An Astrological Approach To Flower Essences

 

Stellar Elixirs - An Astrological Approach to Flower Essences by Stephanie Gailing Flower EssencesFlowers have captured our aenon for millennia, whether as tokens of love, cosmec and perfumery agents, oerings in burial rites, or the numerous other ways in which their beauty has held meaning and purpose. Yet, their reverence throughout history has not been limited to the sensual qualies of their colors, shapes, or fragrances. It has also extended to their sacred healing properes.

Natural remedies made by infusing the owering part of a plant in water — referred to in our modern mes as ower essences or ower remedies — have been used for thousands of years by many cultures, including those in ancient Egypan and tradional Asian sociees as well as by Australian aborigines. Thankfully for those of us who are looking for ways to expand our self-care rounes in pursuit of greater well-being, ower essences have been gaining in popularity and accessibility. What Are Flower Essences?

Since these remedies include the word "ower" in their name, people oen confuse them with essenal oils; yet, unlike aromatherapeuc oils, ower essences do not have a fragrance. They are infusions made from the owering parts of plants that capture their signature energec imprint in water, water, which is then used as a base for the remedy.(1) remedy.(1) Rather than acng on a physiological physiologic al level, ower essences — similar to homeopathics — are thought to work vibraonally on our subtle energy bodies.

Flower essences bolster mental and emoonal well-being. Each ower addresses a paern of constuonal temperament, temperament, characteriscs, and qualies, helping to bring our emoons and mental states back into balance, thereby alleviang personal triggers of stress. They are inexpensive addions to a self-care self-care regimen aimed at overall wellness.

You may be wondering what this has to do with astrology. Years ago, when I was doing research for my book Planetary Apothecary,(2) Apothecary,(2) I was quite struck by how the descripons of many of the essences seemed to have a correlaon with dierent zodiacal pa paerns. erns. A few examples: I read of  Buercup ower essence being indicated for inspiring an inner sense of self-assuredness that would translate into a reduced need for outer recognion, and I then saw how this might correlate with some expressions of the sign of Leo. When I researched Pink Yarrow Yarrow and its ability

 

to help forge energec boundaries within those who relate to others through empathy, empathy, I immediately reected upon its potenal benet for some Pisceans.

My years of research and wring about ower essences, as well as designing custom formulas for astrology consultaon consultaon clients, have shown me not only how these two systems align, but also how incorporang ower essences can further meet the goals of astrologers who want to use our sacred art to inspire the well-being of others. A Brief History of Flower Essences

As noted above, the healing essence of owers has been recognized and used by numerous cultures for thousands of years. If we track the genesis of nature-based alchemical healing in recent centuries, we can nd two notable examples. It has been suggested that both the 12thcentury Benedicne abbess, Hildegard von Bingen, and the 16th-century astrologer and physician, Paracelsus, Paracelsus, worked with the dew collected from owers and plants — one way to make these remedies — in their approach to healing.

Bach essencesIn modern mes, it is the early 20th-century English physician, Dr. Dr. Edward Bach, whom many credit with the rediscovery and popularizaon of ower essences. In I n his extensive search for a more holisc approach to healing, one that reected the interplay between mind and body, body, he discovered 38 dierent essences now called the Bach ower remedies, each of which addressed a specic mental or emoonal state. Many people are introduced to ower essences through the use of a popular Bach formula known as Rescue RemedyTM — a combinaon of ve owers that is used to alleviate acute stress.

With the Bach ower remedies as the contemporary contemporary foundaon of this healing system, later 20th-century healers turned to creang other collecons from owers grown in their nave areas, which they believed would address addional pictures of mental and emoonal dis-ease. Two of the more well-known collecons include: Flower Essence Services, a California company founded in 1979 by Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz; and the Australian Bush Flowers, developed by Ian and Kirsn White in the early 1980s. There are now scores of other remedies available, created from owers across the globe; in fact, Clare G. Harvey's Har vey's book, The New Encyclopedia of Flower Remedies,(3) includes informaon about more than 25 systems of ower essences from all around the world, including North and South America, Australia, Japan, Thailand, and India. There are also people around the globe making these vibraonal elixirs on a smaller scale. There are likely thousands of ower essences, reecng the cornucopia of botanicals worldwide.

 

How Flower Essences Align with Astrology

Let us now further explore how ower essences accord (work in harmony) with astrology, and how we can use them in our pracce with clients.

We can use ower essences as support when working with astrological ming techniques, such as transits and progressions, which allow us to understand the personal developmental cycles that a client is working through at any given me. We can then provide our cclients lients with knowledge of these subtle energy remedies to help them migate personal challenges and to encourage them to invesgate invesgate opportunies for deeper learning and understanding.

For example, a client who is having a Neptune transit to Mercury may noce that their intuive mind is developing and may seek to foster and guide this process. In this case, we may suggest Star Tulip, a ower essence that supports inner listening, the culvaon of quietude, and the ability to access reecve insights, notably in dreams and meditave states.

Or perhaps we have a client who is experiencing a powerful Saturn period and needs support moving from one stage of life to another. Known as the "link breaker," Walnut is helpful when we are shiing into a new way of being and want to detach from the inuence of expectaons put upon us by others, or previously by ourselves, and embrace a deeper level of our own authority.

Addionally,, ower essences may be useful as support when Addionally whe n navigang various periods. For example, we regard the retrograde cycles of the personal planets — Mercury, Venus, and Mars — as opportunies for re-evaluaon, mes that may be beer for reecon and retracing our steps rather than taking new acon. Yet, with many people sll inclined toward a "doing" orientaon, mustering addional paence to wait for the right ming would be a great boon. For this, we could turn to Impaens, a Bach ower remedy that inspires more paence and connects us to the natural rhythms of me. Zodiacal Signs and Flower Essences

To help you beer understand the synergy between these two sacred healing arts, below you will nd two ower essences for each of the twelve zodiacal signs. Since I currently work primarily with the Bach owers and remedies from the Flower Essence Services (FES), the

 

essences I've included come from one of these two systems (indicated (indicated in parentheses below).

Please note that the inclusion of a ower essence under a parcular sign doesn't necessarily mean this is the only sign with which it has accord, nor that these essences are the only ones that would support the sign's constuon. These are oered as examples for your further consideraon. Aries

impaensImpaens (Impaens glandulifera): glandulifera): Aries naves don't necessarily list paence as one of their strong suits. Somemes a "now or never" orientaon can catalyze things geng done at a rapid speed, but this can also cause stress and strain. Impaens ower essence counters impaence by encouraging a more harmonious ow with the natural rhythm of me and the pace of others. (Bach)

Tiger Lily (Triteleia ixioides): Aries's asserveness allows for the expression of will in the pursuit of a goal. Yet, at mes others may perceive this ery asserveness as aggressiveness, which could diminish their desire to cooperate and provide support. Tiger Lily ower essence channels the will toward collaboraon with others, while sll allowing for a sense of individual contribuon. (FES) Taurus

Chestnut Bud (Aesculus hippocastanum): Taurus Taurus has an anity for rounes, deriving great comfort from the security that arises from knowing what comes next. The need for a regular rhythm is somemes so essenal to Taurus that it fosters fosters deeply etched habitual paerns, some of which may be health-giving, while others may not. Chestnut Bud can help to break the vicious cycle of self-def se lf-defeang eang habits, whose comfort comes only from the familiarity of the acon itself. itself. (Bach)

Hound's Tongue (Cynoglossum grande): Earthy Taurus is drawn toward the material world, which colors its worldview. worldview. While being a master of the mundane can have its benets, if one's orientaon emphasizes physical physical reality to the exclusion of the more subtle realms, a sense of dullness and heaviness in mind and body can emerge. Hound's Tongue Tongue encourages the infusion of imaginaon and intuion to yield more holisc thinking. (FES)

 

Gemini

Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus): Gemini collects facts and gures and is enthused by all kinds of informaon. Yet, Yet, having a facility for collecng data doesn't necessarily mean it is always easy to translate and communicate it in an organiz organized ed way. Cosmos, a great ower essence for public speaking, can forge a clearer channel between thoughts and the spoken words used to express them. (FES)

Madia (Madia elegans): With so much aracon to mental acvity, Geminis somemes resemble intellectual bueries, moving from this smulus to that. Although this can sasfy the inherent curiosity associated with the sign, it also tends to inhibit the ability for deep concentraon. Madia ower essence improves focus, helping to reduce distracbility and inaenon. (FES) Cancer

HoneysuckleHoneysuckle HoneysuckleHoney suckle (Lonicera caprifolium): With a reverence for history and tradion, Cancer is infused with a nostalgic bent. While Cancerians can derive emoonal comfort from the past, they somemes have the tendency to get stuck in it, which w hich can distract them from living in the present. Honeysuckle ower essence releases the pincer grip of what has come before, opening up a greater ability to be more fully in the here and now. (Bach)

Mariposa Lily (Calochortus leichtlinii): Ruled by the Moon, Cancer is connected to the mother and the expression of maternal consciousness. Somemes this connecon can be sed and in need of support so that one can feel more cared for, especially by oneself. oneself. Mariposa Lily ower essence helps a person to embrace the past, inspires forgiveness of one's personal mother, mother, and promotes a deeper connecon to the Divine Mother. Mother. (FES) Leo

Buercup (Ranunculus occidentalis): Leo oen looks for outer recognion to stoke the inner ame of self-value. Yet, Yet, when the external world is the main or only source of validaon, inner worth becomes vulnerable, as it is overly dependent upon the applause of others. Buercup ower essence is good for amplifying self-assuredness self-assuredness and the ability to experience one's own inner light. (FES)

 

Sunower (Helianthus annuus): With the Sun ruling Leo, there's a connecon between this sign and a sense of egoic radiance. Yet, Yet, if ego expression is not in balance, naves can experience either low self-esteem or self-aggrandizement. self-aggrandizement. Sunower bolsters internal solar energy, allowing for the radiaon of a healthier and more balanced sense of self. (FES) Virgo

Pine (Pinus sylvestris): A common tendency of Virgo is to hold oneself to a very high standard. When the goal is impossible to aain, as it oen is, this can lead to self-condemnaon and reproach. Pine ower essence is noted for inspiring self-acceptan self-acceptance ce and forgiveness and the release of excessive excessive self-cricism. (Bach)

Rock Water (solarized spring water): Ascecism may be one of the manifested manifested qualies of Virgo. A striving toward beerment, including one's health, can oen make Virgo quite rule-bound. This can lead to a sense of restricon that strangles the ow of joy. joy. Rock Water encourages one to honor the spirit rather than the leer of the law law,, allowing more exibility and recepvity recepvity.. (Bach) Libra

Scleranthus (Scleranthus annuus): Librans oen weigh and reweigh their opons before making a decision, since they fear that they will choose prematurely or wrongly. While pung things on the scale is inherent to the Libra nature, it can somemes leave naves swirling in an eddy of indecision. Scleranthus ower essence is indicated for deepening decisiveness and inner resolve. (Bach)

Scarlet Monkeyower (Mimulus cardinalis): An anity for harmony over discord can cause Librans to be insncvely repelled by emoons, such as anger anger,, that feel disrupve. If this results in the suppression of naturally occurring feelings, it can lead to passive-aggressiveness and/or unmely blowups from built-up feelings. Scarlet Monkeyower essence allows for the embrace and clear communicaon of a full spectrum of feelings. (FES) Scorpio

Holly(Ilex aquifolium): aquifolium): Scorpio is a passionate sign; its naves are drawn to a deep reser reservoir voir of feelings and auned to the emoonal undercurrents of those around them. Because of a strong

 

need for inmate connecon, jealousy and suspicion can arise when Scorpio perceives that it is not the object of another's desire. Holly ower essence can allay isolang feelings by helping to transform a perspecve of exclusion to inclusion, and an orientaon from scarcity to one that recognizes the stream of ever-presen ever-present, t, abundant love. (Bach)

Basil (Ocimum basilicum): With an anity for the intense and powerful, Scorpios can embrace sexual liaisons as a dynamic route to profound interpersonal emoonal connecons. Yet, if there is a feeling of sexual shame — whether from past experiences or perceived societal standards — this arena may be cordoned o from the whole of life, seen as needing to be clandesne or secreve. Basil ower essence helps one to integrate sexuality with spirituality, spirituality, releasing the need to have physical inmacy be separate from emoonal connecon. (FES) Sagiarius

Sage (Salvia ocinalis): Sagiarius has an anity for seeing things from on high, a perspecve from which it seeks meaning, and strives to cra a broad-based understanding of life. Sll, life does come with trials and tribulaons, and even Sagiarius needs that extra reminder to not let these challenges jostle it out of seeing the bigger picture. Sage ower  ower essence oers addional encouragement to see things from a wider perspecve and thus to access the inherent wisdom in life experiences. (FES)

Vervain (Verbena (Verbena ocinalis): With ardent enthusiasm and a zealous nature, Sagiarius leaps into acon toward the aainment of visions, which oen includes the sharing of ideals with others. Somemes this can lead to seng overly opmisc goals and/or aachment to beliefs, which can create stress, exhauson, or nervous tension. Vervain ower essence can help one to stay connected to impassioned pursuits, while remaining aware of one's limits and the benets of praccing moderaon. (Bach) Capricorn

Vine (Vis vinifera): Autonomous Capricorns may express their authority by leading others. But too much persistent self-reliance self-reliance can lead to a myopic vision of what others are capable of and a disregard for their unique abilies. Vine ower essence serves ser ves as a reminder that delegang is not the sign of an ineecve leader but of a powerful one who can successfully inspire others. (Bach)

 

Oak (Quercus robur): Duful Capricorns oen feel that they can do everything on their own, not needing (or wanng) help from others. Although this can be a pathway to aaining their achievements, it's oen exhausng and somemes isolang. Oak ower essence oers a reminder that even Capricorn has limits and that accepng these reects strength rather than weakness. (Bach) Aquarius

Lady's SlipperLady's Slipper (Cypripedium parviorum): Aquarius has an impressive mental orientaon, an ability to stream networked informaon informaon and insights. And yet, for some, there is an emphasis on living through their minds without a concurrent balance of being grounded, which can lead to nervous ner vous tension and/or frustraon from not fullling their visions. Lady's Slipper ower essence helps to ground the higher mind, integrang upper and lower chakras, enabling one to more clearly walk one's path. (FES)

Quaking Grass (Briza maxima): Aquarius is socially oriented and oen nds that being a part of a collecve fosters a much-desired sense of connecvity connecvity.. Yet, group dynamics somemes come with challenges, as people struggle to nd their place. Quaking Grass helps Aquarians to nd an important balance: to maintain their individuality while honoring the collecve, remembering that they are part of something larger than themselves but also that they themselves can make a signicant contribuon. (FES) Pisces

Aspen (Populus tremula): Pisces can be highly sensive to others' thoughts and feelings, which if registered on an unconscious level may lead to a sea of emoonal unease and vague anxiety. Aspen ower essence bolsters the ability of the conscious mind to si through the impressions to which it is connecng, so that one doesn't unconsciously take on the fears and apprehension of those around them. It helps to support both clarity and a feeling of psychic protecon. (Bach)

Pink Yarrow (Achillea millefolium var. rubra): Empathec Pisces can readily idenfy with the suering of others. And while the caring and compassionate nature of these naves is one of their greatest gis, an overly sympathec orientaon can have them merging with others in a way that may disturb their emoonal well-being. Pink Yarrow ower essence helps to maintain the experience of a loving awareness of others while forfying personal boundaries. (FES) How to Use Flower Essences

 

Flower essences can be used either orally or topically. If you want to use them orally orally,, the recommended dosage is usually two to four drops of each essence four mes a day day.. Some people like to take them right from the bole. They can also be added to a glass of water. water. A more cost-eecve cost-e ecve way to use the ower essences is to put the drops in a one-ounce dropper bole lled with ltered water water,, from which the recommended dose can be taken. Counterintuively, Counterintuively, dilung a ower essence in water will not dilute its potency.

The topical applicaon of ower essences is wonderful for people who avoid alcohol (which is used as a xave in many ower essences), including children. The ower essences can be applied directly to the skin, either e ither on the pulse points or specic acupressure points. One convenient way of using them to is to add the ower essences to a mister bole lled with water. You can then spritz yourself and your environment several mes a day.

You can nd ower essences in holisc pharmacies, natural food stores, online resources, and through praconers who work with this system of healing.

 

References and Notes: 1. Flower essences are described as "… the life force of plants collected from the energy eld or aura of the plant," in Donna Cunningham, C unningham, Flower Remedies Handbook: Emoonal Healing & Growth with Bach & Other Flower Essences, Sterling Publishing, 1992, p. 26. Like homeopathy and other forms of vibraonal medicine, ower essences are healing agents that work on a subtle energy level, rather than strictly biophysical one. (For more informaon, see the Richard Gerber book listed below.) 2. Stephanie Gailing, Planetary Apothecary Apothecary,, Crossing Press, 2009. 3. Clare G. Harvey, Harvey, The New Encyclopedia of Flower Remedies, Watkins Publishing (London), 2007.

Further Reading: If you'd like to learn more about ower essences and astrology astrology,, here are some books I would

 

recommend: Bach, Edward, M.D. The Essenal Wrings of Dr. Edward Bach: The Twelve Healers and Heal Thyself.. Random House (London, U.K.), 2005. Thyself Bellows, Warren. Floral Acupuncture: Applying the Flower Essences of Dr. Bach to Acupuncture Sites. Crossing Press, 2005. Damian, Peter. The Twelve Healers of the Zodiac. Red Wheel Weiser, 1986. Gerber,, Richard, M.D. Vibraonal Medicine: The #1 Handbook of Subtle-Energy Gerber S ubtle-Energy Therapies. Bear & Company, 2001. Kaminski, Patricia, and Richard Katz. Flower Essence Repertory: A Comprehensive Guide to North American and English Flower Essences for Emoonal and Spiritual S piritual Well-Being. Flower Essence Society (Nevada City, California), 2004. McIntyre, Anne. Flower Power: Flower Remedies for Healing Body and Soul Through Herbalism, Homeopathy, Aromatherapy, and Flower Essences. Henry Holt and Company, 1996. Scheer,, Mechthild. The Encyclopedia of Bach Flower Therapy. Healing Arts Press, 1999. Scheer Sellwood, Debbie. Centaury for Virgo, V irgo, Rock Rose for Pisces. Polair Publishing (London, U.K.), 2007. Starck, Marcia. Healing with Astrology Astrology.. Crossing Press, 1997.

Image sources: Lavendar-Rose oil: Public Domain CC0, by Devanath via pixabay.com Bach essences: Public Domain CC0, by stux via pixabay.com pixabay.com Impaens: Public Domain CC0, by nero235 via pixabay pixabay.com .com Honeysuckle: Public Domain CC0, C C0, by Stevebidmead via pixabay.com pixabay.com Holly: Public Domain CC0, by Antranias via pixabay.com pixabay.com Lady's Slipper: Public Domain D omain CC0, by SllWorksImagery SllWorksImagery via pixabay.com pixabay.com

First published in: The Mountain Astrologer, Astrologer, Apr/May 2016 20 16