The Flowers
As I stare at the petals of these peony blossoms from Trader Joes, I am in awe of its beauty. It starts out as this tiny, ( kind of ugly) ball and then slowly blossoms into this massive bloom full of layers of petals. Thet petals blossom from dark to light pink and are so delicate like tissue paper. No two petals are the same. The blossoms explode like fireworks opening their faces towards the sky. The scent is similar to a rose but more delicate and subtle. It is pure beauty.
In thinking about the flowers, I am reminded of this excerpt from “ A New Earth” by Eckhart Tolle.
“ Earth, 114 million years ago, one morning just after sunrise: The first flower ever to appear on the planet opens up to receive the rays of the sun… suddenly there would have been an explosion of color and scent all over the planet- if perceiving consciousness had been there to witness it. Much later, those delicate and fragrant beings we call flowers would come to play an essential part in the evolution of consciousness of another species. Humans would increasingly be drawn to and fascinated by them.
As the consciousness of human beings developed, flowers were most likely the first thing they came to value that had no utilitarian purpose for them, that is to say, was not linked in some way to survival. They provided inspiration to countless artists, poets, and mystics.
Seeing beauty in a flower could awaken humans, however briefly, to the beauty that is an essential part of their innermost being, their true nature. The first recognition of beauty was one of the most significant events in the evolution of human consciousness. The feelings of joy and love are intrinsically connected to that recognition. Without our fully realizing it, flowers would become for us an expression in form of that which is most high, most sacred, and ultimately formless within ourselves.
Flowers, more fleeting, more ethereal, and more delicate than the plants out of which they emerged, would become like messengers from another realm, like a bridge between the world of physical form and the formless….we could look upon flowers as the enlightenment of plants.”
Flowers are so much more than an arrangement to display in a lobby, on your dining room table or in bouquets and centerpieces at an event. We are drawn to them because we are connected to them as alive beings continuously blooming and growing.
They bring us back to our true nature; our highest sense of self.
