Getting to Know Flat-topped Aster
The making of a flower essence:
To be honest, I wasn’t trying to make an essence from this plant. My initial intent was to collect an essence from Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) - pictured in the lower right hand corner of the picture above. However, when I asked for permission, I didn’t really get an answer from Echinacea. He was stiff and stoic and the energy was very closed off. I waited to see if I was interpreting correctly when this very unassuming Flat-topped Aster waved themself into my field of vision. Bobbing up and down in a breeze Echinacea seemed impervious to, I asked Aster if they wanted to be made into an essence. I received another bob in approval. So I clipped a little grouping of Aster flowers into my bowl to alchemize with the water and sunlight.
This encounter, I’ve learned, is exactly the kind of lesson Flat-topped Aster has to teach. I overlooked them simply because they were, initially, easy to overlook. Especially when sitting beside the vibrant saturated purple and orange color of Echinacea. But once Aster waved a little hello I could see that I was the only one who overlooked them. They were COVERED with all kinds of insects - every sort of bee, wasp, butterfly, fly, and gnat. My first thought was, “A COMMUNITY HUB” and the second, “MAMAW, GRANNY PROTECTOR, FEEDER’.
Through the Portal, Flat-topped Aster Prompts:
Unassuming, yet prolific
Humble, staple, stalwart
Giver to the community, no one is turned away
The house that feeds the strays - feline and human alike
Plenty for everyone, it may not look pretty but it will fill you up
There is a place for beauty, but it is not a sign of worth, intelligence, or morality
A gift that proliferates more gifts. When the gift of nectar is given an offering of pollen is exchanged, to create more seeds. The seeds blow into the wind only to make more plants. Every gift accepted is a gift given, there is no selfless acts. Are you the plant? Are you the insect? Does it matter?
Aster is a community hub, no judgement is passed. For a time I was a part of that community, laying down on a thick sleeping bag. In late August the was sun was very hot, but the air has the whispers of cool autumn air. As I lay with Flat-topped Aster I watched as every amount of flying creature flit from flower to flower. The blooms are interesting as they’re imperfect. The dull-white petals, while arranged out in a radial pattern like a lot of flowers, are very asymmetrical and point out in different directions, the centers while yellow and puffy, are a bit messy looking - to my human eyes at least. Beauty is just beauty. When you take away what you believe is “beauty” what would you do? Who would you be? Who would you admire? Who wouldn’t you admire?
Aster invites everyone in. Including this Praying Mantis I only managed to spot after sitting with Aster for 15 minutes. He is patient, I want to be patient too and wait and watch him catch something to eat. I doubt my perseverance - a belief of myself that I’m unsure is true or not. But Aster is generous and does her job well. Mantis gets to eat! Lured in by Aster’s flowers a little yellow sweat bee is swiftly captured in his claws. Aster provides to all the little pollinators and also provides to Mantis. What is the morality of nature? What can we learn from this?
There is so much to be learned from Flat-topped Aster!
Want to work with Flat-topped Aster one on one? Find the essence in my shop!
Want to work with Flat-topped Aster in a group setting? I'm hosting a Flower Essence Meditation on Thursday, Sept 18th at 6pm in Winchester, KY. Free!
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