We all navigate disappointments big and small.
Three feet of snow was the latest silly bump in the road that brought me a shovelful of disappointment. The very word itself suggests the nature of disappointment. We have an appointment in our hearts or on our calendar and it doesn’t happen.
Some are such big disappointments that we may never quite get over them. A beloved we were meeting up with is suddenly no longer here on earth. A much loved house is sold. A job we loved is no longer ours. Then there are the disappointments lite. A new recipe lands in the compost bin and the lovely meal I imagined is toast. The seedlings that consoled me as I looked out on our snow covered world were destroyed by a cat with her own brand of cabin fever. Yes, needing to work through disappointment is one of the things we can count on here on earth.
As I thought about Flower Essences for disappointment, I was interested how different Flower Essences approach different kinds of disappointment. Take for example Gorse. When we feel all is lost, Gorse helps us tangibly know this is not so. There is always hope. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. For me, Gorse has been helpful when my efforts to be less detached to outcome have drifted into not giving a shit. Not giving a shit is really another way to describe feeling hopeless. Gorse has dragged me back from some bleak moments when a wave of “why bother?” washed over me. Gorse is the backbone of some very rough, windy, extreme terrains. It has an indomitable spirit which would wipe out a lot of other flowering plants. It helps us to have this spirit too when we’re under siege with disappointments piling up. I feel very strongly about the power of this Flower Essence and if it calls to you, I hope you’ll welcome it into your life.
Another one for navigating disappointment is Don’t Worry- Bee Happy. This is a combination Flower Essence made from a Venus Garden mandala of the same name. The Venus Garden changes theme and plantings each year. Don’t Worry-Bee Happy was a memorable garden and brought us much happiness in a time which was fraught with challenges and disappointments. It taught us that it was okay to be happy in the midst of our sorrows, and that we could let go and trust the universe to catch us as things fell apart. This Flower Essence may have a light hearted name but it really buoys us up. So often the way forward is counter intuitive to all we have been taught. This one gives us permission to laugh even as we also cry and to trust life even as things seem to go wrong.
Tree Essences especially Maple and Redwood call out to help with disappointment. Maple is such a solid presence in our New England forests. So many other trees have been lost to blight, so we deeply appreciate our Maples and not just because of their sap. Maple Flower Essence brings both a sweetness and a balance to all situations. It helps us regain our perspective but with an energetic hug not judgment. Redwood conveys the truth that we can endure what seems unendurable. It survives fires, and so will we. It also has a perspective on time that is deeply consoling. Redwood helps us lift ourselves out of notions of time that bring us fear. It brings an energy of timeless to our overwrought energy systems.
One last Flower Essence calling to be mentioned is Red Clover. This is an excellent Flower Essence for moments of disappointment and loss because it helps us find our center in the midst of situations that might otherwise leave us out of balance. While Red Clover is excellent for extreme moments, I lean on it for smaller things too. For example, one of the reasons that three feet of fresh snow disappointed me is because spring is already a very short season here in northern New England. Three feet more of snow doesn’t help. Our short springs made shorter by heavy snowfall can leave me in a panic about whether I can possibly do all the garden tasks that need doing before summer comes. It is harder to do things like prune, fertilize and weed once the gardens have filled in. Spring is my window. Red Clover is known to ease panic. So it’s in my spring mix. As is Redwood with its palpable reminder that if I don’t get something done this year, there is always next year. As far as Maple Flower Essence goes, this time of year I practically bath in Maple sap and if you tapped me, I might run Maple sap….. but it goes in my mix anyways and frankly, anyone who asks for a Flower Essence suggestion from me this time of year gets MAPLE! That’s how much I love its energy!