Yes, even in winter you can make a flower essence!
To understand healing, you must understand that the body is not just physical matter, it is in fact interwoven with consciousness. There are people who even say that our consciousness influences our DNA! Wild! Often times, blockages in our awareness impede our healing journey. This stagnation is like an energetic knot that needs to be unwound so we can become the people we are meant to be. This is where the work of flower essences come in.
My Disclaimer: This information is meant to inspire and educate. It is not intended to heal, cure, treat or diagnose any condition or disease.
**Although there are many poisonous flowers out there, some people still choose to make flower essences with them. I personally do not and I encourage you to do your own research before proceeding.
What is a Flower Essence?
Flower essences are the energetic imprint of flowers. This imprint is captured when the flower is at the height of its bloom by floating flowers in water under the warm sun. It is a remedy for restoring balance within ourselves by releasing emotions, fears, confusion, outdated thought patterns and limiting beliefs.
How Do Flower Essences Work?
When the flowers float in the water, the water becomes the carrier of the flowers energetic frequency. Since flower essences are vibrational medicine, they work by shifting our energy and realigning us to our rightful path. A blooming flower is fulfilling its destiny and ultimately its purpose. Flower essences work to clear the debris we accumulate on our journey. The things that energetically and emotionally weigh us down and therefore prevent us from blooming and fulfilling our own destiny.
How is a Flower Essence Made?
When making a flower essences you will start by making what is called the “mother essence”. it is made by floating freshly picked blooms in water and placing under the warm sun. It is left to “infuse” for anywhere from 2-6 hours, whatever feels right to you. Then the flowers are strained out and and the infusion is preserved in alcohol. This preserved “mother essence” is then diluted 2 times to make a stock bottle and dosage bottle respectively.
How Do I Choose a Flower to Make an Essence With?
The flowers we choose to work with are calling to us for a reason. There’s a famous quote by author Terrence McKenna “Nature is alive and talking to us. This is not a metaphor”. What flowers do you love or what flower are you suddenly noticing everywhere? This is a good place to start since the possibilities are endless.
I have also researched a flower essences for a specific indication or hurdle I’m trying to break through. I personally feel there is a sacredness to this method too.
Where Did Flower Essences Come From?
Flower essences were made popular by Dr. Edward Bach. You might be familiar with Bach Rescue Remedy or with the line of Bach Flower Essences sold at most health food stores. Dr. Bach lived in the earlier part of the 1900’s and developed his flower essences after his own healing crisis. After being diagnosed with a tumor and told he only had three months to live. This led him to homeopathy where he began to notice the relationship between emotions and disease manifesting in the body. Eventually he cultivated a more intimate relationship working with flowers and developing flower essence remedies. He lived for 20 years after his diagnosis.
Who are Flower Essences Indicated For?
Most people are fine to take flower essences and can benefit greatly since they are vibrational medicine. It is typical to preserve in alcohol so individuals who are sensitive to alcohol should be mindful of this or if the flower essence is going to be given to a child. However you may choose to preserve your essence in vinegar or glycerin instead of alcohol. As a mother I find flower essences to be gentle but incredibly impactful when I’m struggling and need a shift in perspective.
What are the Benefits of Taking a Flower Essence?
Flower essences are great to use when you are needing to heal the emotional aspect of a symptom, imbalance or issue. They are great for negative or limiting thought patters, trauma, anxiety, fear, feeling stuck or desiring a deeper connection with your own self.
Tools You Will Need
- A small clear bowl
- Water – preferably well or spring
- Scissors
- Mini Funnel
- Coffee filter or cheesecloth
- Bottle
- Alcohol such as brandy, vinegar or glycerin
- Intention
The Process
Let the Flower Call You In
- Choose the flower that keeps catching your attention. There is a reason you feel drawn to it. I made this flower essence during winter so i used the Witch Hazel that is flowering in my yard.
Set a Clear Intention
- Let it be known to the flower because cultivating relationships with plants is important for all humans. Tell the plant what you are looking to heal or where you are trying to expand.
Be Respectful and Ask Permission
- Plants are aware of what is being done to them. Making an offering such as a stone or a prayer. Wait for a yes from the plant. This may come in the form of a breeze, a bug landing on the plant, a small movement of the plant or just an inner knowing.
Place the Blooms in the Bowl.
- Be sure to fill your bowl with water before approaching the plant. Pinch off or cut off enough flowers to cover the surface of the water. But be mindful of how many flowers are being left behind on the plant for sustainability reasons. If there is not enough to cover the entire water surface that is fine. You can still make a potent essence.
Let the Flowers Sit For As Long As Feels Right.
- Remember this is your medicine you are crafting and you already know what to do. Let the bowl sit out in a safe spot for 2-6 hours. Typically essences are made in mid-day sun.
Strain and Bottle your Essence.
- Strain out the flowers and return them to the earth. Take the infused water and fill a 2 ounce bottle half way with it. You will need the small funnel for this. Fill the other half with brandy. This is your Mother Essence. It can be stored in a dark cabinet but if you preserve with vinegar or glycerin then you need to store it in the fridge. I like to use any left over infused water to water my house plants.
Make a Stock Bottle and Dosage Bottle
- You will not take a mother essence directly, it needs to be diluted. Stock bottle– place 1-7 drops of the mother essence into a 1 ounce dropper bottle. Then fill the rest of the bottle with half water and half brandy. If you are using vinegar or glycerin for your stock bottle then skip the water and use 100% vinegar or glycerin and store in fridge.
- To make a dosage bottle- place 1-7 drops from the stock bottle into a 1/2 ounce dropper bottle. Then fill the rest of the bottle with half water and half brandy. If you are using vinegar or glycerin for your dosage bottle then skip the water and use 100% vinegar or glycerin and store in fridge.
General Dosage:
You will only ever use the stock bottle or dosage bottle directly. The mother essence will only be used for diluting
Stock Bottle:
2 drops in a glass of water twice a day.
Dosage Bottle:
4 drops directly on the tongue 4-10 times a day.
Where Can I Learn More?
To learn more about flower essences go to https://www.flowersociety.org/index.html
I hold a deep reverence for plants. I feel I wouldn’t be who I am today if it weren’t for the plants. It was my longing to want to work with them that lead me to the place I met my husband. Then I wanted to learn to grow vegetables so I learned farming and eventually herbalism and homesteading. The plants were the guiding thread I kept following to get to where I am now. To learn more about how I started homesteading check out my first blog post here.
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