Thursday, April 03, 2008

The Magic of Forsythia (1)

According to “Heal Yourself with Flowers and Other Essences” by Nikki Bradford, the essence of forsythia can be used to help people with their addictions. The author writes that the plant can give a person the strength to change their engrained habits. From the book,
“Allow the golden yellow of my blossoms to bathe you in the light of transformation. Let me strengthen your willingness to move forward.”

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The natural history of the forsythia does suggest this particular attribute of its magical qualities. Brought from China in 1842 by Robert Fortune (famous plant explorer), this bush thrived unexpectedly well in both England and North America. Robert Fortune named the plant after William Forsyth, who had started the Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain.

Before that in 1833, another species of forsythia had been introduced in Europe as a lilac. After further taxonomic work, botanists decided it to be a new genus of the olive family, and classified it with the Forsythia family. Since then, this plant has mutated several times, providing gardeners with a variety of choices, such as being more upright or having larger flowers. Forsythia demonstrates the ability to start over fresh.

Often seen as one of the first signs of spring, the bright yellow flowers of the forsythia bush shouts, “SPRING IS COMING!”. Walking down a drab street on a cold, grey day, a person feels often happy after seeing this cheerful bush. Its flowers give hope and reassurance that warm weather is soon to arrive. Like the forsythia, we can be bright on the greyest day, knowing that a better day is coming.

Forsythia is a brave shrub. When many other plants wait for warmer weather, the forsythia pops out, in cold March, with all its glory. A person can draw strength from the courageous saffron flowers of this plant.

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References:
Bradford, Nikki, “Heal Yourself with Flowers and Other Essences”, Quadrille Publishing Ltd, London, 2006

Wells, Diana, “100 Flowers and How They Got Their Names”, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 1997
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If you want to journey further into Nature: see my website Inner Journeys: http://funkman.org/innerjourney/innerjourneys.html

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