Flowers have always lured me with their magic. What many people might briefly acknowledge as an inanimate “thing from nature” or even think, “oh, that’s pretty,” but then move on, I see an entire world, a life force, a miracle. Beauty so powerful it makes my heart flutter. Flowers are life, love, beauty, sex, and death in all their intricate forms. And they are so much more than they appear. I’m not just talking about the poetry, art, and arrangements they’ve inspired, but connecting with them on an even deeper level. Incorporating them into everyday practice… even when there is two feet of snow outside!
My desk in the spring a few years ago… I stole these peonies in the early dawn hours from the edge of a post office parking lot (they were calling to me!). It is my dream to visit a peony farm this spring, and someday to own land to grow them on. Also pictured here is one of my favorite books, The Complete Medicinal Herbal by Penelope Ody, open to the page about roses.
a bee
staggers out
of the peony
~Basho
When I sat down to write this post, the temperature outside reading -11 degrees Fahrenheit, I thought, I should really wait until spring to write this type of post. But then I thought, no actually this is the perfect time! I need the magic of flowers in my life now more than ever! So how does one incorporate them into everyday practice, even in winter? There are many ways, none of which are right or wrong, but I will tell you how I do so in my own daily life. It is of course, easier when they are flourishing outside, as when these wild raspberry roses were in the picture below (read more about these wild roses here). But for about four months out of the year here in northern New England, the landscape sleeps under a layer of snow and ice. I like to think about all the seeds that are sleeping in the Earth during this time, and acknowledge that they are still there, preparing for another season of blooms that I very much look forward to. We too can take this time live a slower season.
Though the goal is to use flowers in all seasons, winter is when it can be especially helpful to have extra ingredients and tools at hand that enable you to incorporate flowers into your skincare routine, drinks you prepare, your mediation practice, self-care/self-discovery practice, the natural perfume you wear etc. Essential oils and aromatherapy are of course one of the main ways to access the energy of flowers in their ethereal form, but there are also extracts, absolutes, tinctures, tea and more…
Lilacs blooming in Vermont (I think I took this one in May).
Lotus Wei has many such helpful tools, the first of which I’ll mention is the book Flowerevolution: Blooming into Your full Potential with The Magic of Flowers by Katie Hess with photography by Louie Schwartzberg.
This book is a treasure filled with inspiration and guidance on how to transform your life with flowers. It talks about the energy that flowers radiate (yes they all have a unique energy!) and how to use that to tune your body, all about flower elixirs, real stories from people who have transformed their lives with the use of flower elixirs, the three phases of transformation, how to choose the right ones for you, and much more. Plus, two thirds of the entire book is full of all the the gorgeous flower profiles. Seeking more balance, awareness, or compassion? There are specific flowers for that! Dealing with anger, annoyance, or in need of courage? Yes, there are flowers for those too.
Though you can certainly read this book front to back, I have found I often love using it by flipping to a random page and seeing what pops up for me that day. The display of all 48 flower photos on pages 120-123 is a great tool to look at and ask yourself which one you feel drawn to. Then flip to the corresponding page with more info on that flower. I am often drawn to Pink Primrose and so I started taking the Pink Primrose elixir over the last month. I have been pleasantly surprised that when I take it I definitely notice a heightened level of creativity, ideas, and pathways for personal growth. Resistance that normally crops up in the face of large projects doesn’t go away, but does fade and I feel more open to moving through difficult trials in an innovative way. As a small business owner, that is certainly not a bad thing!
I’m also experimenting with the Boundless Wisdom elixir which contains the magic of lilac, spotted bee balm, white magnolia, and sacred Bodhi Tree. I take these as drops under the tongue (3-5 at a time), or by adding about 10 drops to a liter of filtered water which is what I’ve been doing lately. It makes the water taste nice and fresh too!
I also find myself very attracted to Bee Balm — even the energy that comes through just from the photo! This one can be used to help dissolve tension, despair, sadness, and trauma or post-traumatic stress. It can magnify hope, compassion, and is soothing during times of transition and heartache. As I am currently feeling much sadness from the ending of a 12-year relationship, I think this one might be my next purchase.
Another tool that I love from Lotus Wei is the card deck that just came out this fall! It goes perfectly with the book and is travel-friendly. I am a big fan of oracle and inspiration decks and this one is no exception. It is so pretty, and I love using these cards during times of mediation. There are many ways to use them (the deck comes with diagrams of different ways), but my favorite is the tile method seen below.
You may have heard about the research that found that patients in hospital rooms with plants had quicker recovery times, lower blood pressure, less anxiety etc? Well, in my experience just looking at these flower photos spread out on a table or the floor can have a similar calming effect. Just using this deck can have the effect of creating more joy in your life and that in itself can heighten the positive energy in your very cells. Also, its FUN!
Aura mists are one of my other favorite things from Lotus Wei (but also just in life in general!). There are six in their main collection (you can try them in the mini kit pictured below) but they also make two limited edition ones that you can find in the Seedspark kit!
So you see, flowers are not just beautiful, but useful. Even if they aren’t growing right outside your door at the moment. They have so much joy to give us, and offer so much potential to help us transform for the better through this tough process of being human. I hope this post has given you some ideas, and perhaps inspired you to incorporate flowers into your life in a way you might not have preciously though of. I wish you all many blessings as we travel into the new year of 2018 under a Gemini supermoon!