Flower Essences for Stress Relief!
July 15th, 2009. Published under Alternative Medicine. No Comments.
Natural remedies have long been used in traditional medicine and have remained popular despite the advent of modern synthetic drugs. In fact natural methods are being rediscovered as many have become disappointed at the side effects and expense of modern medicine.
Naturopathy is a health discipline based on enhancing the body’s own natural ability to defend and repair itself, using therapies such as homeopathy, herbal remedies, nutritional adjustments and the use of plant essences. In terms of stress relief, supplements such as St John’s Wort and Kava have been shown to help alleviate tension and anxiety, amongst other symptoms. However, for immediate effective relief, many people have turned to using flower essences to aid in stress relief, mental focus and spiritual development.
At the turn of the twentieth century, Dr. Edward J. Bach pioneered the modern use of plant remedies in medicine, encountering much resistance with traditional health professionals who were dismissive of his methods. However, over the years his ideas have gathered momentum as the public has been more interested in alternative therapies to help treat the causes of their ailments, rather than their symptoms. His approach was radically different from that used by conventional medicine as he operated on intuitive level rather than scientific protocol, and for that he was shunned by the medical community.
Flower essence therapy has been compared to homeopathy, although it does not follow the same principles. Dr. Bach’s view was that the issues of the body could be helped by clarifying the mind and resolving the inner conflicts between soul and personality, which manifest as physical ailments. The flower essences consist of a 1:1 brandy and water dilution containing very small amounts of flower material. Dr. Bach used his intuition to attribute different healing powers to different flowers based on which ones he found benefited his own ailments and negative feelings. The “flower essence” is a collection of the energy pattern of the flower, and different flowers emit different patterns, thus serving different uses. For example, the aptly named flower essence of Impatiens is said to help relieve impatience.
Today, Bach Flower remedies are a popular option for stress relief, the most famous being Rescue Remedy. Rescue Remedy is used in times of tension, trauma, shock, nervousness, anxiety, sleeplessness and other stressful states . It uses a combination of five flower remedies - Clematis, Impatiens, Star of Bethlehem, Cherry Plum, and Rock Rose and is available in a pastille form, drops, or as a spray under the tongue. There have been expansions to the the Rescue Remedy concept, including a formula to aid sleeplessness, and even a remedy for pets to ease nerves in stressful situations such as going to the vet’s surgery.
In more recent times the concept of flower essences has been expanded to use flowers from different regions of the world. This is really a rediscovery of ancient healing practice that advocated the use of flower essences. Paracelsus wrote about collecting the dew from flowers to help heal imbalances in the body and mind. Today there is a large range of Australian Bush Flower Essences that are considered to be amongst the most effective essences available. Alaskan Flower Essences are also highly regarded. Most essences are in solution which are taken by mouth. However there are other methods of application. A few drops can be rubbed behind the ears and can be just as effective as an oral dose. New Zealand flower essences take advantage of topical application and are available in the form of a skin lotion.
Plant essences provide a unique approach to well-being, focusing on the body and mind’s abilities to support themselves. Despite being developed over a century ago, many still swear by their powers and use them in a variety of situations to relieve the effects of stress and other ailments bringing together the body and mind.
Bruce Wilson is a qualified New Zealand pharmacist and owner of Strand Arcade Pharmacy.
Bruce invites you to read more about Joie De Vivre and other health and beauty products from New Zealand at http://www.NZ-Online-Pharmacy.com