Spring, the time of rebirth, of bright colors and beautiful flowers, is well upon us. No doubt you have stopped to pluck a pretty spring flower just recently! There are many ways to use flowers in magic; you may have already used them in herbal or green magic. Popular herbs such as Chamomile, Lavender, Jasmine, Rose, and Hawthorn are often harvested and distributed in their flower form.
Flowers are beautiful and pair well with so many different forms of magic. I have used them in incense, which connects to the elements of Air and Fire, to adorn my altars, as offerings to the spirits I work with, and to adorn myself. (Because everyone should wear flowers) Certain flowers have been known to have magical and curative properties and, as such, have been carried in pockets and mojo bags, have been sewn into clothes, and woven into the hair. There are so many possibilities when it comes to flower magic!
Did you know that you can use flowers in Water Magic as well? Chances are you have already used them in this type of magic, and you didn’t even know it! Have you ever taken a bath filled with luscious rose petals or drank a cup of Chamomile tea before bed while muttering incantations of good sleep and remembered dreams? These are all forms of simple Flower magic performed with water. If you are anything like me, you are already running to your tea drawer to count how many flowers you have in there right now.
Below is a Flower Essence Spray that can be used to cleanse and uplift the aura. However, before we dive into this, we need to discuss a few important things to remember before moving forward. First, not all water is created equal. Rain, Lake, and River Water should not be ingested, and Ocean Water does not work well with Flower magic, so consider using either filtered tap water or spring water. If you have access to a sacred spring, use that water!
Some flowers are poisonous and should not be used. For the seasoned magical ethnobotanist or Venefica, there are possibilities to explore here. However, I will refrain from talking about them and add this note of caution. Unless you are one of the aforementioned, steer clear of flowers such as Datura, Monkshood, Mandrake, Belladonna, and other Nightshades. It is also wise to steer clear of their doppelgangers in the plant world. Datura, called moonflower, looks suspiciously like Morning Glory, also called Moon Flower. Delphinium looks suspiciously like Monkshood. If you don’t know, skip it and find another plant to work with. Some are called to the poison path. If that is you, seek out academic knowledge of the subject before proceeding.
The next important thing to remember is that not all flowers can be used similarly. Please remember that flowers bought from the store are usually dyed or sprayed with chemicals while growing in the hot house. There is a reason they are flawless and without little bug nibbles. Fresh flowers you pick yourself are probably your best choice, but even they can be problematic. If you grow them yourself and you know they are safe to work with, then that would be excellent! If not, ask your friend or neighbor if you can pick some of their blooms. However, be sure to find out what type of fertilizer they use and if they use roundup or pesticides. If you are satisfied with their answer and they allow it, then you can move forward.
You will want to take the next step, which is to ask the plant for permission. First, you won’t hurt the plant by picking its blooms. Remember always to leave ¾ of the plant and harvest no more than 1/4. If there is only one plant, then take even less or none at all. Flowers generally like to be picked. When flowers die and the dead petals are removed, this is called “Dead Heading” and allows for more flowers to be picked. I like to think of it as a haircut. A few little petals here and there give me the blooms I want and help the plant grow and produce more. Be gentle with the plant. If you are violent or upset the plant by taking more than you should or harming it, then your work will not be blessed by the plant spirit and thus will suffer. It is important not to start your spell work with the destruction of the plant whose spirit you are calling upon to aid you in your work.
You can begin to make contact by sitting near the plant or holding a branch in your hand. When you have made a connection, tell the plant your intent. Wait and “feel out” the answer. If you get a “yes” from the plant, then you can take some of it. If it is a no, then find another plant. Always be sure to bring an offering (Perhaps high vibrational moon water to water the plant with!) This can be tedious if you are working with a plant that only produces a few flowers at a time, and you need to harvest many at once. It is always better to be in harmony with the plant than against it, so take your time and do your sacred work, even if that means sitting with 10 different plants.
All that being said, let’s talk about collecting flowers to create a flower essence. To collect flowers for Flower essences, you will want to collect flowers on a dry, sunny day. You may wish to pick a certain number, perhaps to align with your own numerological power number, a sacred number in your tradition, or just your favorite number. Once this is done, rinse them in tap water and dry them. Then, take your clear bowl of water, pour your spring water inside, and begin to gently remove each petal from the flower and drop them in the water. Cover with a clear lid (to keep the bugs out) and set it out under the sun for 3 hours. Then retrieve the water and strain all the petals out through a fine strainer or layers of cheesecloth. Then, bottle the water, but leave 1/8 of the bottle to pour a little Brandy in there. This will help preserve it so that you can use it for months rather than days. Once that is done, you can use it.
Dandelion Magic
Here is an example using Dandelion Flowers. I picked Dandelion for this recipe for several reasons. First, it grows everywhere. Chances are you can find a few in your yard. They pop up everywhere and grow through cracks in the sidewalk. They are resilient little plants! They are deeply associated with magic! Ever made a wish and blown a dandelion seed? Magic! They look like little suns, which is rather important to me because I work with a water goddess who is also a solar deity (Sulis). So, when I get to combine sun and water energy, it is always a bonus. They are also like little bright balls of light that make you smile and have a general overall feel of “Uplifting energy” They are deeply nourishing. If you are able to harvest dandelion, all parts of the flower can be used. The root is a bitter tonic used to cleanse the internal body, the leaves can be added to salads, the seeds can be wished upon, and the flowers can make a flower essence capable of giving the aura a little spring lift!
Spend time with your dandelion plant(s) and be sure that it is ok to pick them (In my own experience, dandelions are very eager to help; they appreciate being treated as magical plants better than being treated as weeds.) Pick the blooms and place them in a sacred bowl, basket, or tray and carry them into the house. Clean them with water and dry them. Then pour your water into your bowl, say any little prayers or set your intentions and then begin to remove the petals and drop them in gently. Focus your intent on each little pinch full of petals and continue till you are satisfied. Then cover with a clear lid and take it outside. Infuse it with even more sunlight for 3 hours. Then, bring it back inside and strain all the petals out. Add a bit of Brandy to preserve it, then add the Flower Essence to a spray bottle. You may also wish to put some in a dropper and add it to a bath, candle, or herbal magic. You can now use this spray. I recommend using it in the morning with your daily devotional practices. When you spray the dandelion flower essence around you, visualize a bright, beautiful golden light coming from the spray bottle and surrounding your aura, see it burn any funky or malefic energy away, and replace it with a golden light. This is a great spray to use between heaving hitting and powerful cleansing and purification rituals.
*Optional- Citrine pairs really well with Dandelion and this spray. Consider creating a crystal grid of Citrine around your bowl while it absorbs the sun and Dandelion petal energy.
I am excited to announce that I will be offering three different Flower Essence Day Retreats with my good friend Victoria Folkheart here in Avalon! Each day we meet, we will connect with On each of the days, we will be working with different flowers to connect with the You can join us by clicking here
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