Sunflower: petals of light

In Espiritismo Cordon in Cuba, they use a native american statue, besides a sunflower to represent the Indio commission. Just like a light bulb is sometimes hung over San Hilarion as a principle of guiding light to bring the spirits on their white table.

          Emblematic of the sun is the sunflower. It is also associated with the elevated Lwa Gran Solier, Soleil, Soley or Grand/Big Sun). Under Gran Solier many emmisarios work with spiritualists, the dead who were former spiritualists now help us in Sanse and Puerto-Rican Espiritismo. There are several Saint images as aspects, as each Lwa family such as the Soley's represent several spirits in the same division.  The image of the crowned Jesus is used as the "great power" related to the crucified justice, and thorns of Mars and warrior aspect, and as the justice card of the tarot runs between the sun and mars in qaballah or the tree of life.... like the energy of St George (the Oguns), and the Lwa Beli Belcan (used as St Michael) his sword is said to be off a ray of the sun or like lightening.
Note: if your flowers have thorns you must remove them before giving to the spirits or on the boveda.
One image for Gran Soley is also used on the yellow cover of Kardec's selected prayers we use: Ecce Homo "the man".

The sun's rays are cleansing, and correspond with life force, ache,and the ability to transport "souls" or spirits to manifest and to elevate. Much like the Gran Chemin or "big road" called in Haitian Vodou before Legba.

The sunflowers is used as a symbol of many European spiritualist churches since the 1890's and represents truth and constancy (loyalty, dedication, faith, enduring qualities), along with the bright color yellow since ancient times.

It symbolizes the good spirits and the progress of man:

A seed is placed in the earth, nurtured, watered from the heavens and co-ultivated at times by mankind. The sunflower faces the east when the sun rises, and then to the west with the progress of the sun during the day. As likens to the progress of souls from birth to death in the watery twilight of the west with the ancestors.

As the flower "turns" it represents the various paths, caminos, vueltas, faces, or presentations a visiting spirit can manifest such as the "ave" "gira" or dove turns of the holy spirit, ad the spiraling dance movements. In spanish the sunflower is called girasol or sun turner.

As it faces east it is as a salute to the rebirth and regeneration of incarnated souls and gives acknowledgment to the Great Spirit.
As the petals open of the flower, it represents unfolding of our spiritual gifts and growth.
Many cultures see the sun as the visible face of God. The sun is the heart and solar plexus region, as the personification of Jesus is light, truth and charity/love.
This is why the holy day was changed from Saturday (Saturn of restriction, material, and death) to Sunday.

The solar seasonal celebrations or sabbats are widely comparative: the invincible sun or sol Invictus is reborn at the winter solstice, and returns to earth in the Spring Equinox to bring new life at Easter.
For example: Greek Hellenist doctrine of the solar logos, and early Christian symbolism depicted Christ as the Spiritual Sun, illumination source of order, harmony, healing and spiritual insight, and borrowed older depictions of enlightenment and spiritual power of crowns/ coronas of halo and rays of lights. We also have the magician Solomon, as symbolized as the magi in the enter of the circle, and the astrological symbol of the center of our universe, the generative projective sun. This is the wand and the pillar in the peristyle, of power that runs through every human to be activated.

Like a man the sunflower grows stooped with age, and can grow the height of a man.
The main stalk often has 7 branches with 12 leaves, a celestial and solar number.
(As Gran Solier is our Chief of the 7 Jefe Lwa in Sanse pantheon).
And 7 being the days of the week and classical planets, 12 of the solar cycle months.
And these branches often produce 3 flowers per stalk as the number of formation, the persons spiritual frame or cuadro (spirits that make up your entourage of guides etc) and the trinity.
Each flower has 52 golden petals for the weeks of the year, breaking down again to 7 (5+2).
In the center are generally 365 seeds representing our solar calender year.
Some of their centers grow in a spiral, fractal way, which generates all creation.

Flowers are said to be an earth element, but it has roots, a channel/stalk, and aerial parts.
There is Odu that some explain as that flowers are to the dead and not the Orisha.
However the sunflower is said to represent several spirits including Oshun and Cachita Tumbo.
The petals of the flowers on the boveda are used in spiritual baths as it is gentle and replenishing to our aura or spiritual fluids/energy body. The petals are like a cats whiskers and increase our sensitivity to spiritual transmissions. Some call our spiritual gifts "lights".
Usually white flowers are placed for the dead, or yellow flowers are used for light, but different colors have symbolism.
A multi-color bouquet is used for all your dead.
Carnations are used for strength and are affordable and popular for this reason.

"Scattering petals in an instant" Is a translation of one of the songs or prayers for evocation.It explains the love/charity or mercy the spirit is showing by guiding us or coming down to do work for us. Flowers are associated with love, friendship and reunion, as thrown in weddings and the Indian Holi festival as brotherhood and offerings. Flowers and sweet smells are attractive to the spirits. In the resurgance era of european spiritualism, spirits were reported to actually manifest flowers or rain down petals onto the seance table.

                                                  from blog natividad del mar

A crown of flowers, and its petals are therefore very important in the Espiritismo tradition during crowning and baptism.

In another canto or song for the misa, The song for Christo says "regando flores" or roughly watering flowers: showering down or raining flowers.
In a song for the gypsy it says as translated "give me a flower with a goodbye".

                                                      Sancista 7 Crossroads