Solstice Celebrations and Heavenly Places (Part II)

( "Lily...xxoo" photo by: Stanette Marie Rose, founder of "Investor Advocacy")

Fragrant Water: Flowers as the Expression of Life and Eternal Love

Daisies are among the ingredients of Fragrant Water
(photo by: Lisa B.M. proud mother and wife)

Colleen Simpson, the owner of "L'Antica Vetreria", who is very appreciative of local Italian traditions, also contributing to reviving the village of Piegaro by having her guests participate in the yearly celebrations, commented my original post about St. John's feast Day with these words: "One of the treasures of summer celebrations in Umbria is the exquisite way the Solstice and St. John's Feast Day are woven together to create such an atmosphere of beauty. Gathering flowers in the fields to create fragrant water is a blessing for the entire family! [...]"

Colleen's enthusiasm has encouraged me to write more about the subject of flowers, especially pointing out the interweaving fine thread of sacred and profane, ancient mythology, and traditional beliefs that were in use in our families in Italy. The beautiful blending of sacred and profane applies to the flowers likewise creating here an atmosphere of reverie and eternity.

In mythology flowers have always been considered as the symbol of life, what they call in Latin "Imago Vitae" (tr. image, imitation, depiction of life), and the Fragrant Water, in particular, is a tribute to life as a consequence of the marriage between the Sun (divine fire) and the Moon (water), where masculine and feminine marry and give birth to live in a new seasonal cycle. 

Flowers meanings have mythological origins

In June flowers and herbs are at their highest peak and their active ingredients turn them into powerful healing elements for the body and the soul, if we think of flowers as emblems of eternal and heavenly love, which have been celebrated by Greek mythology and as a consequence in use for weddings, christenings and other important celebrations of life events.

As an example, this is the story of Sunflower, "Girasole" in Italian, which literally means "turning with the sun".

...Sunflower was originally a young lady named Clytia who fell in love with Apollo, the God of Sun. Apollo refused her and she kept  staring at him riding on his cart throughout the sky. Consumed by grief, Clytia transformed herself into a flower: the Sunflower...

Isn't life beautiful and fascinating if we look at this flower with an added perspective that goes beyond our visual ability and our depth of feelings in appreciating beauty and nature? How would you feel if you think that this beautiful and strong flower follows continuously the journey of the sun from east to west, that this flower is a young lady called Clytia whose heart is broken, that she is so tough that she does not desist despite the challenge of the sunbeams, that at the end of the day and upon refusal of Apollo, Clytia lets her petals down to raise them again the following day upon renewed hope? To me this is something very fascinating, a story that enriches my life, adding poetry to my day and making my heart sing because it is all about eternal love.

Gaetano Previati, Il carro del sole (tr.The sun cart), (1907), canvas, 127x185 cm. 
(Credit: Chamber of Commerce, Arts & Crafts, Milan, Italy)

This is not a sponsored post, the mention to companies is free and the tribute to one of the proud mothers and wives I know is in memory of my ancestors, strong mothers and wives for whom working for their family was a valuable and cherished mission as it is now for many women. The three wonderful ladies I mentioned are all my friends, there is love in what they do!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- Original Posts by Roberta Niccacci -

follow my blog and like my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/friendsofcama