ROUNDNESS IN THE FLOWERS

On a Friday morning two weeks ago, my friend, Ariel, and I met at my home for flower practice. Each of us purchased flowers which we agreed to share. Ariel brought sunflowers and alstroemeria, all in yellows. I selected white flowers, lilies, ornithagolums (Star-of-Bethlehem), freesia, and long grass.

When we were ready to begin, Ariel sounded a chime and we listened in silence for two minutes. (Ariel quotes a teacher of hers who says, "The temple bell stops but the sound keeps coming from the flowers.") Wanting to listen for that sound, we agreed to work in silence.

When we finished, two "signs of life" were apparent in our arrangements: the spiral in Ariel's and the circle in mine. 

Roundness was apparent in my arrangement from the start.

 

I chose a fish-bowl container, inserted circles of green grass inside the container and created more circles outside with individual strands of grass. All of this was a matter of listening. I had no conscious idea when we began.

Living with these flowers for a week was a joy. The circle, symbol of wholeness and unity, is a source of inspiration to me. I see circles--or possibilities for them--all about me. (The white of the flowers, a vivid reminder that all color has its origin in the brightness of white, was a pleasure as well.)

Comments

[Venki]

hi
this is a lovely write up. Thanks for sharing the nice idea of the sound from the flowers. i regularly visit your website for the flower posts ;) thank you very much

Venkatesh
Tuticorin, Tamilnadu
South India

[Bethene LeMahieu]

Dear Venkatesh,

Finding your comment from the South of India was delightful. I studied in India in 1967. It was a meaningful experience, one that left a forever warm spot in my heart for your country.

Flowers, like music, are a language known the world over (the sound connection, again). Thank you for writing.

Warmly,
Bethene