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Think about the last time you walked in a park or hiked in the woods. Did a breeze blow through your hair? And did that give you a subtle feeling of well-being and relaxation? That is how one feels when flower essence therapy does its job. Flower essences help to bring about shifts in our energy, and remind us that we have a choice—we can feel a different way.

Modern life is stressful for many people, but I think for those of us who try to give a voice to those who suffer, because of our heightened awareness, we often suffer more. When I first started working in the animal rights field, I read every article about animal abuse that crossed my desk, and I would cry every week.

My own relationship with flower essences—an ancient tradition—started more than 20 years ago when a friend introduced me to the Bach Flower Remedy called Rescue Remedy or Five-Flower Formula, an infusion that treats stress, shock, and trauma. I use flower essences every day, especially during times of stress and transition. I have used them on myself to help release unhealthy emotions like anger and guilt.

Every flower can help with a specific mental, emotional, or spiritual imbalance. Flower essences are made by placing healthy flowers in a bowl of water that is then placed in the sun for three hours. The resulting infusion is combined with brandy for preservation, then diluted and drops are taken internally or used externally. Flower essences can also be used as sprays.

Because it is a standard formula and is the most widely known, Five-Flower Formula (Rescue Remedy) can help us understand some flowers’ properties and how they are used. Three of the essences in Five-Flower Formula are: Rock Rose, to bring stabilization and calmness; Clematis, which helps bring the mind back into the body in times of stress; and Cherry Plum, which helps ease the mind and body during times of panic.

People usually think that with flower essences, they are going to get something that smells good—they’ll open the bottle and sniff—and are unprepared for the dominant smell of the brandy. Flower essences are not aromatherapy, but the two do have a common element. Aromatherapy can also shift our emotions and our awareness, but flower essences actually re-pattern them. Not limited to flowers, essence remedies also include tree essences and gem elixirs, as well as environmental essences.

Flowers send simple, energetic messages that remind us of who we are and what our natural state can be. They can transform our emotions, and quiet our minds. The message from the flowers is that we can heal and they will help us.

The essences work very subtly but with great strength, and can provide help for anyone. For example, I have a friend who, even though he had traveled all over the world, developed an irrational fear of flying and had to take tranquilizers in order to get on a plane. Knowing he was going to have to fly soon, I sent him Mimulus, an English remedy for fears that we can identify. He took the Mimulus for a few days before his flight and had much less difficulty. On his way back, he wasn’t even nervous and didn’t need his tranquilizer. My cat companions get flower essences added to their food and water. This helps them behave better towards each other.

There are millions of flowers all over the world. As a practitioner, I use essences from the British Isles, Australia, Brazil, the Southwestern U.S., California, Alaska, and New England. In Brazil, flower essence use is so widespread that you see people taking drops of essences when standing in line at the grocery store. Flower essence therapy is also offered in hospitals. In this country, we are just at the tip of the iceberg—the use of essences is a little secret that is just waiting to get out.

An Essence for Everyone
If you want to get started with flower essences, but are feeling a little overwhelmed with the multitude of options, I would recommend trying something from the Alaskan Flower Essence Project. Alaska is a pristine environment and the plants that bloom there have to survive in extreme conditions. Most grow on a thin layer of soil over land that is permanently frozen, so the plants are adapted to a very short growing cycle. Alaskan flowers really understand the concept of being under pressure!

If there is one essence that I feel can be of most service to us and to animals in these challenging times, it is Soul Support from Alaska. This remedy can be used to bring strength and stability in times of stress, emergency, trauma, and transformation. It provides support to rejuvenate and restore balance on all levels. It can be used after an accident involving shock or trauma, for emotional catharsis, after receiving bad news, while recovering from an operation, in animal rescue and rehabilitation—even for those dreaded visits to the dentist or vet.

Soul Support is a combination of nine essences, one of which is Chalice Well. Made in Glastonbury, England, the essence is made at this sacred well and helps us to know that we are not alone, that we are safe and supported in our environment. Labrador Tea (for those of you familiar with homeopathy, this is the remedy ledum) helps move us from an unbalanced to a centered state. Ruby is another essence in Soul Support. It helps to support one’s ability to ground spiritual and mental energy into the physical body, especially during times of chaos and upheaval.

Everyone can benefit from Soul Support. It can be used everyday by people and animals who are experiencing stress, whether that be from a rescue situation or just coping with modern life. Flower essences are a wonderful way to heal ourselves and others. We are only a few drops away from feeling better and from being able to handle whatever comes our way.

Claudia Delman is a flower essence practitioner living in San Francisco, where she is also Outreach Coordinator for Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. She can be reached via email at cdelman@pcrm.org. To learn more about the Alaskan Flower Essence Project, visit www.alaskanessences.com or call (800) 545-9309. For more on Five-Flower Formula and Healing Herbs, see www.fesflowers.com or call the Flower Essence Society at (800) 548-0075.

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