There are many cognitive and reflective mechanisms that encompass pipe smoking. I think the most powerful is directly associated with the trigger mechanism of smell. We call all relate to the power of smell and its ability to trigger the recalling of long past memories. The smell of Thanksgiving dinner and all the memories of times long past that come flooding to your mind. The smell of a brand of whiskey that all but killed us in an episode of youthful over indulgence, which triggers less desirable memory and physical responses. The smell of a pipe tobacco stirs memories of days gone by and the quiet ponderings of days to come. The focus and controlled breathing help to calm the being and I would argue that times one can sit in quiet mental reflection and expansion are healthy to the mental wellbeing of the soul in its entirety. IMHO
