Icelandic Dew: Flower Essence Making in Iceland
Because of the energetic qualities of flower essences and the alchemical mixing of elements that often happens when making floral essences in their natural habitat, I have a strong orientation to sourcing flowers from environments that are ecologically and energetically pure and intact. For me, Iceland is one of these places.

Iceland is a gorgeous otherworldly island that is still pristine and full of prana, what I consider a perfect place for making flower essences. Iceland's wild lands are bejeweled with dramatic lava formations, waterfalls, glacier lagoons, hot springs, high mountain passes, stunning valleys, and iceberg beaches all rich with folklore about 'hidden people' and 'hidden worlds' such as fairies, elves, pixies, sprites...my kind of place for floral magic!
Loading... Please wait...





In the village of Azrou, situated in the Middle Atlas Mountains, we had the good fortune of meeting the women of the Al Amal Cooperative. Al amal in Arabic means hope; it is here that nine women have dedicated themselves to the preservation of traditional botanical medicine for the last seven years.
We drove through the new city of Fez; modern, hip, and affluent its wide boulevards crammed with cars were a stark contrast to the tiny walking lanes of the old city. The old and new cities seemed to have completely different cultures as well, with the new city having a distinctly younger westernized population and the old city appearing as left over from the past, with traditional clothing the norm and the general age of the people noticeably older. It was easy to imagine that many of people we had encountered in the shops of the medina never went outside the walls of their ancient realm.
the Sufis call “the city of saints.”
Casablanca disappeared behind us in a haze of diesel fumes, street dust and factory smoke. It took a long time to get out of the crowded city, but eventually we were passing through oak groves harvested for their cork bark and small stands offering fresh melons and forest-harvested truffles. Our destination was the agricultural region of Meknes and Khemisset, midway between the Atlantic coast and Fez. 







A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing Floracopeia founder, David Crow. 



When we approach an essential oil with concentration and mindfulness it begins to reveal hidden dimensions of beauty, power and intelligence that are not ordinarily noticed. As we integrate these new perceptions into a greater awareness of our own physiological reactions to the plant’s essence, we begin to understand how we are deeply connected to all of life, specifically to the photosynthetic beings that give us nourishment and medicines. By exploring this biological unity through our own senses, we come to realize directly that the processes of life occurring in and around us are truly the expressions and manifestations of an underlying miraculous and profound consciousness, as so eloquently described by the language of Ayurveda. For that reason, we call this practice “Aromatic Alchemy.”

