Answers to many questions and more information about flower essences including the history of flower essences, how they work, how they are made
and administered, their safety, effectiveness and use in combination with other healing modalities can be found here.
Blossom Flower Essence Healing provides individualized flower essence consultations in person or via telephone.
Different practitioners employ different techniques or systems to access how best to proceed with a client and begin their healing journey with flower essences. At Blossom, flower essences are used holistically, looking at the individual as a whole through an extensive intake process and beginning a journey to systematically correct energetic imbalances. An initial appointment lasts approximately 1 1/2 hours and includes a thorough intake and assessment. Information is gathered about health, medical history, family of origin dynamics, mental and emotional health and a general picture of a person's life in the present including evaluation of a person's satisfaction with home, relationships, and friendships. This gives me several pieces of a puzzle, a puzzle that presents an energetic picture of how your past (traumas, beliefs, etc.) has influenced and may continue to influence your present life.
After presenting this picture to you, I will explain how flower essences can help you while giving you an idea of the commitment necessary for healing.
Finally, essences are explored and selected and their dosage explained. I often suggest supportive therapies or activities that may increase the effectiveness of the essences or aid in shifting the energy more rapidly. And while I do work with clients on a one-time basis (see below), I've found that the deep healing benefits of the essences unfold through a series of monthly consultations. Change will come . . . sometimes quickly and sometimes at slow and steady pace.
Energetic treatments using essences from the Teasel plant are also performed at the office. Please email me for more
details on this exciting and effective treatment.
In addition, I'm happy to offer Reiki Treatments
separately or as a complement to a flower essence
follow-up visit. Reiki is a hands-on healing modality
based on the work of Dr. Usui of Japan that serves to
balance the human energy system.
I encourage clients to take an active role in their flower essence treatment and suggest being present while taking the essence and allowing a moment of introspection and awareness, using mantras or affirmations and writing down dreams or journaling observations during the course of treatment.
I'm also happy to work with clients on a one-time or very short term basis, using flower essences to help provide balance and relief for concerns such as improved concentration and focus for an upcoming exam, promoting calm and confidence for an event that requires public speaking or for those curious about how flower essences can be effective in improving their quality of life.
Often when we are out of balance and experiencing emotional or physical pain we look for the treatment that can have an immediate effect and require little to no participation on our part ~ a magic pill. As we grow to understand ourselves better we can take part in and bear witness to the healing of our many layers and the discovery of our true selves. Flower essences are teachers and offer a gentle yet effective path to rediscovering ourselves, experiencing relief and bringing us back into a healthy balance.
frequently asked questions
b l o s s o m
flower essence healing
services
We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are. ~Anais Nin
Change always comes bearing gifts. ~Price Pritchett
What are flower essences and why use them?
Flower essence therapy is a form of vibrational medicine that uses the energetic imprint from a flower to affect the emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical body. Flower essences are medicines to treat the personality and enable us to live more fully and happily in our emotional and physical bodies. They can help us to gain access to our higher selves, our true selves, so that we can live in accordance with our soul’s purpose.
Flower essences are:
- Catalysts. They stimulate the stagnant system that is stuck in patterns of fear, anxiety, repressed emotion, hopelessness, negativity, etc.
- A holistic intervention. They function on physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels.
- Mechanisms to open a system that is closed around trauma from the past. They bring repressed energies to the surface for processing and release.
- Vehicles for moving positive energy into the system. They can help create states of peace, balance, and joy.
- Strengtheners. They can support a system that is weakened or unprotected from stress, duress, challenge or change.
- Mediums for integration. They assist the personality in assembling new or healthier information about the self.
- Healers of damaged self esteem. They allow for changes in feelings of self-love, worthiness, self-acceptance and confidence.
- Guides and teachers. Through their action, they show how nature intends the healthy system to act.
- Helpers for many developmental paths assisting inspiration, intuition and spiritual sensitivities to develop.
- Non-partisan and adaptable to any paradigms, philosophies, schools of thought that will permit them.
- Safe, natural and, in most cases, gentle and subtle in their action.
Reprinted from David Dalton of Delta Gardens
How are they made?
One early morning in May as he [Dr. Edward Bach] was walking through a field upon which the dew still lay heavy, the thought flashed into his mind that each dewdrop must contain some of the properties of the plant upon which it rested; for the heat of the sun, acting through the fluid, would serve to draw out these properties until each drop was magnetized with power. . . . To collect sufficient dew from individual flowers would be too laborious and take too long a time, so he decided to pick a few blooms from a chosen plant and place them in a glass bowl filled with water from a clear stream, and leave it standing in the field in full sunlight for several hours. This he did, and to his great satisfaction found the water was impregnated with the power of the plant, and was very potent. . . It was the method of simplicity he had longed for - the simplicity of mighty things, for fire, earth, air, and water - the four elements - were involved and working together to produce healing remedies of great power.
Nora Weeks ~ The Medical Discoveries of Edward Bach Physician
Flower essences are made from flower blossoms. A flower is carefully plucked (with reverence and permission of the plant) at the peak of its blossoming cycle, set in a bowl of pure water and placed in the sun for several hours. The sun transmits the energetic imprint of the flower into the water. This process is called solarization. The flowers are then removed and the sun-infused water is poured into a bottle with a small amount of alcohol as a preservative.
What is the history of flower essences and how do they work?
For thousands of years Australian Aborigines have used flowers to heal emotional imbalances and physical injuries. Some Native American traditions refer to flower essences in 15thcentury woodcuts that show flower essence preparations being made. Paracelsus, a 16thcentury Swiss physician, used the dew from plants to treat emotional problems, believing that all disease originated with a departure from essential spirituality. He felt that the right essence would renew the connection to the spirit within which is the true healer. People in Ancient Egypt, India, Asia, Europe and South America also have a history of flower essence usage.
Perhaps the man most widely known for his rediscovery, research and the current popularity of flower essences is Dr. Edward Bach (1886-1936), a noted English physician, bacteriologist, immunologist, homeopath and herbalist (as he was fond of being called). Bach developed 38 remedies that are still available today. Perhaps the most well-known of his essences is Rescue Remedy, a combination of 5 of his individual essences used for shock and highly stressful or emergency situations.
In the 1970’s researchers on the West Coast in North America (The Flower Essence Society in Nevada City, California) began researching essences from the Sierra Nevada mountain area. Since that time, many other essence companies, small and large, have appeared both in North America and in many countries around the globe. Though Bach was the creator of the original 38 essences, there are many other wonderful and effective essences made by longtime dedicated and talented individuals that I like to use in my practice, notably essences made by: Delta Gardens (made in New Hampshire, www.deltagardens.com), Australian Bush Flower Essences (www.ausflowers.com.au), FES Essences (www.fesflowers.com), Woodland Essences (made in upstate New York, www.woodlandessence.com), Alaskan Essences (www.alaskanessences.com) and Flower Essences of Fox Mountain (made in western Massachusetts, floweressencesoffoxmountain.com). As each client’s essence is formulated to fit individual needs, one essence line or a combination of lines may be used.
These remedies cure, not by attacking disease, but by flooding our bodies with the beautiful vibrations of our Higher Nature, in the presence of which disease melts as snow in the sunshine. ~Dr. Edward Bach
Dr. Bach found in his practice that similar personality types were susceptible to the same illnesses and reasoned that there must be something in the make-up of the personality that was at least, in part, responsible for the illness itself.
As far as his researches had progressed he had reached the conclusion that the health of the body was controlled by the state of the mind, and that the varying moods and feelings were the indications for the remedies required, irrespective of the bodily complaint. Also, as no two types of individuals were exactly alike in their reactions or moods, they would be affected differently by the same disease and would, therefore need different remedies for their healing. Treat the patient’s personality and not his disease was the principle of the new system of medicine. Treat the state of mind or the moods, and with the return to normal, the disease, whatever it might be, would go also. ~Nora Weeks, The Medical Discoveries of Edward Bach Physician
If we think of our bodies as energy, the energetic quality of a flower essence resonates immediately with the human electrical system and is taken in, providing both stimulation and balance to the system. Fears are eased, emotional blocks are softened and old traumas surface for processing.
For a more scientific and physiological definition, Gurudas, in the book Flower Essences and Vibrational Healing, states that:
. . . When an Essence is ingested or absorbed through the skin, it is initially assimilated into the blood stream. Then it settles midway between the circulatory and nervous systems. There, an electromagnetic current is created by the polarity of the two systems. The Essence then moves directly to the meridians, which are vital mechanisms of interface between the subtle bodies and the physical body. From the meridians the Flower Essence is amplified out to the chakras and various subtle bodies and then back again to the physical body. The amplification also magnifies the life force potency of the Essence and aids in its assimilation. The Essence reaches the imbalanced parts of the body faster and in a more stable form. The quarts-like crystalline silica structures in the physical body, such as those in the blood stream, the hair and nails, amplify and transmit the healing energies of the Flower Essences to their appropriate sights of action, and at the correct frequencies. This whole process is similar to the way radio waves strike a crystal in a radio so that the crystal resonates with the higher frequencies, absorbing them and transforming them into audio frequencies which can be heard by the human ear.
What are examples of flower essences?
The following web pages are from flower essence companies and contain descriptions of individual flower essences and their uses:
http://www.deltagardens.com/medicinal/medicinal.htm
http://www.ausflowers.com.au/shop/scdproducts.asp?catid=1
http://www.fesflowers.com/FES_Quintessentials1.htm
http://www.woodlandessence.com/essences.htm
http://www.bachflower.com/38_Essences.htm
What about the placebo effect?
The effectiveness of flower essences in relation to the placebo effect is no more than any other conventional or complementary medicine. You do not have to believe that the essences are going to work for them to have an effect. Flower essences have been found to be effective when treating children and animals (often sooner than in adults), subjects unfamiliar with the idea that they are “supposed to” feel better while taking them.
How are flower essences administered?
The water from the original flower essence preparation is poured into a bottle with brandy as a preservative. This is called the mother tincture. From the mother tincture, stock bottles (drops from the mother essence + water + brandy) are made and sold by essence companies to customers, practitioners and health food stores. One can take an essence directly from the stock bottle or, more commonly, make a dosage bottle (drops from the stock bottle + water + brandy) usually containing one to six essences.
Flower essences are usually administered in dosage bottles and taken in drops throughout the day directly from the bottle or in a glass of water or other liquid. Essences may also be applied topically to the wrists or other pulse points, misted from spray bottles containing the essence & aromatherapy oils, if desired, put into baths or incorporated into creams, lotions or oils for topical application.
What if I’m sensitive to alcohol?
For those sensitive to alcohol, dosage bottles can be made with glycerin or apple cider vinegar as the preservative. Dosage bottles can also be made without a preservative of any kind (essences + water) and kept in the refrigerator or put in a spray bottles and sprayed in a person’s environment. Essences can also be applied to the wrists or other pulse points, put in creams or lotions or put into a bath.
Animals can receive their healing benefits by putting drops in their water bowl (if in a single-pet household) or rubbed into their ears or paws. Children can take the drops directly, put them in water or juice or apply topically. And even houseplants will enjoy drops of Rescue Remedy to lessen the shock during repotting.
Can essences treat physical illness?
While most descriptions of flower essences available stress their emotional benefits, flower essences can be used to treat physical illness by treating the emotions, behavior patterns and personality of the person suffering with disease. Dr. Bach’s extensive research showed that the action of treating the personality and assisting one in moving in line with their soul purpose, their true being, aided in the diminishment or elimination of physical symptoms.
Will flower essences interfere with any medication or natural supplement I’m taking?
No, flower essences can be safely taken with any other type of natural supplement (vitamin/herbal) or pharmaceutical medication.
Can I use flower essences if I’m using homeopathy?
Yes, flower essences will not interfere with the action of a homeopathic remedy if using homeopathy acutely. If, however, you are working with a homeopath and currently taking a constitutional homeopathic remedy you may want to consult with them or your flower essence practitioner as tracking your progress may be somewhat difficult using both systems concurrently.
How are flower essences different from herbal tinctures and aromatherapy?
Flower Essences are produced by imprinting a flower’s unique vibrational healing signature onto water, are then diluted and used to bring about balance and well-being in the whole person. Flower essences have no scent.
Herbal Extracts and Tinctures are derived after macerating parts of plants and trees (i.e. root, bark, leaves) in alcohol for a period of time before straining and bottling. Herbal remedies are generally recommended for a specific ailment and work primarily on the physical body.
Essential Oils work via the olfactory sense and are extracted, often by distillation, from the flowers, bark, sap and leaves of plants. The highly concentrated oils can bring relief for physical and emotional conditions.
Flower Essences can be effectively used in conjunction with these other modalities.
From an ecological perspective, the making of flower essences requires a very small amount of plant matter in the production of a large amount of essence when compared with other plant-based preparations.
Are flower essences safe to use during pregnancy?
Many essence companies profess that some or all of their flower essences are safe to take while pregnant (e.g. Bach, FES, Australian Bush) and can be very beneficial for both mother and baby. Other companies do not recommend their use during pregnancy.
Who uses flower essences?
Many people use flower essences at home to treat themselves and other family members (even pets) while other professionals incorporate them into their healing practice. In addition to flower essence practitioners this may include naturopathic doctors, psychotherapists, massage therapists and holistic veterinarians to name a few.
Is flower essence therapy a comprehensive system of healing or is it meant to be used as an adjunct therapy?
Flower essence therapy is not intended to take the place of regular medical care though you may find it to be surprisingly effective in supporting your overall health and wellbeing.
Who would benefit from working with a flower essence practitioner?
Everyone! Many people can benefit from the healing effects of flower essences, including but surely not limited to: individuals experiencing mental or emotional unrest or feeling ‘stuck’, someone seeking guidance and support to make a change, a child who suffers from nightmares, a student who wants help focusing and concentrating, someone who experienced childhood trauma and wants help processing it and moving through it, an individual with chronic illness, infertility, hot flashes, anxiety or depression, someone who wants to improve his/her self-confidence, those who seek direction on their path in life or those wishing to get more in touch with their spirituality or intuition . . . the applications are limitless. And don’t forget . . . flower essences are also very effective in treating animals.
