The beauty of flowers is that they’re so versatile – it’s hard to think of an occasion when they aren’t an appropriate gift and let’s face it, if you’re stuck for a gift idea, flowers are always a reliable fall-back solution. The only problem is that for most of us the world of flowers can be a mysterious and daunting one; not everyone is blessed with a florist’s expertise so knowing what to choose can be a bit of a challenge. 

For those who don’t necessarily fancy themselves as a budding Alan Titchmarsh, don’t be put off. Well chosen flowers really are a great way of expressing a whole range of sentiments from gratitude to congratulations to love. So have a look at the following tips and hopefully you’ll feel a bit more confident about choosing the right flowers to say exactly what you want to say. 

Romance – If you’re trying to woo someone or perhaps hoping to inject a bit of good old fashioned romance and spontaneity into your relationship or marriage, flowers are still one of the most effective tools of seduction. The obvious choice here are roses, the red rose in particular is still associated with love (it’s traditionally symbolic of passionate love) more than any other flower and as such still makes a good, classic choice. For something a bit different though there are plenty of attractive alternatives – Lilies, Daisies, Orchids and Wildflowers for instance are all associated with conveying a message of love. 

Congratulations – Obviously you’re looking to express something of the celebratory spirit here so consider going for bold, bright and contrasting colors that you feel really communicate a sense of fun and playfulness. 

Thank you – One of the most common sentiments behind floral gifts - flowers are ideal for expressing gratitude. There aren’t really any definitive rules here; the most important thing is that they convey a sense of sincerity and perhaps feel like you’ve put some personal thought into your choice. A casually arranged selection of some complementary flowers of your choice should be fine. Pink carnations are traditionally the floral symbol of gratitude. 

I’m sorry – There are few more consistently effective ways of getting out of the dog house than with flowers, somehow a floral gift makes it almost impossible for anyone to hold a grudge for too much longer. Go for arrangements of delicate warm tones and put a bit of thought into an accompanying note. 

Get well – Flowers can convey a sense of deeply felt empathy so they make the perfect gift to let someone know your thinking of them. Ultimately what flowers you choose will come down to a personal decision but you could bare in mind a couple of possible approaches: You could go down a couple of different routes here. Either stick with something restrained and tastefully serene or why not go for a more positive, uplifting message with a bold, vibrant arrangement. Bare in mind that ultimately flower-buying is a personal thing so don’t feel too bogged down by these suggestions. 

You still can’t go far wrong with flowers as a gift for almost any occasion. For those to whom the world of flowers remains a mystery, this brief guide should provide you with a few tips to cover all your gift buying needs.

Source: Katie Brown

With today’s high-tech and fast-paced lifestyle taking its daily toll on our lives, experts advise exercise and other personal lifestyle changes to relieve stress. According to behavioral research conducted at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, nature provides us with a simple way to improve emotional health - flowers. The presence of flowers triggers happy emotions, heightens feelings of life satisfaction and affects social behavior in a positive manner far beyond what is normally believed.

“What’s most exciting about this study is that it challenges established scientific beliefs about how people can manage their day-to-day moods in a healthy and natural way,” said Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at Rutgers and lead researcher on the study.

Research Findings

A team of researchers explored the link between flowers and life satisfaction in a 10-month study of participants’ behavioral and emotional responses to receiving flowers. The results show that flowers are a natural and healthful moderator of moods.

carestep1.GIF (120 bytes) Flowers have an immediate impact on happiness. All study participants expressed “true” or “excited” smiles upon receiving flowers, demonstrating extraordinary delight and gratitude. This reaction was universal, occurring in all age groups.

carestep1.GIF (120 bytes) Flowers have a long-term positive effect on moods. Specifically, study participants reported feeling less depressed, anxious and agitated after receiving flowers, and demonstrated a higher sense of enjoyment and life satisfaction.

carestep3.GIF (153 bytes) Flowers make intimate connections. The presence of flowers led to increased contact with family and friends.

“Common sense tells us that flowers make us happy,” said Dr. Haviland-Jones. “Now, science shows that not only do flowers make us happier than we know, they have strong positive effects on our emotional well being.”

Sharing Space

The study also explored where in their homes people display flowers. The arrangements were placed in areas of the home that are open to visitors - such as foyers, living rooms and dining rooms - suggesting that flowers are a symbol for sharing.

“Flowers bring about positive emotional feelings in those who enter a room,” said Dr. Haviland-Jones. “They make the space more welcoming and create a sharing atmosphere.”

Source: Flowertocn

The Flower of Life Symbol in Japan Report
by Lyssa Royal Holt

In July 1998 I completed my eighth year of conducting seminars and private consultations in Japan. Each year my Japanese friends take me to sacred power spots that they feel guided to visit. I have traveled from the southern tip of Japan (the Hiroshima area) to the northern tip of Aomori and so much in between.

This year my interpreter, Ms. Kazumi Hoshina, took twelve friends including myself to Kamakura - a well known tourist spot because of its huge statue of Buddha and many temples and shrines. Instead of visiting these tourist areas, we went to some lesser known Buddhist temples that Kazumi felt were ancient ceremonial sites of significance. She has an uncanny Higher Self that continuously tells her exact locations to visit which later prove to be intense power spots that profoundly affect those of us who visit.

Our first stop was Goryo-Jinja, a Buddhist temple away from the throngs of tourists in Kamakura. As we ascended the steep steps to the temple at the top of the hill, I wondered what exciting adventures and discoveries we would have that day. Upon walking around the grounds of the temple, it seemed at first to be typical of the many thousands of temples in Japan - impeccable architecture that evokes a deep sense of spirituality and reverence. The Buddhist priest was performing a ceremony for a newborn child and his family. Other than that, we were the only ones present.

Kazumi asked us to walk around, feel the energy, and use our intuitive perceptions to access any esoteric information about this site. My guides directed me to a certain spot near some lion statues. As I stood there, my guides told me that this was an ancient ceremonial site of ascension well before the Buddhist temple was built. It took a moment to realize what I was staring at as my guides were telling me this. There, under the paw of the mythological lion figure, was the Flower of Life sphere! [The photo accompanying this article was taken in July 1998 at Goryo-Jinja. Though the vesica pisces and petals of the flower are obvious in person, it is difficult to see clearly in the photo.]

For those of you not familiar with the Flower of Life, it is a sacred geometric template that contains the blueprint for all other geometrical forms and thus for consciousness itself. In ancient times (most specifically in Egyptian mystery schools) initiates learned sacred geometry as a path to spiritual awakening and the Flower of Life symbol was known to be among the most sacred because of what it represents — the unity of all consciousness and life within the universe.

My husband Ron Holt (Director of the Flower of Life Research Organization) and I enjoy traveling the world looking for the Flower of Life symbol in temples. Other than in Egypt we have thus far found no temples with this sacred symbol. However, there it was in front of my eyes…in a location my guides had told me moments before was an ancient ceremonial site of ascension.

Excitedly, I relayed this to Kazumi and she translated it into Japanese for the group. When she did, an amazing thing happened. I said the words, “This was an ancient ceremonial site of ascension and the Flower of Life symbol is frequently found in these sites.” As soon as I completed the sentence, the temple priest suddenly began playing the ceremonial drum in a perfectly timed gesture that gave each of us goosebumps. Once we understood the importance of that statement, the priest stopped playing the drum. It was one of those synchronistic experiences that are difficult to explain, but powerful to experience.

Later that day we made a visit to Hokoku-ji, commonly referred to as Take-dera (”Bamboo Temple”). This temple sits on the grounds of an amazingly pristine bamboo forest. The bamboo trees have an average width of about 6-8 inches each and are perhaps 50 feet high at a minimum. This place was an old Zen Buddhist temple from the 14th century. As you walk into the bamboo forest, a tea house sits amidst the trees and serves traditional green tea. Visitors sit staring out at the trees in hushed silence. The beauty of this spot is nearly impossible to describe.

As Kazumi and I sat drinking our green tea, I heard a male voice loudly to my right (in perfect American English) say, “Flower of Life.” I quickly looked to my right but there were only three Japanese tourists seated there. They were all speaking Japanese quietly or sitting in silent contemplation. Thinking I must have imagined it, I shrugged it off. However, a few minutes later my curiosity got the better of me. I told Kazumi what had happened. She looked incredulous. She said she heard the same thing, only she heard a female voice rather than the male one I had heard. Since this was “impossible,” we realized that perhaps the experience at Goryo-Jinja earlier was one that had a deeper significance than we realized.

Perhaps as we begin to remember more and more of our spiritual heritage on Earth and begin to embrace our connections to all life, the Flower of Life information as taught to the ancients will begin to resurface in sacred sites all over the world. This experience still remains a mystery but seems to be a piece of an even greater puzzle. It is very possible that even today’s Flower of Life initiates do not yet realize the significance of the information that they have learned. Only time will tell.

Article and photo by Lyssa Royal Holt, Education Director for Flower of Life Research

F eel the goodness in all forms of life
L ove all things; let go of strife
O pen your petals; let love flow in
W iden the gap; let love grow within
E rase the scars of the past
R est in the assurance that only love lasts

O wn your self-worth in spite of what others may say
F ind again the peace in your day

L ive your potential; let the world know
I nto yourself let a new energy flow
F ind out you have so much to give
E mbrace love; laugh and life

Be joyous and free
Be all that you are and ever could be!