Conscious Conversations

Emma Leafe  Founder of UME Incense

A brand grounded in nature and a founder led by love. Emma Leafe is a woman whom I realised we shared so many similarities after one fateful conversation. Where others strive to seem authentic, Emma simply is. Her artful choices are motivated by her own personal journey and her intrinsic nature to just be herself.

UME produce handmade ceramics and premium grade natural incense sticks, using only the finest raw aromatic plant materials. Founder Emma Leafe began to produce healing incense blends aligned with the art of incense making in 2011. Soon after adding handmade ceramics that embody simple, natural aesthetics to inspire everyday rituals.

Tell us about you, you brand and the place that you call home?
I’m an artisan that’s interested in natural medicine, ancient crafts and beauty. I currently live in London, but feel most at home by the deep blue-green sea, surrounded by pine trees. The scent of sea lavender coming from the dunes, as I rest my salt tinged body on the shore after swimming. 
2. A name holds a lot of power, what is the inspiration and meaning behind Ume?
The name Ume came as a mystery; it was perhaps derived by my explorations into Japanese cookery, but it was the sound and shape of the letters that I liked. Later I learnt the meaning. In Japan, Ume (Plum Blossom), is one of the first buds to bloom, even in snow. So it is seen as a sign of strength in its most yin delicate form. My character relates to this, unimaginably resilient, but very soft and delicate.
3. Your brand and ethos is so heavily grounded and influenced by nature and giving respect and gratitude to nature. Why is this important to you?
There is so much beauty and wonder in nature, it’s my biggest source of inspiration. The sheer artistry of creation on this planet, astonishes me. Yet sometimes we just walk through it blind, lost in thought ... completely missing the profundity of it all.
The natural scents I make are from ingredients created by elements: the sun, rain, the wind, insects. They contain pure life force, which the body can align with in order to rebalance. Handmade products also contain our energy that is then shared - and I believe can also heal... I think that’s why using hands to make things in a meditative state, is so important for me. So yes I’m in immense gratitude to nature and to this experience of life.
4. You have a belief that scent has a way of unlocking doors in the mind, what led you to this understanding?
For me scents can unlock memories in this lifetime and beyond in your DNA. For example ancient scents like cypress, pine or juniper, for me tap into something very deep, almost ancestral. Perhaps my Nordic ancestors would have known the scent of these trees. Encountering such fragrance unlocks wisdom for me... I find that interesting.  
5. How can we adopt scent in our everyday lives?
Natural scents have therapeutic qualities that our bodies respond to. I suffered from acute anxiety for many years and noticed how burning pure, natural incense sticks calmed my system. There is a comfort that comes from being surrounded by natural fragrances. It puts you at ease. Like setting the mood with soft, soothing music, or warm lighting. In these moments you can feel your feelings, as they are. Accept them, allow them to be alchemised by the scent like a medicine. The blends I make for Ume have this in mind, they are made with herbs that support such moments, as we move through life.

Consciously Connected Travel | Conscious Conversations | Neel van Lierop Founder of Inner Compass

6. You’ve chosen to do things from a far more ethical, sustainable and conscious space, why?

As a collective I think we are all trying to encourage each other to think more consciously before buying anything. We no longer want to give back to the Earth pollution, waste & toxins in exchange for her precious gifts. In purifying our choices more and more, we cultivate a more wholesome energy with which to create from.

7. Travel has a powerful way of inspiring, innovating and shifting something within all of us, was there a journey or destination that you visited/experienced that helped inspire you to cultivate your business in this way?

Yes, travel has opened my mind to different cultures and ways of living tremendously. I have travelled to several remote places to explore: indigenous ways of life, archeological sites, power places, temples ... mysterious portals and vortexs - each one was transformative.

I remember seeing a beautiful indigenous woman in Guatemala. She was dressed artfully in black sheepskin pelts that she was also selling. Her long black hair braided in two very long plats. She carried a red cheeked baby boy in a homemade sling and had such a contemporary look about her. She stood out from the other locals in her ability to present something ordinary, in the most artistic way. She was not a follower but a creator ... I saw a part of myself in her ... she had the same confused look on her face about her place in the world. I still think about her...

8. Let’s take it all the way back. When you sit and reflect, which points in your life do you feel conspired to bring you to this very moment?

For me there is no one point. It’s more like a jigsaw puzzle I’ve been putting together all my life ... I’m not done yet. 

9. We have a way of seeing the end product and thinking that the story and journey has been an easy one, what hurdles and obstacles have you faced along the way and what have they taught you not only about the business but about yourself?

When I think back I’ve always gone my own way, held different views. Maybe I’m a bit of a lone wolf. There was a point when I felt a bit lost and unsure of my deepest self - in the face of others because of that. I do love being amongst nourishing community, but perhaps finding this has been challenging. So instead I focused on creating products that I wanted to see ... I gave myself space not to be judged and then when I was more ripened, others eventually found me ... but I always keep evolving, perhaps in that endless search ...

10. What are some of your daily rituals that help you connect to self, mind, body and soul?

When moving through my daily rituals: of dressing, eating or relaxing; I’ve found lighting a stick of incense - inhaling its healing scent, watching the smoke elegantly dance, reminds me to stop rushing through life. This is important for me, as I aim to drop deeper into the experience of everyday existence. Some scents like Benzoin, Frankincense & Sandalwood have an almost aphrodisiac quality to them. They can help connect us back to the sheer depth of our human senses. Sounds, smells, the breath. The way the body feels, it’s posture. Refinements of this creation that perhaps previously you were unconscious of, but can reveal the deep beauty of every day life.

11. Outside of your tribe experiencing beautiful conscious products, what else are you hoping that they take away from the brand?

Perhaps they will take away ideas on how to self-heal without commercial synthetic drugs. I hope they can realise the power of the mind .... what it’s focused on as being the key to creation, healing & happiness. Maybe they can learn how to make the most of life by detoxing from harmful energies. Instead, use their unique personal energy to create something new, not following, but instead exploring ... being brave enough to walk their true path, not needing permission or recognition to do so. I wish in those things I can encourage people.  

12. What can we expect from you in the coming months?

Ume is becoming more seasonal, so expect more fluctuations that flow in harmony with our ever-changing planet. As Ume products are fully natural and handmade, no batch can ever be the same. So emphasising a more seasonal approach is going to be fun. 

13. A quote/mantra that you live by? ....and why?

Never, Never, Never give up .... this is solid advice I have lived by

14. A book that you can’t live without?.....and why?

A daily gratitude journal ... then reading this as a reminder, when the light dims