It’s not unusual to see rows of sunflowers blooming in all their vibrant glory during the height of summer. Sunflowers can be different shades of yellow and orange, and they can be anywhere from a foot or two to more than eight feet tall. Sunflowers have been cultivated in North America for a very long time, so there is a lot of folklore related to them. Let’s look at some old beliefs and customs about sunflowers that have been passed down through many different times and places.
The nearby Native American tribes taught the early colonists in North America about the numerous benefits of sunflowers. The sunflower is valuable medicinally as well as being a source of yellow and orange dye for clothing; it was once recognized for its antimalarial effects. Sunflower seeds were also thought to help stop the spread of smallpox.
The sunflower was first found in South and Central America. It then moved north, likely because of the Spanish conquistadors. In Mexico, the remains of sunflowers from 4,600 years ago have been discovered. Spanish explorers brought sunflowers back to Europe in the 1500s, and ever since then, the species has spread all over the world.
There was a young woman who fell in love with Apollo in Greek mythology. Even though she had errands to do and things to do, she stood in her garden and watched him pass overhead on his fiery sun chariot. Apollo soon grew tired of the girl’s folly since he made a point of shining brightly so people on Earth couldn’t actually see him. She instantly transformed into a sunflower when he shot one of his sun arrows at her. She still faces east in the morning and west in the evening to follow Apollo’s course. In some versions of the narrative, the other gods—rather than Apollo—were the ones who had compassion on her and transformed her into a sunflower.
Utilizing Sunflowers in Rituals and Magic
Sunflowers are viewed as lucky emblems in many traditional traditions. You’ll prosper if you plant them all around your house and garden. Additionally, it is thought that choosing a sunflower at dusk and wearing it will bring you luck the following day.
Sunflowers are frequently linked to devotion, truth, and honesty. If you want to discover the truth about something, sleep with a sunflower under your pillow, and before the sun sets the next day, the information should be disclosed to you. The sunflower is seen as a symbol of loyalty since it always grows in the direction of the sun, from east to west. According to some folk magic practices, sneaking a few sunflower seeds or oil into someone’s food or beverage will make them obedient to you.
The sunflower’s connection to the sun makes it a symbol of fertility that is frequently used in literature. Consume sunflower seeds or take a ritual bath with sunflower petals to promote conception. For fertility, wear a necklace or crown made of dried sunflower heads, especially on Litha, the summer solstice.
Some rural folk practitioners in 17th-century Europe employed an ointment to enable them to view the Faerie people. This was made with a combination of many summertime, sun-loving flowers, blended with sunflower oil, and let thicken for three days in the sun.
In some forms of hoodoo, the sunflower is associated with great joy. For ceremonial applications, the oil is frequently utilized as a foundation in magical oils. Please note that this is not the original hoodoo sunflower oil recipe, but it is still a powerful one. You can make your own magical sunflower oil by combining freshly picked petals into a carrier or base of sunflower seed oil, which is available in most grocery stores. After you mix your oils, you must consecrate them according to your magical tradition before you can use them in a ritual or spell. Sunflower oil is easy to use for this if you first let it soak up some sunlight.
To asperge a sacred location during Litha ceremonies or solar-related spell work, steep sunflower petals in water to make tea. Use sunflower petals in a ritual bath for a lovely, sunny pick-me-up if you’re mourning or feeling depressed.
