FAQs

What are flower essences?

Flower essences are water-based extracts that contain the energy signature or blueprint of wild flower blossoms from plants, shrubs, and trees. They are a gentle, subtle medicine that work vibrationally on your emotional body and subconscious. They were discovered by Dr. Edward Bach, an English physician, homeopath, and a pioneer in the mind-body connection. He realized that often disease is a physical manifestation of unhappiness, fear, and worry, and if we can heal the emotional state, then the physical body will heal. This led him to discover 38 flower essences in the 1930s to address all negative states of mind. His goal was to make remedies that are safe, easy to use, and nurture our positive aspects. Flower essences have been used for almost 100 years, but the concept of using a flower’s energetic vibrations for healing and revitalization has been around for thousands of years going back to ancient Egypt.

How are flower essences made?

Flower essences are made of flower blossoms, sunlight, fresh air, water, and energy. Freshly picked wildflowers bathe in spring water or rainwater that is charged by the sun for several hours, preferably near where the wildflowers grow. This creates the mother essence, which is then diluted further, potentized, and preserved in glass jars with brandy, vegetable glycerin, or apple cider vinegar. If a flower blooms in the fall or winter, this process can also be achieved by heating the flowers in water on the stove.

Are flower essences the same thing as essential oils or herbal tinctures?

No, flower essences are very different from essential oils and herbal tinctures. Essential oils are concentrated, highly potent chemical compounds extracted from plants that have a strong aroma and taste. An herbal tincture is a concentrated herbal extract made by soaking the plant in alcohol for an extended period of time. Tinctures, which have physical and measurable amounts of plant material, are used for physical symptoms in the body. Flower essences, on the other hand, are simply water that contains a particular plant's energy signature or blueprint and are preserved by alcohol or vinegar. Therefore, essences have no actual plant material, no scent, and are nontoxic. They are used to clear emotions and subconscious patterns.

What can flower essences do for me?

I’d like to share the words of Dr. Bach: “The action of these remedies is to raise our vibrations and open up our channels for the reception of our Spiritual Self, to flood our natures with the particular virtue we need, and wash out from us the fault which is causing harm. 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 our Souls; and by that very act, to bring us peace, and relieve our sufferings. They cure, not by attacking disease, but by flooding our bodies with the beautiful vibrations of our Higher Nature, in the presence of which disease melts as snow in the sunshine.” Collected Writings of Edward Bach (1987, pg. 117)

In other words, by balancing our emotions, we achieve greater internal harmony, relieve physical pain, and can align with our soul purpose and fulfill our potential. You can also use flower essences to maintain your health and expand your awareness just like you would practice yoga, meditate, and eat whole foods.

When will I feel the effects of the flower essences? 

Everybody's experience with flower essences will be different. Most people report feeling the effects after consistent use over time rather than just one dose. It works differently than Western or allopathic medicine where we experience the immediate impact of a forceful effect. Instead, you’ll likely experience a subtle shift that is organic in nature and builds cumulatively over time. That is how inner restructuring can happen and take hold. 

Are flower essences safe? 

Since flower essences are vibrational in nature with no material substance remaining, they are nontoxic, nonaddictive, and do not cause conventional side effects. This makes flower essences a great choice for the elderly, pregnant and nursing women, newborn babies, children, and animals. This gentle system of medicine has almost 100  years of practice demonstrating its safety. 

Do flower essences have side effects?

Flower essences do not cause the type of side effects that we associate with conventional medicine because they are vibrational in nature with no material substance remaining. Sometimes, as equilibrium is being restored, the negative emotional state will intensify for a short time. We call this “an awareness crisis,” and it’s similar to a “homeopathic aggravation” or a “healing crisis.” This is an opportunity for us to witness and observe emotions and thought patterns that have been running in the background and previously inaccessible to us. Counseling, self-reflection, writing in a journal, talking to a friend, and other self-witnessing activities can assist with moving through this phase. With awareness comes the ability to effect change.

Can flower essences be taken with conventional medication?

Since flower essences are vibrational in nature with no material substance remaining, there are no known contraindications for taking them with conventional medicine. If you have questions or concerns, always talk to your doctor or therapist first. 

Can flower essences be used with psychotherapy?

Flower essences can complement the work that you’re doing in therapy, but they are not a replacement or alternative for therapy or counseling. If you’ve experienced or are experiencing significant trauma or intense feelings, it’s important to have a professional therapist to accompany and support you as you do the deeper work that it takes to heal. 

Can flower essences be used with homeopathy?

Yes, in fact, they can assist each other in helping you heal. Both look at the whole person and not an isolated symptom or body part. Homeopathy focuses on your overall energy pattern, taking physical symptoms into account. Flower essences target emotions and states of mind. In some ways, flower essences are an extension of homeopathy as Dr. Bach built on the work of Dr. Hahnemann. Dr. Bach realized that by targeting the mind, emotions, and spirit, physical symptoms may improve--we now understand this as the power of the mind-body connection. When we use homeopathy and flower essences together, we want to only introduce one thing at a time so that your body gets a clear message and we can gauge the response. So, for example, we may start with a homeopathic remedy, and if we find that there is a deep emotional block, then we might add in flower essences. The flower essences may help resolve the emotional block and clear the way for the homeopathic remedy to work more effectively. Another example is that we might start with flower essences if a state of mind is strongly impacting a person to see how the emotional and even physical symptoms shift. We may then add in a homeopathic remedy to help resolve whatever is remaining.

How often do I take my flower essences?

For long-term or deep-seated mental or emotional states, flower essences are taken frequently and on a consistent basis so that the body has time to integrate this new energy pattern. The usual recommendation is 4x4 (4 times a day for 4 weeks or 1 full moon cycle), but the dosage is tailored for each person. For acute emotional states, you may dose more frequently, up to several times an hour, until the intensity or emotional charge has resolved and you’ve returned to a centered state. 

With flower essences, we say “less is more, but more often is better.” The number of drops doesn’t change the strength of the vibration—it’s still the same signal—but taking the essence consistently ensures that we stay attuned until we can manage on our own. So the effects of the flowers are cumulative over time. As Dr. Bach said, they work like snow melting in the sunshine.

It’s important to understand that this dosage strategy is different from homeopathy’s dosing strategy, which relies on the principle of the minimum dose.

How do I take my bespoke blend?

Before you take your blend, take a quiet moment to ground yourself, touch your heart, take a couple of deep breaths, and speak the affirmation or intention of your blend to align and connect you to the flowers.

There are 2 ways to take your blend:

1. Use the dropper to take your blend directly from the bottle. (4 drops under the tongue 4 times a day.)

2. Mix 4 drops in a glass of water to sip during the day.