Don’t wait for someone to bring you flowers. Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul. ~ Luther Burbank.
As you already know, I love flowers. And of course you know plant magic is my thing.
We learned in science class that plants and humans have a symbiotic relationship, meaning we need each other to survive. We need oxygen from plants, and they need carbon dioxide from us. We simply cannot survive without each other.
That’s some kind of sacred magic right there, no?
Flowers have their own special kind of magic, and playing with flowers (from the gardens in season or from Costco in a pinch) adds extra energy and oomph to any altar, spell, or energy work.
Just having fresh cut flowers around your home (or workspace) can change your mood and energy.
Floriography, also known as the language of flowers, is the practice of using flowers and plants to convey specific messages and emotions.
So let’s talk about what’s blooming in your garden now
There’s some serious flower power happening and when you need a little lift, some inspiration or a serious boost, turn to your floral partners.
Here are a few of my favorites.
Peony: Invites healing and protection
Her Goddess: Faery & Faery Queens
Her element: Fire
Her crystal: Apache Tear, Pink Opal, Ruby in Zoisite, Amethyst, Fluorite
Straight from my garden, I paired these peonies with catmint.
Peonies (their botanical name is Paeonia) are named after Paeon, the physician to the Greek gods and warriors.
As they were wounded on the battlefield, Paeon would rush in to heal the warriors so they could get back up and continue to fight. To do their work.
Spiritually, peonies offer the same magical medicine.
When our hearts or spirit are wounded, the energy of peony can gently repair the damage. So WE can get back in there and do what we came here to do.
In these last few days of #PeonySeason, why not gather some of the petals as they fall.
You can dry them easily in a single layer on a paper towel.
Store them in a ziplock or paper bag and you’ll have ready access to their special magic until they bloom again.
Calendula: A magical powerhouse
Her Goddess: Mary (the Blessed Mother)
Her element: Fire
Her crystal: Jade, Chrysoprase, Sunstone, Yellow Jasper, Herkimer
This is the color of calendula straight from my garden.
Calendula lends the most beautiful golden glow to my oil infusions, and eventually my salves and loose incense blends.
Calendula is an herb associated with the Sun…can you see why?
The spirit of calendula offers gratitude, prosperity, protection, love, faery visions, manifestation, and SO much more.
She has a strong association with Earth and elemental energies.
Calendula is healing and soothing to the skin because of its anti-fungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic properties.
Spiritually, calendula offers powers that parallel her medicinal magic.
She is healing and soothing to our heart and spirit. She wards negativity. And can help clear and consecrate a space. ⠀
Also known as Bride of the Sun, it has a long history of decorating the tops of wedding cakes.
Use calendula to inspire optimism, increase vitality, call in love and constancy, create and sustain wealth, and remove negative energy.
Some folks also swear by it for “love potions.”
Hydrangea: Resonates with moon energy and the element of water.
Her goddesses are Diana and Minerva.
Her element: Water
Her crystals: Clear Calcite, Aquamarine, and Dumortierite.
These hydrangeas look so pretty peeking through my porch railing.
Do you ever feel like you are tapped out, completely drained, no creative juices left to flow? Maybe it’s time to call on the spirit of Hydrangea.⠀
The word hydrangea comes from the Greek words “hydro” meaning water and “angos” meaning jar or vessel. This loosely translates to water vessel (Hydrangea needs a lot of water…). Her florets are also formed into cup shapes, again alluding to her correspondence to water. ⠀
Think about what you need to get moving and flowing in your life, and then grab a hydrangea blossom or two.
Ok, so this is actually more scientific than magical, but it’s still pretty cool. Did you know that hydrangea’s blooms change color based on the acidity (blue flower heads) or alkalinity (pink blooms) of the soil?
Because of her high water content, hydrangea can be used by empaths to soothe emotional overload.
A blossom by your bed may help promote gentle sleep and strengthen your intuition.
Legend says the Faery use the fluid-filled stems as a water source.
Add hydrangea petals to a ritual bath or floor sweep to break a hex.
Hydrangea is flourishing now and ready to lend her magic.⠀
Sunflower: Offers positivity, strength, and spiritual wisdom.
Her Goddess: Aine, Brigid, Demeter, Isis
Here element: Fire
Her crystal: Ruby, Carnelian
I love the green petals of this sunflower from last year’s harvest.
How breathtaking is it to see a field sprawling with acres and acres of sunflowers? And how they seem to follow the sun’s path…facing east in the morning and bowing to the sun in the afternoon.
It’s fascinating how the flower resembles a lion’s mane…the ultimate symbol of courage.
The bountiful seeds of the flower heads symbolize creativity and fertility in all forms.
Spiritually, sunflower cleanses and transforms negative energy. And she plays a big part in the summer “fire” festivals such as the summer solstice, lammas, and mabon (the autumnal equinox).
Even though I harvest the petals of sunflower for my loose incense blends (sunflower is all about power and strength), she still manages to remain so beautiful and sculptural…
Yarrow: Offers protection and courage.
Her Goddess: Aphrodite
Her element: Water
Her crystal: Rhodonite, Bloodstone, Black Tourmaline, Aura Quartz
I was lucky enough to find pink yarrow once upon a time.
Yarrow (botanical name Achillea millefolia) was named after the Greek warrior, Achilles, who used plant extracts to treat the wounds of soldiers in the battle of Troy.
Achilles was a student of the centaur, Chiron, who taught the secrets of herbalism to his human pupils. Yarrow became known as Staunchweed and Soldiers Woundwort because of its ability to stop wounds from bleeding.⠀
Birds will sometimes use the leaves of yarrow in their nests to deter parasites.
She attracts beneficial bees, wasps, and butterflies.⠀
Magical practitioners in ancient Britain would hold a stalk of yarrow to their forehead to increase their powers of divination.⠀
Yarrow has been found in Neanderthal burials and in ancient temples, alluding to its role in ceremonial magic.
Because medicinally it has a healing effect on the blood, it became associated with the “life blood” or the human essence carried within our blood.
Yarrow corresponds to Venus and so is often used in love charms as well as for protection from negative energies and forces.⠀
A couple of years ago, I was gathering yarrow in a field and was thrilled to find the pink florets on a few plants mixed in with the traditional white.
There is controversy about whether the pink is as “powerful” as the traditional white in medical herbalism.
But as a spiritual herbalist, I believe that every color (and part of the plant) is equally powerful and sacred.⠀
Spiritual herbalism isn’t YET as “mainstream” as other energy modalities. But one day it will be.
Plants have brilliant superpowers that they want to share.
I mean, how many traditional medicines are made from plants, right?!
It’s my passion and my mission to dip into their secret rules of magic — the properties of plants that can help us change our lives in the most simple, but beautifully impactful ways.
Thank you for being here with me.