Calendula and Creativity
Calendula officinalis
Calendula flowers are sometimes called pot marigold, but this is a different plant than the marigold we looked at in Week 5. Calendula flowers have graced my gardens for as long as I can remember. The orange and yellow many-petaled flowers resemble small suns. Once they start to bloom, the flowers continue all summer with their beautiful display.
With its bright yellow and orange flowers, calendula has a strong resonance with creativity, the correspondence for this plant. Calendula flowers can be used in all sorts of creative ways. The flowers are edible and look lovely in salads and other dishes. Because the petals keep their color when dried, they can be stored to brighten a winter meal or liven up frosting on cupcakes.
Calendula is a healing plant, good for cuts, bruises, burns, and skincare of all kinds. The flowers are so prolific that it is easy to gather some without ruining the beauty of the plants. I harvest the flowers every year to create healing oils and salves, as well as to include them in homemade soaps. My grandchildren and I have blended them into our paper-making experiments to create flecks of orange and yellow throughout the paper. The flowers can also be used to dye wool.
Creativity belongs to all of us. We may sometimes limit our thinking by only associating creativity with artists, but we all engage in creative processes whenever we produce something new in the world. This doesn’t have to be a big creation—making dinner, arranging a bouquet, or painting a room are all creative endeavors. If you have your own garden, you can stop and appreciate the act of nurturing it into existence. It represents the flow of your creative energy made manifest.
When it comes to creativity, you might be inspired by necessity or just have the urge to make something original or interesting. Whatever the reason, humans’ creativity is visible everywhere. With every creative process, there is a moment where an idea you have held in your mind makes its way into three-dimensional reality. Paying mindful attention to the creative process and manifestation allows you to tap into that flow.
Morning Attunement Questions
• What connections do I have with calendula and creativity?
• Where else in the green world or in my life do I observe creativity?
• What does this correspondence feel like?
• How can I describe this energetic attribute of creativity in words or pictures?
• Where does this correspondence of creativity resonate most strongly in or around my body or in my life?
Daily Integration Questions
• In what ways is the world reflecting calendula or creativity back to me?
• What nuances and shades of meaning do I notice about calendula and creativity?
Evening Reflection Questions
• Where and how did I experience calendula or creativity today?
• How did I embrace creativity today?
• What wisdom does calendula’s correspondence of creativity bring to my life?