Conscious Choice: Flower Essences and Soul Work

April 2001 | Herbs for Health

Flower Essences and Soul Work

by Meg McGowan

"If the head and body are to be well, you must begin by curing the soul." — Plato

Ah, but how is the soul to be well, except by healing the body, mind and emotions? Instead of presenting a circular puzzle, Plato seems to be suggesting not only the interconnectedness of all healing work, but the idea that all levels of healing are essentially "soul work." Plato’s statement may be interpreted to mean that truly profound healing for the head and body can be achieved only when viewed through the lens of the soul’s purpose. The soul must be of primary concern in health care. Thus, we begin with the soul.

Putting spirit first imbues healing work with meaning. This perspective keeps a mechanical or cookie-cutter view of health care at bay. An individual’s healing is a unique process directed by the soul’s path, not a struggle to achieve some uniform standard of health. Flower essences support this model and the process at numerous levels. Flower essences were originally made from the dew that collects on the petals of a flower. Dr. Edward Bach (1886-1936) developed a method of infusing water with the essence of flowers and then preserving the essence in brandy. The active ingredient in flower essences is the vibrational energy of the flower or the life force itself.

Flower essences facilitate the inner work of psychological and emotional healing at a vibrational or energetic level. This work is not separate from, but is instead central to, discovering the soul’s purpose. "People have a divine essence that is who they really are," said Dr. Ann Hammon, a Chicago-area integrative psychiatrist who works extensively with flower essences in her private practice. "Spiritual growth comes from clearing and integrating experiences, limiting beliefs, old trauma, and old emotions that stand in the way of a connection to who you really are. Anything that heals these wounds of the heart helps you to know your core self that is divine."

In Flower Essence Repertory (Flower Essence Society, 1996), Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz caution that the use of flower essences should be focused on bringing the true self into alignment, rather than attempting to create a more acceptable self. Their advice is offered to maximize effectiveness, not avert disaster. "Following the principle of resonance, the essences evoke only the potential already within us. They do not impose something from without (as do biochemical drugs), but catalyze what is an unrealized possibility, and help us to choose freely to fulfill our own purpose in life." Hammon underscored this idea: "Essences cannot take you somewhere that isn’t true within yourself. The essences carry an archetype of the truth that is already in you. That is what they manifest."

Whatever issues are being addressed with essences, three familiar spiritual bywords — timing, intention and surrender — will be brought to bear. "The body/mind has its own wisdom," Hammon said, "and will present things at the time they should be dealt with. Thus, an essence that will be appropriate for an individual at some point may not have much of an effect if it is not appropriate at the present time. Paying attention to current personal issues and concerns is one way to track clues to right timing.

Hammon, who leads workshops aimed at enabling participants to choose and use essences effectively, suggests a series of questions to find a starting point for your journey. The first step is to get as clear as possible about what you want. Ask yourself what your physical, mental, and emotional goals are. Then, looking at your self, consider what obstacles stand in the way of achieving these goals. Name your greatest fear. ("This is usually very telling," Hammon pointed out.) Try to identify patterns that have existed in your relationships or old life patterns in general that keep repeating. Again, look at your self and consider what you may be doing to contribute to these patterns. Answering these questions will help to clarify your intention, and, as in all things, the clearer your intent, the more effective your work will be. That said, relax. "You can’t get it wrong," Hammon reassured me.

Relaxing is crucial to the next step, which is surrender. Once the process is set in motion, allow it to unfold, letting go of your expectations. "The essences are not substitutes for self-awareness and inner development, nor are they instant‘consciousness in a bottle’," Kaminski and Katz counsel. Yet moving through the process with awareness is different from trying to direct the process. "A person who has a strong preconceived idea of what should be rather than allowing what is can sabotage the effectiveness of the essences," Hammon stated. "Intentionality is key, but then you need to surrender to your divine essence."

Simply choosing to allow flower essences to aid you on your journey can shift your awareness into a more spiritually connected place. Personal reflection is inevitable when perusing the profile of each essence and the traits it addresses. Further introspection is necessary to answer Dr. Hammon’s preliminary questions and determine your direction. Accepting the differences between the energetic effects of essences and the symptomatic approach of allopathic medicine also requires the soul-first approach suggested by Plato.

In addition to specific changes facilitated by individually selected essences, the use of essences in general gently nudges the soul toward expansion. Dr. Bach wrote that flower essences "raise our vibrations and open up our spiritual self. They are able, like beautiful music or any gloriously uplifting thing which gives us inspiration, to raise our very natures and bring us nearer to ourselves and by that very act to bring us peace and relieve our suffering." Kaminski and Katz note effects including enhanced emotional experience and expression, "the awakening of a deep relationship with nature," and the recognition of a greater meaning in life experiences and relationships with others. Dreams, one of the languages by which the soul speaks to our conscious mind, often become more eloquent as well. "Many people are surprised to find that dreams are greatly enlivened after using flower essences for several weeks or months. Dream recall is enhanced, and the dreams themselves become more vivid and pregnant with meaning."

The unique timing of the mind and body in directing healing and the fact that lasting change happens over time should be respected when choosing how many essences to take. Hammon recommends that beginners start with one, two, or maybe three different essences. Too many essences may create only confusion, rendering the results less effective, not more potent. Also, the subtle, gradual actions of the essences are perfectly attuned to the optimum healing requirements of the psyche. "Never underestimate the power of a single remedy, especially one that is well chosen," avowed Hammon.

For readers who would like to learn more, Dr. Hammon regularly offers classes and workshops on working with flower essences. In May, she plans to present a day-long workshop on the multifaceted topic of flower essences and spiritual growth. For more information please call Dr. Ann Hammon at 773-296-2195.

DISCLAIMER: Choosing a holistic approach to medicine means choosing personal responsibility for your health care. Herbs for Health offers a doorway through which to enter the realm of herbal healing, an invitation to further investigation on the part of the reader. It is in no way intended as a substitute for advice from a health care practitioner.

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