The Power of Flower Language is not Dead
March 14th, 2009 | by admin |Wendy Stenberg-Tendys asked:
In England, a would-be burglar sent his shaken 91 year-old victim a boutique of flowers, with a card and an apology. He was sorry he had scared her, but he thought there was no one in the house at the time of his attempted burglary. He ran from the house without having taken anything. Police are asking him to give himself up. What will they charge him with? Sending flowers to a would-be victim, or for breaking and entering and frightening a 91 year-old woman?
However, the power of flower language is not a new art. Floriography, is commonly believed to have originated from the Victorian age, when flowers were used to send secret messages. However, flower language began in medieval and Renaissance culture. Saints were depicted in paintings with flowers that were symbolic of the virtues of the saint.
Some of the most common use of flowers as a language are: red roses for love, pansies for thoughtfulness, carnations for admiration, white lilies for purity, pink roses for a lesser affection, white roses for eternal love, daisies for innocence and blue violets for faithfulness, to name just a few.
There is a modern flower power that has stamped its mark societies across the globe.
Flower Power had its strongest rise to fame in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s in the sub-cultural movement of the Hippies. The Hippies (flower children) were an emblem of non-violent beliefs, with a strong stance against the use of war to solve universal problems and in particular the war in Vietnam and the cold war of the nuclear hungry superpowers. The Hippies were determined in their demand for social change.
The twenty year-olds and teenagers gave flowers to policemen and bystanders. They placed flowers in the barrels of guns and revolvers, as a sign of peace, not war. They were pacifists and participated in non-violent political demonstrations. Concerning the political activity of hippies, it was said “They mostly prefer to be stoned, but most of them want peace and they want an end to war of any kind.”
A photograph taken for the Washington Post, of a clean cut looking teenager, dressed in a turtle neck pullover. It showed the teenager placing flowers in the barrels of the policemen’s guns and became the symbol of the era, alongside the brightly painted VW buses commonly used by the Flower Children.
The hippie generation became known as the ‘love generation’, embracing the sexual revolution of free love. They were also known for their frequent use of soft drugs, such as cannabis, to explore alternative states of consciousness. Their brightly painted VW buses were the forerunners of the modern-day art vehicles. Many Hippies loved to hitch-hike around the globe, as their way of meeting new people, as well as being very economical.
The catch cry of the Flower People was ‘Give Peace A Chance’ They practiced religious as well as cultural diversity, often embracing Eastern philosophies and spiritual concepts, while widely rejecting established institutions, both through mode of dress and their actions.
It was only after the Hippie sub-culture, that unmarried couples of any age felt they have the freedom to live or travel together, without the horror of social stigma. Sexual frankness became more common, even to the rights of bisexual, homosexual and transsexual. Interest was focused in natural foods, herbal remedies and vitamin supplements. All are a legacy from the carefree days of the Hippies. Mustaches, beards and long hair became widely accepted and bright clothing more common. The music festival Woodstock became a turning point in the acceptance of large music festivals, in spite of some unfortunate incidents where young people were killed. The festivals centred on peace, love and a balanced, though alternate lifestyle. Self-sufficiency and sustainable energy had its formation laid down in the Hippy movement.
The Flower Power of the Hippies had a major effect on societies around the globe, influencing health foods, fashion, popular music, television, film, literature and art. It was this period that saw the beginnings of the Cyber Space revolution. Only through the advent of the Hippy culture are people able to have the freedom to say what they do on the Internet today.
GINA
In England, a would-be burglar sent his shaken 91 year-old victim a boutique of flowers, with a card and an apology. He was sorry he had scared her, but he thought there was no one in the house at the time of his attempted burglary. He ran from the house without having taken anything. Police are asking him to give himself up. What will they charge him with? Sending flowers to a would-be victim, or for breaking and entering and frightening a 91 year-old woman?
However, the power of flower language is not a new art. Floriography, is commonly believed to have originated from the Victorian age, when flowers were used to send secret messages. However, flower language began in medieval and Renaissance culture. Saints were depicted in paintings with flowers that were symbolic of the virtues of the saint.
Some of the most common use of flowers as a language are: red roses for love, pansies for thoughtfulness, carnations for admiration, white lilies for purity, pink roses for a lesser affection, white roses for eternal love, daisies for innocence and blue violets for faithfulness, to name just a few.
There is a modern flower power that has stamped its mark societies across the globe.
Flower Power had its strongest rise to fame in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s in the sub-cultural movement of the Hippies. The Hippies (flower children) were an emblem of non-violent beliefs, with a strong stance against the use of war to solve universal problems and in particular the war in Vietnam and the cold war of the nuclear hungry superpowers. The Hippies were determined in their demand for social change.
The twenty year-olds and teenagers gave flowers to policemen and bystanders. They placed flowers in the barrels of guns and revolvers, as a sign of peace, not war. They were pacifists and participated in non-violent political demonstrations. Concerning the political activity of hippies, it was said “They mostly prefer to be stoned, but most of them want peace and they want an end to war of any kind.”
A photograph taken for the Washington Post, of a clean cut looking teenager, dressed in a turtle neck pullover. It showed the teenager placing flowers in the barrels of the policemen’s guns and became the symbol of the era, alongside the brightly painted VW buses commonly used by the Flower Children.
The hippie generation became known as the ‘love generation’, embracing the sexual revolution of free love. They were also known for their frequent use of soft drugs, such as cannabis, to explore alternative states of consciousness. Their brightly painted VW buses were the forerunners of the modern-day art vehicles. Many Hippies loved to hitch-hike around the globe, as their way of meeting new people, as well as being very economical.
The catch cry of the Flower People was ‘Give Peace A Chance’ They practiced religious as well as cultural diversity, often embracing Eastern philosophies and spiritual concepts, while widely rejecting established institutions, both through mode of dress and their actions.
It was only after the Hippie sub-culture, that unmarried couples of any age felt they have the freedom to live or travel together, without the horror of social stigma. Sexual frankness became more common, even to the rights of bisexual, homosexual and transsexual. Interest was focused in natural foods, herbal remedies and vitamin supplements. All are a legacy from the carefree days of the Hippies. Mustaches, beards and long hair became widely accepted and bright clothing more common. The music festival Woodstock became a turning point in the acceptance of large music festivals, in spite of some unfortunate incidents where young people were killed. The festivals centred on peace, love and a balanced, though alternate lifestyle. Self-sufficiency and sustainable energy had its formation laid down in the Hippy movement.
The Flower Power of the Hippies had a major effect on societies around the globe, influencing health foods, fashion, popular music, television, film, literature and art. It was this period that saw the beginnings of the Cyber Space revolution. Only through the advent of the Hippy culture are people able to have the freedom to say what they do on the Internet today.
GINA
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