Quince
Marmeleiro – Cydonia oblonga
Qualities of the essence
Balance
Inner balance between inner polarities of feminine and masculine, softness and strength, being and doing. Unification within. Balancing left and right hemispheres of the brain.
Rootedness
Strength, firmness and resilience. Supports essential life-force and inner confidence.
Heart-opening
Supports one in softening and opening the delicate space of the heart. Balancing the root and heart chakras. The root supporting the heart, and the heart allowing receptivity and softening when the the root becomes overly defended. A remedy for discovering more love within you.
Indications
A sense of inner conflict. Ungrounded, or superficial and inauthentic in feminine energy. Using delicacy and ‘weakness’ of the feminine to manipulate. Seeing strength as purely masculine. Masculinity disconnected with heart, overly defended and emotionally guarded. Discomfort and sadness cause by imbalanced energies within and how this manifests in the world. Finding identity as man or woman beyond image, external pressures. A desire to experience more love.
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Tree characteristics
The Quince tree is a small low bushy tree. I develops many narrow shoots if left unpruned, turning into a somewhat messy and disordered bush. The branches have an upward movement and then bend out to the side – reaching outwards and then dropping down to the earth again, creating a cave of branches, or a protective tangled nest.
It is hardy and drought tolerant, but also able to deal with plenty of water in the winter. Here it grows in abundance along our main seasonal stream banks, down in the valley.
The flowers are delicate white or soft pink, with a wonderful aroma.
It produces a golden yellow fruit – sometimes called the ‘golden apple’ in legends of the past. The fruit has hard, sour and astringent flesh, and is known for making a preserve. In Portugal the fruit is called ‘marmelo’ and the preserve is ‘marmelada’ – the origin of the word ‘marmelade’.
There are many stories about the Quince – it has often been a symbol of love. It is the symbol of the Greek Goddess Aphrodite.
Essence making notes
April 5th, 2021
I had been waiting for a clear morning to make this essence, and had almost given up. But this Easter Monday morning was clear and still. I found trees along the waterline in the valley still in full bloom.
I arrived around 9 am but the sun had yet to reach this spot. It was cool and wet. The blossoms were covered in dew. The trees offered a deep calm as I waited for the sun.
First impressions of the Quince tree:
The five petalled-flowers are the palest white-pink, with delicate pink veins, mauve stamens and a pale green calyx.
The budded blossoms are like rosebuds, with their spiralling petals. They have a subtle, delicate and sweet aroma that draws me into their pale pink glow.
The leaves are soft and slightly furry like the unripe fruit. The larger leaves are pointed, the smaller ones have rounded ends.
The branches of the tree shoot up and then curve down to the Earth. Climbing plants are growing up in to it.
The flowers quiver in the breeze. A cookoo sings.
The signature of the flower and the leaves is of such a delicate softness and beauty. Purity is the word that comes to mind.
Purity in sexuality – balanced and heart connected.
Clearing shame.
Innocent opening, grounded in strength of knowing ones own power and inner stability.
However the tree is so strong and hardy. Its fruit is big, greenish yellow, with a waxy skin and hard sour flesh and strong smell. It is extremely abundant. It being Easter time, it feels very resonant with the Easter energies of celebration, rebirth, fertility.
At 9.30 I start setting myself up as the sun moves closer and touches the first blooms.
I collect freshly opened flowers, as the sun hits them. And lay the bowl down in a space I have cleared between the long grass.
I go back and sit with the tree. What do you have to tell me dear Quince?
“I am Rooted!” is the reply I get. “I may look soft and feminine in the springtime, but I am strong and resilient.”
I feel this rootedness in my body.
“My roots are firm and my life-force is strong. My fruits predate your hybridized fruits. I am the rootstock, the firm ancestor, rich in nutrition, and rich in stories.”
In contrast, the petals open wide and receptive to pollinators, with a looseness and openess seem to capture the essence of soft feminine attributes.
When the flowers start to lose their vibrancy and the water sparkles in the sunlight, I finish the process and decant the mother essence. I drink a little water left in the bowl – an elixir smelling of the blossoms and sweet tasting with a lemony accent. It feels bright and cleansing for the soul. Delectable.
I go and thank the tree once more and have such a soft meeting, I feel almost shy to meet in such a gentle and exposed softness of heart. What a gift!
Quince Healing Path
I feel this flower remedy works on balancing the lower chakras with the heart. And balancing masculine and feminine energies within the self, so that the male supports the female and the female supports the male, in a constant yin-yang dance. These male – female polarities can also express in external roles of father and mother, provider and nurturer etc. However Quince is more about supporting the inner journey of finding the truth of these polarities within the self. Feeling the discomfort when they are out of balance and supporting the discovery of how to balance them.
I feel it can be useful for men and women in discovering their identity beyond all the symbols, images, pressures, and gender expectations…. a very useful remedy for these times, when many people are experiencing pain and confusion as a result of all these misguided stereotypes.
Then, once you have found some inner clarity, you can play the polarity game with freedom, confidence, awareness and love. Quince can support you in this.
In essence this remedy is a love remedy, offering support in showing you the love that lies within you, so you can let that love nourish and guide you.
Testimonials
“The Quince has been a great help in getting clarity in the right move at the right time, and putting my heart & head in full communication so I could assess what was needed and when. It has helped me ride the emotional roller coaster of the last few weeks & months leaving me much more calm as I could focus on what was needed. Plus get clarity on the next steps, and releasing things that are no longer benefiting me.”