The Amaryllis in my kitchen...

I have never really thought about it before but an Amaryllis has a certain, dare I say it, eroticism about it - at least the one in my kitchen does. After spending a few days thrusting its strong green stem ever upwards, our Amaryllis now stands proudly erect on the kitchen window sill, offering passers by, the sight of four beautiful, fully open flowers; their delicate stamens arcing outwards in outrageous temptation; an insect boudoir if ever there was one. To my mind, the sight of this fully complete flower shows that a healthy joining and flowering of both its male and female counterparts has taken place and that it has reached the zenith of its life cycle. In nature energy terms this joining and flowering represents the Yin and Yang and in human terms, is representative of a healthy balance of the masculine and feminine natures that reside within us all - that's what I think anyway. From this observation, I was left with the thought that it might be interesting to research the symbolism of the Amaryllis further; perhaps a Freudian view or some other symbolic meaning. My initial search however did not throw up any particular Freudian insights into this flower but I did find other symbolic meanings that are associated with learning and academia.

Amaryllis Flower Meanings:

• Symbolic of success won after a struggle. These were often given in recognition of a job well done – particularly in scholastics, writing, and artistic endeavors. Give the poet in your life a bunch of amaryllis and you are encouraging his/her creative muse. You are also recognizing his/her achievements in the arts.

• Legend has it that the amaryllis - the stunning red flower we've come to associate with the holidays - began as a shy, timid nymph. Amaryllis fell deeply in love with Alteo, a shepherd with Hercules' strength and Apollo's beauty, but her affections were unrequited. Hoping that she could win him over by bestowing upon him the thing he desired most - a flower so unique it had never existed in the world before - Amaryllis sought advice from the oracle of Delphi. Following his instructions, Amaryllis dressed in maiden's white and appeared at Alteo's door for 30 nights, each time piercing her heart with a golden arrow. When at last Alteo opened his door, there before him was a striking crimson flower, sprung from the blood of Amaryllis's heart. With this romantic - albeit tragic - tale as its beginning, it's not surprising that today the amaryllis has come to symbolize pride, determination and radiant beauty.