Monday, January 26, 2015

Flower Spirits - at play with the essences

"Not all of us have an Ascended Master living in our neighborhood, but we all have access to flowers. The flowers have never forgotten they are One with the Creator!
"Flower essences are problem solving tools for whenever we feel out of balance. They are like road maps for our electrical systems."
- Molly Sheehan, Green Hope Farm Essence Guide.


Sacred Flame 'BOUQUETS'

Fascinated by and in love with flowers all my life, I began formulating essences in 1991 after reading about them, & how simple they are to make! I had just moved Breitenbush Hot Springs & was a recently initiated Reiki Master. Discovering flower essences at that time was perfect!

Synchronously, a few weeks later, another NW Essence Practitioner, Oupiti Robintree, attended the Summer Solstice Healing Gathering, & gave a mini-workshop on essences! She began our session giving us all drops of an essence 'bouquet' that included Rosemary (memory) & Shasta Daisy (Spiritualize the intellect!) .... I was off & running! 

My friend Kimbo lent me several of her books on flower essences & gem elixors, & a few years later, I attended a NW essence practitioner conference, & took workshops with Ian White (Australian Bush Essences, Ian is an ND) & Lila Devi (Spirit in Nature Essences)
The essences have been a vital part of my journey for over 20 years, they may also be an appropriate addition to your selfcare 'toolkit.'


Garden Bouquet of Essences
Flower essences are generally made by floating flowers of the chosen plant in a bowl of spring water in the sunlight (or occasionally moonlight) for several hours on a clear day - bringing the energy of the elements Earth (flowers), Water, Fire (sun) & Air into play, infusing the water with the energetic pattern of the flower. 

The angels, guides and Devas of the land & flowers are also invited to participate in the alchemy. Similar to preserving the nutrition & flavor of berries by making jam, the essence preserves the energetic pattern each flower has to offer.

We can utilize Essences to bring out positive qualities, & to assist as we release behaviors that no longer serve one's highest good. They are not medications for physical ailments, though they can support physical healing, & are compatible with traditional & modern medical treatments.  My middle granddaughter, now 10, has been choosing essences for her own bouquets since she was a toddler, & is surprisingly accurate in her choice of flowers!

As vibrational remedies, flower essences act on our electrical systems to bring balance. Everything vibrates - flower essences help us align with & vibrate at a higher frequency, offering a 'Blueprint" for perfect balance. Finding our balance is vital in these changing times, the Essences can assist us in attaining harmony between body, mind, spirit & emotions; and attune to the new frequencies. 

Artichoke with Bees
I tend to combine a number of essences in a given 'bouquet,' others choose to utilize one essence at a time, then go on to another.

Flower Essences are self-adjusting, if one is 'incorrect,' it simply has no effect. As Molly Sheehan observes, we are bombarded with electrical input from various devices, & even our lights & stoves, on a daily basis. By contrast, the energy offered by the flowers are harmonizing & uplifting!


* When using vibrational healing, including flower essences, you may experience a 'healing crisis' - the symptoms may seem more intense for a bit. 
When you recognize this, you have the opportunity to truly release a negative pattern, & move on.  Resist the temptation to 'stuff' feelings by overindulging in food, busy-ness, or use of substances.

Breathe, take a walk, drink water, journal, meditate, take a bath or a nap, & it will soon pass! Simply standing by a tree & grounding, imagining your 'roots' going down into the earth like a tree's, will help you move over the 'roadbump.'

You can take them internally, a few drops of the 'mother essence' are bottled with pure water & a little alcohol, glycerine, or vinegar to preserve them. You may also add a few drops to a water bottle to use as a spray, (add a few drops of essential oil, if you wish), or in a bath. If you have companion animals, you may wish to add a drop or two of your bouquet to their drinking water (Molly has a whole series of bouquets specifically for their issues as well!)

The usual 'formula' - take 4 drops 4 times a day, 'till you begin forgetting!' I suggest you name your bouquet, & work with an affirmation as you use it. Journaling about your process can be helpful, as you integrate changes.

Some essence bouquets are formulated for a specific purpose, & would be taken at that time - a healing bouquet before giving (or receiving) a session, a grounding formula when you feel out of balance. A clearing formula might be added to a spray, to use around your home or office. You might have a bouquet to use when taking classes & studying, practicing a musical instrument, painting, the options are unlimited! 

Here are several recent Sacred Flame Flower Essence Bouquets:
  • Creativity - drawing energy from the flowers for Creative Expression
  • Ground & Balance -   Helps 'keep pace' with Earth Changes, integration of bodywork
  • Healing Heart & Hands - formulated for students enrolled in Reiki I, or those beginning a Reiki or other healing practice
  • Heart & Soul  - healing a broken heart, opening to love , making healthy choices
  • He'lade - lightness of being, NW Native American for "having everything right"
  • I Align with the New - Alignment with current energies & Earth Changes
  • Legendary - embodying your Legendary Life (especially for women enrolled in the Legend course)
  • Paradigm Shift - when it's time to shift perspective, make career/life changes         

  • Our Lady - for connecting with Mother Mary, (especially for women enrolled in this painting/creativity community
  • RNA/DNA - enhancing & normalizing our genetic patterns
  • Soul Spin - clearing PL Karma, negative family pattern
  • Sparkle & Shine - integrating new habits, especially daily tasks, including cleaning
               (Chicory, Daylily, Hornbeam, Rehmania, Thyme)

  • UFYH - releasing clutter, deep cleaning
If you live in the US & are interested in ordering one of these formulas, or a personal bouquet, send a message with your specific need to ladyharp1 @gmail.com & a list of two or three issues you'd like to address. 

A few favorite Flower Essence resources:

Molly Sheehan's  Green Hope Farm Essences

Plumaria - native traditions

Barbara Olive: The Flower Healer (2007) Chock full of lovely photos & an overview of essence use & meanings. "I believe the scope of healing available through flower essences is truly miraculous & ever-expanding.

"Nikki Bradford Heal Yourself with FLOWERS & other Essences (2005) A 'dictionary' of essences, with photos & descriptions of more than 100 essences. "An essence is the energy imprint of something therapeutic, held & preserved in water".

Flower Essence Society is another great resource.

Enjoy the blessings of the flowers - do you already use flower essences?