How Do Flower Essences Work

Flower Essences work to break through mindsets you may have developed through your life. Different flower essences are able to work at a mental and/or an emotional level rather than the physical. For instance, if you have developed the belief that you can not bring money, or abundant living condition into your life, a flower essence that will change that mindset can bring those things to you, once again. It is not the kind of therapy in which you take a pill and you are changed the next day. It is a gentle change that comes over time. I have found a difference with in a thirty day period.

Each small bottle of flower essence is produced with a minute amount of flower material along with water and an alcohol substance, usually brandy. It merely contains the flower's "energy signature." Take it with a small about of water in a glass. I have found the use of essences (which can be of other natural substances than just flowers) to work best when the individual is consciously working on the betterment of the problem at hand. You have to do your part in life. Perhaps do an positive "Intention" each time you take the essence. In time, it will give you a sort of breakthrough that you haven't been able to find on your own.

Dr. Bach and the First Flower Essences

The most commonly known study and use of flower essences were developed by Dr. Edward Bach. He studied medicine at the London based University College Hospital. He worked in general practice and as a bacteriologist and pathologist. Despite his success in traditional medicine, he became unsatisfied with the treatment of symptoms and disease rather than the whole person experiencing these maladies. He gave up his practice in 1930 to work with nature in finding a new system of medicine. One by one he found remedies for human mental and emotional states. Dr. Bach found when he treated his patient's bodies, their abilities to heal themselves was unblocked. He felt that disease came about due to imbalances and negativity at the soul level. There are 38 Bach flower essence remedies that work in animals as well as humans. With these 38 basic remedies, 292 million mental states are covered.

Flower essences are an all natural diluted formulas made from certain parts of flowers. They do not fall in the category of herbal medicines even though they are prepared from plant material. They also are not essential oils, compounds from plants that effect the mood. Flower essences have their own niche. They work at the emotional/mental level rather than the physical level of a person. It might be referred to as a vibrational medicine. The Chinese refer to this this vibration as Qi, Homeopaths refer to it as vital force and Dr. Bach called it positive vibrations.

Bach remedies are still produced at the Bach Center in England, www.bachcenter.com.

Dr. Edward Bach wrote several books regarding his findings and uses for flower essences: Heal Thyself, Free Thyself, The Twelve Healers, New Remedies New Uses, Patterns of Live, and others.

Some of the flower essences that treat mental/emotional states are as follows:

Aspen: Used for vague, unknown fears for which there seems to be no reason. The feeling that something terrible is about to happen even though it is not clear what that is.

Centaury: When one has the inability to say "no." Those individuals who wish to serve others, but after a bit find themselves in a situation where they are more servants than willing helpers. And so, they end up neglecting their own path in life.

Cerato: Bolsters confidence in making ones own decisions. This imbalance causes a person to constantly seek advice from others and many times are lead astray.

Cherry Plumb: For the fear of ones natural reasoning given way to doing things they know is wrong.

Chestnut Bud: For those that take a longer time to learn life's lessons. These individuals may make the same negative choices over and over, when another person may learn the lesson with one or two wrong choices.

Chicory: Those that are very needy and overly mindful of their children, relatives and friends.

Clematis: Can help those who have no real desire for or interest in life.

Gentian: For those that are easily discouraged.

Gorse: Helpful with those that feel great hopelessness

Heather: Those that are uncomfortable being alone for any length of time.

Holly: Is used to address envy, jealousy, revenge, and suspicion.

Honeysuckle: For those who live too much in the past. They may feel that any happiness in the future can not compare to a past time.

Larch: For those that feel they are not as capable as those around them.

Mimulus: Fear of worldly things, pain, illness, poverty, etc.

Olive: For those that have suffered greatly mentally or physically.

Pine: For those that blame themselves for everything.

Vine: People that are so confident in themselves that they feel all others should do as they do.

The use of natural flower essences can be used to first heal the ailment behind the disease. And then allow the body to heal itself naturally.