Sag Full Moon brings Florida Water
eau de fleur
2024: Tradition has formed here in this household, that during every Sagittarius full moon I walk my yard-en and pick the best flowers. Those that the bees have pollinated & that thine eyes have been blessed with. Late May, the daffodils and crocus are long gone but the roses and peonies are either right at peak or just falling from it. The clematis, wild rose & honeysuckle are dominant, which makes the bees happy and the fresh herbs like mint, oregano and basil are really taking hold. To capture the fullness of this moon, with the sun in Gemini, I made florida water. This is a protective flower essence and extract that both smells delicious (with the right aromatics) and gives the glorious expressed solar protection to those who use it with prayer. This year, I added some of the dried flowers in my apothecary to extend my garden’s blooms and additional magical flowers that I did not grow but that I use as medicine personally. Dried Blue Lotus, Lavender, Lily of the Valley, Hibiscus & Butterfly Pea flowers all made it into the final stage of the preparation and they have given the final strain of this spirit a lovely deep blue color that is unlike batches from years prior. I also took select single blooms and am making a mother blend over a lower temp and longer time to play with the energetics of this recipe. I’ll check back in with updates as I find inspiration to share. Honorable mention goes to the temporal Pisces full moon water that I made last year. This beauty has acted as holy water by our front door, sitting in our ancestor altar and reflecting the eastern rising sun’s light. She wanted to be a part of this mutable party. A Gemini friend in coastal Oregon sent me a large batch of Bay leaves from her farm last year and, for this moment, I burned them a bit for cleansing and snuffed them out in the Pisces water. This added actual fire element as I saw the singed leaves wick into the water with speed the 1st decan of Sagittarius is famous for. Onward, Santiago!
2025: It’s May 2025 and I’m revisiting this post to give a recipe that you can use for your own Florida water.
Start with a big, clean wide mouth jar. A quart mason jar works or one of the nice Weck Jars.
You need 80 proof alcohol, I tend to use moonshine because #appalachia but vodka works just fine too
Herbs including: fresh orange peels, dried cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks & star anise, aromatic flowers such as roses, jasmine, lavendar, gardenias, lilacs and then fresh flowers that grow around you. If you don’t have any that grow around you, walk to see if you can find some dandelion, plantain or red clover in the cracks on the street. Having a flower ally that is near to you really adds the personal magic.
The combination of the orange+dried spices+aromatic flowers gives it that Florida Water scent. You can add any dried herbs that you wish to include and discovering the magic of the herbs adds to the reason you’re making Florida Water in the first place.
Used in cleansing ritual, Florida Water is a personal protection layer in the spirit world. I love to include Rose in mine as the best flower for spiritual divine protection. Rosemary, Sweetgrass, Rue, Tulsi are good protective choices if you wish to add more layers.
Once you’ve gathered all of your herbs, you can place them in the jar until it is full and loosely packed. As you layer the plants, give them thanks, talk to them and ask them to open up in participation for this ritual. Pour your alcohol over the plants in the jar until it covers them completely. Leave the jar sealed but exposed to the full moon light each night: the night before, the night of and the night after for triplicity effect. Just be sure to keep the jar away from sunlight as its curing.
Once you’ve set it out under the full moon, wrap it in a paper bag and keep it in a closed cabinet. Take it out to place under each full moon for up to 6 months. I keep mine in for at least 3 months, but you can just let it sit for 1 month if you’re in need.
Once you’re ready to use the water, strain the herbs, flowers and peels out and compost them in the ground. Dilute the alchol extraction by adding 3 parts distilled water to 1 part alcohol. Some folks like the 4:1 dilution, I prefer the 3:1.
To make the 3:1
If you made 1 quart (32oz) mason jar of alcohol, pour 4 oz of Florida Water into clean pint (16oz) jars and fill to the top with distilled water. Seal with a lid, label it and store! You’ve got enough Florida water for the year (or for gifts for lucky friends!)
Merry & mirthful Full Moon to you! Let me know if you make some yourself!