by Isha Lerner

Statement of Intention: The intention of this column is to educate, inform, and inspire others regarding the use and study of astrology, tarot, and flower essences. Combining archetypal imagery, the healing power of flowers, and the celestial movement of the planets and stars, this column seeks to uncover aspects of the hidden secrets of Nature and the mystery of the Soul. The greatest hope is to help people access personal empowerment toward healing and to gain knowledge toward the practical application of these ancient, yet, potent tools of Alchemy. Enjoy!

Pioneering work in these fields has brought to our attention the healing properties of high vibrational healing modalities. The word vibration has become synonymous with energy. For we have learned that our bodies are fields of vibrational energy.

One of the great names in the field of vibrational healing is Edward Bach, the founding father of Bach Flower remedies which he brought to the attention of the medical establishment in England in the 1930's. Dr. Bach was a sensitive and contemplative man who dedicated his life to humanity, tirelessly seeking ways by which to alleviate human suffering and bring joy to the human spirit. A medical doctor steeped in the integral field of homeopathy, Dr. Bach began to case study the healing effects of the flower's essence, which he had discovered while collecting dew drops from plants at dawn. Theorizing that such drops contained the energy pattern or signature of the plant from which it was derived, he further supposed that when ingested by human beings, the essence of the flower would match the vibrational patterns stored within the genetic miasms of the human body.

We are fortunate that Edward Bach was such an astute observer of the plant kingdom, for his theories have proved correct. His thirty-eight remedies have aided humanity for over sixty years, paving the way for other like-minded individuals to engage in similar efforts, creating new varieties of flower essences.

The process by which a flower creates its own essence is nothing less than alchemical, for the four elements are readily used and vital in the process: earth sustains the seed and roots system, air offers oxygen and wind helping to fertilize the plant, fire, in the form of sunlight, brings light and growth, drawing the plant toward the heavens; and the water feeds the plant, expanding its properties in order that it may produce the juice or dew, the essence of the plant.

Since it is not feasible to generate enough flower essences for a growing population by collecting dew from the plants, a more efficient, though nonetheless alchemical, process has been developed. The system involves placing flower blossoms in a clear glass bowl of pure water which is then set in the Sun for a certain prescribed period of time so that the healing properties of the flower can be transferred from the flower to the water. Once the essence or pattern of the flower is transferred to water, the essence is carefully collected in vials, preserved with alcohol or vinegar, and made available for use. Out of this 'mother stock' one may add seven drops of this formula to an one-ounce dropper bottle with one-teaspoon brandy and spring water. The remedy is taken under the tongue, orally, four times a day. The essential quality of the flower pattern penetrates into the various bodies of energy that constitute the human experience i.e., mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual.

Each individual has a unique pattern and energy field. Edward Bach noted how an illness was not curable by the same means for each individual. Some people would heal and others could not, even though the same application or treatment was used. He committed himself to the task of healing the whole person, not just the illness. He sought to identify the character, complexity and inherited genetics of each person.

With his extensive case study work with flower essences he observed the different ways in which people respond to illness. He noted blocks and obstacles that serve as barriers to wellness such as fear, loss of hope, despair, exhaustion, etc., as well as keynoting the positive traits of a person that could be emphasized and brought back to life within the individual. The flowers proved to be gentle, non-threatening, subtle, yet, extraordinarily potent and helpful.

Beautiful forms and designs are seen in each individual water droplet, i.e., the rose has it's own design as does the daisy, etc. A repetition of the same design for each flower species offers us empirical evidence that the plant signature held within the healing properties of each flower is unique and specific in it's purpose.

The flower is the crowning jewel of the plant, or, in a sense, the angel of nature. Revealing the colors of the rainbow, the flowers offer beauty and radiance to nature, and, when ingested as an essence, contribute to the transformational journey of the human soul. The flower is the highest vibration of the plant; its delicate purity unfurls the scent, color, and form of its perfection. A flower essence or tincture is one of the most sensitized forms of healing made available to us.

Edward Bach's greatest hope was to restore the original essence of an individual's birth potential. Marred with shattered and splintered childhood experiences, grief, loss of faith, fear, anger, etc, the human soul carries a burden that often buries the treasures of hope, courage, self-love, confidence, etc, that is the birthright of each individual. In order to restore hope and love within the heart and mind of people, Edward Bach knew it was essential that we eliminate the layers of defense, denial, and protection accumulated over the years as a way of surviving the pain of life's circumstances. The essences work gently. They penetrate to the core of an individual's experience, illness, weakness, etc, and, like homeopathy, heal the cause of the suffering or illness, not the symptoms.

Part Two Next Month: Personal application of flower essences and specific flowers used for common maladies.

Isha Lerner has studied and taught astrology, tarot, and flower essence therapy for over twenty years. A member of the Findhorn Foundation in northern Scotland from 1976 to 1980, Isha has integrated the elemental forces of the natural world with the mundane studies of esoteric mysticism. She is the author of The Inner Child Cards: A Journey Through Fairy Tales, Myth, and Nature, and The Power of Flower Cards: An Archetypal Journey Through Nature. She balances full time consulting and teaching in Eugene, Oregon with her national long distance consulting and travel. To contact her or schedule an appointment, please e-mail her at isha@efn.org or call 541-683-5907. You may visit her web-site at www.ishalerner.com.

You may order The Inner Child Cards or The Power of Flower Cards by contacting Isha Lerner at isha@efn.org , Visa/Master card accepted. Look under publications on her web-site for a review and display of the cards.

Isha's book/deck set entitled The Power of Flowers: An Archetypal Journey Through Nature is her contribution to the unfolding study of flowers and the co-creative relationship between the soul of nature and the soul of humanity. Pictured above is an image from The Power of Flower deck. This beautiful Lotus is connected to the archetype of Quan Yin, the Mother of Compassion and Eternal Wisdom. In the East, the Lotus is considered a perfect, microcosmic reflection of the growth of human consciousness through three stages of evolution: 1) ignorance; 2) skillful means; 3) enlightenment. As a flower elixir, Lotus stimulates Divine Inspiration and Spiritual Liberation. It moves the dark and muddy aspects of the psyche upward toward the light of consious healing.