Floriography

Divination By Flowers

Since ancient times, flowers have been associated with magical and Divine properties. Their appearance and the messages they can bring us make them the perfect tool for fortune telling and magical enchantment.

Flower Divination is also known as:

  • Anthomancy
  • Floromancy
  • Floriography

One of the most popular uses for Floromancy is for love divination. In Victorian England, two flowers that had not yet blossomed would be paired, and the initials of certain lovers’ names would be placed on the stems. After placing the flowers in a secret place for 10 days, the diviner would then observe certain portents, such as, if any flower twined the other, it would indicate that the man and the woman whose initials were used were going to be married.

Another common form of Floromancy, which is very popular among young people, requires the querent to pull off the petals of flowers while making the statements such as “he/she loves” and “he/she loves me not.” The statement uttered when the last petal is pulled is supposed to be true. The “luck” attributed to finding a four-leaf clover also falls into this category.

Finding the first flower of spring also has relevance in Floromancy. The type of flower and the day of the week it is found are significant for an appropriate prognostication.

  • Monday, ~ means good fortune for the rest of the season.
  • Tuesday ~ greatest efforts will be rewarded.
  • Wednesday ~ a marriage is coming.
  • Thursday ~ alertness, caution and vigilance are required throughout the season.
  • Friday ~ riches and wealth are forthcoming.
  • Saturday ~ misfortune is around the corner.
  • Sunday ~ a sign of exceptional luck for the duration of the spring.

If the flower is a wild flower, someone with the same initial as the flower found will be attracted to you.

For example: If you find a daisy, it means someone whose name starts with a D will be attracted to you, if the flower is a Lily, someone whose name starts with a L will find you attractive.

To attract love into your life, a thorn from a white rose bush is very helpful, but only if you use it to scratch the words ‘All my love come to me’ three times on a white candle and then light it.

Take a question to your garden and randomly pick a petal off a pansy, without looking at it. When you examine your petal, the following information may be divined…

  • If the petal has four lines in it, it is a sign of hope.
  • Five lines coming from the center branch is hope founded in fear.
  • Thick lines bent to the right means prosperity.
  • Thick lines bent to the left mean trouble ahead.
  • Seven streaks is consistent love.
  • Eight streaks means fickleness in either you or those around you.
  • Nine, a changing heart.

Ancient Anglo-Saxon folklore says that if you offered an expectant mother the choice between a rose and a lily, the outcome would be as follows:

  • If she chose a rose, the baby would be a girl.
  • If she chose the lily, the baby would be a boy.

On the other hand, the Victorians believed that if the pregnant woman went into the garden, closed her eyes, and spun around to pick a flower, the hue of the flower would tell her the sex of the baby. If it was a dark color, it was a boy, and a light color indicated a girl.

In Korea, carnations were used by girls to tell their future. A girl would place a cluster of three blossoms in her hair. If the top one died first, the girl’s last years would be difficult. If the middle one died first, her earlier years would be hard. And if the bottom one died first her entire life would be miserable. 

In the East, a young woman would place a poppy petal in her lover’s hand to see if he had been true to her. Hitting the petal with the side of her hand, she listened for the sound it would make. Silence indicated he had been unfaithful.

Sending Flowers

Note: the magickal meanings and uses for specific flowers might be quite different from the meanings of flowers sent to a lover or friend.

Modern flower folklore gives meaning to the flowers you send to your chosen one on Valentine’s day.

  • Anemones ~ mean your love is coming to an end.
  • Forget-me-nots ~ a sign of true love and constancy.
  • Snowdrops ~ hope for love.
  • Sunflowers ~ warm feelings.
  • Red Tulips ~ a declaration of powerful love.
  • Red Roses ~ a sign of passion.
  • Yellow Roses ~ friendship.
  • Pink Roses ~ appreciation and admiration.

If you are interested in the meanings of various flowers, you might want to explore the Language of Flowers. Here is a link to help you get started with that: Dictionary of the Language of Flowers.

Flower Symbolism in Dreams

The appearance of certain flowers in a dream was considered an omen of things to come.

  • To dream of white flowers foretells death.
  • Dreams of jasmine and lilies are good omens.
  • Misfortune comes when you dream of dandelions or withered roses
  • Dreams of marigolds denote riches.
  • Roses, of course, indicate success in love.
  • If you dream of being picked by briars, it means you have an ardent desire, and the young in love often dream of being pricked by a thorn while trying to pick a rose.
  • Dreaming of flowers out of season is bad luck.
  • Dreams of plants currently blooming are good luck.
  • Yellow flowers can mean love mixed with jealousy or that you will have more children to maintain than what justly belong to you.

Your Lucky Flower

It is also believed that wearing the blossom associated with your month of birth would bring exceptionally good luck.

  • January – snowdrop, or carnation
  • February – violet, or primrose
  • March – daffodil, or jonquil
  • April – primrose, daisy, or sweet pea
  • May – white lily, lily of the valley, or hawthorn
  • June – wild rose, rose, or honeysuckle
  • July – carnation, larkspur, or waterlily.
  • August – white heather, gladiolus, or poppy
  • September – Michaelmas daisy, aster, or morning glory
  • October – rosemary, calendula, or cosmos
  • November – chrysanthemum
  • December – ivy, narcissus, or holly

Flower psychometry

Did you know that flowers could speak? They may not have a voice-box, but they can bring you messages just the same. You probably already have a favorite type of flower. What flower would you buy for yourself if money were no object? Flowers have a type of personality don’t they? Daisies are full of innocence, white orchids are exotic and sensual, bright yellow tulips are just fun.

Make a list of all of your favorite flowers. What are they telling you just by looking at them? Are they who you are, or who you want to be?

Next select a flower. Hold it in your hands and close your eyes. Merge your soul with the energy of the flower and write down what you feel. Spend a few minutes just relaxing and holding the flower; touch it, stroke it, sense it. When you are ready, make a few notes. What is the flower telling you?

There are no right or wrong answers, it’s just a learning experience. Practice until you feel comfortable with the experience. Have a go with friends and then compare notes afterwards. Maybe you could read for each other.

Sources:

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