Flower Essences
Understanding an emerging field of vibrational medicine
Flowers have always spoken to me. As a child, I would come close and listen, believing it was the fairies communicating around me. Having grown up with Scandinavian folklore, my senses were already awakened to the magic that lives among the thick, bright moss and wooded landscapes. From rocky portals between the ferns to spotted red mushrooms, not much of an imagination was required to see the enchanted backdrop of my surroundings. A majority of my children’s books also encouraged interactions with the gnomes and flora of the natural world. From Elsa Beskov’s flower children to Rolf Lidberg’s trolls, their surreal landscapes continue to remind me to tune in and look for the little things that easily go unnoticed.
Over the years, I have used flowers for a wide variety of reasons, including as a source of employment, self-expression, art, communication and healing. Initially, the act of gardening itself was therapeutic and grounding. There is also a level of nostalgia woven into the generations of gardeners in my family, further connecting me to my maternal roots. I have felt the many ways in which gardening is good for the soul, and more recently discovered the scientific data that supports this concept. Preliminary research shows that exposure to Mycobacterium vaccae, a bacteria found in soil, is thought to have antidepressant properties by stimulating serotonin production. Natural remedies have been around for centuries; now modern scientists are starting to voice their support for evolving botanically based systems of healing.
It’s not just digging in dirt that makes us happy. Flowers themselves have multiple therapeutic properties that stretch beyond the aesthetic joy and inspiration that accompanies a colorful and fragrant bouquet. The presence of flowers can brighten a space, expand our moods and even reduce stress. Flowers are thought to help with concentration and memory, as plants oxygenate the air, boosting our brain cells and improving overall function. But flowers are also known to have individual meanings as well as widespread healing abilities through their own unique vibrational energy patterns.
Flower Essences As Medicine
This concept stems back over 3,000 years to the ancient Egyptians, who were first known to collect morning dew from selected flowers and use its energetic properties to treat intense emotional states. Since then, many cultures have adapted their own methods, that today have emerged into the field of vibrational plant medicine.
In the early 1930s, British physician Edward Bach detected that each flower had a different healing capacity as well as therapeutic property. Through personal and clinical observations, he worked to find a way to capture and use this energy in his medical work. “He believed that the root of all disease was a result of the personality being out of alignment with the soul. He believed that illness is the effect of disharmony between body and mind. Symptoms of an illness are the external expression of negative emotional states. He asserted that disease could only be eradicated when an individual was in a state of emotional equilibrium. He found that when he treated the personalities and feelings of his patients (with flower essences) their unhappiness and physical distress would be alleviated as the natural healing potential in their bodies was unblocked and allowed to work once more”. (Batch Flower Essence Manual)
Essentially, Dr. Bach succeeded in creating a simple and non-invasive system that people could use to heal themselves. He gave up his successful medical practice and dedicated his life to cultivating and standardizing a system that utilized flower essences to restore emotional balance. He identified 37 English wildflowers and one water essence that correspond to 38 different human emotions, known as the 38 Bach Flower Remedies, still used widely today.
This approach to healing may seem unusual for some, yet is becoming more commonplace for those seeking alterative or holistic methods. It differs from the more traditional uses of herbal supplements or fragrant essential oils that are actual plant extracts with medicinal properties, instead targeting the physical plane.
How Flower Essences Work
Flower essences are odorless and meant to be ingested, working to restore balance and harmony on the psycho-emotional level. “Unlike pharmaceuticals or even some herbal medicines, which can suppress symptoms, flower essences work by the principle of resonance within the subtle human energy field, which impacts one’s physical and emotional health. In other words, flower essences are based on vibrational energetics, rather than biochemical, and stimulate the body’s natural capacity to bring itself back to homeostasis. All plants carry vibrational energy patterns, and it is said that flowers are the pinnacle of this energy.” (Batch Flower Essence Manual)
Flower essences are made by placing a flower in a bowl of distilled or spring water and allowing it to soak for several hours in the light of the sun or moon. The water then receives the energetic imprint of that flower’s healing capacity, ready for collection and preservation in dropper bottles. The plant itself is then discarded, leaving the essence empty of relevant physical matter. Flower essences are a safe and gentle approach that can be used both internally and externally by adults and children alike. Drops can be taken orally, 2-3x a day or added to a beverage or bath as well.
Every flower is unique, with an innate wisdom that they lovingly share with us. There are meanings assigned to each bloom, and a personalized formula will be created that resonates with your individual needs. Flower essence practitioners are trained in assessing your emotional state, evaluating your concerns and creating a remedy that resonates with your needs. For example, Lavender, Aloe Vera and Yarrow are excellent for anxiety, whereas Dandelion, Lady’s Slipper and Sweet Peas assist with grounding and centering. Echinacea, Arnica and Dogwood can help heal and clear trauma whereas Cosmos, Black Eyed Susan and Angelica can bring about clairvoyance. These are just a few of the many flowers with healing potentials to be explored. There is no way to misuse flower essences and if the wrong flower is chosen, you will not feel any change. It is the positive energy, not the substance, that leads to an improved mind-body-spirit connection with immediate or subtle effects over time.
Seeing flowers as agents of transformation allows us to tap into and be present and connected with the natural healing energy that surrounds us. While we often want rapid and drastic fixes for our concerns, this approach is more of a gentle remedy with lasting effects, setting the use of flower essences apart from other conventional healing modalities. What each individual needs to reach a state of wellness is often drastically different, and having options and tools to choose from further diversifies this process.
Flower Essences and Therapy
As a Therapist, I love to incorporate flower essences in my treatment plan for clients who require a gentle approach to healing, or specific emotional support. Flower essences are a wonderful addition to the cognitive and verbal aspects of psychotherapy, supporting your healing goals on a deeper and energetic level. It also gives us the opportunity to further strengthen our mind-body connection by listening to the ways our body communicates with us about our overall wellbeing. Flower essences have personally helped me manage the emotional demands of every day life, assisting in converting negative emotions into positive feelings and restoring balance and intuition. I have witnessed transformations that allow for increased clarity, courage, joy and presence. Many healers throughout history understood physical manifestations of disease to be a result of emotional imbalance, and these theories are now being corroborated as science and research advances.
Working with a trained practitioner is beneficial in understanding the various therapeutic properties of each plant and creating the elixir that is best for you. Yet, you can also learn to make your own essences, which starts by paying attention to and connecting with the plant world in a unique and beautiful manner. When you are drawn to a specific species, it’s often because it is letting you know that you can benefit from its medicine. The natural world is constantly encouraging us to be open to new possibilities and methods of finding peace, balance and harmony. So go for a walk, and let the plants guide you towards becoming your own floral alchemist.