When I first began to co-create flower essences, the plants that called to me were those growing wild in the woods and fields behind our house in Durham. Perhaps it was easier for me to listen to the voices of the flowering plants and trees when I was alone in Nature, away from other humans. I resisted being labeled as a “gardener” all the while our gardens grew until they covered nearly every possible area in the landscape surrounding the house. As I cared for these green beings, watering and cultivating, of course I began to hear their voices too, and this opened the door to co-creation with my garden grown flowers.
It is true that any plant that grows and flowers can work with you to co-create a flower essence. Over the long New England winters, the vibrations of my potted plants are preserved in water and sunlight. People are sometimes surprised to hear that flower essences can be co-created with potted plants. However, these are the plants with whom we have close relationships by default. These plants are completely dependent upon us for water, nourishment, and nurturing. Communication comes easily with these potted friends.
When co-creating with house plants I often use the technique of keeping the flower attached to the plant while the essence is solarizing. I sometimes work with outdoor plants in the same way. This part of co-creation is always a joint venture. You must listen carefully and ask the plant spirit what procedures will work best to capture their essence. Sometimes I have to build elaborate towers to bring the bowl up to the flowers atop their high stalks, as with the Red Amaryllis.
As always, the most important thing you can do when working with plants is to cultivate a relationship through caring physically for the plant, offering gifts (incense and crystals are favorites) and listening. If you rush the experience and ask the plant to gift you with essence before the relationship has been established, you may find that the essence doesn't "take". You may keep returning the bowl and yet you feel no energy from it. It's okay. Just step back, and begin again to form a relationship with the plant. When the time is right, the flower essence will come into being.
Once the essence is ready to be preserved as a mother essence by adding brandy and potentizing, I always ingest a small amount and offer an equal amount back to the plant. We are now forever linked. That is such a wonderful feeling!
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