Getting Naked: Making Amaryllis Lily Essence

Amaryllis belladonna ~ Goleta, CA. Copyright Arielle Ela·Ra.

The exquisite, rose-pink flowers had seemingly popped up overnight at the nature preserve near our home. They danced in clusters of lily-like blooms on long stalks, standing out like blushing brides against the browns and beiges of southern California’s typical summer wardrobe. I immediately accepted their invitation to breathe in their intoxicating scent (carefully choosing a bloom uninhabited by the bees, who were equally enthralled). The flowers transmitted the Pink Ray of Divine Love, and the Divine Feminine, like a heady wine. They carried the energy of the bodhisattva Kuan Yin, and I could also feel my Venusian galactic family in their embrace. (Side note: a few months before, I’d received a Divine download for a Love of Venus alchemical blend but knew I didn’t have all the ingredients yet… well I’d found one.)

“What are they?” I wondered aloud to Marlon, who as usual had held space patiently with the dogs while I stepped (literally and figuratively) off the trail.

Within minutes of posing this question, we ran into an acquaintance who said, “Did you see the Naked Ladies?”

After a brief, comical moment where we both glanced surreptitiously around for female streakers, we realized she was talking about the flowers!

The botanical name I later learned is Amaryllis belladonna. While referred to as a “lily” by its common monikers Naked Lady Lily, Amaryllis Lily, and Jersey Lily, it is in fact the only true member of the Amaryllis genus. (The winter-blooming flowers with big extravagant blooms we typically refer to as “Amaryllis” are Hippeastrum, go figure.)

I knew the Amaryllis Lilies were calling to co-create an essence. However, despite continuing my love affair with them on regular walks around the preserve and earmarking a few different days as possibilities for making an essence, it never seemed to line up. I would feel sapped of energy on those days, or else unforeseen things would come up needing my attention. Maybe it will happen next summer, I thought. Without attachment, I surrendered the idea and decided to enjoy the Naked Lady Lilies on my walks without trying to plan for an essence.

It was several weeks after I first spotted the Amaryllis Lilies that I went as usual to open the window in my office for an evening breeze and, to my happy astonishment, was met with an enchanting floral scent. Immediately I pressed my nose to the screen to see into the bed of succulents below, wondering what exotic enchantress had magicked herself among their uniform ranks.

There right below my window, glowing in the light of the recently full moon like the skinny dipping temptress her name implied, was a newly-bloomed Naked Lady Lily.

I laughed aloud. I was giddy with the unexpected delight of her being there, giddy with the feeling that always comes when the magic- and sense of humor- of the Universe is revealed to us: the feeling of being immensely loved. (I was also even more in love with our new home and its proximity to Nature.)

The day to make the essence ended up being the day after the autumn equinox (and a few days before my birthday). I knew and trusted that the Amaryllis Lily outside my window had chosen me, had specifically volunteered for this essence. All of the previous essences I had made, however, had been in natural, wild locations. Even though the nature preserve was just 500 feet down the street and I could see it from my house, my front yard seemed like an oddly suburban and public setting. I couldn’t help feeling self-conscious as I sat before the flower bed under my window and started preparing the bowl and water.

Then, as I tuned into the Amaryllis Lily, she said loud and clear,

Come as you are.​

Amaryllis Lily. Copyright Arielle Ela·Ra

In a flash, I understood: all of this was, of course, perfect for her gift and her message.

Be gloriously, nakedly, unashamedly yourself. No matter where you are, you are wild and free. Nothing can tame you or shame you. You are lovable and valuable no matter what.

Interestingly, this was also the first time I was guided to make a flower essence using the “live” method, without cutting the flowers.*

*I will interject here that I consider myself an essence facilitator. I co-create my flower essences with the plant, and the process is entirely directed by them, their collective, my guides and my higher self. This surrender and trust allows for the highest expression of the plant, and thus the highest octave of essence. So I am not someone who has specific protocols and “belief systems” around essence making, such as only using uncut blooms or vise versa. There is no wrong way to make an essence. Whatever is best for that individual plant, essence, time and scenario is simply what is best.

Naked Lady Lily was absolutely beautiful as she shared her heart’s song with the essence water. Her petals shimmered in the sun as if opalescent eyeshadow had been applied by faeries for just this occasion. When she felt complete with her time in the bowl, she wore the remaining water droplets like jewels. She held the essence water, me and our surroundings in a forcefield of love. I sat and channeled her messages into my journal, periodically brought to tears by the profound heart-opening her energy incited. These are some excerpts…

You don’t need excess adornment, coverage, accessories or fanfare. Just come as you are. Show up in your purity and glory. Don’t make it seem a certain way, try to be a certain way. Be authentically you. Just show up- as yourself, for yourself. 

Enjoy yourself… Enjoy the essence of you, enjoy being yourself. ​In Joy of Self. Enjoy Your Self.

As we collectively awaken and ascend, one of the biggest factors in our evolution is self-acceptance. This acceptance and self-love is essential not only in releasing what no longer serves us, but in stepping further into our rightful selves and our rightful destiny. Amaryllis Lily is here for this.