Passion Flower: Tomorrows Garden
My blog this time is about the Passion Flower. Have you ever seen one? Did you look at how amazing this flower is close up? It’s so much more than just a flower you know, did you know this?!
Here are some facts of the Passion Flower…
- When it was discovered by 16th-century Christian missionaries in South America, the distinctive characteristics reminded them of the Passion of Christ, which led to its name. The term “passion”, in regards to Christianity, represents the suffering and death of Jesus Christ.
- Each part of the flower was ascribed a specific meaning and sentiment as well, such as: The five sepals and petals represent the ten apostles during the Passion of Jesus Christ. The flower’s inherent purple colour is representative of lent. The three-pointed leaves represent the Holy Trinity.
- At the top of the flower, above the petals, sepals, and corona filaments, there are three stigmas. The stigma is the part of the flower that receives pollen and initiates fertilization. The three stigmas on the passionflower are said to represent the three nails that held Jesus to the cross.
Passion Flower: Tomorrows Garden
- The passion flower’s individual features were found to be symbolic of the crucifixion of Christ, or as known in biblical history, the Passion of the Christ.
- Today, passionflower is promoted as a dietary supplement for anxiety and sleep problems, as well as for pain, heart rhythm problems, menopausal symptoms, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is applied to the skin for burns and to treat hemorrhoids.
- The soothing properties of passionflower have been confirmed in several studies. This property is due to its ability to reduce anxiety, reduce stress hormones, and improve sleep quality. In addition, passionflower can help in reducing the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome.
- It is still used today to treat anxiety and insomnia. Scientists believe passionflower works by increasing levels of a chemical called gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. GABA lowers the activity of some brain cells, making you feel more relaxed. (GABA is also produced during our Yoga practice). It is also found in Miso soup and other fermented foods which all help with depression.
So after reading that now you know the Passion Flower isn’t about what we think the word passion means!
This striking flower represents the short final period before the death of Jesus. It is commemorated in Christianity every year during Holy Week.
The Passion of Christ is the story of Jesus Christ’s arrest, trial, suffering and finally his execution by crucifixion.
The original meaning of the word passion:
- From Late Latin passionem (nominative passio) “suffering, enduring.”
- From past participle stem of Latin pati “to endure, undergo, experience.”
Jesus did what we could not do, and He did it all because of love. The Passion of Christ is God’s love for you and me.
“No one shows greater love than when he lays down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
