March/April 2009 Spirituality
Sacred Man Flower
by Camilla Blossom
The flower essence of balsamroot, the sunflower-like wildflower that grows abundantly in the Columbia River Gorge, infuses you with a beautiful mature male resonance and strength of presence. Balsamroot can be seen filling hillsides with their radiant yellow petals in April and May in the gorge.
Balsamroot had shown up as a "flower spirit guide" for an eight-week class I taught recently. The all-woman class was exploring different wildflower essences each week and reporting the experiences. It was a time of beautiful opening to our divine feminine gifts with the help of the lilies and roses, and to a deepening connection with our inner wisdom and nature awareness.
Balsamroot chose to guide the women to keep our energies grounded and present, held in love by the mature masculine. The deep roots of the plant are strong and resinous, hence its name. It takes 10 years to bloom its first flower. Each flower lives to 60 or so years - a contrast to its cousin, the annual sunflower.
The balsamroot wildflower holds strong solar energy. It is a large, bright yellow, warmly radiant flower. It offers its healing gifts in the form of a flower essence, or simply by asking for its plant spirit medicine. It instills deep confidence and self esteem to the third solar plexus chakra - the masculine personal power center. Grandfather balsamroot flower honors rites of passage such as aging, maturing and becoming an elder. He also can hold space and protection for the divine feminine to emerge, patiently.
Camilla Blossom, author of Listening to the Wildflowers: A Flower Whisperer's Guide to the Columbia River Gorge Flower Essences, offers a Flower Essence Intensive and Nature Retreat on April 24-26. Visit www.3flowershealing.com.
