What is Flower Essence Therapy?
If you’re wondering about flower essence therapy, what it is, and how it can benefit your health, then this little article is for you.
Flower essence therapy is a form of vibrational medicine based on the idea that different vibrational frequencies have different effects on the human experience. These effects influence health by promoting ease or dis-ease within the mind, body and spirit. Put simply, flower essence therapy has a powerful effect in rebalancing the many subtle energy systems of the multidimensional human being.
Flower essences must not be confused with essential oils used in aromatherapy. Flower essence remedies are specially prepared liquid tinctures that contain the essence or ‘vibrational imprint’ of the flower. Comparatively, essential oils contain the biochemical components of the flower or plant. The flower’s vibrational imprint is said to contain the energy or ‘life-force’ of the flower, which is used for its unique healing properties.
Perhaps the most influential physician in the use of flower essence therapy can be credited to Dr Edward Bach, an English bacteriologist in the 1930s, who developed the Bach Flower Essences. Dr Bach believed that treating the mind and emotions was just as important as treating the disease itself.
“Treat the person that has the disease, not the disease the person has.”
During Dr Bach’s time as a medical student, he became more interested in getting to know his patients by talking to them at their bedside. He discovered that many of them had underlying emotional issues that seemed to be contributing to their illness. This led Dr Bach to develop a healing modality that focussed on the patient, not simply the disease they were suffering. Using his intelligence and intuition, Dr Bach discovered 38 flower remedies that he used in his practice to balance his patients’ emotions and promote healing.
The Bach Centre, Oxfordshire, England. Home of Dr Edward Bach
How do the essences really work?
It has been said that the best way to understand how the essences really work is to try them for yourself. The effects are a subjective experience - sometimes subtle, sometimes quite profound. The key is that everyone has a unique and valid response to their experience, much the same way as someone would respond favourably to different colours, different music or different artwork.
The thing is flower essences are a non-physical component of the plant. They are the life-force of the plant, the spirit, the soul. They are vibration, too small to measure. This goes against the measurable logic of science and thus challenges modern orthodox medicine. To analyse the healing properties of flower essences in a scientific way, would be like trying to measure how a person is moved by certain music or how we might feel ‘at home’ in a peaceful garden.
Every individual flower essence contains a unique frequency, much like different frequencies of sound make a different noise. These frequencies have the ability to raise the vibration of emotions, transforming low vibrational, negative emotions into higher vibrational, positive emotions. Essentially, the flower remedies act as an energetic catalyst helping to reestablish connection between one’s personality and higher self. This rebalancing helps a person reconnect with their spiritual being, creating more clarity, peace, and harmony in their life.
how are flower essences made?
The Sun Method is the most common way to prepare flower essence remedies. The transfer of energy or life-force of the selected flowers is achieved by placing the flowers in a crystal bowl of pure spring water and placing the bowl in the sunlight for a period of time. The sunlight transfers the energy into the water, after which the flowers are removed, and equal parts brandy is added to the water as a preservative. This liquid is called the Mother Tincture.
A Stock Bottle is then prepared from the Mother Tincture. These are the 10ml bottles you can purchase as individual flower remedies in the Bach Flower Essence range (they are also the vials that Flower Essence Practitioners use). Single and combination remedies can then be made using the Stock Bottles, usually in a 25ml dropper bottle.
uses and how to take them
Flower essences are safe and can be taken by anyone. If a remedy is not the right one, it won’t have ill effect - it will simply have no effect. This makes it important to select the correct remedy when addressing emotions you want to shift. If you are unsure, a Flower Essence Practitioner can be a great help. Although the essences generally contain alcohol, this is only a small amount (5ml) in a standard 25ml remedy. If you cannot have any alcohol at all, the remedy can be applied externally to the skin. The dose using the Bach Flower Essences is 4 drops, 4 times a day. Other ranges such as the Australian Bush Flower Essences, developed by Ian White, are 7 drops morning and night.
Many emotional states can be brought into balance using the essences, including:
Fear (known, unknown, phobias, terror, nightmares, nervousness, feelings of insanity).
Uncertainty (self-doubt, lack of confidence, indecision, procrastination, disappointment).
Insufficient interest in the present (absent minded, overthinking, stuck in the past, over-worked).
Loneliness (antisocial, aloofness, impatience, irritability, self-obsession).
Over-sensitivity to influence and ideas (social masking, inability to say ‘no’, difficulty with change).
Despondency and despair (overwhelm, guilt, self-doubt, shock/trauma, self-pity, heart break).
Over-care for welfare of others (‘mothering’ behaviour, bossiness, intolerance, fixed opinions).
The key to selecting the most appropriate remedy is to be honest with yourself and the emotions that are truly at the cause of your suffering. Taking some time to address each emotion can really help peel back the layers to uncover this true cause. Be kind to yourself as you do this and spend time in nature to assist the healing process. Furthermore, it is important to speak to a qualified counsellor or therapist for additional support.
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