Clairolfaction – The Gift Of Psychic Smell

By Anthon St. Maarten

Distinctive smells have long been associated with a variety of paranormal and psychic phenomena. Some psychic mediums with this unusual talent rely on their ability to ‘smell spirit’ in order to validate loved ones who have crossed over, or to identify the presence of spiritual entities. Some psychics also use this extra-sensory skill to gain insight into events of the past, present and future. It is an unusual psychic ability known as clairolfaction, the gift of  'clear' smelling. 

Clairolfaction is a form of extra-sensory perception (ESP) that enables the gifted person to receive psychic or paranormal information by means of ‘psychic smelling’.  

​Other interchangeable terms used for this ‘clair sense’ is clairosmesis, clairalience, clairessence and clairscent. They all refer to the same psychic ability, namely the ‘clear smelling’ of a variety of paranormal and psychic phenomena.

Clairolfaction is typically accompanied by clairgustance (clear taste). It makes sense that this partnership exists on a spiritual level, since our normal sense of taste and smell also go hand-in-hand. You will therefore find that many clairolfactory psychics also experience associated tastes, together with the relevant smells. Clairalience is also closely associated with clairsentience (clear sensing).

Clairolfactory psychics are in essence able to ’smell energy’. Everything in the Universe consists of energy vibrating at different frequencies. It may very well be that with clairolfaction certain energy vibrations could stimulate the odor-detecting receptors of the human nervous system in people who are gifted. A recent scientific discovery supports this belief. 

For a long time scientists proposed that our sense of smell is based on the shape of the air-borne molecules that make up different odors. However, scientist Dr. Luca Turin proposes that our ability to smell may instead be based on how these molecules ‘quiver and shake’.

Luca believes that the vibrational spectrum of a molecule is the actual property that is detected by the nose, and then interpreted by the brain. In other words, it is possible that our sense of smell is based on vibration, in the same way our ability to see or hear or sense is made possible by our brain’s interpretation of different vibrations.

Experiencing certain smells in the presence of spiritual manifestations is a common occurrence for psychic mediums and paranormal investigators. According to an informal survey of more than 2000 mediums worldwide, it is estimated that approximately 90% of all mediums experience psychic smelling from time to time. Mediums may typically smell things like an aunt’s favorite perfume, or your uncle’s cigarette smoke. This makes it very easy to identify who a spiritual message is coming from.

Memories, imagination, old sentiments, and associations are more readily reached through the sense of smell than through any other channel. ~ Oliver Wendell

I will never forget the embarrassment I experienced once, on a first date. We were having lunch. After solemnly promising my nervous companion that my work is never allowed to interfere with my personal life, I began to smell the stench of second-hand tobacco smoke. I was annoyed and complained about inconsiderate people puffing away secretly, inside a non-smoking restaurant! Both my date and the waiter must have thought that I was psychologically unstable, because they smelled nothing and there was absolutely nobody smoking anywhere inside that venue.

Driving home from the disaster date, I soon realized what was going on. Whoever was stinking up the restaurant was now chain-smoking inside my car! That evening the culprit made himself known during a mediumship reading.

​The first thing I said to my client was: “Whoever this guy is that you were hoping to connect with, I can tell you one thing for certain…he must have smoked like a chimney!” She was not sure whether she should laugh or cry. Apparently he smoked two to three packets a day!

But smoke and perfume are not the only smells that psychic mediums experience. We also smell odors associated with places or events. For example, the distinctive smell of someone’s place of work, or their home, or the odor of fireworks or burning candles,  for example, which may indicate a certain holiday or celebration. When I do psychic readings I typically experience smells that have no personal association for me, but they are meaningful for my clients.

Smells I have encountered include flowers (especially roses), perfume or cologne, cigarette smoke, leather, incense, spices, fresh bread, fast food (hamburgers and pizza), animals (dogs, cats and horses), sea water and wet sand. I find that the smell of roses or flowers often is most intense when someone passed away very recently.

At times some of these odors can be very unpleasant, but fortunately that does not happen very often in my case. Foul smells I have had to endure have included urine, dirty laundry and chemicals (alcohol, turpentine and disinfectant). But I have also heard of people smelling even worse things, like ‘burning rubber’, ‘wet dog’ and ‘rotting eggs’! Paranormal investigators sometimes report the smell of sulphur as one of the classic signs of haunting.

But, surely there are other ways for spirit to make contact, especially if a less than pleasant odor is involved? Why does spirit communicate with us through smell? Well, from your own experience you will know that smell is indeed a very powerful sense! It is no accident that we have popular sayings like “I smell a rat” or “she came out of it smelling like roses” or “it smells to high heaven” or “something smells fishy” when we have negative intuitions or gut feelings.

Cancer cells emit different metabolic waste products than normal cells. The differences between these metabolic products are so great that they can be detected by a dog’s keen sense of smell, even in the early stages of disease ~ Nicholas Broffman

Smells have the unique ability to immediately evoke strong emotions within us, or trigger intense memories. Nothing else can so instantly bring back a meaningful moment from the past, or invoke the presence of a special person. It therefore comes as no surprise that so many mediums possess the gift of clairolfaction. It is clearly one of the more powerful ways spirit can validate or clarify whatever message is coming through for us.

Some psychics also know from experience that odor or smell can reflect the state of someone’s health, or aspects of their mood or personality. This is now supported by recent advances in science, which makes it possible to use odor print analysis to detect illness or to identify a person, similar to fingerprinting.

Clairolfaction is especially useful in the fields of holistic health and energy work. Some gifted healers are able to smell the early symptoms of illness or dietary shortages. This can make traditional diagnosis and treatment much less invasive, and far more proactive. Some medical intuitives have the ability to smell disease or identify affected areas of the body through smell. Research in this field is unfortunately limited, but studies have found that dogs, for example, are able to smell the presence of cancer cells in human subjects. In fact, in one study dogs correctly detected 99% of the lung cancer samples, and made a mistake with only 1% of the healthy controls.

For me personally the most interesting aspect of my ‘smelling ability’ is the unique odor I smell when I encounter orbs. Spirit often reveals itself to me in the form of floating orbs of light, or what I could describe as ‘flickering light bubbles’ or ‘bundles of fireflies’. These orbs usually bring with them a distinctive smell, which is unlike anything I have ever encountered in ordinary life. The best way I can describe it is that it smells like ‘electricity’, or ‘ozone’. It is not unpleasant, simply unusual. For a long time I had no way of describing it, until I bought a small air purifier. I soon discovered that the faint smell of ozone, which is generated in small quantities by the negative ions from the purifier, was rather similar.

In my experience psychics and mediums develop intuitive associations with certain smells, in the same way we each develop through trial and error our own code of psychic symbols, or attach our own unique meanings to sights, sensations and sounds. A good example in my case is how I always know a stranger is terminally ill when I smell ‘rotting peaches’ in their presence. This association comes from one of my earliest childhood memories when I was about five years old. Visiting my maternal grandparents over the holidays, I was introduced to the neighbors’ sickly little girl who lived across the street.

For the sense of smell, almost more than any other, has the power to recall memories and it’s a pity we use it so little. ~  Rachel Carson

The day we met she was playing behind their house with her teenage brother. He was gently pushing her in a swing attached to a large peach tree. The instant I saw her, it seemed like all the bright sunlight on that perfect summer’s day simply disappeared from the garden. A dark, depressing shadow descended over the home, and I was overwhelmed by a sense of profound sadness and despair. At that moment, the air was thick with the unpleasant odor of rotting peaches lying under the tree. I instantly knew that she was very sick and dying. Years later I heard that she did pass away from leukemia soon after we met.

Sometimes psychic smells also serve me personally. There are, for example, smells I associate with friends or family members that often show up when I am about to hear from that person, or when it becomes necessary for me to make contact with them. I have a long-standing joke with one of my best friends. We have known each other for many years, but do not see each other very often. When I do get around to calling her, she always wants to know if I was smelling coffee again. The aroma of fresh coffee is always a clear sign that it is time for us to meet at our favorite restaurant! Once I woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat with the unmistakable smell of coffee in the room. I instantly knew she was in trouble and when I finally got hold of her partner, he told me that she had been hijacked earlier that night in her car and was being treated for a minor gunshot wound.

Another of my favorite smells is that of melted candle wax, which I associate with my maternal grandmother. One of her hobbies was to make colored candles for weddings and special events. She always let me ‘help’ her when I was a little boy. She passed away when I was about 10 years old, but since then the smell of candle wax has made her presence known to me on several occasions.

© 2010 Anthon St. Maarten

---

About The Author

Anthon St. Maarten is an international psychic medium and destiny coach. He is also a sought-after inspirational speaker, metaphysical teacher and spiritual author, with a special interest in New Thought spirituality, metaphysics, sacred sites, parapsychology, mediumship and psychic phenomena. He is the author of the bestselling spirituality handbook Divine Living: The Essential Guide To Your True Destiny. Anthon's psychic reading and consultation services are available online and by phone to clients globally.

---

RELATED BLOG POSTS:

Clairgustance - The Gift Of Psychic Taste

Clairgustance or ‘clear taste’ is probably the most unusual of all the psychic phenomena. It is a form of extra-sensory perception (ESP) that allows the gifted person to taste a substance associated with someone or something from the past, present or future. What could the purpose of such an odd psychic sense possibly be? Read more

Mediumship Is Not A Psychic Sideshow

​The modern psychic medium faces the challenge of remaining true to a spiritual calling, despite the sometimes unrealistic client expectations engendered by popular culture. Mediumship is in truth not a dog and pony show aimed at applause or viewer ratings. It is a spiritual endeavor that seeks to validate, console, heal and uplift. It's a blessing from beyond... like a phone call from God. Mediumship presented as entertainment is a double-edged sword. Read more

---

RELATED PRODUCT:

Root Chakra Activation Guided Meditation

The Root Chakra Activation guided meditation MP3 by Anthon St. Maarten is designed to fully activate and rebalance the first chakra or 'base chakra.' The root chakra is associated with our primal instinct for survival and our 'rooting' as newborn infants, and therefore governs our primitive physical senses of smell and taste. Download now

---

RELATED SERVICE:

Get A Psychic Mediumship Reading

Receive spirit messages and afterlife validation from your spirit guides and loved ones who have crossed to the other side. Communicate with spirit to gain a better understanding of your destiny and your path in this lifetime. Mediumship seeks to validate, console, heal and uplift with guidance from the spirit realm. Read more