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

Ylang Ylang
The Flowers

Ylang ylang, whose name is sometimes translated as “flower of flowers,” is unmistakably a representative of the heavenly realm. If you’re wondering what I could possibly mean, simply open up a bottle of the essential oil and inhale. The scent, which is one of the most popular notes in perfumery and an aromatherapy essential, in addition to evoking the essence of nirvana itself, is evocative of custard, banana, vanilla, and jasmine. As you might expect, this exotic, sensual flower flourishes in the exotic, sensual (and heavenly) climates of the Phillipines and Indonesia.

Magical Uses

Joy

If I were to summarize ylang ylang’s magical gifts, I might say that she brings us to our senses, reminds us of the sweetness of life, and helps us to dwell simultaneously in the heavenly eternal realm and the realm of the finite/physical. Another way to put this would be she reminds us that heaven is not an unreachable place in the sky but is here, on earth, in this very moment. And if that doesn’t sound like a recipe for joy, I don’t know what does.

To employ ylang ylang to call more joy into your life, spend time with the blossoming plant (if you are lucky enough to be in her vicinity) or inhale the essential oil through diffusing it, anointing yourself with it (be sure to dilute with a carrier oil if your skin is sensitive), adding it to a mist potion, or simply wafting a bottle under your nose. Be sure to set the intention as you consciously inhale, making the inhaling process into an active, magical meditation. The flower essence may also be used for this purpose.

Healing

Ylang ylang flowers (and the essential oil they yield) have been employed by traditional, holistic, and conventional healers to treat a number of health challenges, including fevers, infections, skin disorders, impotence, shock, stomach issues, mild food poisoning, high blood pressure, malaria, typhus, and intestinal issues. I do not suggest ingesting the essential oil or any part of the plant internally, but ylang ylang essential oil is generally safe to employ aromatherapeutically (by diffusing or simply inhaling the scent) or topically when diluted with a carrier oil such as sweet almond or jojoba. For example, authors and aromatherapists P. J. Pierson and Mary Shipley suggest mixing two to three drops in a carrier oil and massaging onto the stomach to treat mild stomach upsets.

Love

The feeling of falling in love with someone who is simultaneously falling in love with you is quite similar to the swirling, spinning combo of euphoria and sensual pleasure that the scent of ylang ylang tends to arouse. This makes ylang ylang a very useful magical ingredient when it comes to manifesting exactly that situation. If falling in love with someone who is also falling in love with you is your magical goal, you might seriously consider employing essential oil of ylang ylang (or actual ylang ylang flowers). For example:

MAGICAL AROMATHERAPY FOR TRUE LOVE

The night before the new moon, place a bottle of ylang ylang essential oil next to your bed. Immediately upon awakening, sit up and waft the bottle under your nose. Allow the scent to go deep into your body and awareness. When you feel you have merged with the scent, as you continue to inhale, think, “I am in love with someone who is also in love with me. I love to love! I love to be loved!” Stay with this feeling/affirmation for as long as you like. Repeat until the full moon or until the next new moon, as you feel guided. (Please note: do your best not to think of anyone specific for this ritual, as this will severely inhibit your degree of success and may eventually create a sticky situation. If someone specific does seem to appear in your mind, remain as unattached as possible to this outcome and consciously think something like “I am open to manifesting the perfect situation with the perfect partner, whomever that may be!”)

Peace and Relaxation

By aligning us with the divine realm and getting us out of our heads and into our bodies, ylang ylang can dissolve anger, stress, and harsh vibrations in general and transmute the energies associated with these conditions into peace, relaxation, and holistic well-being. For this purpose, diffuse the essential oil in your space, inhale, or add a few drops to a lotion or carrier oil and apply topically. If your skin isn’t too sensitive, you can apply it neat (or undiluted) to your nostrils, wrists, or temples. You might also add it to a stress-relief mist such as the following.

MIST POTION FOR PEACE AND RELAXATION

Add ten drops ylang ylang essential oil to a mister of rose water, along with eight drops lavender or chamomile essential oil. Shake and mist yourself and your space to dissolve stress and promote peace and relaxation.

Sex and Sensuality

Aromatherapists often recommend ylang ylang as an aphrodesiac, to treat impotence, and to soothe sexual fears and inhibitions. In fact, ylang ylang’s sexually soothing properties are probably the reason for the Indonesian tradition of spreading fresh ylang ylang flowers on the bed of a newly married couple. For any of the abovementioned purposes, try diffusing the essential oil in the space with an aromatherapy diffuser or mister or adding a few drops to a carrier oil and using it as a massage oil or lotion. You might also try misting the bed sheets, simply wafting the oil under your nose, or employing the oil into charms or rituals designed for the purpose.

Weight Loss and Body Image

Weight and food issues often stem from some form of sexual inhibition or past abuse, or simply from being so caught up in our heads that we are out of touch with the simple pleasure of being in our bodies. In either case, we compensate by finding sensual pleasure through food or, on the flipside, deny ourselves this pleasure despite the fact that we seem to find ourselves obsessed with it. This is why ylang ylang can be helpful for any sort of body-image challenge or eating disorder, by helping us to balance out and find a healthy relationship with our bodies and the foods we choose to eat (or not eat). For this purpose, I suggest diffusing the essential oil in your space, adding it to your bath water, wafting it under your nose as desired, or adding a few drops to your body lotion and applying it on a daily basis, perhaps before bed or first thing in the morning. You might also keep a bottle of the oil by your bed and inhale it immediately upon awakening or just before falling asleep (whichever feels right), bringing the scent deeply into your body and awareness as you think, “I love my body. I love being in my body. I treat my body well.”

Magical Correspondences

Element: Water

Gender: Female

Planet: Venus