 Tell Me More! While flower essences may seem foreign to many of us, they are used widely around the world. A Brazilian soap opera star recently paused to calm herself on film by taking essences, and they are also administered in Brazilian hospitals.  How De(w)lightful! Dr. Edward Bach “discovered” flower essences in the 1930s when he was looking for a natural, non-toxic method of helping address the inner human experience. He initially made essences from drops of dew on flowers before finding a way to prepare them by placing flowers in a bowl of water and exposing them to the sun for three hours. The essences are then mixed with brandy and diluted for use similarly to homeopathic remedies.  | Have you experienced a bout of anxiety, a spell of insomnia, or a fearful phase and craved a natural, side-effect free form of relief? Flower essences might be what you've been searching for. Here, flower essence practitioner Claudia Delman shares her wisdom on the subtle, effective healing power of flowers. Flowers are deeply connected to our rituals. We give flowers as tokens of affection. We present a bouquet after a wonderful music or dance performance. Flowers are necessary elements at ceremonies where we commit our love to one another. Funeral rites in many traditions include flowers; they were even strewn by Neanderthals on graves of the deceased. Have you ever enjoyed the gift of a flowery bouquet? When you were younger did you pick buttercups and put them under your chin? Most of the little girls I knew played “he loves me, he loves me not” with daisies (even if we didn’t have a “he” to love us). I remember waiting for the dandelions to become fluffy spheres so I could delight in blowing the seeds to the winds. Many cultures even decorate ordinary objects with flowers: Clothing, cards, curtains, and bedding. So, why are we so interested in flowers? One of my teachers says that flowers are “the crowning achievement of the plant kingdom” and “divine expressions.” I believe flowers are the result of the glorious imagination of plants. Our souls lift when we see flowers’ breathtaking colors and beautiful forms and inhale their lovely scents. We connect with flowers and they connect us to life. Each flower has a unique energetic imprint to help our bodies, souls, and our spirits. Flowers embody vibrational healing and when taken internally as a flower essence, can create change in our physical, emotional and spiritual health. I understand that this description may sound a little esoteric, but there are many years of discovery and research behind the use of flower essences. Flower essences are the ultimate of healing modalities, they are a co-creation between the natural world and essence makers resulting in a remedy that catalyzes shift in consciousness and health. Essences help us leave patterns that no longer work behind and create new balance for us. Flower essences are not drugs and do not mask symptoms; instead, they serve as a gentle guide toward healing by shifting areas where we are blocked. As “liquid messengers” of inner health and harmony, they address core issues of wellness--especially emotions, stress, mental attitudes, spiritual values, and life purpose. They can help bring balance to these areas and work toward developing sound mind-body health. The remedies are designed to help transform emotions, attitudes or patterns of behavior hindering our full development or potential. I've seen countless people transformed by using the essences with guidance from myself or other practitioners. One client was going through a particularly stressful time,and experiencing debilitating insomnia. I prescribed White Chestnut (30 drops twice daily, for worry, repetitive thoughts, chattering mind and insomnia) by Healing Herbs, which eased her anxiety within a few days, and by the end of week 1, she reported falling asleep five minutes after her head hit the pillow. On a business trip, a colleague and I were staying at the home of a friend with two good-sized dogs. Before we left, my co-worker expressed that she was fearful of big dogs. When we met at the airport, I brought a bottle of Mimulus for “fear of a known thing.” After a couple of days with the dogs, her fears had dissipated, and was even playing ball with them on the last day of our visit. While essences are available at most natural food stores and natural pharmacies, the experience of going to a flower essence practitioner is completely different from buying a remedy or two. An experienced practitioner offers a safe space to connect with you, the essences, and the issues that you have come to resolve, and are also an effective therapy that allows our companion animals to heal and flourish. |
| Claudia Delman is a Reiki Master who holds a Masters degree in Public Health. She trained as a flower essence practitioner with the Alaskan Flower Essence Project and The Flower Essence Society, and has used her skills to help people and animals blossom for more than 20 years. As part of her repertoire, Claudia works with the Hawaiian Essences, Bloessem Remedies from the Netherlands, Ancient Forest Essences, Findhorn Essences, Desert Alchemy, and others. Her expertise and experience help clients connect to a deeper sense of wellness and peace, and move toward more wholeness. Claudia created her Inflorescence Flower Essences line to help both people and animals. |  |
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