Scenario: Typical Facebook group regarding natural health
Post: I am feeling really stressed out and anxious. What can I use to help?
Comment #1: Try inhaling Bergamot essential oil.
Comment #2: Meditation
Comment #3: Exercise
Comment #4: Lemonbalm Tincture
Comment #5: Rescue Remedy
The next ten comments: What is Rescue Remedy? How do you use it? What is a flower essence? Is it like an essential oil?
Let me be the first to introduce you to flower essences if you have never heard of them. If you have, let me share what I know about them to help you in your learning journey. I have taken several classes on flower essences and the more I learn about them from various teachers, the more I love them. Let's start with the basics, shall we?
What are flower essences?
Flower essences are the gentle, energetic imprints of a flower that are stabilized in water. They help us to recognize, resolve, and release emotional, mental, and spiritual difficulties. In doing so, it is harmonizing to the body and mind.
You cannot dismiss the power of your emotions on your physical body. There is a direct link of your emotional well being to your physical well being. Take your adrenal glands for example. When you are under life threatening stress, they go into fight or flight mode. However, if you are constantly under stress, this mode is constantly intact, and your adrenals get overworked. Then you start feeling fatigued, your hormones get out of whack, your thyroid starts to disfunction, and your immune system starts slacking. All because of stress.
How are flower essences made?
Flower essences are homeopathic in nature but do not contain any physical botanical. It is energetic. Flowers are placed in a bowl of spring water and left in the sun or moon for hours. The flowers are removed and you are left with the water. Then, like homeopathy, you dilute, dilute, dilute and then preserve in alcohol. (This is the condensed version of how they are made. There is a specific process.)
How are flower essences used?
They are typically used by placing drops on the tongue, putting drops into water, or can be used topically, ESPECIALLY when combined with essential oils. The latter is my newest obsession. I am formulating my essential oil blends and adding flower essences to them. WOW! It just brings the energetics of the blend to a whole new level.
Do flower essences have safety concerns?
No, unless you choose to completely abstain from alcohol. In that case, there are some available in a different mediums.
But otherwise, they are safe for children, pets, the elderly, anyone! (There is a special procedure to follow regarding using them for babies under a year.) They are simple and gentle in nature. They do not contradict any medications or medical conditions. Anyone can use them which is great because everyone needs them to help bring emotional balance. I have yet to meet someone who doesn't experience emotions. 😉
Are flower essences like essential oils?
No, except the fact that essential oils can bring emotional healing as well. As stated above, the two combined are a powerhouse for balancing your emotions and bringing a positive emotional force to your mind, body, and soul.
Flower essences do not have an aroma like essential oils. Essential oils are aromatic. They work directly with your limbic system in your brain which houses your emotions and natural drives. Flower essences work with energetics and frequencies the flowers imprint in water.
Flower essences are very gentle botanical remedies whereas essential oils are very concentrated. Flower essences do not have contraindications. Essential oils have many. You really can't mess up with flower essences and have an adverse reaction. With essential oils, there are many precautions and guidelines to follow.
Is there a good brand of flower essences?
The most popular brand is Bach. Flower essences were discovered by Dr. Edward Bach. He was a medical doctor and homeopath amongst other specialties. He identified 38 flower essences to address emotional imbalance. His line is the most well known, especially with the popularity of his Rescue Remedy blend.
I, however, from learning from both Bach practitioners and other flower essence practitioners, do not limit myself to those 38 flowers. I have found many flower essences beyond the 38 Bach flowers to have amazing healing powers. To me, I want to get flower essences from people who really understand and respect botanical medicine and the power that botanicals bring to our lives. So if I trust that person as an aromatherapist or herbalist, I trust their flower essences.
How do I know which ones to use?
A ready made blend, like Rescue Remedy is great to use for a short period of time. But to really address emotional needs, it should be custom blended. Edward Bach believed that everyone deserves individual treatment, not a mass remedy. I completely agree. Flower essences are not a one size fits all modality because each of us have different emotional needs and roots of emotional imbalances,
The best route to go about this is to fill out a questionnaire and talk to a professional about what you'd like addressed. The practitioner can then create a blend especially for your needs and explain to you how to process works. It is such an easy, gentle, and effective modality that everyone can find beneficial.
Flower essences are underutilized here in the United States. Yet everyone I know is dealing with some sort of emotional distress. It could be stress, anxiety, fear, resentment, jealousy, grief, low self-esteem, anger, feeling stuck, lack of focus, depression, loneliness...I could go on and on. Flower essences aren't magic cures. But they help us to become more self aware so we can heal on an emotional level. And when you heal on an emotional level, our bodies take suit. It's a win-win for everyone.
