I need to share my ramblings with folks. I'm getting a commission done, and was asked about any symbolic plants and wrote this and I have SO MANY FEELINGS SOMEONE PLEASE SHARE THEM WITH ME
Queen Anne’s Lace- Haven, sanctuary, complexity, delicate. I feel like the sketch so far just exudes this for them, and their relationship is exactly that. It's complex and confusing, because they're both stubborn and refuse to admit for a while that they love each other and this it is only just for fun, delicate, because Lozen has a tendency to run for fear of being trapped, but at the same time they find peace being with each other. Sacred Tobacco (Nicotiana Rustica)- This one is one of the four sacred medicines of my tribe, and I absolutely love the delicate yellow flowers. According to our stories, it was one of the first medicines given by the Creator to open the doorway to the West- the spirit world. It is believed that it allows us to speak directly to the Great Spirit and if needed, to allow the spirits to come and help. Many times, we offer it up with intention, using our left hand as it is closest to our hearts. We offer it as a gift to open communication and to make requests to share knowledge and prayers. It is one of the emblems of the East, which is part of the four directional teachings we have, and it varies from Nation to Nation, but this is what I was raised on: the east represents love and new beginnings as spring rushes in. It is the connectedness and belief in the unseen all while remaining grounded on the earth. I really like to associate sacred tobacco with Erwin and Lozen, because at the point in time they finally come together, they are both working through guilt and tough decisions and try to find guidance in each other, and on a bigger level, I think they know they only have a short time together (since Erwin eventually dies) and they are continually asking for a bit more time to be together. Dogwood- these are often seen as symbols of protection and safety, which is what they feel when it's just the two of them. Its roots are medicinal, but its sap is poisonous, and that duality just hits me, for some reason. Amaranthus- the name of the flower comes from the Greek word 'amarantos', meaning one that does not wither, eternal, and everlasting. While Lozen and Erwin don't realize it until they both get gobsmacked by the idea that they love each other, they have always had that love and connection, and it will always remain, even after death.
