Making the Santa Barbara Stream Orchid Essence: The Story of Pituitary Master

by Star Riparetti

Stream Orchid Epipactis gigantea
"Pituitary Master"

After returning from Peru in April, I began to get information about the one wild orchid that grows here on the central coast of California: Epipactis gigantea (which is funny because it is certainly not gigantic- the blooms are quite small, between the size of a nickel and a quarter). This stream orchid, which grows in boggy areas, is quite rare and had been elusive to me for years. I had seen the plant, and never seen it in bloom. I mentioned it to a couple of friends, and- it was another one of those "everything that could go right, went right" sort of events. First it seemed as though its blooming time was over... Then my dear friend Katherine Grace located it- in bloom.

There is a place here in Santa Barbara county called Arroyo Hondo (which, interestingly, means "Deep Stream")- it is a land preserve and it is usually open to the public two days a month, and you have to have a reservation, and it is often booked several months in advance. Katherine Grace knows the caretaker of the land and was able to get us permission to go in and to make the essence. In fact, the caretaker was excited for us to come, which made it even better. Everything fell into place beautifully and we had an exquisite journey to the land to make the powerful essence of the Santa Barbara Stream Orchid.

The Epipactis gigantea stream orchid essence is called "Pituitary Master." The Pituitary is our main control center. It secretes oxytocin- the hormone of love. This essence awakens and strengthens this gland, which can accelerate our connection to the divine source, and connect this energy to the physical. Using this essence can also help us to have a feeling of contentment. It can help to create calmness- especially around a mate. It may even play a roll in autism, as one somehow has more appropriate social behavior.