Musings with Calendula: Attention

Without doubt, for me, the plant of this year has been Calendula! For the first time in 12 years of tending my mountain garden, I have a bumper amount of this remarkable solar plant that just keeps on giving – even far on into autumn!
I have harvested and dried so many blooms over the summer and made so many remedies that now I am simply taking pleasure in the swathes of yellow and orange that greet me each time I head towards my polytunnel and am progressively gathering her akenes when the flowers die back, ready for sowing even more Calendula next year!
I can also see Calendula blooming from my kitchen door window – whenever I need a lift or a smile, I just have to look in that direction and there she is, radiating her warm sunny energy to all who choose to observe and she never fails to uplift and fill me with delight. Her blooms are always there but they only fill my cup when I pay attention.

So why do I have a bumper amount of blooms this year? In large part, this is due to creating a new bed in my vegetable plot that receives more watering and attention compared to where I was growing Calendula in previous years. The soil there is richer and her location is more favourable to growth. What is more, we have had abundant rainfall this year compared to the past 8 years of drought conditions and water restrictions.
I also believe that her new location receives more attention and appreciation as I now walk past the sunny Calendula patch multiple times per day en-route to the veggie garden and the chickens. And each time, I stop and admire her blooms and encourage her to thrive.
In fact, I have taken and shared so many close up photos of her blooms this year that my social media friends must think I am rather a tad obsessed! 

With all the positive attention she has been receiving, Calendula’s rewards have been truly bountiful. That got me thinking about the power of paying attention – What happens when you are seen, admired, encouraged, nourished and appreciated?
Never underestimate the impact of simple attentiveness!

I have used this kind, safe and powerful healer for many years in my practice in its multiple forms: infused oil, tincture, CO2 extract, hydrolat and herbal teas; with each extract form revealing its own unique uses and indications. Faced with such abundance this year, I have also taken to regularly munching the petals direct from the plant or sprinkled over salads for their lutein content.

My main uses in therapy are skin-related where Calendula is an integral part of pretty much all of my preparations in gels, creams, lotions and balms. This year, I have also seen her power in action when included in mouth rinses and gargles for dental issues, soreness and ulceration. When skin or tissue integrity is compromised, Calendula steps forward.
I would like to think that this year, all the remedies I have created with her have been infused with an extra dose of love and appreciation as thanks for her healthy abundance!

One of my favourite and most common uses of Calendula is in balm/ salve form where I combine both the infused oil and CO2 extract in a soft salve for nurturing and repairing even the most fragile of skins, suitable for all ages.
Calendula’s properties are exalted with the addition of other actives. For my balms for example, I associate her with locally sourced beeswax and luscious fixed oils and butters. Calendula is happy to shine in the company of other healers.