Getting to Know Honeysuckle
The making of a flower essence:
On a warm May evening I smell the cloying scent of honeysuckle drifting in the humid air - a sense that overpowers even the droning, mating frenzy of Brood XIV cicadas. The atmosphere is heady, erotic, and seductive as I sink deeper into my chair, closing my eyes. I’m bathed in the evening, a grounding mindful moment where I can disappear into the humidity. Before I succumb underneath the redbud tree, my last conscious thought is the honeysuckle would be a lovely flower essence.
The next day was dazzlingly sunny, perfect conditions to make the essence. I filled an antique crystal dish from a recently departed loved one with water and approached the honeysuckle vine with reverence. Always asking permission to work with a plant, I lean in and say, “I think you were calling me last night. If that is true, may I make an essence from you to learn more?” A yes or no answer may come in many forms, but at this moment a sweet gentle breeze puffs the scent to me - a very assuring yes. Careful not to touch the blooms with my hands, I clip just at the base of the white and yellow flowers and let them drop into my container. I place the potion on the highest point of my garden so that sunlight may touch it from all sides and leave it for a few hours. When I come back, the water is overwhelmingly honeysuckle - sweet and delicious! I strain the water from the blooms (returning the blooms to the garden to decompose) and preserve the essence with a 1:1 ratio of water and brandy.
Through the Portal, Honeysuckle Prompts:
I’m here to learn from Honeysuckle, so I take the essence in a cozy spot underneath my Redbud tree with water, a journal, and a pen. To be honest, unlike a lot of plant remedies I’ve taken, this essence hit pretty hard - but what else could I have expected? She was practically shouting at me! Under the meditation of Honeysuckle I felt a longing desire for a healed planet, of the people reconnecting with each other and the Earth. My heart ached with the loving and the wanting. I think, one reason why I finally launched Enchanting Seasons (a project that has been in my heart for years), was because of Honeysuckle’s influence. She wanted to be shared and I was one person that could help. So here I am! What do you dream to bring to the world?
Of course, Honeysuckle is an indelible summer magic maker for children and adults alike. If you have been in proximity to Honeysuckle at any point, you have tasted her nectar! I relish in the memories of hunting for the right flower at just the right time and humidity, pinching the green bead at the bottom of the flower at just the right pressure to grab onto the stigma, slowly drawing down the nectar, and then oh so carefully bringing it to my tongue without spilling the precious drop! When was the last time you tasted nectar? How did you feel? What can you do to bring that feeling back?
There are at least 150 different species of Honeysuckle in the Lonicera family. This particular essence was made from Lonicera japonica, a woody vining plant native to Japan. It grows along the sunny edges of woods, fences, and hedges marking (or crossing?) the boundaries that either exist in the physical realm or in the structures of our society. Honeysuckle, with her sweet scent and delicious nectar, draws you in to examine the borders. What is holding you back? What is holding you in?
This plant is known as an “invasive species” meaning in North America it overtakes spaces it grows in, crowding out and smothering native plants in the area. In terms of an ecological timeline, honeysuckle is relative newcomer to the ecosystem here. In Japan, she grew in relationship with the species of plants and animals that help her peacefully coexist in her native environment - she provides food to insect and foraging species and there are other plants that can grow in coexistence with her. Here in Kentucky, she is rambling, prolific, and overtakes many different environmental niches often drowning out hundreds of native plants and the animals that they support. What do you need to do to bring balance? Who do you need to work with? What do you need to banish?
Want to work with Honeysuckle one on one? The flower essence is for sale, just message me!
Want to work with Honeysuckle in a group setting? I'm hosting a Flower Meditation Workshop on Saturday, Aug 9th at 6pm in Winchester, KY. Its free, just message for address!