When you think of autumn, you think of the metaphor of a tree shedding its leaves. It is a time of transition, of letting go of that which no longer serves us and of enjoying the harvest of everything we literally and figuratively sowed in the spring and summer. It’s a bit of a last hurray before we turn inside to reflect winter. We begin to see less of the sun, we gather the last of the harvest from our gardens and prepare the beds for their snowy rest.
In the midst of all this shifting, transitioning, and letting go, we may find ourselves seeking guidance from our plant friends. Flower essences are a gentle, safe way for the whole family to work together with our plant-based allies to get us through this season. Here’s a quick list of a few flower essences that can help address these typical fall life themes:
Walnut (from Bach Flower Remedies)
Helps one adjust to major life changes such as going to college, or sending your firstborn to college, a new job, or a move to a new city.
Wormwood (from FES Flowers)
For letting go of the old and accepting the new.
Autumn pack of 6 essences (offered by Power of Flowers Healing Essences Company)
For coming up with new goals and ambitions.
Saint John’s Shield (from FES Flowers)
For those who suffer from the shorter days in autumn and winter.
Wild Oats (from Bach Flower Remedies)
If you are unsure about your life path in a time of transition.
Aspen or Mimulus (from Bach flower remedies)
For helping to deal with known or unknown fears that may arise during times of transition.
Scleranthus (from Bach flower remedies)
For uncertainty when you are faced with two choices. There are different ways to work with flower essences.
One of these is seeking guidance from a Certified flower essence therapist. These practitioners are trained to do a thorough intake to discover which plant essences are most suitable for you at any given time and they will give you a tailor-made formula to try for 2-4 weeks.
As the flower essences begin to distract you from old energetic patterns and invite new ones, you may want to have another one-on-one session with your practitioner to reformulate your flower essence blend. And you may choose to continue your journey with your flower essence practitioner for weeks, months, or years, as you continue to peel back layers of energetic patterns you wish to release and identify new ones you would like to invite.
Another way to work with flower essences is to do your own research and experiment with the essences that seem to resonate most with you.
A fun way to start this process is by taking a quiz, as offered by The original Bach remedies website, which you can download here.
FES flowers also offers a “Choosing flower essences” guide that can be downloaded. It does say that this guide is for use by a flower essence practitioner, but you may be able to gain some insight from it if you decide not to work with a practitioner or can’t find one near you Once you have determined which essence(s) you want to work with, create your own dosing bottle of The stock essence is what you find on the shelves in the store or what you order online. From the stock essence you create the dosage bottle that you will use every day.
To make the dosing bottle, add 2 drops of stock essence to a 30 ml bottle. Then add 3/4 spring water and ¼ cognac, apple cider vinegar or glycerin to retain the essence. Take 4 drops on the tongue 4 times a day until you feel that the essence has resolved your main concerns at the time you started using it. You can also add a few drops of the broth essence to your water bottle and sip it throughout the day, or add about 20 drops to your bath water, lotion, or body oil.
You can also find ready-made flower remedies such as Rescue Remedy, Rescue Sleep and Rescue Energy. You can find these on the shelves of your local food co-op, health food store, local pharmacy or integrated pharmacy.
Rescue Remedy is a fantastic tool to always have with you to help you manage stress. There are versions that can be used for adults, children and pets. The Rescue Sleep and Rescue Energy speak for themselves and are great to have on hand as a natural sleep aid and natural energy booster during the day. Whichever route you choose, flower essences are a great remedy all year round.
As you explore the world of flower essences, you will discover many companies and practitioners offering a wide variety of flower and plant essences. The best advice when choosing it for yourself is to pay attention to what you are attracted to and most likely this is the essence that suits you at that moment.
Amy Timmons Malek, CCN, CCH, INHC is a certified clinical nutritionist, certified clinical herbalist, integrative nutrition health coach, and flower essence practitioner. She discovered her love of plants in the Sonoran Desert while living in Tucson, Arizona. She has been studying plants from the mountains in the west and southwest for ten years. Her many teachers include Paul Bergner, Rosemary Gladstar, Dr. Aviva Romm, Lisa Ganora, Kat MacKinnon, Erin Smith, John Slattery and Charles Kane. Her career is divided between Holistic Health, Graphic/Web Design and Marketing/Social Media Consulting. She is currently the Social Media Coordinator of WishGarden. She lives in Boulder County, CO and enjoys wild crafting and growing her own medicinal plants and making various herbal remedies. She sees private clients at the Inner Ocean Center for Healing in Lafayette, CO. You can learn more about her practice on her website, www.wholeheart-wellness.com.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, or to sell any product.
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