****You can read part 1 here .***
Flower Essences
Flower essences are the gentle, bioenergetic 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. Flower essences focus on our psychological health or what Traditional Chinese Medicine calls Shen or Spirit.
How are flower essences different than essential oils? Imagine a sliding scale of concentration of botanical remedies. Flower essences would be the most gentle and least concentrated while essential oils would be the most concentrated. Flower essences are odorless. They have no contraindications and can be used safely for children, adults, even pets.
Flower essences are homeopathic in nature but do not contain any physical botanical remains. They are energetic and shift us out of destructive emotional patterns. They are created when 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.
Dr. Edward Bach discovered flower essences. He was a medical doctor and homeopath amongst other specialties. He identified 38 flower essences to address roots of emotional imbalance. Many practitioners go beyond the 38 flower essences and look at the doctrine of signatures to suggest a flower essences’ therapeutic action.
Flower essences are usually taken internally. They can be placed directly on the tongue or in a glass of water. They can also be used in topical application. I personally like to add them into my essential oil blends. Since they are purely energetic, I feel they enhance the energetics of the essential oil synergy. The flower essences I would suggest for fear are:
Aspen (Populus tremuloides) is a tree that is known to shake, also called “quaking”. Therefore this flower essence in indicated in when one is in panic and trembling in fear. It helps with fear of the unknown and vague, inexplicable fear. When you don’t know why you are afraid, you just are. You feel impending doom but there is no reason to think that way. This flower essence can be useful in nightmare and night terrors in adults and children.
Cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera) is indicated for fear of going crazy or losing control due to stress. It is a fear of having a nervous breakdown; when you just can’t take it anymore. This kind of fear can register physically in the lower back. This flower essence is useful for those who feel the need to control the outcome and fear what could happen if they don’t. It is useful for those whose fear leaves them completely unable to focus or to act.
Rock Rose (Helianthemum nummularium) is indicated for intense fear, hysteria, or panic. This flower essence is good for extreme phobias that literally paralyze you. It can also be visualizing an event over and over again in your head. For example, you are so scared of flying that you cannot stop the imagining a plane crashing in your head. You don’t want to see it but your mind won’t stop playing it.
Mimulus (Mimulus guttatus) helps you when you feel a minor fear that you can identify such as fear of spiders. You get nervous and have a knot in your stomach when you are around your fear. Your palms start to sweat and you get very quiet. This is indicated when you have a fear of an upcoming event that you are not looking forward to (dentist, public speaking, etc.)
Wood Crane’s Bill (Geranium sylvaticum) helps to resolve fear of being unwanted or rejected. This essence helps you to feel safe and secure in yourself. It helps with fear of transition. It helps us to trust in ourselves that we are enough and we can persevere.
Conclusion
Our emotional core is the center of our humanity. We must nurture this part of ourselves through self-love and nourishing our bodies with botanical healing. We must feed our soul in order to live life to the fullest. Living with fear isn’t your only option. With complementary modalities such as aromatherapy and flower essences, along with holding your well being in high regard, you can conquer the darkness of fear and gain trust in your journey.
THIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN THE NAHA JOURNAL SUMMER 2017.2 AND IT IS REPUBLISHED HERE ACCORDING TO THE NAHA WRITER GUIDELINES 2017-18 COPYRIGHT STATEMENT.
