Calendula Flowers & the Sun

The calendula seedlings I purchased at ReUnity Resources on April 30th are blooming abundantly! It makes such a difference to purchase vital, organic plants, especially here in the high desert, where conditions can be challenging. We also want to be supporting local and small businesses as much as possible. I also look for companies/organizations that are not selling items that pollute, destroy bee colonies and have integrity, even in their personal lives. Santa Fe is such a small community that its super easy to know what's going on, for example, if a business owner is cheating on his wife, then I won't support that business.

The alchemical path teaches us to look beyond, to observe and dive into a deeper understanding of essence, the vibration of a plant, object, human being. We are beckoned to "feel" into meaning, perceive patterns and symbols....beyond the thinking mind.

In plants we observe the color & shape, as well as where it grows, to determine its healing attributes. As you can see, calendula (Calendula officinalis) has an affinity with the sun, notice the circular bright orange flowers with petals that radiate outward. I am also observing how they look very lion-like, especially in the photo below.

The sun, related to elemental FIRE, home of our beating heart and the constant drum beat within, home of passion, warmth, and direct knowing. Home of the Child, youthful abundant energy, and motivation. The spirit medicine of Lion dwells here, providing strength and courage.

As the center of our solar system, plants associated with the sun re-mind us of who we are at a core level, empowering a strong sense of self and shining bright where clouds may have obscured lightness of being.

Sunny calendulas nourish on so many levels, specifically where there is a loss of vitality and wounding. This is why calendula is so wonderful for dry skin and used in salve making. The youthfullness of their vibrant appearance calls to our inner child to come out and play, have fun in the sun and be free.

Working with plants ground and bring us into the sacred moment. By mimicking and being in harmony with nature, we then flow in the current of the cosmos.

Related posts: Doctrine of Signatures & The Principal of Correspondence

Photos & words ©Roxana Villa. alchemical image: The alchemist who has achieved illumination, from Andrea de Pascalis, Alchemy: The Golden Art. The Secrets of the Oldest Enigma

Perfume Illuminated: Aphrodisiacs

"As the spirits of certain people hover music,
My soul, o my love! swims on your perfume."
~ Charles Baudelaire, "La Chevelure"

The word aphrodisiac comes from the name of the Greek Goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite. This day, attributed to Aphrodite and ruled by Venus, we will take some tips from the Goddess, for she was a devotee of pampering herself and knew how to cultivate and inspire beauty.

FRAGRANCE

In aromatherapy circles "Aphrodisiacs" are essences which evoke a sense of relaxation and euphoria which then opens the doorway to a heightened state of sensuality. Most often these essences come from flowers. Morphologically flowers function within the plant to attract pollinators and for reproductive purposes. Examples of aromatics used in natural and botanical perfumery that are derived from flowers and considered aphrodisiacs are: Ylang Ylang, Jasmine, Neroli, Rose and Tuberose. The aroma of narcotic Ylang Ylang flowers top the list as the most powerful of the group. My teach David Crow taught me that Ylang Ylang has the power to put a woman into her physical body and relax, he suggested it for all blends evoking sensuality.

In floriography, the Victorian language of flowers, tussie mussies or nose gays were given to a beloved to convey a message. Small floral bouquets were gifted to a beloved as a piece of poetry that appealed to the eyes and the sense of smell.


Besides flowers, aromatics from spices are also found to arouse and stimulate passion. Derived from seeds which are associated with reproduction, in morphological terms they have the ability to shift and transform, unlocking obstructions. Allspice, Anise, Bay, Cardamon and Cinnamon are just a few on the long list.

Roots, associated with the base chakra, ground us to the moment and this earthly plain. As an anchor to earth, roots bring us into our won physical bodies. Essences derived from roots that are also aphrodisiacs are Ginger and Vetiver.

Dark and viscous, base notes with their earthy and musky aromatics have a similar quality as roots. Their depth, even in their cimmerian hues, convey mystery and conjure the shadow side.
These essences include Sandalwood, Patchouli, Vanilla, Peru Balsam, Myrrh and my favorite Labdanum.

With such a plethora to choose from, you can see why perfume is associated with sensuality and charming the God and Goddess within. For today I thought we would create a perfume devoted to Aphrodite. I selected essences mentioned above as well as those associated with the Goddess and Greece.



Labdanum
Oakmoss
Sandalwood
Patchouli
Peru Balsam
Myrrh
Seaweed Absolute

Rose
Jasmine
Ylang Ylang
Tuberose
Clove
Honey or Beeswax Absolute

Myrtle
Bergamot
Bitter Orange
Lemon
Black Pepper

Next week Beth continue our look at Aphrodisiacs by focusing on Chocolate, Wine and Roses.

FLAVOR: Beth Schreibman Gehring

Please continue reading about Aphrodisiacs at the Windesphere Witch blog

the SUN

Today we honor Fathers and Summer Solstice. Rather auspiciously one of the symbolic aspects of the Sun is the Male, the father. Where as the Moon is associated with the Feminine, the mother.

Known as Midsummer and Lilith, Summer Solstice marks the official first day of summer, an extended day of light for those of us in the Northern hemisphere. Where as in the Southern hemisphere, like in Argentina where my father is, they will be celebrating the Winter Solstice, albeit in a different manner than how we celebrate it in the North. If you are in the South and celebrate Solstice, please share with us how you celebrate, we'd love to hear!


The Sun, the largest star in our solar system, has been personified in many myths including Helios by the Greeks and Sol by the Romans. Since all is revealed in the light on the Sun, we find Truth as one of the iconic aspects associated with this ball of fire traveling through our heavens. According to Biblical stories the Sun was manifested on the fourth day of creation. I guess God was working in the dark on the previous days. The Sun also plays a role in Dogon, Hebrew, Japanese, several Native American and South and Central American creation myths.

In Germanic traditions the Sun is the embodiment of the feminine where the moon is masculine. This is a great illustration of how the people of the earth will create their own mythologies to suit their needs.

Some of the symbols that have been utilized in creating mythologies associated with the Sun are include the fact that it is a huge orange ball in the heavens that provide us with light and warmth, resulting in the growing of our food. The rising in the East and the setting in the West is another key aspect that is focused upon, like the god Helios and his firey chariot pulled by four horses.

What symbolic aspects do you associate with the Sun and the Solstice? In botanical perfume, as mentioned in previous journal entries, Sunflower oil as a base for an "solar" infusion of "solar" plant material. Solar plant material includes:

• Amber
• Benzoin
• Broom
• Calendula
• Everlasting
• Frankincense
• Labdanum
• Saffron
• Rose
  
• Spices (relaxing)
• Citrus
  

The ancients derived these associations by observing several factors: the color and shape of a plant, how it makes you feel, plants that show signs of being affected by the sun (Sunflowers), plants associated the circulatory system and where the plant grows. Today being SUNday makes it an even more potent day for honoring the sun and beginning or creating a vital aromatic Solstice elixir.

More posts at this journal which focus on Summer Solstice are these:

A Summer Solstice Perfume
Summer Solstice

Art Heart image ©Greg Spalenka, www.spalenka.com. The second image is a detail from the Art heart. The third image has been created by me, Roxana, utilizing layers of imagery in photoshop. See the photos of how Greg created this image here.

Scent of the Day

"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt."

~Margaret Atwood

Spring is approaching, the blossoms are appearing on the fruit trees and I have a few things to debut. First off, I've created a Scent of the Day (SOD) icon at right. Normally I don't wear much scent since I like my olfactory terrain to remain as clear as possible. However, lately I've been finding that I can't live without my solid perfumes. The first addiction began in August with Cimbalom, that lasted for almost six months. Then for about a week there I couldn't get enough of Lyra. As of late...it's been Chaparral®.

Why is it that we crave certain scents at specific times? With botanical perfumes containing so much vital plant matter I can see why people turn to this media for perfume during challenging times. What I am curious about is why does one choose say Frankincense over Ylang Ylang or lavender? All three, based on scientific studies, help balance us emotionally.

Chaparral® Solid contains quite a bit of Frankincense as well as many woods, resins and a few herbaceous notes. From a morphological point of view woods provide structure and support, resins heal and protect and leaves offer expansion. Ah-hah! Back to breathing in the aroma of the musky woods.

The photo of the Cherry Blossoms is ©Ben Neuhart, see more of his amazing work on his website.

Morphology

"Morphology can be defined as the form and structure of an organism or any of its parts. In a basic morphological approach we shall begin to look at essential oils based upon the different parts of structures of plants in which they are derived." 1
Essential Oils are derived from Berries, Fruit (Zest), Flowers, Leaves & Needles, Resins, Woods, Seeds and Roots. Each of these has a specific function in the plant, that purpose can be viewed or translated to the human being.
In the nineties, while I was studying Aromatherapy, I went on a hike with David Crow, renowned author and herbalist. He took a group of about twenty through Corral Canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains. We began the tour under the canopy of a large oak, Quercus agrifoilia, where David explained how the Chumash people nourished themselves primarily on acorns. We learned how acorns were processed and how the native Chumash lived in harmony with the land. From there we walked along the path where David identified plants and explained their many uses. He taught us to observe a plant, it’s shape, color and where it grew to help determine it’s medicinal qualities. This is part of the technique that the ancients used to determine a plants therapeutic value. Does it grow in the sun or shade? Is the plant near a source of water? What color is it and what shape is the plant and it’s leaves.
Keen observation of a plant can glean insights into the mysteries of their healing code.

Here is a simplified chart on plant part an equivalent translation

Seeds = Beginning of Life = Growth, Creation
Roots = Grounding = Strength, Stability
Wood, Trunk of Tree = Conduit, Structure = Core, Support
Resins = Heal, Protect
Leaves/Needles = Respiration = Breathe, Expansion
Flowers = Attraction = Love
Fruits = Reproduction = Uplift

1 Jade Shutes, The Blending Manual, The Institute of Dynamic Aromatherapy, Canada, Chp.2, p.4

Image above: Born ©Roxana Villa. High quality posters of this image are available, contact roxana@illuminatedperfume.com

The Vitruvian Man & Morphology

From Leonardo's "Book of the Waters"
(Manuscript A, 55V.)

"Man is said to be the mirror world by the ancients and this is surely well reckoned, in as much as man is made of earth, water, fire and air. His body is the bone as a support and armour for the flesh, the earth has stones as a support for the soil. Where man has a pool of blood, wherein the breathing lung increases and decreases the earth's body has it's ocean sea that also floods and ebbs every six hours to let the earth breathe. Where the blood vessels branch out from the mentioned pool of blood [heart] through the human body, likewise the ocean sea fills the earths body with countless bodies of water."

This paragraph was taken from my daughter's seventh grade main lesson book on "Physiology and Nutrition" with her teacher Ms. Schmidt. I was looking for a picture of Leonardo's Vitruvian Man for an illustration job. Within a few days of this one of my dear artist friends contacted me asking for suggestions on "specific floral/plant essences for the aide to specific parts of the body." My answer was a resounding YES, Morphology!

When I began to formerly study aromatherapy I was struck by how inspiring the material was and the amount of visual imagery that flooded my mind during the course work. (Typical for an visual artist.) The area of study where this was most prevalent Morphology. We learned about Morphology as one of the methods of classification for essential oils. Essential oils are organic, volatile substances that occur in plants. Morphology is a form of classifying essential oils "by shared anatomical features, ie. leaves, flowers, fruits, etc."1 In Aromatherapy we might utilize Morphology for creating therapeutic blends. Current scientific studies continue to reinforce the idea that "everything pulsates with energy and that energy contains information. Our physical bodies are surrounded with by an energy field which interact with the energy field of essential oils"2 Thus, an essential oil from a specific part of a plant can be viewed as containing a message relating to a particular part of the body, similar to Leonardo's manuscript from The Book of Waters. The human body is a microcosm of the earth.

More on Morphology tomorrow, stay tuned.

1 Jade Shutes, The Blending Manual, The Institute of Dymanic Aromatherapy, Canada, Chapter One, p.102 Jade Shutes, The Blending Manual, The Institute of Dymanic Aromatherapy, Canada, Chapter Two, p.4

The image above was created using a pencil drawing on paper (see at right) overlaid onto a piece of parchment digitally. Both images are ©Roxana Villa.