Making flower essences at Bow Sanctuary medicine making and yoga retreat

August 11th, 2023 at Bow Sanctuary Wellness Center

August 11th, 2023 will forever stand out in my mind. 

I sang loudly in my car, opening up my throat chakra in preparation to communicate and teach. My drive under the morning sun to Bow Sanctuary absolutely brought me to tears. As I passed farms on both sides of me in beautiful Skagit County, I was graciously humbled and honored to teach others all about my favorite medicine to make and to collaborate together in creation. 

I arrived at Bow Sanctuary with extra gratitude in my heart that day. I met my friend and retreat co-facilitator, the amazing Marren Baye, in the parking lot and we unloaded the car and set up tables, books, and supplies for ‘Yin & Flowers’, a half-day retreat. The retreat was designed to drop into the slow, nourishing, and beautiful pace of both the flowers and yin yoga. 

The timing of wildflower blooms can vary depending on factors such as elevation, specific location, and local climate conditions. In Washington state, the wildflower bloom season is typically in late spring through early summer, with August often marking the end of the peak bloom for many wildflowers.

 

After setup, I headed towards the flower beds. Harvesting plants and making medicine are sacred. To pay respect for gaia permission must be granted. I kneeled down in the front left corner of the garden beds, a location that attracted me as the most wholly representative of the entire garden. I touched a few plants in the area, smelled their aroma, and became still. I took the opportunity to listen to all the sounds around me. I began to allow the experience of vitality, connection, and gentleness to take over. With a heart of gratitude and a composition of being open to possibilities, I asked the garden if it was OK to make medicine today and to bring others in. The same humbling tears I had on my drive immediately returned to my face except this time they were accompanied with vibrations throughout my entire body. Connecting with plants and plant spirits is a beautiful practice indeed. I knew the garden welcomed company and connection, and I felt the warm welcome that was granted. 

The next step was to identify which two plants we would be working with that day. Out of over 20 species, I previously identified a few ten plants that could serve the community well in terms of what healing frequencies their vibrations were. I approached three different species in the garden with consciousness and curiosity. I sat with them one at a time and listened. “Do we have permission to harvest and make medicine with you today?” I asked. I felt a rigidity coming from one plant. The boundaries were put up. When I sat with a petunia and snapdragon plant and asked permission, I felt a similar vibration as I did with the spirit of the whole garden – it was so joyous! It was if they were both saying, “Me, me! Choose me!” And I shared my intention of how the day would unfold connecting with the plants and making medicine in a group. The excitement continued…for everyone!

                        

Yin & Flowers Half-Day Retreat

The half-day retreat began at 8:45 am right near the flower bed. Only short introductions were possible since harvesting the flowers when their vibrational energy is the freshest is vital to making flower essences. We gathered around the petunia and snapdragon flowers and focused our intentions in honoring the plant spirits and extended gratitude for making medicine with them that day. This is one of the happiest moments and you really cannot be in a better place at this point. Then (and with being careful to not touch the plants since the human vibration can be passed onto the plant) we picked the blossoms. We used tweezers and scissors and held a leaf to serve as a collecting bowl. In pairs, we walked from the flower beds to the table where the bowls of spring water were displayed in direct sunlight on a table. 

• I honor you, earth’s child. I honor your growth, your flower, and now your fruit. I thank you for your energy. Blessed be, earth’s child. May I who harvest your fruit be blessed by the act. 

Preparing the essence using the sun method entails using spring water and necessitates a cloudless, sunny day. We carefully transferred the flowers to the bowl and floated them on the surface of the water, uniting everything with the fertile, receptive energy of the water element. We continued this process until the surface of the water was covered. Flowers overlapped and each flower touched the water. We had to be careful during this process, and throughout the day to not even cast a shadow over the bowl and avoided touching the water with our fingers. Since the flower vibrations are subtle infusions, human vibrations had to be eliminated as much as possible. In order to absorb the dazzling energy of the fire element, the bowl must be in full sunshine for 3-4 hours.

Collectively preparing the base of the medicine under the sun

While the flowers were infusing in the sun, we were led by Marren through a flower gazing meditation where we focused our intention on a flower and mindfully observed. With an open mind, we navigated energies from the cosmos while in the garden and focused on this gateway to another world. It was so beautiful and calming. We then practiced a  peaceful yin flow in the garden. In yin yoga, poses are typically held for an extended period compared to other forms of yoga. We aligned our thoughts and our breath with the intention of embodying the subtle, calming energy of the surrounding flowers. It really was lovely!

The second half of the retreat began with enjoying a nourishing meal and tea from Persimmon Bistro. We had a cushion of a break time so that participants could explore Bow Sanctuary, connect to nature elements, read excerpts from herbalism and medicine making books, and connect with one another. Following the break, I led a discussion about plant spirit healing. Plant spirit medicine produces healing purely through good relationship with the natural world. It is a concept rooted in various indigenous and traditional belief systems that suggests plants possess spiritual and healing qualities. The plants themselves are the teachers. Participants were encouraged to derive at least one way that they can grow their relationships with trees/plants around them through practices we discussed and integrate this into their weekly routines.

The workshop concluded with first, the straining and bottling process. We gathered around the tables, ensuring not to directly touch the flowers nor the water and carefully strained the flowers from the infusion and transferred the medicine into the individual flower essence bottles. The water from the glass bowls was given back to the plants in the garden. Every participant got to take home two essences to use! The group came together one last time and said and expressed our gratitude for the shared experience.

Making your own herbal medicine enhances your happiness and boosts your immune system. The herbal preparations you make can be every bit as excellent as those you bring home from the store..they actually will be profoundly better!

Petunia and snapdragon 1 oz flower essences are available for purchase both in the retail space at Bow Sanctuary as well as online.