Bach Flower Essences — they are all about energy

flower essences can bring you to a more peaceful state of mind in much the same way as meditation and yoga.

by Linda Crider — 

When people are first introduced to flower essence therapy, many confuse it with other botanical healing modalities, such as herbal remedies or aromatherapy. In fact, flower essences can bring you to a more peaceful state of mind in much the same way as meditation and yoga.

For those just learning about the subtle healing power of flower essences, this concept may seem a bit difficult to understand and accept. Since most of us were raised with a more conventional approach to medicine, it can be hard to grasp that it is the energy of the plant that gently brings us to a state of emotional balance.

While herbs and essential oils work on a more physical level, when it comes to flower remedies, the essence of the plant works to neutralize any negative emotional energy. This process clears a path to restore the balanced state of well-being necessary for regaining and maintaining optimal health.

Dr. Edward Bach originally discovered this subtle healing benefit of plants quite by accident 80 years ago. By ingesting the early morning dew of certain plants, he found himself, over time, monitoring the positive effects this had on emotional imbalances such as anger, impatience and anxiety.

Since this method of gathering plant energy was both tedious and time-consuming, he later developed two different methods of achieving the same results. Delicate flower parts were placed in spring water and put outdoors where the heat from the sun did the work. Denser plant parts were boiled in spring water.

In both methods, the energized water was then diluted and bottled with a small amount of alcohol (to protect and preserve). To this day, the remedies are prepared in much the same way.

A single dose of any essence is just two drops from what is referred to as a stock bottle. This is generally recommended at least four times daily, depending on the nature and extent of the issue being treated. Personalized combinations also can be made for more acute situations dealing with long-term emotional imbalances.

If this still sounds a little over the top, remember how you felt the last time you were emotionally hurting and your mood was altered by a stirring piece of music, or how viewing a beautiful sunset can make you feel just a little better.

In these cases, the painful circumstances are still the same, but your perception has changed. Very unscientifically put, this is how energy medicine works its subtle but effective magic. (For those interested in delving further into this wonderful healing system, look for future articles that will focus on each of the 38 essences and how they may be used.)

Linda Crider is an educator of botanical healing practices and specializes in flower essence therapy. She is the founder of Blooming Vibrations LLC. 602-774-2382 or www.bloomingvibrations.com.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 29, Number 6, Dec 2010/Jan 2011.