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PRIVET (Ligustrum vulgare, Ligustrum ovalifolium)
Key: Old wounds
Privet is best known as a hedging plant and this species is Ligustrum ovalifolium introduced from Japan in the 1840’s to largely replace the native species, Ligustrum vulgare. Both plants are similar in form and habit except the native species has smaller leaves and flowers and does not retain its leaves in winter like the Japanese variety.
Wild privet can be found in hedgerows and woods easily distinguishable by its smaller scale. Both types bear a dense head of white flowers in July. The scent is strong and carries far in warm weather, though not to everyone’s favour as it has a sharp echo to its heavy sweetness. The flowers form shiny black berries in autumn, once used in dyeing. Privet can reach a height of about 10 ft.(3m), tends to be shrubby with straight stems of hard, off-white wood.
Privet works primarily at the level of the subtle bodies though there is a slight energising of the meridian system. The main areas it affects are the emotional, astral and causal bodies – that is, the levels of feeling and emotion; the personality and ego; and the collective awareness and past-life influences.
There is an increase in energy and life-force in the emotional body that helps the acceptance of growth and change. The astral body is helped to recognise the need to release blocks caused by the physical trauma in this or other lifetimes.
Privet is not particularly effective at emotional levels. It has more focus on physical, structural patterns of programming, and is indicated whenever there is a need to release shock from within the subtle bodies. A harmonious vibration is created that helps to heal and balance the subtle anatomy.
The emotional body very often deals with the individual’s reaction to both itself and others. With this is brought into a finer balance with the astral body and the causal body, it becomes clearer which behaviour patterns are simply echoes from distant encounters – a reliving of past dramas. Once this is realised it becomes easier to disengage the automatic responses and see the situation from the present viewpoint. Such rebalancing will also help to put the individual at ease where they may feel out of place.
Signature: The privet can be trimmed, shaped and cut throughout the year without harm. It reminds us that wounds and restrictions need not damage us permanently and that recovery is always possible.