Flower Essence Therapy

[Masamune]

Flower essences have played an important part in my healing over the years.

What are flower essences?

Flower essences are herbal infusions or decoctions, made from the flowering part of the plant, which uniquely address emotional and mental aspects of wellness. The first 38 flower remedies were formulated by a British physician, Dr. Edward Bach, in the 1930's, although new remedies from other plant species are now available.

How do flower essences work?

To understand how flower essences work requires a recognition that the human being is more than a physical body, but also incorporates a "body" of life energy, a "body" of sensitivity and feelings, and a spiritual essence or Self. Flower essences are energetic imprints of the life force of plants which interact with these subtle bodies of the human being, and evoke specific qualities within us. We can say that they work in a similar way to inspirational music or art, which carry meaning through the vehicle of sound or light, while the flower essences work through the medium of water.

Modern physics has known for nearly a century that matter and consciousness are intertwined. However, medical science still generally works with a nineteenth century model of the human being as a mechanism in a world of machines. We expect that in the coming century medical science will develop ways of studying the impact of consciousness on health, and we will learn more about the ways in which flower essences work. However, empirical research, which consists of the collection of case studies and practitioner reports, will remain the primary source of knowledge about how flower essences work.

From my experience, flower essences feel like they provide a certain type of emotional energy, depending on the flower, that assists one in learning about one's self and helps in healing of the emotions or soul.

The essences that have helped me the most are: Rescue Remedy (essence of Cherry Plum, Rock Rose, Impatiens, Star of Bethlehem, and Clematis) which helps me stay calm under great stress, Holly- from www.fesflowers.com: Positive qualities: Loving and inclusive gestures to others; heartfelt compassion; ability to express gratitude to others
Patterns of imbalance: Social isolation; jealousy, envy, suspicion, anger
and Yarrow: Positive qualities: Luminous and strong auric field, compassionate and inclusive sensitivity, refined and flexible psychic forces
Patterns of imbalance: Extreme vulnerability to others and to the environment; easily depleted, overly absorbent of negative influences, psychic toxicity.
I have used Bach flower remedies and Flower Essence Service remedies but there are many other brands/flowers out there. A good book I have found on the subject is the Flower Essence Reperatory.
Does anyone else use flower remedies? What has your experience been?

 

[mada85]

I've used the Bach Flower remedies for years and found them very helpful. However, now that I've been detoxing my body, and sticking to my changed diet, and supplementing as recommended by Mark Hyman, Sherry Rogers, etc, I have the impression that a lot of the states that can be treated by the Bach Flowers are actually caused by nutrient deficiencies and toxins in the body. I think that once the body and mind are detoxed, and one takes the correct nutrients for health of body and mind, then one will be able to use Dr Bach's remedies more accurately, so to speak. It's quite possible that there are occasions when 'soul states' or emotional states are the cause of physical disease, but until we have removed the physical causes of disease (toxins) we will be using the Bach remedies in vain.

 

[mada85]

I wanted to add a new observation on the Bach Flower Remedies. As I have continued to practice EE I have felt less and less any need for the Bach Flower Remedies. I did use them for something a few weeks ago and I was surprised to observe that their way of working was purely mechanical. The negative emotional state (I can't remember what it was) was cleared, but there was not the feeling of joy, the sense of nourishing an internal higher part that comes from work on the self. I was surprised because previously I did think, perhaps influenced by the authors I've read who have written about the Bach Flowers, that they do nourish a higher part of the self. Although I have seen their effectiveness in myself and others it now looks to me that dietary changes, detoxing and EE pretty much render them unnecessary.

 

[Lys]

Hi,

This thread has been posted quite a long time ago but as I have just read Dr Bach's book "Heal yourself" (This is the French title translated in English) and I wanted to share my experience with flowers.

It's quite possible that there are occasions when 'soul states' or emotional states are the cause of physical disease, but until we have removed the physical causes of disease (toxins) we will be using the Bach remedies in vain.

Although I have seen their effectiveness in myself and others it now looks to me that dietary changes, detoxing and EE pretty much render them unnecessary.

I think that florals elixirs had been made to help people to become aware of their "soul states" and to allow them to work on it.
But as you said, since you changed your diet, operated detoxifying and practiced EE you obviously became aware of your health and your way of thinking and no longer had the need to use it.
Was it, maybe, the fact that you removed physical causes of disease the result of an open-minded state?
I am not pretending that disease is only induced by our "soul state" as I am also studying diet, exercises, massages and breathing technics.
I am trying to understand if Bach's flowers could operate a change in those soul states without having a real awareness of them as I've had the opportunity to observe that it works for pets.

I am studying naturopathy and flower's elixirs are one of the tools we use to work on people thinking habits, and many of them are not aware of it or sometimes they are in denial, "it is just like this" and they haven't even thought about the fact that they could change something.
Perhaps the flowers can be a good tool to give to people who don't recognize their "defaults" as Dr. Bach used to call them?
Although, when they come to visit a naturopath, they often tend to enhance their lifestyle, so they know that something may be wrong.
Bach's flowers could be, I think, a good medium to help people to regularly think about what they would like to change or improve, associated with a kind of prayer.
Also, the philosophy of Dr. Bach helps to focus on improvement instead of past and traumatisms as each "default" has a correlated quality. This is an idea that I like.

Does anyone else use flower remedies? What has your experience been?

I had the opportunity to make my own mix with the help of my colleagues and I am just starting to take it while I repeat to myself a few sentences associated with my "defaults" and the thing I realize is that, so far, it helps me to focus on improving my awareness, the way I behave and react.
Also, it helps me to understand how I can inform and advise people in a positive way.

The mix I made contains:

Agrimony:
Positive qualities: sincerity, candor, ability to face off negative and positive experiences with beneficiation.
Patterns of imbalance: pain disguised behind a mask of joviality, "everything is always fine", addictions, insouciance.

Cherry Plum:
Positive qualities: courage, force, inner calmness, acceptance and clear expression of feelings.
Patterns of imbalance: difficulty to keep control of feelings, feeling of being on the verge of a nervous breakdown, incapacity to express oneself feeling without control which can lead to no expression at all.

Chicory:
Positive qualities: selfless love, capacity to know our own needs and awareness of others love.
Patterns of imbalance: possessiveness and demanding nature in an emotional way, tendency to make oneself indispensable, an expectation of gratitude.

Impatiens:
Positive qualities: indulgence, good capacity to act, to adjust to others, patience, delicacy, gentleness.
Patterns of imbalance: mental tension, pushing other to be quicker, everything has to be done rapidly, frustration, annoyed by slower people.

Pine:
Positive qualities: acceptance and respect for oneself qualities and weaknesses.
Patterns of imbalance: guilt, self-criticism, tendency to apologize for everything.

The good thing is that it is very easy to use, I just take it, think about it and feed myself with positive affirmations a few times a day.
It remembers me to observe myself.
I also used the rescue remedy for my cat which was very nervous traveling in a car and it worked very well when we couldn't do anything to help the poor creature.


I wish you all a nice day.