandra David-Neel in Lhasa Tibet 1924, WIki Commons
Retuned in a meditative state, Lhasa Rose 1924 sits upon a base of finest sandalwood, that comforting touch, a clear mind and a soothed spirit with a touch of Oud, deep and resinous softened with a powdery musk bed, perhaps this is what Alexandra searched for in all her travels, veils of illusion seem vanquished and one can exist in a pure and peaceful state, the aura of a contemplative life. Here is a life well lived, constantly challenged and vibrantly alive, how well we should note women such as her, they are few and far between indeed, but maybe there resides in each of us one who would walk in such valleys, intone chants on far pinnacles, turn inwards to find the kernel of each truth, there is a profound beauty in Hima Jima Lhasa Rose 1924, a weeping for all the treasures we may find if we just cross boundaries and find our limitlessness. Beyond the partitions of generations, we are touched by the adventurous spirit of exploration that resides in us all and enduring humanity.
Danu Seith-Fyr – Contributor
TOP NOTES: bergamot, geranium, pink pepper, HEART NOTES: Rose Centifolia, Rose Damascene, incense, ambergris DRYDOWN: Indian sandalwood, oud, musk
My thanks to Hima Jomo for my sample of Lhasa Rose 1924, it is a beautiful, serene and empowering perfume
Please read Margaux LE PAIH-GUÉRIN in her own words in our Young Perfumer Series here. Please enjoy our reviews of Pashm (Treasures Collection) by Danu, Karl Topham’s review of Summer in Paro (which was a best of 2022 and a top 10 perfume for him as well) and Spring in Bome by Ida Meister.
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