The Magic of Flowers: A Guide to Their Metaphysical Uses & Properties - Tess Whitehurst 2013

Bougainvillea
The Flowers

As a flower enthusiast living in Los Angeles, I am compelled to include the bougainvillea, a South American and Polynesian native who generously splashes her vibrant color all over this town. Interestingly, however, her colorful aspect doesn’t come from her flower: rather, it’s the tiny little five-pointed butter-colored blooms at the center of the brightly colored leaves that are often mistaken for her petals.

While it’s been said that her leaves and flowers are sometimes employed in Mexican folk medicine to treat congestion and skin conditions, there is very little information about this available to the layperson at this time, and I don’t have any personal experience with it, so I don’t recommend trying it at home unless you are a sufficiently knowledgeable herbalist or are under the guidance of one.

Magical Uses

Beauty

Of all of bougainvillea’s many magical aspects, her powers of beautification are her signature. For example, she can be employed for beautifying purposes in the following ways:

✵ Plant her around the front of your house or near your front gate to infuse your life with beautiful moments and your lifestyle with beautiful elegance. (Be sure you’re in the right kind of climate and that she gets plenty of sun and not too much water, especially if she’s in a pot.)

✵ Spend time in quiet contemplation with a blossoming bougainvillea to absorb her beautifying energy and to align with your inner beauty so that it may shine outward and enhance your outer beauty even more abundantly.

✵ Add two drops bougainvillea essence to a bottle of witch hazel and use it as a facial toner to enhance your attractiveness.

✵ Add six drops bougainvillea essence to a mister of rose water and mist your entire body and aura to enhance your attractiveness and charm.

Cleansing

Like the sunlight that she loves so much, bougainvillea can help purify and evaporate lingering toxins in our mind, body, and spirit so that our personal energy field and lifestyle begin to be characterized by a simple, clean aesthetic. Similarly, she helps us strip away the extras (clutter, limiting beliefs, undesired commitments, old hurts and emotional stuff) so that we can feel energized, efficient, and streamlined.

For this purpose, cultivate or care for bougainvilleas, spend time in quiet contemplation with a blossoming bougainvillea, or imbibe the essence regularly, starting at the full moon and continuing throughout an entire moon cycle.

Radiance

Consider bougainvillea’s tiny, unassuming blossom and the way she doesn’t let that stop her from being the star of the show in any given garden. Similarly, bougainvillea can help us be ourselves and shine our light in a gorgeous, fabulous, unabashed way. This can be helpful for anytime we want to step into the limelight or just be seen and appreciated in a positive way. For example, she can magically support us through things like auditioning, feeling comfortable in social situations, starting new careers or businesses, or promoting ourselves or our work. To receive these benefits, take the essence before any situation during which you’d like to shine your light. Or if you’d generally just like to increase your radiance and comfort with taking center stage, take the essence twice per day for one moon cycle, starting at the new moon. You also might like to incorporate her into rituals or potions designed for the purpose, such as the following potion.

RADIANCE POTION

Over ice, fill a glass so that it’s two parts orange juice and one part sparkling water. (If appropriate and desirable, you may want to leave room for a shot of vodka.) Lightly chop a clean, organic red rose petal and add to the glass, along with six drops bougainvillea essence. Hold it in both hands and say:

I am a star! I shine brightly,

and I gracefully attract attention, adoration, and respect.

Drink completely before any situation during which you’d like to shine. (This is a powerful one, so watch out! Be sure to balance out your radiance with subtlety and humility so that you leave a lastingly positive impression. And if you went the vodka route, perhaps be mindful of the booze consumption from here on out!)

Passion

Like the heat on the tropical islands where she thrives, bougainvillea lends herself to passion. This can be helpful in a number of ways, including:

✵ refreshing the passion in a relationship

✵ inspiring passion in others (toward you or a cause)

✵ renewing your passion for a project or cause

✵ discovering where your passion lies and pursuing a passion-filled career

For any of these purposes, take two to three drops of the essence twice per day, spend time with a blossoming bougainvillea, incorporate her into rituals or charms designed for the purpose, or surround yourself with live bougainvillea plants (in your yard or on your patio).

Magical Correspondences

Element: Fire

Gender: Female

Planet: Venus