Falling Rain

Happy fall y’all.

I have this lovely tree in my back yard in the suburbs of Southwest Florida.  And this week, which heralds the First Day of Fall in the Northern Hemisphere and the First Day of Spring in the Southern Hemisphere, it is blossoming in a beautiful array of small yellow flowers. The little flowers drop off in the breeze and it looks like it is raining.  This tree is part of the group called the Shower Trees and is from India.

My particular tree is a “Rainbow Shower” tree, (Cassia fistula x Cassia javanica).  That means it is a hybrid of a “Pink and White Shower” tree (Cassia javanica) and the “Golden Shower” tree, (Cassia fistula.)  What that means is, in late September, this tree produces yellow flowers.  And at a different time of the year, it produces pinkish ones.  And part of the year, it is bare.  (See photo from one of the tree look-up books I use, “Florida’s Fabulous Trees.”)

The flowers are on bracts (like grapes) and are very small.  And, I have set out my collection tin trays this morning, to see what I can get.  While I was outside taking my pictures, I could hear the “ping, ping, pinging,” of the small flowers hitting my tins.

I haven’t collected these flowers before, so I don’t know what they will smell like when they are burned for smudging.  I shall have to gather quite a lot for smudging!  I was able to get a few bracts in my tin trays, however, most of what can be collected is very, very small (like the size of a lentil) and collecting that will be labor intensive.  They are everywhere.

What’s blooming in your yard?  Can you use any of it for ceremonial smudging?  When do you collect it?  

After I’ve collected it, I will sit with it and learn, What does it represent?  Is it aligned with masculine energies or feminine ones?  Is it about the Air, or Fire, or Water, or Earth?

Journey with us on the Earthways Shamanic Path, Honorable Shamans and Fellow Pagans. Find the Magic in Your Land.  For more information about the Earthways Shamanic Path, visit  my website

And share your peace with Mother Earth, Father Sky and all the Big Waters around us.

Except for the picture from the “Florida’s Fabulous Trees” book,  everything else is (c) 2016 to present by Whale Maiden for Earthways Shamanic Path.  All Rights Reserved.

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