Marigold
Marigolds are a species of flower with many varieties. Brightly colored, in oranges, reds and yellows, they represent the sun, and have the general lore of bringing protection, prophetic dreams, and psychic abilities. Two of the marigold, or tagetes, family stand apart this season, however, as strong allies for healing and honoring the ancestral realm. These are Flor de Muerto, or Xempaxochitl in the Nahuatl language, and Pericón, also known in latin as tagetes lucida and tagetes lemmonii.
Flor de Muerto/Xempaxochitl is the largest of the family, a bright orange flower featured on traditional altars for Dia de los Muertos, hence its common name which means the flower of the dead. Xempaxochitl has the spiritual medicine of bringing light to darkness. Related to the energy of the sun, Xempaxochitl is used traditionally to create a bridge from the world of the dead and the ancestors to the world of the living, on the sacred days and nights of Dia de los Muertos, on November 1st and 2nd. This bridge is quite literal, as large and stunning altars are created in homes, cemeteries, and public spaces, featuring large amounts of the bright flowers in sacred designs, with many placed carefully together to create a dense pathway of light moving towards the altar. This is to guide the spirits of the beloved dead to the altar their families and friends have prepared for them, so that they may be honored and nourished during the special time of year when they may visit freely and again enjoy the physical pleasures of food, drink, indulgences, and the people that they loved most in life. The flowers act as a light in the dark, guiding the ancestors home, and help to brighten the atmosphere of loss, transforming it to the sacred celebration that it is meant to be. Marigolds have a healing, nurturing and uplifting quality.
The healing aspect of the marigold family is perhaps most palpable in the fragrant leaves and flowers of the plants given the common name Pericón. The original plant to carry the name pericón is tagetes lucida. It grows in Mexico and is used for moving heavy emotions and trauma from body and soul in the somatic spiritual treatment known as the limpia. Plants and flowers, dipped in water, are at the heart of this form of healing, and sweep the body to cleanse that which is energetically stagnant, attached, and causing physical and emotional imbalance. In the Bay Area, a local native cousin to this plant grows abundantly, and has the latin name tagetes lemmonii. It is easy to find because it is a popular ornamental, which grows easily. Both forms of pericón flowers are small, and more of a dark, golden yellow color. They are aromatic, a key aspect of their healing medicine, however the more local tagetes lemmonii is far more fragrant, carrying a rich, sweet scent that is immediately grounding and soothing. Pericón is therefore also known as the grandmother plant, because its nature is to gently, yet powerfully, push what needs to be acknowledged and released for one’s healing, while providing a loving, supportive energy, as a grandmother might. Sleeping with this plant is also known to bring dreams of a grandmother, an ancestor, or a grandmotherly type of energy. It has an aspect of protection, offering nurturing alongside its ability to clear unwanted energies, and for this reason is central to the healing principles and practices of Curanderismo, in Mexico and the U.S.
Ways of working with Marigolds:
Plant Marigold flowers of any variety to uplift the mood and energy around your home and garden.
Create a wreath or garland of Marigolds to place on your doors or windows for energetic protection.
Bathe with Marigolds, bringing the bright flowers into the bath whole and allowing them to infuse into the bath water. Use the flowers to scrub your skin, cleansing away aspects of darkness and heavy emotion you want to release. The Pericón leaves can be used this way as well.
Breathe the rich fragrance of Pericón and hold it, or tuck a sprig or flower into your clothing. Listen to the images and thoughts that arise from the wisdom of this plant elder.
Sleep with Pericón under your pillow or in your hands, and ask for a healing or prophetic dream.
Scatter Marigold flower petals under your bed for protection and prophetic dreaming.
Create an altar of Xempaxochitl flowers this season in preparation for Dia de los Muertos. Make a bridge or pathway to your offering for your beloved dead, whether they are your ancestors, those you seek to honor and remember, or even lost aspects of yourself that you want to call home.
Obsidian
Obsidian is a silica rich volcanic glass stone, created from the union of molten fire lava and cool water. The union of elemental opposites, and the auspicious birth from a volcano, makes obsidian a powerful stone. In the Nahualismo tradition of Mexico, obsidian is considered to be the dream of the volcano, because to see how something dreams we need only to see what it becomes. For this reason, obsidian is used for significant practices in magic, scrying, and healing, in the ancient tradition.
Obsidian comes in more than one color variation, though the most common is black. Black obsidian is a protective and cleansing stone, which has the specific action of pulling from ones aura, energetic body, and even physical body intrusions of negative attachments, heavy emotions like anger, fear and resentment, repetitive destructive emanations and patterns, disharmony, and even physical illness. It acts as a psychic vacuum cleaner, pulling from us that which does not serve health and energetic well being. Because of its strength and nature, it will also bring to the surface negative thoughts, patterns, and influences, often from trauma and abuse histories, and self destructive tendencies, in order to reveal what the unconscious is holding and help it to clear. This aspect can make it an intense stone to wear regularly, though it can also be a great ally for healing and for psychic protection, particularly for sensitives and empaths.
When working with black obsidian, pay attention to the thoughts, emotions, memories, dreams, and life events that arise. It has an affinity to reveal and absorb the inner darkness we carry and pick up from our environment. Because it absorbs, rather than transmutes, obsidian needs to be regularly cleared. This can be done with moonlight, sunlight, or by the traditional practice of using one’s left hand or a red cloth and making four spins to the left on your stone, followed by one equal distance cross, to stop the action of pulling, and clear what has been absorbed. In addition, it is advisable to not wear black obsidian too regularly, as it can eventually begin to pull one’s own energy, if kept on the body long past the intentional work of clearing and protection.
Black obsidian is also a stone of magic and scrying. It is the material of the original black mirror, the famed obsidian mirror of ancient Mexico, which was later replicated by painting glass. The dark, reflective surface of obsidian can be used for seeing into the unconscious and the unseen realms of the cosmic, the ancestral, and the dream territories. Traditional practices for this kind of scrying are quite specific in terms of the size of the mirror and the techniques used, though gazing into the black depths with concentration to see visions and messages has been practiced in many cultures. Themes that may be forthcoming relate to areas of blockage in ones energy body, physical imbalances, self abuse and negative patterns that need to be revealed and addressed, and messages from the ancestors or past lives.
Other color variations of obsidian all have healing and protective qualities as well, though they each have different energetic specialities. Golden sheen obsidian helps one claim and direct personal power, healing abuse of power while uncovering hidden gifts. Rainbow obsidian, with its bands of rainbow colors, helps in recovering from emotional trauma, old wounds, and in following descent through darkness to light and new strength. Mahogany obsidian is grounding and helps to clear inner limitations, ancestral patterns, and low self worth. The black and white snowflake obsidian helps one to access insight, guidance, spiritual support, courage, and hope to persevere, while clearing self defeating attitudes. Peacock Obsidian can appear black in low light, and then blue, green, gold, red, violet or orange in strong light, and is known for accessing the extra sensory perception, promoting visions, lucid dreaming, spiritual journeying, and astral travel, while providing protection and psychic clearing in these realms.
Suggestion for working with Obsidian and Marigold together:
This time of year is perfect for working with magic, as well as for engaging and honoring the ancestral realm.
Create a beautiful altar, honoring those you wish to remember and/or communicate with.
Make a bridge of marigold flowers, using Xempaxochitl/Flor de Muerto if you can.
Create a circle of flowers and small obsidian stones of your choice.
Choose one obsidian stone to work with intently, and cleanse it with reverence.
Hold it in your hands and focus on your intention for seeing into the psychic and ancestral realms. Articulate your intention for healing and ask for its support, as well as to see the root of the issue.
Breath your intention into the stone.
Gaze into the obsidian, then place it on your heart, or any area you feel called towards. Breathe deep and listen to the thoughts, impressions, and guidance that comes.
Let your stone absorb the influences of the past that limit you and offer insight.
End your process by drawing a hot bath (or shower), bringing some of your marigold flowers to steep in the water and use them to wash yourself, releasing grief, fear, trauma, limitation, negative influence, or whatever you need to remove. You can bring the obsidian into the water as well if that feels right.
Clear your obsidian, and plant an intention for dreaming, taking a bit of Pericón or other marigold flower with you to bed.
May your dreams be vivid and healing.
Ometeotl.
-This blog was written by Melusina Gomez. For more information about her work and healing practices, or to join her upcoming training on the obsidian mirror practice, please visit www.metzmecatl.com