 A publication of the World Wide Essence Society |
 previous
page next page |
A publication of the World Wide Essence Society |
previous
page next page |
©1999 by Donna Cunningham For the Love of Lilacs is a combined flower and environmental essence made at a very special farm where lilacs have been adored for nearly a century. The vast Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens in Woodland, Washington, are the pride of that small community. They are maintained by volunteers as devoted to lilacs as the woman who founded them. From 1905-1960, she lovingly developed many new varieties, drawing on the work of Luther Burbank, a pioneer in conscious co-creation with plants. For three weeks in May, while the gardens are ariot with blooms, droves of visitors pay tribute to Hulda and her creations.
Besotted with lilacs since childhood, I was excited about my visit to the gardens coming up on May Day. A few days earlier, my guides insisted that I was to make an essence there, not of a single lilac bush but of the collective. I have made only a few essences over the years, always at the behest of the plant spirits themselves. (See here for this month's article on how to make an essence, and here for an essence making project you can do yourself.)
Guided by them through the process of making each essence, I do not use the sun infusion method but rather step aside and ask the devas to imprint the spring water with the plant's energy directly. I learned this method from the makers of Living Essences in Australia, but it is also used by makers here in the Pacific Northwest, where a day without sunshine is commonplace.
It's fortunate that I am comfortable with this method, for it rained throughout the visit. In fact, the rain's cleansing and healing properties seemed part of the essence's gift. Recently, I had been working on forgiveness and praying steadfastly to develop a forgiving heart. Among the properties attributed to Lilac essence by various makers is an easing of resentments, so communing with such a heady collective seemed likely to help the project along. Sitting by bush after bush of Hulda's flowers, attuning to their devas, I was given many helpful insights into forgiveness.
The first to contribute to the mother essence was a unique pink lilac with huge blossoms called Pink Elizabeth. I had brought gifts of crystals to give the plants in return for their input, and this heart-stopper got rose quartz. Both the color pink and rose quartz are related to the heart, and Lilac essence is often said to align the chakras. Putting such suppositions aside, I meditated on the flowers themselves, bringing their energies into my heart center.
In the warm silence of that communion, I prayed once more for a forgiving heart. The blossoms assured me that love is universal and eternal, our natural state before wounding, and that we have the power to return to that state if we will but forgive. During this exchange, as with the others that followed, a stream of energy flowed from the bush to the bottle in which I was collecting the mother essence.
Next, I was drawn to Martha, a variety with big, white blossoms with a tinge of gold at the center. The pristine white seemed to signify purity of heart, so I surrounded myself with white light and infused the mother essence with it as well. In the meditation that followed, Martha said that the pure of heart have nothing to forgive. In many situations where we are left with bruising resentments, we have been less than pure in our motives, deceiving the other and ourselves about our intentions as much as we have been deceived. Clearly, there would be much to ponder from the lilacs' teachings!
Fritz, a tall, upright bush with an almost military bearing, called to me next. Its vivid, burgundy-purple blooms in stark contrast to the white and pink lilacs recalled the slow-burning, often intense fires of resentment. Fritz said that so often the seat of resentment is grief over the loss of something or someone we hold dear. If we can but process and release our grief, resentment will take care of itself, and forgiveness naturally follows.
Fritz also used the growth cycle of the lilacs to illustrate how to love and let go graciously. He pointed out that the volunteers at the farm work nearly year-round to cultivate and protect the plants. The bushes bloom riotously for three short weeks and then are gone again. Rather than collapse into grief, the volunteers carry on their work with devotion, confident that the plants will flower again next year.
I briefly collected energy from the many shades of lilacs in Hulda's gardens, then sat on a bench surrounded by them. I asked that the plant and human entities who had collaborated over the past century to create this incredible lilac love-feast also infuse the mother essence with their energies. I seemed to see ladies in long dresses with parasols visiting the gardens years ago.
I was reminded that May Day, the day of my visit, was--not coincidentally--a day of joyous celebration for various nature religions. I was also reminded that Mother's Day always came during the lilacs' glory days and that we should celebrate the love our mothers expended in co-creating and raising us.
I was told, finally, that For the Love of Lilacs is an essence not just for forgiveness but also for helping gardeners heart-bond and co-create with their gardens the way Hulda did. I left the farm uplifted and determined to make a return pilgrimage next year.
A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Lilac essence is offered by a variety of makers around the world, among them Alaskan Flower Essence Project, Petite Fleur, Deva, Bailey, and Harebell. I myself am only a reluctant and occasional essence maker, and I would caution that For the Love of Lilacs is an untested flower/environmental remedy. If you are absolutely set on having it and if you have the patience to pursue me despite bounced or ignored emails, then you might just prevail on me to send you some. I would imagine that $6 plus $2 PH would be a fair price for a one-ounce bottle.
DESIGN CREDITS: The background is from Mystic Merchant. The Victorian lady is from Bobbie's Bloomers. The lilacs come from Rhymester.
The World Wide Essence Society does not mean to imply any recommendation of nor give certification to any individuals or companies above. This article is provided purely for informational purposes. We ask consumers to make their own determination as to quality of the services and products offered above. This article is not meant to be advice, and the information is not meant to replace medical or psychological treatment.
previous
page top next page
Current
Issue Back
Issues
Resources
FAQ Contact Us
Search
Books
Submit an Article
Subscribe
