Flower Wisdom insights into the Myth
and Legends of flowers
CARNATION
According to legends, the carnation was the
first seen at Christ's birth in Bethlehem. They became associated
with Mother's Day in the U.S, which started in 1908 when Anna Jarvis
of West Virginia instigated the first Mother's Day service, carrying
carnations, her mother's favourites.
CHRYSANTHEMUM
Chrysanthemums have been cultivated in the
East for over two millennia. On the 9th day of the 9th moon, the
Chinese drink chrysanthemum wine to ensure long life. An old Chinese
superstition states that eating the flowers would ensure long life,
and giving these flowers to a sick friend is considered a thoughtful
gesture.
The Japanese celebrate a Chrysanthemum festival since ancient times.
The Shogun met up with his feudal lords during then; nowadays its
is a flower decorating festival. The original Japanese flag actually
depicts a chrysanthemum with 16 petals around a disc. It has been
claimed that theses flowers were a meeting place for the wee folk
- the Faerie.
DAISY
The daisy was said to spring from the tears
of Mary Magdalene. It was known as 'God's smile' and 'Day's eye'
, an Angle Saxon name which had morphed to the current word daisy.
This is because the flower opened and closed with the sun's rays.
In magick, it would be used in any fair weather spells or rites
to honour the Sun. The daisy was associated with Venus, commonly
used as a lovers' divination, plucking the petals whilst chanting
s/he loves me, s/he loves me not. Medieval knights wore daisy chains
made for them by their Ladies when they rode into battle or tournaments,
as a sign of their affection and defence of their Ladies' honour.
DANDELION
Dandelions are associated with ancient oracles,
in the language of flowers, if you blow on a dandelion seed clock,
you would divine according to which quantity of seeds go in whichever
direction. I personally use the juice of dandelions to cure warts.
Simply rub the juice on a wart at morning and night, for the 3 days
leading to the full moon.
FORGET-ME-NOT
This is the symbol of undying love and eternal
friendship. An Austrian legend is the source of this flower's name.
A man and his betrothed were walking along the banks of the Danube
on the night before their wedding. A small blue flower was being
swept past them by the river's currents, and the woman cried that
such a lovely flower should be lost. The man leapt in to fetch it
out, but was swept away. His final act was to throw the flower on
the river bank with the shout ' forget me not, my love!'. Perhaps
this also led to the tradition of bride and groom not seeing eat
other on the eve of their wedding.
FOXGLOVE
This is the flower of the Faerie, legend
says when the foxglove bows its head, it is the Faerie folk walking
by. Thus it is considered lucky to have foxglove growing from seed
in your garden. It must not be transplanted as it may mask a faerie
gate/home and only pick with express permission from the wee folk.
GERANIUM
Ancient legend tells us that the geranium
first grew when the Prophet Mohammed's shirt was hung on a mallow
plant to dry in the sun. Im magaick, this flower is used for solar
spells and for transformation.
HEATHER
The white heather is considered lucky, due
to it's rarity. Heather is associated with Celtic magic and divination.
In Celtic legend when Oscar, the son of Ossian (the renowned Irish
Bard and warrior of the 3rd C) lay dying on a battlefield at Ulster,
he sent his Lady, Malvina, a sprig of purple heather. As she heard
the message of love on receiving the heather, her tears fell on
the flower, turning it white; Since then the white heather has also
symbolised eternal love.
HYACINTH
Named after Hyacinthus, son of Amyclas, the
King of Sparta. He was loved by Apollo, however Zephyr, the West
Wind, grew jealous of their friendship and happiness. As they were
playing quoits, Zephyr blew Apllo's quoit off course and it struck
Hyacinthus, killing him. His blood fell on a pink hyacinth, and
has since symbolised sorrow and lost friends.
LOTUS
Sacred in ancient Egypt, India and the Orient.
In Hindu tradition, a golden lotus brought forth the God Brahma.
In the Orient, it is sacred to the Goddess Lakshmi, of beauty and
luck. It is the symbol of Buddha in both India and China. In Japan,
it is the symbol of paradise. It was regarded as a symbol of fertility
in ancient Egypt, and was used for wreaths which decorated the brow
of the Goddess Isis.
LILY
Lilies are dedicated to maiden Goddesses
generally, especially Diana. A symbol of Purity. In catholic countries
it is the Madonna flower.
LILY OF THE VALLEY
Created by Eve's tears as she was expelled
from the garden of Eden. In Irish tradition, they form ladders for
the Faerie to climb and reach the reeds from which they plait their
cradles. One legend tells that the first Lily of the valley loved
the Nightingale, but because she was so shy, she hid in the long
grass to listen to his song. The Nightingale became lonely, and
said he would no longer sing unless the lily of the valley bloomed
every May for all too see.
MARIGOLD
Flowers of the Sun, for they bloom all year,
opening their petals in the morning sun and closing at dusk. Marigolds
or Mary's gold, is named after the Virgin Mary who wore them as
her favourite flower.
NARCISSUS
From an ancient Greek legend, Narcissus the
son of Cephisus, so admired his own beauty that he gazed constantly
at his reflection in a pool and ignored the nymphs of the pool calling
for his attention, not the least of them was Echo. One day he reached
out to embrace his own image, fell in and drowned. A single white
Narcissus, tinged red at the centre for Echo's pierced heart, was
found floating nearby.
ROSE
The most magickal of flowers called by Druids
'the enchanter of the wood' In Christian tradition it is said to
have first appeared in Bethlehem near the stable where Jesus was
born. During the Centuries after the resurrection, a young Christian
was sentenced to burn at the stake. She prayed to God and the flames
turned to yellow and red rose petals. It is believed that all roses
were white, until some were stained by Athena's blood when she caught
her foot in the thorns. In Greece on June 4th is the festival of
Rosalia, who honoured the rose.
SUNFLOWER
Clytie a water nymph was so sad there her
love Helios, the Greek sun God, had not returned, that she sat on
the ground day and night watching Helios riding his chariot across
the sky. She watched for so long that her limbs took root in the
earth and she transformed into a Sunflower, a symbol of constancy.
VIOLET
A Roman myth tells how Jupiter fell in love
with Io, the priestess of Juno. He turned her into a white heifer
to escape the wrath of Juno. Jupiter created fields of white violets
for her to eat while she wandered the earth.
Source:
Various Classical texts.
Ancient Wisdom - Cassandra Eason.
The Magick of Folk Wisdom - Patricia Telesco.
