Goldenrod

one piece at a time

Goldenrod is, to me, one of the most nourishing essences for our self-esteem and confidence. It’s an essence that supports the fullness of the solar plexus chakra, our center of personal power. I also associate the ease|control axis with the solar plexus, as well as our ability to live as our inner light and shine it outwards into the world.

I collected Goldenrod essence in August of 2020, after spending early summer awaiting its bloom. I was enchanted by my yard that year, eagerly identifying plants to actively embrace and connect to the land I had been living on for a year already.

I was so delighted by Goldenrod’s signatures, and now four years later, I’m still so gratified and nourished by its medicine.

Plant Family and Latin Name Meaning

This particular species of Goldenrod is Canada goldenrod (I’m pretty sure!), solidago canadensis, though I have also spotted wrinkle-leaf Goldenrod, solidago rugosa on the land there. All goldenrods are in the genus Solidago, the family Asteraceae, the sub-family Asteroideae (along with sunflowers), and the tribe Astereae (with various fleabanes, daisies, and asters).

According to the USDA’s article on Missouri Goldenrod, “The genus name Solidago is from Latin solidus/solido (whole) and ago (to make) meaning to “make whole or heal”, in reference to the plants’ supposed healing properties (Hitchcock and Cronquist 1973; Charters 2011).”

Goldenrod has been used for herbal medicine long before settlers colonized the North America, where it is native. (It has been classed as invasive in parts of Europe, Japan, and China.) So its name solidago meaning to make whole or heal makes sense in that way. (I’ve used goldenrod to make a tincture for seasonal allergies, and I know it’s useful as a diuretic and much more.) But there are other aspects of its signature that make even more sense of the name to me, and they relate to our self-esteem and the way we view ourselves.

Before Goldenrod blooms in mid-late summer, it has already grown quite tall, commanding our attention. When the flowers open, we see a vibrant and powerful, bright and seemingly glowing golden inflorescence. It packs a punch, visually. The contrast of the bright golden color set against the inevitable deep green of its backdrop at the height of the flowers makes it stand out and grab our awareness.

What struck me most was that each powerful inflorescence, or bundle of flowers, is made up of many tiny flowers facing up towards the sun. And even each of those is a composite of several flowers. Within the larger inflorescence, each individual bloom, like almost all Asteraceae flowers, are made up several individual flowers: disc flowers in the center, and ray flowers surrounding them. The Asteraceae family was originally called Compositae due to its composite blooms.

So this bright, shining, impactful inflorescence, is made up of many small parts. Just like us. The whole of who we are is made up of all our tiny facets of being. Sometimes we’ll receive a reflection that feels untrue because we can’t see ourselves as the whole of who we are. But if we can embrace the tiny parts of us that feel accessible, we can begin to appreciate the whole person, bit by bit.

A healthy and full solar plexus chakra indicates a true sense of self, a balanced comfort with who that self is, and the confidence to share and operate as that self in the world. I love Goldenrod for the solar plexus because it can help us get there, one teeny tiny flower at a time.

Essence Description

This plant stands up tall and makes itself known with many tiny flowers. The flowers all look unapologetically, proudly, up at the sun. On their own, each tiny flower would not make such an impact, but the whole inflorescence packs a punch. This essence is about garnering all the little parts of yourself that you know to be true and strong and bright and putting your faith into those little pieces every day. This collective faith in your parts creates a full, comprehensive sense of self that is formidable, impactful, and undeniable. Your offering is valuable. Your self is whole. You are bright.

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