Beth of Fresh Air: Episode 22 - De-Scent

About this episode

In this episode, Beth Martens explores the pervasive influence of scent on our experiences and shares a personal story about a recent trip that highlighted this theme.

In this episode of Beth of Fresh Air , I’m turning my attention to something subtle, pervasive, and rarely questioned: scent . It’s everywhere. From perfumes and cleaning products to public spaces and travel environments, scent shapes our experience more than we tend to notice — influencing mood, affecting the body, and sometimes overwhelming the senses in ways that are hard to ignore once you start paying attention. After a recent trip out of the country with my son, I found myself in what can only be described as a kind of scented assault . What started as a simple journey quickly turned into a series of plot twists all centered around this one theme. In this solo episode, I’ll share that story — how it unfolded, how we navigated it, and what it revealed. I’ll also talk about: The constant presence of toxic scents in modern environments How scent interacts with the body and nervous system Why this is such an overlooked influence on our experience Practical and sometimes quirky ways I’ve learned to work with it What happens when you’re pushed out of comfort and into awareness Along the way, I’ll share some of the other memorable parts of the trip — including run-ins with…

People in this episode

Hosts: Beth Martens, Beth

Topics covered

• scent
• toxic scents
• mood
• nervous system
• awareness

Keywords

• scented assault
• modern environments
• practical ways
• comfort
• awareness

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Beth of Fresh Air, Fresh Air, King Hero’s Journey, a Hero's Journey, Journey: A Map of Archetypes to Find Lost Purpose in a Sea of Meaninglessness, the King Hero's Journey Podcast, King Hero

Places: India

More episodes of King Hero's Journey with Beth Martens

• Edith Ubuntu Chan: Beyond Seeing [King Hero Interview] · June 9, 2026 · 1h 28m
• Beth of Fresh Air – Episode 31: Re-Tell · June 7, 2026 · 1h 52m
• FutureMan | Kery KG Greene | Micah Ellars: Sound, Stage, and Creation on the Hero’s Journey · June 3, 2026 · 2h 50m
• Beth of Fresh Air – Episode 30: Sublimate With Micah Ellars · May 30, 2026 · 1h 49m
• Beth of Fresh Air – Episode 29: Synergize With Micah Ellars · May 25, 2026 · 1h 55m
• Beth of Fresh Air – Episode 28: Converge With Dawn Lester · May 16, 2026 · 1h 53m