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Flower Essences

"The simple and natural method of healing through the personality,
by means if wild flowers discovered by Dr Edward Bach. "P.M.Chancellor

Flower Essences are a lovely gentle therapy that heals at a deeply spiritual level. Working on your emotions and mental state, it can bring healing to all levels, just as Homoeopathy does. Flower Essences are very similar in theory to Homoeopathy and actually stemmed from Dr Bach's study of Homoeopathy.

The main difference between the 2 therapies is in their preparation. Where Homoeopathy is prepared by crushing a substance, diluted and succussing, flower essences are made with a more gentle approach. The flower is picked at sunrise and placed in a glass bowl of pure water and left in the sun for the day. The essence of the flower is diffused into the water. Another method used, for more woody substances is boiling. The water becomes the remedy, the "stock". The stock is then diluted down the same as with Homoeopathic remedies.

Healing in a simple yet powerful way, flower essences are neither harmful or habit forming. It was Bach's ambition to create a healing system that was simple and easy to use. Although there are thousands of illnesses and probably as many different ways for each of them to be manifested, according to Bach, the reasons for illness stems back to just a few basic causes.

• Fear

• Uncertainty

• Insufficient interest in present circumstances

• Loneliness

• Oversensitivity of influence and ideas

• Despondency and despair

• Over care for the welfare of others.

Disease is caused by obstruction the free flow of the vital force throughout the four levels of being: Spiritual, Emotional, Mental/Intellectual and Physical. If this obstruction is allowed to continue, then disease can progress into all levels. So to truly restore harmony, treatment will need to occur on each level. The cause of the illness must be treated, not just symptoms.

Flower essences heal in many ways. They help to give clarity to one's life, as well as courage, strength and commitment to follow and pursue one's goals and dreams. They help develop a higher level of intuition, self esteem, spirituality, creativity and fun. The more you use flower essences, the more you are likely to experience greater awareness and happiness in your life.

The effect of essences has been described as similar to that of meditation, in that they enable the person to access the wisdom of the Higher Self. They help release negative beliefs that are held in the subconscious mind and allows the positive virtues, such as love, joy, faith, courage etc to coming into your being. When this happens the negative beliefs and thoughts are dissolved, balance is restored and true healing occurs.

There are many types of flower essences today. The first of course were the Bach Flower Essences, made with a range of English flowers. There are 38 Bach Flower essences. Obviously as there are thousands of different flowers and each having it's own unique signature, more and more flower essences have been developed. In Australia we have a vast range of native flowering plants. Currently there is 65 Australian Bush Flower Essences available. There are also hundreds of other essences from around the world that have been researched and developed. So wherever you live in the world, there is a range that is specific to your environment.

A brief overview of what emotions the Bach Flower Essences can help you with.

Agrimony - mental torture behind a cheerful face

Aspen - fear of unknown things

Beech - intolerance

Centaury - the inability to say 'no'

Cerato - lack of trust in one's own decisions

Cherry Plum - fear of the mind giving way

Chestnut Bud - failure to learn from mistakes

Chicory - selfish, possessive love

Clematis - dreaming of the future without working in the present

Crab Apple - the cleansing remedy, also for self-hatred

Elm - overwhelmed by responsibility

Gentian - discouragement after a setback

Gorse - hopelessness and despair

Heather - self-centredness and self-concern

Holly - hatred, envy and jealousy

Honeysuckle - living in the past

Hornbeam - procrastination, tiredness at the thought of doing something

Impatiens - impatience

Larch - lack of confidence

Mimulus - fear of known things

Mustard - deep gloom for no reason

Oak - the plodder who keeps going past the point of exhaustion

Olive - exhaustion following mental or physical effort

Pine - guilt

Red Chestnut - over-concern for the welfare of loved ones

Rock Rose - terror and fright

Rock Water - self-denial, rigidity and self-repression

Scleranthus - inability to choose between alternatives

Star of Bethlehem - shock

Sweet Chestnut - Extreme mental anguish, when everything has been tried and there is no light left

Vervain - over-enthusiasm

Vine - dominance and inflexibility

Walnut - protection from change and unwanted influences

Water Violet - pride and aloofness

White Chestnut - unwanted thoughts and mental arguments

Wild Oat - uncertainty over one's direction in life

Wild Rose - drifting, resignation, apathy

Willow - self-pity and resentment


About the Author
Andrea Putting N.D., Naturopath, Writer and creator/owner of several health sites including, http://www.naturopathsresourcefile.info, Explore the world of Natural Medicine, take your health into your own hands. Know how to be healthy and stay healthy. Covered in detail are nutrients, herbs, flower essences, homoeopathy and aromatherapy. Visit Andrea's other sites. http://www.puttingitright.com.au, http://www.naturalhealth4cats.info