Season 1, Ep. 2: The Goddess Of Flowers

Episode 2 of The Weekly Dream introduces listeners to Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers, springtime, fertility, and abundance. The dream starts around the 5:30 mark.

Accompanying Yin poses should foster safety and security within yourself, welcoming the gentleness of spring but also inviting joy (some of these poses bear the names of things you would find in a garden!

Child’s Pose (3 min), Walk child’s pose to the left and right min (2 min each side + 1 min reset), Twists (2 min each side), Crocodile (3 min), Half Frog (3 min each side + 1 min reset), Butterfly (3 min), Dragonfly (3 min), Shoelace (3 min each side), Caterpillar (5 min), Happy Baby (3 min), Waterfall (2 min),  Savasana (15 min)

Transcript

Welcome to The Weekly Dream,

A repository of guided meditative journeys that aim to uplift,

Inspire,

And relax you.

Our themes revolve around astrology,

Mythology,

The seasons,

And more.

I'm your host,

Brittany Bryan,

And I invite you to sit back,

Get comfortable,

Grab a blanket,

Some tea,

Or a cat or two.

Don't dream and drive.

Let's begin.

Welcome back to The Weekly Dream,

And welcome to episode two.

I'm your host,

Brittany Bryan.

Last week's pilot focused pretty heavily on astrology and the recent solar eclipse in Aries,

And there's still some significant planetary shifts going on in the world,

But I made it a point during episode one to say that this is not really going to be an astrology podcast.

So we're going to put the Star Talk on hold this week and just dive into some ancient Roman mythology.

Specifically,

Our dream this week celebrates the Roman goddess Flora,

Who was celebrated as a deity of springtime who was responsible for the blossoming of all flowers.

Flora had a dedicated cult and a temple in ancient Rome.

The temple itself is credited to Titus Tatius,

A king of the Sabines,

Which is how I think that word is pronounced,

Who were the people who lived on the land where Rome was eventually established and who would eventually go to war with Rome and then exist as sort of a part of Rome for a while.

Regardless,

Flora potentially has a very old heritage as a fertility deity in Italy.

We also have evidence of her being adapted from her Greek counterpart,

Cloris.

In the Metamorphosis,

The Roman poet Ovid describes the abduction of the nymph Cloris by the god of the west wind,

Favonius.

His Greek counterpart was called Zephyros,

And in addition to control of the wind,

He also held dominion over the springtime.

According to the myth,

Cloris was understandably dismayed by being forced into marriage,

And her husband gifted her with power over the blossoming of all flowers to appease her,

Which supposedly worked.

A line in Ovid's Metamorphosis reads,

Once I am Cloris,

Who am now called Flora.

And the myth attributes her transformation to the wind god specifically.

So she was transformed by this union.

She became very revered as the personification of spring,

Underscoring the importance of agriculture and the seasons to Romans.

Her festival,

Floralia,

Was one of their most popular celebrations.

It was established around 250 BC and lasted five or six days towards the end of spring.

There were games,

Hunts,

Raunchy theatrical performances,

And men adorned their bodies and their horses with roses,

Which are a special symbol to Flora.

She's associated with the fertility of the land,

Which includes all vegetation and flowers,

But also with abundance,

Love,

Beauty,

And creativity.

So this is Flora's time of the year,

Right now,

As spring is coming into full bloom in the Northern Hemisphere.

And I think there's something special about reconnecting with myths and old stories at times of the year that really resonate with them.

I think that this helps us to get more in touch with the natural cycles of our planet and to feel more connected to nature.

I think history is also really important,

Knowing where we as people have come from,

What lessons we've already learned.

And myths serve an important psychological purpose.

The characters in the myths,

The deities,

The heroes,

Even the villains,

Really act as symbols for aspects of our own psyches.

They're intended to help us examine,

Understand,

And accept ourselves more completely.

If you're a spiritual person,

You might identify with neo-paganism,

Which revolves around,

Essentially,

A renaissance that's happening now of old religions that predate Christianity and a renewed interest in lost knowledge,

Old rituals,

And beliefs,

And ways of being.

And if this is you,

Then you can work with deities in all kinds of ways.

And I'm trying to make this podcast really accessible.

I don't want to assume that everyone who comes to it is of a majority of a particular belief system.

But I also want it to be from a really authentic place within myself.

And neo-paganism,

Specifically Celtic neo-paganism,

Really resonates with me.

So I'll probably use language or make suggestions from time to time that skew really pagan.

But I want to remain mindful of when I'm doing that and try to unpack those things in a way that is hopefully easy to understand and not pushy in any way.

So if you're interested in spiritual work with Roman or Greek deities,

This is a great time of year to call upon Flora.

To read about her,

To light a candle for her,

To pick or plant some flowers,

Or to visit a garden.

Honey is created from flowers and is considered one of Flora's gifts to us.

So maybe making something with honey or spooning some into your tea.

You can ask for her blessings in matters of fertility,

But also just to help with starting new projects or adopting a new mindset or health regime.

She is associated with the blossoming of all life and all of our efforts and can guide them towards fruition.

And we're going to go into the dream now.

So start by doing whatever you need to get comfortable,

Whether it's lying down or sitting in a more relaxing position.

And I'll ask you to close your eyes.

Take a deep breath in for 1,

2,

3,

4.

Hold it for 1,

2,

3,

4.

And release.

1,

2,

3,

4.

Let's do that one more time.

Take a deep breath in for 1,

2,

3,

4.

Hold it for 1,

2,

3,

4.

And release.

1,

2,

3,

4.

In this stillness,

I invite you to imagine yourself standing outside of a high stone wall.

It's too high to see over the top.

It's winter and there's snow crunching underfoot as you walk the perimeter of this wall,

Noticing the scraggly black remnants of the ivy that must have once been full and lush.

As you round a corner,

You come to an opening in the wall and find an ornate wrought iron gate.

To your surprise,

It swings open easily with a gentle push of your hand.

Inside,

You find an intimate courtyard garden.

Dormant rose bushes still bear their thorns,

And ice clings to the slick surface of a silent fountain in the center of a meandering cobblestone path.

A silly thought comes to your mind as you gaze at the fountain and wonder if you can still make wishes if the water is frozen.

You take a coin out of your pocket,

Shrug,

And toss it into the lower basin,

Hearing a pleasant clink as it hits the ice and skids a short distance.

The sound of soft footsteps alert you to the presence of another in this garden,

And you turn to see a young woman with long blonde hair smiling at you.

Although it's cold outside,

She's dressed in a simple sleeveless white linen dress.

You made a wish in my fountain,

She asks.

You nod your head,

Somewhat sheepishly.

She introduces herself as Flora,

The goddess of springtime and flowers.

You ask if this is her off-season,

And what she does during winter.

She laughs,

And the sound is light and airy.

She tells you that she does not only tend to the literal springtime,

But is with all humans during moments of creativity and birth.

You ask if she was there when you made macaroni the other day,

And she replies yes.

You ask if she was present when your friend had a baby,

And she says certainly.

She states that she is present during the most simple acts of creation,

As well as the most profound life transitions,

The death of a job or a partnership,

Graduations,

Weddings,

And more.

During moments of transition,

It's more important than ever to find joy in the little things,

To remember your capacity to grow,

And to heal and find the beauty in that process,

She says.

As she speaks,

Flora reaches out her hand and touches the surface of the ice in the stone fountain.

A faint glow seems to radiate from her fingertips,

And in a moment,

You hear the ice crack,

And the water beneath begins to bubble to life.

You see your coin sink beneath the surface.

Now your wish will come true,

She smiles.

You walk the meandering cobblestone path alongside the goddess of spring,

Delighted to see that with every step,

The grass becomes lush and green below your feet.

Slowly,

The air is filled with the sweet scent of jasmine that climbs alongside the ivy that is coming back to life.

Bees travel from flower to flower as daylilies and crimson roses unfurl before your eyes.

When you've finished circling the courtyard,

Flora invites you to sit at a small table beneath a portcullis thick with wisteria.

The table is covered with a white lace tablecloth,

And set with teacups full of fragrant tea,

Plates of scones,

And small jars of honey and cream.

The little things in life,

She winks.

As you sit,

Tea in hand,

In the newly blossoming garden,

The goddess asks you what little joys you treasure most in your life.

Your favorite foods,

Smells,

Pets,

People,

Places,

Or simple pastimes.

She seems so easygoing that you can't help but smile as you rattle off a laundry list of some of the simple joys of daily living.

She then asks about any new things in your life,

Or creative projects that spark joy.

When you tell her that you've been having a rough time lately and are searching for inspiration,

She reminds you that seasons always change,

Whether we want them to or not,

And it's always the coldest winters that seem to stretch on.

She speaks with confidence as she says that parts of yourself you thought long gone would one day awaken once more,

Just as the fountain nearby.

And when your plans for the future begin to blossom,

You'll remember today.

And maybe it's the sweet scent of the flowers on the breeze,

Or the butteriness of the scone crumbling slightly between your fingertips,

Or the last bit of honey that you lick from your spoon,

But you can't help but believe her.

When the last drop of tea is gone,

You stretch out on the lawn,

Basking in the glow of the afternoon sunlight,

And holding in your mind your hopes for the future,

Both big and small.

For a home,

For a dream job,

For a luxurious trip,

For family,

For dinner.

And you let these thoughts soothe you into a soft,

Dreamy repose.

A few moments,

Or hours,

Or maybe days later,

Who knows,

You feel the warmth of the sun on your arms,

And you turn your face towards it.

You find yourself not in a beautiful garden,

But safe at home.

You begin to bring movement to your fingers and your toes,

Slowly,

Going very slowly.

You open your eyes,

Maybe give your body a big stretch,

And then take a deep breath in.

For 1,

2,

3,

4.

Hold it.

1,

2,

3,

4.

And exhale.

1,

2,

3,

4.

Thank you so much for joining me in this dream.

Until next time.