"Remember who you are and where you come from."
The 'herb' that came to me when I tuned into this autumn season was surprisingly the well-known apple. In my work as an energetic reader, I often sense which herb wants to collaborate with a person in their current personal life. I also frequently tune into the energy of the moment, such as during the full moon or the new moon. I then use the herb that emerges during that attunement to support me during that time. This is usually in the form of a simple cup of tea. The herb often has a fitting message to bring awareness to something or to support a specific process. This time, it's the apple.
The Apple as a Dangerous Symbol
In fairy tales, stories, legends, and myths, the apple is often described as a dangerous symbol. We are all familiar with the biblical story in which Eve eats the apple and, along with Adam, is banished from the Garden of Eden. Or Snow White, who takes a bite of the enchanted apple and falls into what appears to be a death-like sleep. This is why the apple is known as the "forbidden fruit." This term piques my curiosity and interest. It is a symbol representing knowledge, temptation, immortality, and sin. Much of this we can roughly recognize from the medicinal properties of the apple."
The Energetic and Spiritual Message of the Apple: Remember Who You Truly Are and Where You Come From
The apple carries a beautiful power and invitation for us. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. At its core, the apple has never forgotten its ancestors. It knows very well where it comes from, and it carries this knowledge in its core, its DNA, its flesh, and through its seeds, it passes it on to its offspring. The apple is greatly influenced by the masculine will for control, power, and domination. With knowledge and skill, people determine the taste, size, shape, and ripening of the apple. This is how humans see themselves as masters over the apple. On the other hand, the apple is subject to a feminine force that equally plays a part in this process: the desire to see how the apple develops itself, what the outcome of our actions is, and the gentle power to let the apple determine its own steps. This is the power of nature. Together, these forces shape the apple. You might say the apple has lost its own will and power. Due to the tension between these forces, the apple can sometimes become sick and even make us sick. In this way, it represents the collision of these two forces within ourselves.
But the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Deep within the apple, the power is present and is passed down through its flesh time and time again—an ancient power, an individuality. The apple has an exceptional power to remember this. It also tells the story of embracing life in all its glory, of accepting yourself as you are with all your dark and light sides, without disgust. The apple tells the tale of sensuality, enjoyment, passion, and living with abandon. It remembers where it comes from, who it is, what it's here to do, with whom, how, and why. The apple calls on us to know this as well, to feel and connect with that power and memory, and to realize that it's all that matters. You, too, are not far from your ancestors. They possess an ancient power and wisdom that you've inherited as well. Let them support you in remembering who you fundamentally are. We are who we are, and no external force can change that. The apple explains that this is the key to finding peace, happiness, relaxation, and ease. After all, if the inner world is all that matters, the external forces pressing upon you lose their significance. In the apple, and thus in you, a great deal of shakti, or life energy, is unleashed. This is the sensual life energy that is the foundation of all life. When it is liberated, you feel incredibly alive, full of vitality, and connected to everything that lives. You experience your sensuality, your unique self. The fruit of the apple represents the entire universe. Remember that you are the entire universe, and let no one convince you otherwise. Feel that power and immense space within yourself as well. When you eat an apple, see an apple, drink apple juice, or think of an apple, remember this.
When looking back in retrospect at this message, it becomes clear why the apple is seen as dangerous. In our patriarchal system, we often seek control and fear the great unknown and uniqueness. If everyone and everything is unique, how can we maintain order and establish rules?
More Than a Healthy Snack
The apple is a healthy piece of fruit. As the English saying goes, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Apples are rich in dietary fiber, potassium, and the vitamin C in apples is well absorbed by our bodies due to the presence of antioxidants. Additionally, the apple has medicinal properties. It is attributed with cancer-preventing effects. It also contains quercetin, which has an anti-allergic effect and increases the availability of oxygen to the lungs, thereby promoting endurance. Apples help lower cholesterol levels and curb hunger. They also help protect memory. Eating a fresh apple helps maintain healthy teeth by killing harmful bacteria in the mouth.
Personally, I have an allergy (cross-reactivity with hay fever) to unprocessed apples, and interestingly, the amount of quercetin in apples doesn't help me overcome that allergy.
The Properties of the Apple as seen from it's Energy
When I ask the apple itself about its effects, it confirms the appetite-suppressing properties and its role in promoting healthy function of the lower intestines. It also enhances the feelings of abundance and self-love. Furthermore, it claims to nourish the body and make the mind fuzzy, inviting you to fully embody sensuality and, in turn, sexuality. If you have any emotional pain related to these aspects, the apple will gently and soothingly show support, encouraging you to stay with it and be kind to yourself. It also represents setting boundaries on this topic, both with others and with yourself. Being kind to yourself in this regard, having your own time and pace, speaking up and not holding back or letting others hold you back. Letting go of what doesn't matter. Celebrating life. The apple helps to activate your shakti, or life energy. It also wants to talk about ancestral themes, especially along your female lineage, which immediately brings to mind the Dutch saying "de appel valt niet ver van de boom" (the apple doesn't fall far from the tree). Therefore, the apple is also an herb for writers, poets, philosophers, thinkers. It serves as an inspiration for wisdom, ideas, and insights. Many of these qualities can be harnessed through a flower remedy or tincture made from the apple. For the more spiritual aspect of the apple, you can simply ask the apple to travel energetically with you. Meditating in this manner can yield many insights. You can have some apples in your home or take an apple in your thoughts during your meditation.
Take good care of yourself, enjoy the apples available during this season, and let yourself be carried away by the mystical energy of the apple.