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Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Camellia (Theaceae)

The storms have passed and now we are settling into a new energy. So much has been cleared away by the swirly winds. Old wood has fallen, dead leaves are falling like confetti to the ground and the Camellia flowers are blooming in the color of pink. The flowers are hardy and can withstand cooler temperatures. As I was photographing these beauties I was stunned by their delicate essence.  The petals are papery and soft. The leaves are glossy, dark green and strong. 
This shrub is cultivated and highly valued in China and Japan. They are symbolic of devotion between lovers.
These beautiful shrubs grow in woodland settings and the leaves are made into tea. The seeds are pressed into a juice that make an oil used as a seasoning and in cooking in Southern China.


Today I was impressed by the bee that came for a visit and collected pollen with such a soft touch. 
Since the storms have passed, I am observing everything in nature with a different perspective, I am seeing the delicate organization of everything with more grace. When the birds came back, I was so happy to wake up to their song and hear some visitors who are migrating to new seasonal destinations. Nature is coming back into a new balance after so much frenetic movement, something feels different, perhaps everything has been reorganized into a new geometry. I am seeing this in my private practice too,  new experiences are unfolding as we move into the Water Element of Winter.


In Chinese lore, the petals of the flower represent the female energy and the calyx represent the male energy. 


In Pin-yin the Camellia is known as shan-cha, it translates as 'mountain tea'. 


There is a belief that the Camellia flower aids in the attraction of the perfect partner or love into our lives. The energy of this flower helps us to be in the essence of who we truly are and express what we truly want to come into our Hearts.





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