Victorian Flower Oracle: Opium Poppy

Opium Poppy
Dreams, Illusions

Image: Opium Poppy pours seeds/pollen/something onto the sleeping insects below. One insect is awake and carries a lit lantern as he travels past. The sky is dark/cloudy as if it were threatening to rain.

.traveller. said:

Opium Poppy stands against a dark sky that is threatening rain. From two seed heads, she spreads what would logically be seeds onto some prone insects. However, logic doesn't work in this world and perhaps these aren't seeds at all, but a magical pollen that imparts dreams. This has the feeling of a temporary state, if it rains the rain will wash away the pollen and the insects will awake. One insect doesn't sleep, it is wide awake and even holds a lantern to better light the path. This insect feels like the true visionary, with no need of artificial substances to obscure things. I get the sense that for this insect, dreams don't hold the same sort of escape that they provide the other bugs, this insect's dreams are full of messages, portents, and weighty matters. No wonder it walks away from Opium Poppy.

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Pay attention to your dreams
Watering your dreams until they begin to grow (Astrae)
A very peaceful card. It reminds me of the poppy field in the Wizard of Oz.
I relate this card to painting/drawing, whereas Flax would be the writer's card... even though, historically, many poet's have used Opium to enhance their creativity. I guess it is because of the association of color, opium supposedly produces color-saturated dreams and I relate color to paint.
The word "delirium" comes to mind, fever dreams.
Upon looking up the effects of opium, in addition to it's well known use as a narcotic painkiller, it is also associated with sex. Not sure why... perhaps someone else will know.

The first thing I noticed was the crippled roach holding the latern checking on everyone who was doped up.
In the times where there were opium houses, there would be someone who ran the place, who would check in the addicts but I don't know if they checked on them. Maybe they did, somewhat?

She, Opium Poppy, keeps her dreamers in the state of complete bliss. Their pain can't be touched, only sweet escape keeps them wrapped in their wanted prisons.
Someone might watch you as you allow yourself to hide from your problems. But they can't help you, you don't hear their words for want of this world.

Could this crippled bug be a recovering addict? Or someone who has seen the horrors of what has happen to others and wants to help others to stay away?
It had it's winter hibernation and found it to be full of horror in the waking.

I hear, "Been there, done that. No thank you, Miss Opium Poppy. I'll find my dreams elsewhere." Then he slowly limps away.

I can see this as a drug addicts or even a sexual addict card. A hiding away in fantasies, dreams and phony illusions. A run away quickly, if you can card. Snap to and realize your potential before it's to late.

Barbara

Great card. Opium has several faces. One is as a pain-killer - and let's face it, sometimes we need it. It can be addictive. But it has a long association with poets and creatives - especially in Victorian times.

Dreams and illusions precede all creative work...you daydream and suddenly, something takes shape in your mind. And you have to water it, to help it grow. Then - harvest it: that's the hard graft part, turning dream into reality. But without the dream, there is no reality to craft.

I do a lot of shamanic journeying and have visions - this card often indicates those in my life, especially if I draw it in a positive or advice position.

Keep watering that dream - to quote the song: "you gotta have a dream, if you don't have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true?"

As long as we remember that not all dreams do come true - then we must dream!