Rachel’s DoW 14 Bachblüten Devas

[Rachelcat]

Sunday

It’s time for a flower oracle! I have a 3 decks based on Bach flower remedies; this is my favorite. Large cards, beautiful artwork. I have no recollection where I got this, Aeclectic or eBay, I guess. It’s a German deck; the artist is Alois Hanslian. No lwb, just a title card. The flower numbers and names in German and English are on the plain white backs (along with copyright notice and publisher name).

A few years back, I did a good bit of reading and then came up with positive and negative keywords for the flowers, and a spread for the cards that takes into consideration the positive or negative aspect of the cards. That is, the flowers are remedies for a problem, so each flower/card has a negative keyword describing the problem and a positive one describing the healthy state the remedy helps bring about.

I was trying to decide if reversals are necessary, but I think I’ll simply determine the positive or negative by spread positions, or maybe use both at the same time? Let’s see how that works in today’s interview!

Deck’s strength: Star of Bethlehem
It’s soft and comforting. (Star of Bethlehem is the remedy for shock.) Like the child in the illustration, it has an innocent softness that can comfort just by being there. It doesn’t ask you to buck up or try to overcome what you’re feeling. It just says “I’m here with you.”

Deck’s weakness: Water violet
It’s not easy to read. You have to know about the remedies to get something from it. (The negative state is withdrawal and proud reserve.) The woman in the illustration has closed her eyes and turned her face away. She doesn’t want you to get too close unless you do it her way.

What it can teach me: Olive
It can teach me how to deal with feeling exhausted and worn out. Olive is the remedy for that. It provides an ability to balance one's energies. The deck will teach me a way to do that, so I don’t feel so tired, now that I’ve started having some trouble sleeping. I love this close up illustration. Her eyes are bright and she’s poised and ready for anything.

How I can learn it: Cerato
By trusting in my own judgment and intuition. I know what to do, I just have to do it. Confidence is key. Here’s the angel of intuition. If an angel visited you, you would believe in what she tells you!

Outcome of our work together: Aspen
I will learn how to deal with irrational fears. The illusory but fearsome snakes that are taking over her head are tamed by the similar-looking aspen flowers above brought by a savior from the sky. The little Les Mis girl at the bottom shows that not all fears are irrational, some are based on all too real dangers. But aspen flowers and the savior can tame those, too. The reason aspen is the remedy for fear is because the tree is well known as the “quaking” tree--the leaves shiver and shake in the slightest breeze, even when you can’t feel the breeze.

I’m usually not a fan of oracles made up of basically a pretty woman or girl on each card, but these are different. Or better. Or something. And definitely beautiful! This went well, I think! See you tomorrow with more from the devas!

[Rachelcat]

Monday

How about 2 cards: don’t do and do today? Let’s see what we get!

Don’t do: Crab apple
I shouldn’t feel down on myself because I didn’t eat right on Saturday. (We had a family get-together, and I basically grazed the entire day. Not WW friendly!) This is an interesting flower. It is the remedy for compulsiveness, especially feeling unclean. Seems very specific, but I guess it’s common enough for there to be a remedy for it. I like the keywords I came up with for the positive state: self-acceptance and natural purity. Cleanliness is important, but we need to accept our limitations. We are animals, which entails certain bodily functions and existing in an imperfect world. The poor girl in the illustration looks perfectly haunted by that fact, but the golden angel is here to teach her acceptance.

Do: Vine
I’m pretty sure “vine” is grapes; looks like if from the illustration. Today I should take leadership of something if the opportunity comes my way. Vine is the remedy for being domineering, and it is one of the flowers that has its positive aspect, rather than its opposite, for a positive state, leadership. The illustration is very dramatic, but I’m not sure what the story is. The woman has been lorded over too much and is waking to the male angel of grapes and leadership and that she can take that kind of control for herself. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

Have a lovely day today! I hope you’re enjoying the spring weather!

[Rachelcat]

Tuesday

Same as yesterday: Don’t do and do.

Don’t do: Mustard
Don’t allow depression to sneak in. Mustard is the bright yellow remedy for depression. Yesterday I was looking at public comments on a news item, and I felt physical nausea at all of the hate, vitriol, and division about something that I think pretty much everybody should agree on. (Ok, I do get nausea sometimes from meds I’m taking, but this really seemed like a physical reaction to an emotional reaction.) I was unsettled for a while but was able to shake it off. I need to go back to my news blackout and never read comments by hateful people. And realize that they are the sad few who have some need to spew negativity into the world. And they don’t represent the regular people just trying to get along in this crazy world. I haven’t succumbed to emotional stress in the past year. Now is not the time to let that happen! In the illustration, the angel of mustard is swooping in to lift the girl up from her depression. She needs some help to get up before she can move forward toward her dreams (Pegasus unicorn in the background).

Do: Chicory
Chicory is the remedy for possessiveness and being demanding. The thing I need to do is just demonstrate selfless caring. Don’t think about what someone can do for you, just care about them because of who they are, or because they’re a person. And I think that ties in with the first card. I have to realize that the people who are saying all those horrible things (that incidentally trigger such negativity in me) are probably hurting themselves much more than they are hurting anyone else. My reaction needs to be not revulsion but compassion. I shouldn’t demand that the world conform to my idea of proper belief and communication. It’s not easy to have that compassion, but it’s a worthy task for me. I feel like this quote: “I love humankind. It’s people I can’t stand!” In the illustration, the woman is having her mind changed by the beautiful blue flower. She has both a tear and a star on her forehead. She’s still thinking about her own advantage, but the potential for understanding is there. The angel is giving her a head transplant to change her mind.

Wow, I didn’t think I had that much to say today! Good advice from the flower angels. Have a beautiful day!

[Rachelcat]

Wednesday

What about my cardinal virtues presentation? One card

I got chicory again, so I added red chestnut.

Chicory
(Selfless caring, remedy for being too demanding.) I need to remember to present what is best for my audience, not (just) what I want to talk about. I think the point here is, yes, everyone should talk about their favorites/specialties, but proper narrowing of the subject is in order. Don’t talk over their heads and don’t overload them with information.

Red chestnut
(Confidence in others, remedy for fear for others.) On the other hand, don’t dumb down. I should have confidence that my audience can understand and is willing to give it a chance. The fairy/angel is letting her insect friends go and is encouraging them to be free and do what it is their nature to do.

Have a happy Wednesday! See you tomorrow (earlier in the day, I hope!)

[Rachelcat]

Thursday

I’m going to look at wedding dresses with my daughter-in-law-to-be and her mom. I’m very happy she invited me, but I’m a little nervous. Maybe a lot nervous. They’re perfectly nice, I’m just socially awkward! I’m sure it will be fine, but I want to give a good impression. What do I need to know or do? (Warning: The wedding is in May 2022, so there will be many more wedding questions in the future, I’m sure!) Full homemade spread today!

Goal state I want to achieve (chosen card): Larch
I chose larch from my list of keywords, self-confidence and accepting success as a remedy for insecurity and fear of failure. And searched through and cut the deck on that card. This young woman has the light of confidence shining on her face for sure!

Where I am now: Sweet chestnut
Ok, I don’t think I’m in anguish and despair! But this might mean that the nervousness I feel is more than social anxiety, but it’s manifesting as that. It’s just all the stress of the past year and feeling unaccustomed to being out in the world and socializing with anyone that’s not immediate family. The remedy is faith, this too shall pass. I know this is not a make or break activity. It will happen, it will be over, and we’ll move on. I do like an angel in a fashionable pantsuit with a transparent top! Clothing aside, She is full of light and smiling softly but encouragingly to whoever is in despair.

My weakness: Walnut
I have difficulty with change. So true! I’m very happy for the wedding and all the changes that entails, but it IS change! I’m doing better, but that is definitely a weakness of mine. Ok, this is the most dramatic illustration yet! The spirit is kissing the baby while it’s inside the womb. She is comforting and preparing the little one for the BIG change coming his way, birth into the world.

My strength: Crab apple
Even though I’m socially awkward, I’m not compulsive or overly sensitive to dirt and germs, etc. (Even though maybe I should be in this day and age!) I am accepting and at least want to go with the flow of things.

Don’t do: Star of Bethlehem
Don’t be shocked! This goes along with the previous card, I think. Just be open and accept what’s happening. Unless it’s something really bad, of course.

Do: Vervain
Same idea again. Be open-minded. (Remedy for fanaticism.) Getting the message loud and clear! I find this illustration creepy. I know it’s the overlap of the plant over the face, but still . . . Oh, maybe the standing figure is supposed to be creepy: a fanatic. She thinks she’s a chosen one, surrounded by a rainbow, but she’s scary instead. The lying down figure may have been conquered by the fanatic, but she’s in a position to be more accepting?

Outcome: Mimulus
By facing my fears, I will overcome them. (Remedy for known fears.) Yes, this exercise has helped me see what’s really going on with my uneasiness and suggested a way to deal with it. So that’s the outcome. Very self-referential! And that’s the girl in the illustration. She is still afraid, but she can face the fears and deal with them.

Well, that was a good reading. The kind that I say happen in real time: confidence was created during the course of the reading itself. Instant results! I’m sure all will go well on Saturday. Have a lovely Thursday, everyone!

[Rachelcat]

Friday
I was working on my presentation, and the day completely got away from me. So just a card for the day!

Water violet
Here is another flower for which the positive state is a positive aspect of the problem, not the opposite. The remedy for withdrawal and proud reserve is independence, dignity, and calm.
The illustration is a good instance of that. The woman is not engaging with anyone and is withdrawn into herself with her eyes closed, but she’s is calm and dignified. It’s kind of a closeup of the creepy one, but it’s not creepy, it’s soft and beautiful.

Have a happy Friday evening. See you tomorrow for the last day for the devas!

[Rachelcat]

Saturday, last day for Bachblüten Devas
Don’t do and do for today!

Don’t do: Wild oat
Funny! Don’t sow my wild oats! Ok, according to my notes, it’s a remedy for lack of goals or purpose. So I need to stay on target and on goal today. Good advice. The child seems very youthful and carefree, but his facial expression hints that he’s not happy with nothing to do or work toward.

Do: Olive
Do keep my energy up, and don’t exhaust myself. This is a day off. Maintaining my goals doesn’t mean holding to an overly ambitious work schedule on a Saturday. I didn’t notice before but there’s a small angel in each corner of the card. They are surrounding the woman to remind her to rest and recuperate.

Got it! These two cards seem to work together well. I really enjoyed working with this beautiful deck and the flower remedies. See you tomorrow with a new deck!