flowers and plants
A Samhain Invitation From The Faeries
Fairies love fun and joyful games in the great outdoors, even during the darker seasons of the year. I am reminded of this every year at this time when the veil between the worlds thins during the mystical season of Samhain and Halloween.
If you’re currently experiencing a highly creative period or feeling called to get out into nature, even if it’s just to your garden before the weather gets too cold, there’s a good chance you’re also being invited to have some fun and free-spirited playtime with the fairies.
It is easiest for us to connect with the Faeries or Fae during the times of the year when the seasonal energy portals are open at the cross-quarter holidays of the Summer and Winter Solstices and the Spring and Fall Equinoxes.
These seasonal transitions are also traditionally celebrated in the ancient pagan festivals and religious holy days of Imbolc (St. Brigid’s Day) on February 1st, Ostara (Easter) on around March 21st, Beltane (St. Walburga’s Day) on May 1st, Litha (St. John’s Day) around June 20th or 21st, Lammas (Day of Bread) on August 1st, and Samhain (All Saints’ Day) on October 31st.
Traditionally celebrated as a time to honor our ancestors and reflect on the cycle of life and death, Samhain on October 31st marks the halfway point between the Autumnal Equinox and the Winter Solstice. It is a special time that invites us to step beyond the ordinary into the realm of magic and mysticism. The lingering echoes of autumn and the approaching winter in the Northern Hemisphere also foster a sense of introspection and connection to nature, making it an optimal time to commune with the ethereal elementals of nature.
Healing Your Chakras With Flower Power
Plants have long been regarded as nature’s healers, offering remedies for a wide range of physical ailments. But beyond their traditional medicinal uses, plants — especially flowers — have incredible energetic properties that can profoundly affect our well-being.
As a firm believer in the healing power of plants. I have seen firsthand how Mother Nature can work in harmony with our body, mind and spirit.
Flowers in particular, with their delicate beauty, aromatic essential oils and subtle vibrational frequencies, have powerful healing properties.
It is no coincidence that flowers are used in many cultural traditions to convey empathy and caring, to provide comfort, and to promote well-being. This is not simply because flowers are pretty and colorful, but because they have such powerful healing properties.
In many cultures, flowers are used to express sympathy and support. For example, it is common to send a bouquet of “get well soon” flowers to someone who is ill or recovering from surgery. Flowers such as lilies and daisies are often chosen for their associations with purity and cheerfulness, helping to lift the recipient’s spirits and contribute to emotional healing.
In Japan the practice of giving flowers, known as hanakotoba (flower language), is deeply embedded in cultural rituals. Each flower has a specific meaning, and their use conveys messages of sympathy, respect or congratulations. Chrysanthemums are associated with long life and are often given to the sick or elderly to wish them good health and longevity. The thoughtful selection of flowers is believed to bring emotional healing and comfort. Continue reading
The Mystical Healing Power Of Flowers
If you were to walk into my garden in England, one of the first things you might notice is a beautiful hanging basket full of purple petunias. I put it there for a number of reasons, and not just to admire its beauty. No, it is where it is because of how it makes me feel.
The energy of flowers is metaphysically powerful and can help you achieve emotional and spiritual well-being. My purple petunias make me feel motivated and full of well-being.
Okay, this may seem like a bold statement, but flowers are truly magical in that they can help increase your productivity and overall happiness, soothe any sensitivities in your life, and motivate you at the same time. And yes, they can do this for you just by looking at them.
So, how do flowers work their magic on us? Mother Nature puts a lot of time and effort into creating beautiful flowers. In fact, a single flower can take weeks or even months to fully develop, making it the part of the plant with the highest energy vibration. When you work with such masterpieces of nature, you are indeed working with the most powerful and purest of energies.
Each flower carries its unique vibrational frequency, which interacts with our own energy fields. This interaction can lead to subtle yet profound changes in our mental, emotional and spiritual state. For example, the vibrant purple hue of petunias resonates with the crown chakra, enhancing our connection to higher consciousness and promoting a sense of peace and clarity. Similarly, the delicate structure and soothing colors of flowers like lavender can harmonize our energy, reducing stress and fostering relaxation.
The Mystical Secrets Of Flowers
Like all living things, flowers and plants carry unique energy signatures and metaphysical properties. It’s easy to overlook them as sentient entities, but these natural wonders do possess energetic auras and have even been shown to have remarkable abilities to perceive, respond to, and remember their environment.
Although they do not experience emotions or memories in the way humans do, their complex responses to their environment suggest a form of intelligence that we are only beginning to understand.
Whether you believe in the sentience of flowers and plants, or simply appreciate their sophisticated survival strategies, plants undoubtedly play a vital role in our ecosystem and our lives.
If you’re serious about esoteric practices, energy work, and a spiritual lifestyle, familiarizing yourself with various plants and flowers is essential. Including them in your spiritual practice and self-care routine can bring immense benefits, from energy cleansing and healing to protection.
Flowers and plants speak to us in ways that transcend words. It’s no wonder that they traditonally play a significant role in our lives, marking celebrations from birth to death and everything in between.
Whether used for their aromatic qualities, symbolic meanings, or energetic properties, plants and flowers have also long been cherished as essential elements in spiritual and holistic practices. Their beauty, symbolism, and perceived energetic properties make them powerful tools for enhancing spiritual experiences and rituals.
The Subtle Psychic Power Of Flower Essences
Flower essences are one of my favorite spiritual resources. These vibrational imprints of flowers in water, preserved with alcohol, are a powerful tool for personal and spiritual development. They have been used for centuries to promote emotional well-being, balance and healing.
I come from a long line of female herbalists on my mother’s side of the family. They were seers, healers and mystics who combined their psychic gifts with natural healing practices.
That’s why I’ve always been interested in the metaphysical properties of plants, especially herbs and flowers. I love to alchemize them into tinctures, potions and remedies!
The main reason I love flower essences and remedies in particular is that, unlike essential oils and herbal remedies, flower essences are easier and safer to work with on a subtle energy level over the long term, making them particularly effective for enhancing psychic development and spiritual growth.
Flower essences were popularized in the early 20th century by Dr. Edward Bach. He was a British homeopath and bacteriologist who believed that the dew collected from flowers contained the healing properties of the plant. His research led to the creation of the Bach Flower Remedies, a set of 38 essences, each targeting a specific emotional state.
Bach’s remedies were based on the idea that certain flowers have healing properties that can help balance emotional states and promote overall well-being. Dr. Bach believed that emotional and mental states significantly influence physical health, and by addressing negative emotions, one can facilitate healing and prevent illness.
The Meditative Art Of Sumi-e Painting
As a spiritual advisor and artist, I’ve always been drawn to the ways in which art and spirituality intersect to offer pathways to deeper self-awareness and tranquility.
One such path that has had a profound impact on my life is Sumi-e painting, also known as suibokuga or ‘ink wash painting.’ It is a traditional Japanese painting technique that uses black ink, typically in varying concentrations, to create brushstroke-based works of art.
Sumi-e is characterized by its minimalism, simplicity, and emphasis on capturing the essence or spirit of the subject rather than its literal representation.
Paintings often feature subjects such as landscapes, flowers, birds and other natural elements. Artists use various brush techniques to create different textures, tones, and depths using only black ink on absorbent paper or silk.
The art form has deep roots in Zen Buddhism, which emphasizes spontaneity, simplicity, and harmony with nature. Practitioners often meditate before painting to cultivate a clear and focused mind, which they believe enhances their ability to express the essence of the subject.
Sumi-e painting has had a significant influence on various art forms, including calligraphy and other East Asian brush painting styles. It continues to be practiced and appreciated for its timeless elegance and ability to evoke profound emotions with seemingly simple brush strokes.
Interesting Facts You May Not Know About Reiki
People all over the world are turning to Reiki for its healing power, and it is now even being used in the medical field as a complementary therapy for the treatment of physical, emotional and mental illnesses.
Reiki is a spiritual philosophy and energy healing practice that was developed in Japan in the early 20th century by founder Mikao Usui.
Usui was a Tendai Buddhist whose lifelong quest for spiritual knowledge and healing techniques took him on a journey through many religious and spiritual traditions, including Shintoism, Buddhism, and Christian teachings, as well as the study of martial arts.
The most pivotal moment in Usui’s life occurred on Mount Kurama, a sacred mountain north of Kyoto. After 21 days of fasting and meditation, Usui had a profound spiritual experience of enlightenment that gave him the knowledge and ability to channel healing energy.
This experience led to the development of a healing system he called “Reiki,” which means “universal life energy” or “spiritual energy.” It’s based on the wisdom that “universal energy” can be channeled to support the body’s natural healing processes. Reiki is an extremely powerful energy, yet a remarkably gentle form of healing.