Iris and Transcendence
Iris spp.
When I was a child, one of our neighbors had a large garden bed devoted to irises that fascinated me each spring. My siblings and I would pass their yard on the way to elementary school, and I was struck by the otherworldliness of the flowers. They were unlike anything my mother planted in her flower beds and resembled the orchid corsages that women wore on Mother’s Day. They were mysterious and sensual. The large, multi-colored petals were dramatically frilled, some rising up and others curving down, hiding the center of the flower. Sometimes a downward-curving petal appeared to have a fuzzy caterpillar climbing out of the plant, but it was all part of the flower.
I never considered planting irises as an adult. My focus with gardening has always been on edible plants and medicinal herbs, but I also assumed irises were hard to grow. When I moved into my Denver home a number of years ago, I inherited irises from the previous owner. I quickly discovered that they are some of the easiest flowers to maintain here in our dry climate. They now light up my yard each spring with their impressive otherworldliness.
The flowers are named after Iris, the Greek goddess of rainbows, a perfect name for the multi-colored flowers. Both rainbows and the iris flower resonate with transcendence, the correspondence for this plant. Transcendence is an awareness of something beyond three-dimensional existence. It is an experience of deeper meanings and connections.
The goddess Iris was also a messenger for the gods. Transcendent experiences are a message to wake up and notice the luminous wonder all around us. Anything that shakes us out of our ordinary perceptions can be transcendent. People often think that transcendent experiences must involve big events, like the birth of a child or visiting the Grand Canyon. However, anything that shakes us out of our routine perceptions can be transcendent. Transcendence can be precipitated by seemingly ordinary moments.
Transcendent experiences can be cultivated by focus and attention. As you practice mindfulness on a regular basis, you will realize there are no ordinary days or moments. Each moment in our short human incarnation is different and precious. While holding this correspondence in your awareness, meet each moment with curiosity and the expectation that transcendence will arise.
Morning Attunement Questions
• What connections do I have with irises and transcendence?
• Where else in the green world or in my life do I observe transcendence?
• What does transcendence feel like?
• How can I describe this energetic attribute of transcendence in words or pictures?
• Where does this correspondence of transcendence resonate most strongly in or around my body or in my life?
Daily Integration Questions
• In what ways is the world reflecting irises or transcendence back to me?
• What nuances and shades of meaning do I notice about irises and transcendence?
Evening Reflection Questions
• Where and how did I experience irises or transcendence today?
• How did I embrace this attribute of transcendence today?
• What wisdom does the iris’s correspondence of transcendence bring to my life?