Violet and Hidden
Treasure
Viola odorata
I first discovered violets as a young child while walking with my mother in what was left of a grove of trees behind our house. That grove was scheduled to be cut down for new housing, so my mother rescued the violets and moved them to her rose garden.
Violets are easy to miss when walking in the woods or in the garden. Low to the ground and only flowering in the early spring, they don’t call out to you as other plants might. There are no flashy flowers or strong fragrances to make you stop and pay attention. They prefer partial shade and are happy living in the shadow of taller plants. It’s easy to simply walk by them. In some ways, noticing violets at all requires you to be attentive and mindful. If you can find them, violet flowers and leaves are edible (though not the seeds) and make a lovely addition to spring salads.
Paying attention will help you discover hidden treasures that are on the periphery of your vision. Hidden treasures include strengths in yourself or those around you that you haven’t appreciated. The concept also includes the blessings you overlook or take for granted.
Violets’ heart-shaped leaves remind us of another aspect of this correspondence: the treasures we keep hidden in our hearts. They may be cherished memories, people you love, or people you’ve lost. They are the things you keep close to your heart and only share with your inner circle, or perhaps no one at all. Even though you keep them hidden, they influence you in many ways. Tuning in to those treasures and acknowledging them in an intentional way allows you to explore whether you want to continue to keep them hidden from view. The correspondence of violets incorporates both aspects of hidden treasure—the treasures you’ve missed by not paying attention and the treasures you’ve purposefully hidden.
As you work with this correspondence for the week, intentionally seek out hidden treasures within you and around you. This might include the kind actions of family members or coworkers who you ignore on a regular basis. It might include your own strengths or hidden talents that you don’t fully embrace. Play an intentional game with yourself and seek out hidden treasures, especially in difficult situations.
Morning Attunement Questions
• What connections do I have with violets or hidden treasure?
• Where else in the green world or in my life do I observe hidden treasure?
• What does this correspondence feel like?
• How can I describe this energetic attribute of hidden treasure?
• Where does this correspondence of hidden treasure resonate most strongly in or around my body or in my life?
Daily Integration Questions
• In what ways is the world reflecting violets or hidden treasure back to me?
• What nuances and shades of meaning do I notice about violets and hidden treasure?
Evening Reflection Questions
• Where and how did I experience violets and hidden treasure today?
• How did I embrace the concept of hidden treasure today?
• What wisdom does the violet’s correspondence of hidden treasure bring to my life?