Emerging from the Cave

Happy spring flower friends!

This week's bouquet features orange Van Eijk tulips (a few have Ayaan tulips),  Apricot branches, Heavenly bamboo greenery, Rosemary, and Little bluestem grass (a native you can plant the seeds around your yard!)

The bouquet, poem and flower essence honors the cave, winter, the darkness and what we have learned there.  The red-orange tulips are each a small fire burning. These flowers require a certain number of chill hours to bloom. Sound familiar? Me too! Since our desert winters are so short, I pay a premium for pre-chilled bulbs, a cut flower industry trick so they bloom twelve weeks after I plant them. And just as advertised by my rep, the starchy bulb timer is right on time, if not a tad early. 

The elements gathered to go into the bouquet - a poem, a focal flower, some wild bits, a flower essence and a theme emerges.

I too feel as though I have been coaxed into blooming earlier and more prolifically than my energy reserves can maintain. The hibernation process is a necessary survival tool for residents of the natural world—human beings are not exempt. Yet the dominant culture makes it difficult to take time for rest and reflection. We are pushed to be productive, stay busy and keep going. 

Recently while wandering off a trail outside of Sedona with a friend, we stumbled upon a very magical cave. Ironically, we were talking about the desire for restructuring our lives—to adopt new timezones, habits, patterns that support our well-being.  Inside the cave felt like a protective womb.  At the back, a stone-lined fire circle with a special seat looked out toward the sliver of light at the opening.  The ceiling was blackened with wood smoke and pitch from countless fires. I felt safe, held, seen. At that moment I connected to those who came before, who had sheltered there. I felt the presence of those who lived, prayed, sang and slept in this place.  We sang, prayed and left offerings. In the days since then I have felt different in ways I can’t describe.

Poet Paul Tran gives voice to the transformation from being in the cave. I found it through the Poetry Unbound podcast, which is well worth listening to. Each time I listened and read, then typed the words the poem held more meaning. We have all been in a metaphorical cave of winter and have experienced the ongoing isolation and darkness of COVID. Now, slowly we are emerging and we are different.

The cave opening

I offer the pomegranate essence to help navigate into the increased activity of springtime and our search for more light and connection in our lives. The pomegranate flower is very voluptuous and sensual, aligned strongly with the 2nd chakra—the womb, fertility, our emotional well-being.  The story goes that Persephone was taken by Hades, god of the underworld and she survived on the pomegranate seeds she found there, one for each month. Her mother, Demeter, goddess of the green growing world, was devastated and her sadness turned the fields barren. When Persephone emerged, her mother was so overjoyed spring returned to the Earth.  

I too have been enjoying the tart, juicy seeds of pomegranates from my neighbor’s prolific bush this winter. I studied them with watercolors in an exercise to imagine the metaphorical seeds I wish to nurture in my life. Pomegranate essence invites creativity, abundance and the divine feminine.  You can enjoy a few drops in water, tea or directly on your tongue while asking — where do I get more juice in my life? Tune into the fire in your belly that wants to create and express and make time for this very act of giving life to what wants to be. Harness the growing light, the energy of the Earth waking up, embrace the wisdom from the cave and see what comes through.

The CSA bouquets on their way to be delivered our members.