Wild Violet

For the last couple of years, I have done the Plant Spirit Ally Challenge with a group of like minded friends, starting on May Day, it's become a thing. It's a 30 day project, where you to connect with a specific plant of your choosing, working with a series of prompts devised by Michelle Simkins, a witch and writer from the Pacific Northwest  of the US, and very lovely she is  too, happily answering several questions I messaged her about her work! 

You can read more about it here - Plant Spirit Ally Challenge I would totally recommend it for getting to know plant. Anyway I  digress..

Plant Spirit Ally Challenge

So this year I chose to work Violet, mainly because we had an absolute abundance, that and I had to make my mind up quickly, as I'd  run out of time. Violet's supposed  gentle and shrinking image, soon fell  by the wayside and I fell in love with this wild, feral and free spirited wild flower along the way...

Goddess and Violet

So what did I learn about Violet? Well for a start they have a wide range of medicinal benefits, the root can be used to treat coughs, colds and sore throats and the leaves can used as an antiseptic, drunk as a tea, or made into a poultice, they were even used for a headache or hangover cure in Medieval times! I made some art, digging out my paints and chalks, something I haven't done for a long a time, and felt a childish delight in just going for it, not worrying about it being perfect or polished enough for Instagram, it was Art and I posted it anyway!

Day 10 Make Sacred Smoke

For sacred smoke, I wrote a letter to the ancestors and those who had gone before, including my precious cat Floki, who died suddenly and unexpectedly on Day 4 of the challenge, I've added a picture of him, just because I can. Funnily enough he used to lounge amongst the Violets too, probably stalking the birds on the bird feeders, bless him! I burnt the letter and sent my messages of love skyward.

Floki

Another groovy thing that I learnt, is that Violets have horizontal roots, called rhizomes, that spread out far and wide, these roots actually choke out other plants - so, far from being shy and retiring, they are actually tough and resilient little cookies! They keep their heads low and hang out with lots of big tough plants like brambles and nettles, quietly taking over the garden and generally doing shady sh*t! 

They are also best friends with ants, who carry their seeds off to feed their larvae as it's wrapped in a particularly desirable substance called elaiosome, and that inadvertently spreads and sows them! It's called myrmecochory, who knew? There are always lots of ants where the violets are, and they joined me for many of the little rituals and when I was sitting out there contemplating the general wonderfulness of Violet.

Violet Spirit Doll

I made a spirit doll, with an old fashioned Dolly peg and scraps from other past projects, and also went down memory lane with the remembered smell of Devon Violets that I  brought back from holiday for my lovely Nan, I created a little myth about Wild Violet and her parents Mother Earth and Father Sky. 

It's a truly wonderful way to connect to a plant, flower or herb and learn more about it on so many levels, and himself didn't even bat an eyelid as I wandered in and out  of the back door, with candles, bottled moon water, scrap books, peg dolls or the delicious violet and blueberry cake I made, just occasionally huffed when he had to move his scooter out of the way for me to sit and connect with Violet ! He's a good 'un...

Have A Blessed Week x x