What Are Flower Essences?

Flower essences are nonaromatic liquid solutions infused with the life force, energy patterns, and consciousness of their source. They are purely vibrational plant spirit medicine tools with profound healing potential for all living beings.

In offering the ability to dissolve the adverse effects of life's challenges, they support us in releasing outdated and unwanted beliefs, emotions, thoughts, and behaviors as well as the imprints of trauma on our energy fields.

Essences act:

• vibrationally, restoring proper balance to our energy fields.
• positively, healing by enhancing our innate inner strengths.
• powerfully, releasing blocks to wellbeing and growth.

Flower essences act on our subtle energy fields (aura) and energy centers (chakras). Their uniquely high rate of vibration interacts with our systems through the principle of resonance, acting to resolve imbalances and restore physical, mental, emotional and spiritual harmony. They are esoteric substances, yet they are deeply effective in action. When used properly, their benefits can be quick-acting and long-lasting.

Flower essences are an ancient healing method known to many native cultures including the Incas, Celts, Persians, Australian Aborigines, and Tibetan Buddhists. Their use has been traced to 15th century alchemy texts and to the 16th century healer Paracelsus. Modern day use was pioneered in the 1930s by Dr. Edward Bach, an English physican. The Bach Flower Remedy essences he developed are still widely used. In the 1970s there was a major international resurgence of interest in flower essences, most notably in the USA, England, and Australia. Since then the field of vibrational essences has expanded exponentially worldwide.

In addition to those made from flowers and trees, today essences are made from other gifts of Nature as well, including gemstones, crystals, minerals, metals, elements, sea plants, shells, and the energies emanating from sacred sites, pristine environements, and unique geological formations. From beyond Earth, essences are made by capturing the vibrations of stars and planets through specially made tools. Purely esoteric essences are offered as well, such as those created from power animal totems, astrological events, angelic beings and other aspects of the universe.

This is not as far-fetched as it may seem. All living matter is energy, and has the potential to resonate with other energy fields. When properly brought into form, each essence carries the unique consciousness and wisdom of its source and offers its own special characteristic energy and healing qualities.All are true gifts from Nature and Spirit.

Once an unusual and relatively unknown system of healing in the modern Western world, essences have found their way into many different types of health practices. Their varied and benign benefits are being recognized by practitioners of conventional medicine as well as in alternative arenas of the healing arts and sciences.

Today vibrational essences are a burgeoning phenomenon bridging the cutting edges of both modern science and wholistic medicine. They have the potential to become the primary healing system of the future as ever-growing numbers of people seek a safe, effective and conscious means of enhancing their wellbeing. Essence therapy, more than any other system of treatment, stands as the epitome of true mind-body-spirit healing because it interfaces with our whole energy field.

How Are Essences Made?

The traditional method of producing flower essences is based on ancient alchemy. Blooms picked at the peak of their blossoming cycle are placed in a crystal bowl of pure water taken from a nearby source and then allowed to rest for several hours under the sun in their natural environment. The power of the sun transfers and potentizes the flowers' energetic imprint into the water along with the qualities of the surrounding environment which supported the growth of the plant. Thus the four elements of earth, air, fire and water as well as the alchemical fifth element of ether are combined to embody the vibrational pattern of the flower into the liquid essence form. The entire process is performed with ceremonial intention and cooperation between the plant, devic, elemental and human participants. Properly made essences embody not only the plant's energy pattern but also its consciousness and archetypal wisdom as well as that of the living world in which the plant flourishes.

Most essences are still made in the traditional manner, whether the source is a flower, tree, gemstone, or other material. Naturally, with star, planet, environmental and esoteric essences the method is adjusted somewhat. Some include plant matter other than flowers, and some are boiled or made in moonlight. Whether it is sun, flame or moonlight, the elements of fire and water are primary aspects inherent all essences.

Pure water both imprints and holds the energetic life force pattern of the source, and it is unparalleled as a conduit for transmitting energy patterns to the energy fields of a living body. With current knowledge of the consciousness of water, made clear especially through the work of Masaru Emoto, the profound healing abilities of essence solutions are becoming better understood.

The belief that sunlight (or moon or starlight) is essential as the power source in the potentizing process adheres to alchemical tradition. These planetary power sources are intrinsically the most natural and potent energies for unleashing the energies of living plants. Even when it is not possible or desirable to use the sun infusion method, all essences contain the imprint of the solar and lunar energies collected during the life cycles of their sources.

A third primary aspect of the essence making process is the human role. The intentions of essence makers and their co-creative interactions with the spiritual, devic and elemental kingdoms are integral aspects of the essence-making process. Essences lacking these crucial aspects are neither vibrational nor therapeutic. This is one reason that an essence made from a particular plant or gemstone by one person may carry subtly different energies and may even hold somewhat different qualities than an essence made from the same plant species or type of gemstone by someone else.

Essences are an environmentally sound system of healing. Plants are not harvested and source materials are left unharmed. Today some makers are producing essences made from living flowers without removing them from the plant, by bending the blossom into the water bowl or using special devices, or by accomplishing the energy transfer via intention. Such methods are especially applicable with endangered and toxic plant species. Sources are ideally located in pristine locations where the life force energies are particularly vital and harmonious. When plants are not located in the wild, they are organically or biodynamically raised. Thus essences are ecological substances, in keeping with the wholistic healing philosophy of vibrational essence use.

Once the initial "mother" essence solution is made, it is filtered to remove any plant material and then diluted with a preservative to arrest the potentization process and prevent bacterial contamination over time. This "stock" solution can be used directly or diluted further in dosage bottles.

Using and Choosing Vibrational Essences

Vibrational essences are very easy to use, orally or topically or environmentally. Any appropriate application method allows absorption of the wondrous healing energies of vibrational essences. Animals and children are especially aware of and receptive to their positive energies and love taking essences.

Depending on the healing issue being addressed, essences may be used singly or in combination with other essences. In therapeutic practice, dosage bottles often contain a combination of various stock essences chosen to address various aspects of a specific healing issue. Probably the best known combination formula is Rescue Remedy, developed by Dr. Edward Bach in the 1930s and still very popular today. A combination of 5 flower essences, it is highly effective as a calming agent in emergency situations for people, animals and plants.

Selecting essences can be done in a variety of ways. One can read their descriptions, dowse, use kinesiology, or access intuitive guidance through attuning to a photograph of the flower or the energies in the bottle. It's fun to experiment with essences for oneself, especially when pressing issues are not involved so there is time to play with them. There are no "bad" or "wrong" essence choices, just ineffective ones. The more experience one has with essences, the easier it becomes to choose them wisely. When multiple, layered or serious healing issues are involved, or when rapid improvements are desired, the services of an essence practitioner can be very helpful and save a lot of trial and error. Using vibrational essences is definitely a combination of art and science.

Essences are Totally Safe and Benign Substances

All essences are completely natural substances and are extremely safe to use because they are purely vibrational in nature, with no biochemical constituents; when chemically analyzed they are found to contain only pure water and preservative. On the energy level they are holographic, embodying the whole vibrational pattern of their source. When consciously absorbed into our energy systems, they transmit the entire realm of their subtly profound healing qualities into our subtle energy bodies, infusing us with their harmonious vibrations.

Essences do no harm and are self-regulating substances. Our energetic system utilizes only what resonates with its state at any given time. Negative results are never obtained from using essences. If inappropriately chosen they simply have no effect at all. There is no such thing as an overdose of essences because they cannot be excessively used like a nutritional supplement, herb or pharmaceutical medication can. The worst that can happen is that essences might lead to what is known as a "healing (awareness) crisis" when change is stimulated faster than an individual is willing to accept or able to tolerate. When this occurs, taking a brief break before resuming use with a reduced frequency of dosage will usually rapidly restore balance and allow the healing process to continue.

Because essences are purely vibrational in nature, they do not interfere or interact with other treatments. Likewise, they have no side-effects of their own. They can be safely used with prescription medications, herbal and homeopathic remedies. They are a wonderful source of support before and after surgery and during prolonged medical regimens. They are perfectly safe to use with infants or baby beings of any kind, providing nurturing support and promoting healthful development. They are equally well suited for the aged and dying, providing nurturing support and a sense of peace and ease with the transition process ahead.

A Note on Essential Oils: Flower essences are completely different from the essential oils used for aromatherapy. Essential oils are wonderful to experience, offer very healing effects, and can offer energetic benefits when used therapeutically. They are not, however, purely vibrational substances. Unlike flower and other vibrational essences, they contain potent biochemical particles and many are not safe to use with animals.

It is very important to be aware of our own use of essential oils in our personal self-care and household cleaning routines, so as not to inadvertently create a toxic environment for our animals. Please be aware that "natural" is not necessarily safe, and that products labelled safe for human infants are not necessarily safe for animals.

Some commonly used essential oils are toxic, even lethal, for some animals, particularly cats and birds. Cats' livers do not metabolize some of the biochemical constituents contained in certain essential oils. Birds' systems are simply too sensitive for such intense substances. Despite this well-documented fact, these same essential oils continue to be offered in various natural products such as holistic flea collars, grooming aids and cleaning products. Every species is different; horses and dogs often respond very positively to aromatherapy with no ill health effects. Unfortunately, to my (Susan's) knowledge, thus far the aromatherapy community has not produced a comprehensive scientific analysis and report on the safety issues of all oils for all species. However, a couple of good starting places for further information are www.thelavendercat.bigstep.com and www.aromaleigh.com. (In contrast to essential oils, current knowledge deems some hydrosols or hydrolats, the fragrant aqueous solutions obtained from the distillation of oils, a safe alternative for many animals when used in proper dilution.)