Flower Essences

By Liz Temple

An Introduction 

The modern pioneer of flower essences was Dr Edward Bach, a homeopath and medical doctor working in the 1930's.

Flower remedies or essences were formulated specifically for emotional states.  Many different aspects of emotions can be addressed.  Some examples include states of mind such as worry; impatience; lack of confidence; fear of poverty; anger and resentment; neediness; despair; confusion; resistance to change; blocks to meditation and spiritual awareness.

Remedies are a form of energy medicine i.e. they act on the life-force of the individual in a non-chemical way, similar in some ways to homeopathy.  The main difference from homeopathy is that the person is flooded with the vibrations (frequency) of the flowers, or their 'etheric imprint', which instills positive qualities to counteract the negative that the person is suffering from.  Homeopathic remedies are thought to amplify the negative in order for the body to react and start or speed up the healing process.  Both are thought to remove blocks to our own healing.  The flower essences are thought to have a finer vibrational rate than homeopathic remedies.

Most flower essences are prepared by floating flower heads in a glass bowl of water, usually from the area that the flower is picked or selected.  They are then put into the sun for a few hours, and this is thought to transfer the energy of the flower to the water.  Brandy is then added as a preservative.  This solution is then diluted down to make stock bottles.  They are used in the form of drops to be taken in the mouth, but can also be put in the bath or on the pulse points, or even put in your tea!.

They are extremely safe and gentle in their actions on the person, and can be used by children, babies and pregnant woman as well as animals.  One of the original intentions of Dr Bach was that they should be a self help system of medicine, and this is certainly possible and intended by the many more ranges of essences available in this day and age.  Many ranges of essences now includeessences made from gems and some even have prepared essences in specific environments to capture that atmosphere, such as those from the Alaskan range.

People decide which essences to use in various ways.  A session with someone who is familiar with the essences is probably the easiest way.  Some people may use more intuitive methods, such as dowsing and by looking at the pictures of the flowers.  This can be an extremely accurate way to decide.  Some people can get a similar healing reaction just by looking at pictures of the flowers.  The Australian Bush Essence range is a powerful set of essences that produce a beautiful set of cards with photographs of the flowers.

Like homeopathic remedies, essences only need to be taken for a relatively short time, just until the blocks to healing are removed and the person has moved on from the state they are in.  This generally can take a few days or weeks.

There are many newer versions of the Bach ’rescue remedy' in other ranges now.  These all deal with acute cases of shock, distress and panic, and are very useful for any acute emotional emergency situations, to help calm the mind.  I recommend these for panic attacks, anxiety at exams, interviews or whenever people get nervous.  My favourite one is the Australian Bush Emergency Essence.  They are also a must for every family first aid kit for when the children come in screaming and distressed after a fall.

Examples of essences I commonly recommend:

Australian Bush Combination Essences:

Emergency: panic; distress; fear

Calm and Clear: Over committed; no time for self; encourages relaxation

Confid: low self-esteem; guilt; shyness

Dynamis: loss of drive; enthusiasm; feeling drained

Relationship: resentment; blocked emotions; inability to relate

Sexuality: shame; fear of intimacy; effects of sexual abuse

Woman: female hormonal imbalances; mood swings

Space Clearing Spray; protection from burnout; clearing tense situations

IndigoGem andCrystalEssences: formulated for children, but suitable for all ages:

Champion: for bullied children

Chill: for anger; helps communication

Confidence: nervous; panicky; belief in self

Happy: sadness, tearfulness

No fear: sensitive, scared, timid

Plurk: tense, overly serious

Settle: overexcitement, inattention, lack of concentration

Sleep Easy: spooked at night  

Available from myself: Indigo Essences ; Bailey Essences and Australian Bush Emergency Essence in 15ml dosage bottles for £10 including P&P in UK. Order by e mail. 

Other essences available from www.healthlines.co.uk