Flower Essences
Written by James Wood, Wild Water
What is a flower essence? For those of you who have not been exposed to these unique forms of plant preparations, a flower essence:
“is the vibrational imprint of a flower that has been transferred and stabilized in water. Flower essences can help us recognize, resolve, or release different conditioned ways of perceiving the world and can help us experience greater well-being and harmony in our lives. By creating harmony within us, we often notice distinct changes in ourselves physically, emotionally, and spiritually.” (The Alchemy of the Desert, Second Edition, page 37)
A flower essence is a unique type of medicine in the way that it’s prepared and the way that it’s used. Flowers are infused in water for a period of time overnight or during the day depending on the type of flower being used. This process imprints the vibrational quality of the particular flower into the water.
“Flower essences are very effective in helping us to recognize and rid ourselves of limiting or destructive patterns of behavior. The essences support us in extending our consciousness beyond its present state. They provide a language that helps us to understand our emotions and inner soul urgings.” (The Alchemy of the Desert)
Flower essences work more on the subtle channels and are different than a tinctured plant extract. Incorporating them into our lives slowly is the best way to receive their medicine. The essence can be taken straight into the mouth, in a glass of water, or even diluted in a spray bottle to spread the healing energies outward to the space of your home.
Let’s go through a short list of flower essences to get a feel for what they may offer us!
Aloe: Cultivates patience and surrender to the healing process, especially during a healing crisis. It is excellent if you feel resistance to allowing things to surface, helping you feel supported from within. (Source)
Apple Blossom: Purifies the emotions, assists the body in ridding itself of poisons from the past, and restores hope to one’s inner life.
Dandelion: Dynamic, effortless energy; lively activity balanced with inner ease.
Coffee: Helps us cut free from habits and unconstructive patterns of behavior and thought. It loosens the attachment and hold these have on our lives. (Source)
Passion Flower: Helps us feel the divine safety net that is there as we move towards self-realization, this in turn helps us both relax more deeply into the process and also release any cultural and religious rules of engagement that no longer serve us. (Source)
Lavender: Protects the spirit from unwanted psychic burdens of friends, family, and strangers that might not always interact with us in the most sensitive way and vice versa.
Saguaro Cactus: Helps us know and trust our inner wisdom and authority. It restores the will to live, to heal and to be the best that we are. It assists us in accessing the perfect inner father who encourages us on in life. (Source)
Many of our Poppy Swappers prepare and sell flower essences on their stores. Check out these products below to get a taste of what’s offered!
Chamomile Flower Essence from Herbal Revolution
Patterns of imbalance: Easily upset, moody and irritable, inability to release emotional tension, especially in the stomach or solar plexus, tension and anxiety, restlessness and insomnia, inner tension and disharmony
7th Chakra Flower Essence from 3 Flowers Healing
Let your crown chakra unfold it’s thousand petaled lotus flower. Blossom into your divinity with lotus and other high frequency flowers. Trust in the Source—God, Goddess, The Creator, All there is.
Ocotillo Flower Essence from Blue Turtle Botanicals
For those times when you want to recconect and tune into your roots, your core, your purpose, your passion, your expression in the world. Encourages the smooth flow of energy/qi from the lower chakras throughout the body, and appropriate and authentic emotional responsiveness, not reactiveness.
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It was his encounters with the Reishi mushroom that inspired James to explore the rainforests of Washington. Lucky for us he never left! James is an explorer of all things wild. Wild water, wild food, wild medicine and wild nature! He is the manager of our Community Map and Social Media team on Poppy Swap.
Kiki is an East Coast transplant living in the deep cedar forests of the Pacific NW. In her life long study of Chinese Medicine, she has studied with herbalists all over the world but it was her love affair with the local Mugwort growing on her small island that brought her to her passion for local herbalism. She is the Creative Director for Poppy Swap and shares her hand~spun moxa and mugwort products through her Poppy Swap shop Moxa NW.
Originally from Northern California, Kristie moved to Westcliffe, Colorado to LIVE her dream life. Cultivating a garden in the Rocky Mountains, sharing her fields with her horses, dogs and feline friends she stays constantly inspired to learn and grow. Kristie is the social butterfly of Poppy Swap, as the Marketing Director and Event Coordinator. She is currently studying herbalism with Aviva Romm and offers her own line of herbals through Spirit Horse Herbals on Poppy Swap!
Natalie is a Traditional Herbalist whose roots are firmly planted in the South. Although she was born and raised in Tennessee, Natalie has spent the past 24 years living and loving life in North Florida. Natalie provides consultations as well as classes and is one of the founding members of the North Florida Holistic Network, a Non-Profit organization which is dedicated to promoting holistic and sustainable practices. She sells her herbal products on Poppy Swap as The Family Herbalist.
Rebecca is a Scottish girl who lives in the wilds of Los Angeles. She spends her time cooking wild foods, concocting magic healing potions, painting, and running her herb business, 
After years of activism in Vermont, Susan moved to her family's home in Fryeburg, Maine with views of her beloved White Mountains where she grew up, to dig in the Earth, learn from the healing plants and trees, and replenish her spirit. The first thing she did was put in a large, organic garden that has grown and evolved over the years into a beautiful and enchanted space, a mix of flowers, healing herbs, veggies, "weeds", rocks, crystals, and many surprises. Her land is bordered by huge white pines, large maples, and the old course of the Saco River. After years of sharing her creams, salves, and other herbal creations with family and friends, she created Gaia's Garden Herbals to offer them to the public. Everything is made in very small batches with only the best ingredients, often from her garden or wild-harvested nearby, and lots of love.
