Flower Meanings: Meaning of the Pansy on Whats-Your-Sign

Last Updated on October 31, 2020 by Avia

Flower Meanings: Pansy Symbolic Meaning

Flower Meanings: Pansy as a Symbol of Memory, Affection and More. Pansies and their cousins, violets are such a common feature. It’s easy to take these delightful babies for granted. My mom plants them around her pecan tree every year.

I’ve been guilty of walking past them without much consideration. Sure, I appreciate their vibrant color and beauty, but I never really got in touch with the deeper symbolism of the pansy until lately. Why the sudden interest? In short, a dream. I dreamed I was submerged in an ocean of pansies. This was kind of surreal, because pansies are rooted to earth, yet I was dreaming of an entire sea of pansies – which factored in water symbolism.

Upon reflection that water energy isn’t too far off base when it comes to flower meanings and the pansy. Why? Because pansies represent reflection (as does water). They are symbolic of thought, clarity and reflecting upon our inner selves.

pansy flower meanings — Pansy flower meanings

“Tis in my memory locked,
and you yourself shall keep the key of it.”
~Shakespeare

Flower Meanings and Keywords for Pansy

Ideas
Dreams
Thought
Fantasy
Thought
Freshness
Renewal
Creativity
Remembrance
Contemplation

I dig the origin of the word pansy. It comes from the French word penser which means “to think”. How cool is that!?!? That little factoid alone makes me look at pansies in a whole new light. Now a’days when I see a pansy, I stop. I think. I reflect. Maybe pansy might be a good trigger for you to do the same?

Give it a try sometime. When you see a pansy or violet – just take a moment to be present, ponder, consider and think.

Pansies play special flower meanings in Shakespeare’s epic, Hamlet. Where there is dear, sweet Ophelia, there are always flowers. In the symbolism of flowers, Ophelia is portrayed as having pansies woven in her hair, sewn in her gown, and in-hand with a bouquet. Here too, the symbolism is that of thought. Ophelia eventually succumbs to madness – I think this is a reference to the pansy. Not because the pansy symbolizes madness. No. Because the pansy is a testimony of the power of thought. The pansy should beckon us to consider, to think, to mull over. I bet Ophelia did. Maybe she thought to the extreme, pushing the limits of the mind. I’d also make a bet that her madness was a kind of bliss. I think she knew the language of flowers, and the wild language of nature – a language few others understood.

That’s a little dark talk in the midst of our pansy-pondering. In truth, the pansy is a delightful reminder of the simplicity of life. Huh? Life? Simple? What? Yeah, trust me. Life CAN be simple. It is made simple by pondering the delicate radiance of flower meanings. It is made simple through appreciating the small, sweet and refreshing things around us.

Don’t do what I did, and walk past the pansy without much reflection. Instead, take time to relish their perky petals, and colorful attitudes. Mostly, when you see violets, or pansies…pause. Take a ‘time out’. Then think. Pontificate. Move into your mind, and really embrace what’s going on in your world of thought.

Allow pansies to show you what’s taking root in your thoughts, and say a silent “thank you” to this flower for bringing you back in the present moment of sanity. Or, if you’re Ophelia, that moment might be madness…I personally see nothing wrong with that. Pansies remind us of perspective. Whether we are sane or otherwise, flower meanings can help us blossom in any environment. All we have to do is love ourselves, and love our flower-family enough to listen – to hear – to think about what’s growing around and within us.

As always, thank you for indulging me these symbolic musings.

May all your pansy encounters be thought-provoking,

Avia