Florida Water and Esotericism
Florida Water is a cologne whose main ingredients are alcohol and flowers, herbs and spices, intended to give the aroma. Florida water has existed since ancient times, although evidence of its manufacture and use as a perfume appears in the mid-16th century. There are those who consider Florida water to be a Spanish invention, following the search for the fountain of youth in Florida. In this way, its name would not come from the flowers, but from the geographical location, and it would have been created as a cologne "with rejuvenating properties", or as a simple souvenir. On the other hand, there is a registered trademark as Florida Water since 1835, under the name of Murray &. Lanman, on whose labels the floral extract was highlighted and therefore its use as a cologne and as a facial cleansing or anti-fatigue water: the alcohol made it a perfect antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. It also helps to lower fever.
Among its ingredients we find herbs of frequent aromatic use such as rosemary, lavender or mint, flowers such as rose or orange blossom, spices such as cloves and cinnamon, and other elements such as lemon, orange or mandarin peel, benzoin wood, etc. There are endless recipes for Florida water and many different tutorials to make it yourself. The key to its simple preparation (distilled or boiled water, high-proof alcohol and the flowers of preference) has been key to its diffusion.
Although it had a perfume function, for a long time it was intentionally ignored that herbal oils, infusions or their use with alcohol were much older. Herbs had always been the basis of natural medicine, and their use in an appropriate mixture of alcohol was no exception. It is still currently sold in herbalists. The indigenous traditions of South America seem to have some importance in spiritual diffusion. Their uses, however, were different. Peruvian shamans used Florida water as a mist that helped expand the shaman's consciousness. It was also used in baths and to purify sacred ground, especially in areas of the Amazon. The perfume not only fulfilled a hygienic function, but also had different esoteric values depending on the flowers with which it was prepared: purifying, protective, attracting love or luck, etc.
This is the esoteric meaning that is maintained today. There are long lists of correspondences of plants, flowers, spices, as well as woods, fruits and minerals for each purpose and objective. The original recipe, despite attempts, has been lost. As can be seen, the ingredients are repeated over and over again, trying to preserve the standard recipe, but adding elements that have gained a specific power through popular or esoteric culture. Depending on the region, this varies greatly (the values of a plant or stone in Peru are not the same as those in Norway, for example, nor is it easy to find all the identical ingredients), however, we can say that it is an intentional water.
Recipes
Anything that can be macerated in a bottle of water and alcohol in the dark for approximately one month can be part of this esoteric preparation. For many, its preparation is also a ritual in itself. For this reason, there are different florid waters in herbalists, esoteric shops or on the Internet with totally different components depending on the situation. Let's look at some examples:
- Shamanic florid water contains the herbs most used by shamans: mimosa, palo santo, rosewood, cocoa, copal, copaiba, tobacco, frangipani or laudanum... Asian herbs are also used, such as lotus, osmanthus, hinoki...
- The most "basic" recipe is the wrongly called "colonial". It contains amber, musk and benzoin, among other ingredients, and citrus fruits such as orange, lemon and mandarin are added, depending on its intensity. It is the base of most of the florida waters on the market.
- The standardized recipe that is most often prepared on an esoteric and personal level contains cinnamon, cloves, lavender, rosemary and the aforementioned citrus fruits. Sometimes a crystal such as quartz is added to give it a special quality.
- For the purification of the home or objects, it is recommended to use lavender, rosemary, sage, elderberry, mint, eucalyptus, aloe in the recipe... If the objective is specifically to cleanse bad energies, palo santo, parsley, rue, basil, thyme and jasmine are recommended. Among the crystals, the transparent or all-clear quartz stand out, and above all the tourmaline, known in the esoteric world for its protective character (since it is a very fragile stone that laminates "every time it prevents a stroke of bad luck"). Clove and star anise are references in this type of preparations
- To attract money, you can prepare a florida water with cinnamon, anise, citrus peels (or dried slices, especially grapefruit), citrine quartz, pyrite, jade, gold, and among the plants, laurel, basil, orange blossom, orchid, chrysanthemum, and ultimately yellow flowers, but be careful not to use flowers that are normally associated with other colors and values, such as roses, since according to popular wisdom, they could attract envy. Due to the influence of Chinese culture, bamboo, the so-called money flower, and the succulent jade flower are also currently included among these ingredients.
- For spiritual improvement and growth, florida water recipes include palo santo, incense, myrrh, salts, quartz, amber, benzoin, laurel, rosemary, lavender, geraniums... Amethysts and white roses are also frequently used. Essential oils are often added to this preparation, which is to be used frequently on the skin.
- For external love and self-love, essential oils are also added, as it is most likely used as a tonic. Its ingredients include coconut oil, rose buds or petals, lily petals, geraniums, jasmine, sage, basil and St. John's Wort, which also give it the characteristic red color. And among the stones, rose quartz, carnelian, tiger's eye stand out...
- For luck, the flower waters can contain practically everything: hawthorn, rue, laurel, basil, rosemary, mint, cinnamon, cloves, lavender, bamboo, clovers, geranium, peony, orchids, lotus... Among the most common crystals for luck are jade, magnet stone, sodalite, aventurine, jasper and of course quartz. Sometimes they contain some silver, for its protective quality.
Pietro V. Carracedo Ahumada – pietrocarracedo@gmail.com
Bibliography:
- Galleguillos Tapia, S. Shamanic plants: journeys through therapeutic aromas. Grijalbo. 2019.
- VVAA. El Agua Florida. Exploring the Magic in Every Drop: Volume 1. Aztec Spiritual Connection. Amazon Digital Services. 2024.
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> St. John's Wort. Legends, rituals and medicine.
> Review: Plants and witchcraft exhibition at the Complutense University of Madrid..
