Helping Children with Flower Essences
by Peggy Finnegan

 

My four-year-old son calls them “flower lessons,” and I think that is an accurate description: energetic “lessons” to show us an easier way of being.

Flower essences were developed in the 1930’s by Edward Bach, a medical doctor who was striving to create a system of medicine that would truly do no harm and address the root causes of disease. Flower essences are made of pure spring water imprinted with the life force energy pattern of a plant. As there are no physical molecules of the plant in the water, they are non-toxic, have no smell (other than the brandy preservative), and do not react with medications. They work on the subtle levels of being to help one move into a place of greater harmony, wholeness, and balance. Flower essences help to correct emotional and mental disharmonies by gently introducing an archetypal pattern of wholeness into a person’s energy field. My four-year-old son calls them “flower lessons,” and I think that is an accurate description: energetic “lessons” to show us an easier way of being.

Children respond much quicker to flower essences than adults, as their habit patterns are not as deeply established as ours. There are many helpful essences, and therapists and doctors around the world have found great successes using flower essences with children. Flower essences are a wonderful tool for parents to use to help their children with all sorts of issues, such as fear, negative behavior, trauma, emotional disturbance, learning difficulty, hyperactivity, family disturbance, and lack of self-esteem.

When my daughter Claire was a baby, she would often have long periods of screaming in the evenings. Chamomile flower essence helped her to release the tensions that she held in her stomach area. This is a great essence for mood swings and hyperactivity as well. As Claire was very sensitive to her environment, Chamomile helped sooth her extreme emotional reactions.

When my son was born three years later, Claire had some difficulties with anger and jealousy. Holly essence is the archetypal essence for Universal Love and is very helpful with issues of anger and jealousy. With Holly essence, Claire was able to express her love and appreciation for her new brother, Finn, and be less angry with me. Because she was also needy and sad and often resorted to negative behaviors to get my attention, Chicory essence helped her gain more balance and harmony within the family.

Finn had trouble with night terrors and fears of the dark for a while. Mimulus essence is a remedy for known fears, such as of the dark, bugs, or heights. Aspen is a remedy for fears of unknown things and vague anxieties. I gave them both to Finn along with St John’s Wort essence, which is a very protective essence, especially when there are disturbing dreams. These essences quickly helped him go to bed peacefully and sleep through the night. But, he asks for his “Flower Lessons” when he thinks he needs them.

The one Bach Flower essence that is indispensable is Rescue Remedy, a combination of five essences. It is used for any extreme situation or trauma, be it physical or emotional. With Rescue Remedy, I have seen bumps and blisters disappear before my eyes, raging tears and fits calmed and soothed (this goes for me as well), and panics and terrors eased. When my children have major accidents, I usually gave myself Rescue Remedy first, so I can be calm, steady, and deal with the situation. Rescue Remedy brings one into center and stabilizes the life force in emergencies.

Flower essences are generally taken a few drops at a time, three or four times a day, but with children, morning and before bedtime are fine. Several different essences are often combined together, a few drops of each diluted with water and brandy into a dosage bottle. (Vegetable glycerin can be used as a preservative instead of brandy if you prefer.) They can also be added to water bottles, baths, creams, and even room spritzers. For infants, essences can be dabbed on the temples and wrists.

Of course, I have been using flower essences for myself to help with the many challenges of parenting: Impatiens helps with impatience; Calendula for listening and hearing the true needs of others; Beech for intolerance; Snapdragon for helping me to be gentle with my words, and the list goes on.

My children love the “flower drops” and usually will ask for them when they need them. I am so thankful for this wonderful healing gift from nature and am always happy to share them with others. The Bach Remedies are available at local health food stores, and other essences can be purchased online. Give flower essences a try and see for yourself how beautifully they can help your child be his or her true self.

Peggy Finnegan, LMT, has been working with flower essences and essential oilsfor over 15 years. She is available for consultations through Como Family Chiropractic at 258-1765.

Flower Essence Support For Winter's Dark Days
by Peggy Finnegan

 

For every state of mind or emotional outlook, nature provides a flower essence whose life energies bring balance and healing.

As our long, manic days of summer shift to the chill and dark of an extended winter, we in Alaska often feel the changes of the season more keenly than others living elsewhere. In many cultures and traditions, this is a time to turn within, take stock of our inner resources, and create our intentions for the coming year. For many, though, this season can feel heavy or depressive, and the holidays bring stress and burdens rather than joy and sharing. Fortunately, there are many flower essences that can relieve these imbalances, helping us to contact the light and joy within our own souls.

What Are Flower Essences?

Flower essences are vibrational remedies that work through the action of resonance. The life force energies of a plant are imprinted into water and then diluted in a dosage bottle. Three or four times a day, a few drops are placed under the tongue, more or less frequently depending on individual needs. It is best to continue taking the essences until the dosage bottle is empty, usually two to four weeks. One can also place drops in a water bottle to sip throughout the day, put drops into a mister bottle or bath, or use them directly on the body, as in massage. Because flower essences are not physical remedies, they are non-toxic, safe for everyone, and have no reactions with medications. They will assist and enhance any other form of treatment.

The main goal of flower essence therapy is to bring the light of awareness into areas of inner conflict. In short, essences are catalysts for inner growth and a journey of self-discovery. Rather than removing the symptoms of a problem, they stimulate awareness of the basic imbalances which cause them. They help you to contact your own inner source of creativity and enthusiasm for life, the alignment with the purpose of your soul. As Dr. Bach, discoverer of flower essences noted, the healing action of the essences takes place “not by attacking disease, but by flooding our bodies with the beautiful vibrations of our higher nature, in the presence of which disease melts as snow in the sunshine.”

In prescribing or choosing flower essences for a course of treatment, it is important to focus not on the problem, but on the whole person, including the prevailing mental attitudes and emotions, physical demeanor, spiritual life, and one’s environment. Close observation and understanding of the essences and their “soul pictures” help to create an essence combination that matches one’s needs. There are many books that describe the thousands of different essences available. You can also choose flower essences using more intuitive methods such as dowsing or muscle testing.

How Can Essences Help?

So, how can flower essences help support those adversely affected by our long dark winters? First and foremost: get outside in the fresh air as much as possible. Take a short walk, play, ski. Focus on the beauty that is always all around you. Nature heals in so many ways.

The flower essence St. John’s Wort is particularly well suited for those who feel the darkness so heavily. Many people are familiar with the use of this herb as a remedy for depression. The flower essence differs from the herb in that it embodies the archetype of the inner light as a spiritual force, and helps us to contact that which is already within us. We can then feel illuminated from within, during the dark of winters (or dark of night, for those with sleep disturbances).

Regardless of season, general depression affects almost everyone at some point in his or her life. In flower essence therapy, we look at the underlying causes for depression. There are numerous cases and published scientific studies showing that flower essences can be very effective for relieving depression. Practitioners around the world successfully use essences instead of the traditional selective serotonin uptake inhibitors (Prozac, Zoloft, etc.) for the treatment of depression and anxiety.

Although many essences are useful for depression, the particular essences selected depend on the mood and outlook of each individual. Here are a few examples: For those who feel like a black cloud just descended over them for no apparent reason, or experience wild mood swings, Mustard essence can help to bring balance and peace. For those who feel apathetic and resigned to their “lot in life,” Wild Rose can help spark the will to live, bringing a sense of vitality and joy. For those in acute states of deep anguish and despair, Sweet Chestnut relieves intense suffering while revealing opportunities for transcendence and transformation. For those who feel depressed after a setback or are easily discouraged, Gentian essence brings perseverance and confidence.

A well-chosen remedy can have profound effects. True healing takes place when the underlying emotional and mental causes are transformed by their corresponding higher virtues. For every state of mind or emotional outlook, nature provides a flower essence whose life energies bring balance and healing.

Where Can I Get Some?

Worldwide interest in flower essences has grown tremendously over the past decade, and there are now hundreds of producers from every country. The California Flower Essence Society is one organization dedicated to promoting research and validation of flower essences. They are found on the web at www.flowersociety.org. They also produce hundreds of essences, which can be purchased at www.fesflowers.com. The Alaskan Flower Essence Project, based in Homer, makes essences from the flowers of Alaska, as well as gem elixirs and a line of environmental essences that are quite profound. Their online address is www.alaskanessences.com. The Worldwide Essence Society produces an online magazine full of information and resources at www.essences.com/vibration.

Flower Essence Therapy is not a cure-all, but a pathway toward wholeness and integration. The response of each individual is unique. The challenges of modern life and world events can seem overwhelming at times, and flower essences can help us meet them with all the creative power and courage that resides within us, waiting to be awakened.

Peggy Finnegan is a licensed massage therapist who has trained with the California Flower Essence Society. She is available for consultations on flower essence therapy, and may be reached at 240-5230.