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!

As an elixir, Buttercup carries an enticement to quiet surrender beckoning one to "ride the magic carpet" of blissful love into the inner regions of the Essential Self, where purity and innocence reside. This is a beautiful remedy for children and adults alike, who yearn for the sacrament of their angelic essence, their "original face before they were born." Buttercup restores and heals the inner child, helping us remember the creative gifts we carry into this world.

Sunrise to sunset, flowers adorn our planet in a multitude of ways, and the subtle nature of their exquisite beauty is an eternal blessing to humanity. There are so many ways to engage with flowers, be it a stroll in the garden, a floral painting on the wall, scented oil from the blossoms, a bouquet of freshly picked flowers, or, a vibrational remedy. We have the option of going to the flowers in any way we choose. My truest love, aside form the mere presence of the flowers themselves, is applying flower essence therapy.

After twenty years of working with the elixirs, it is no longer about believing in them or proving that they work: I know them for the powerful healers they are. I know them as the geometric poetry of the human soul, for each flower holds a specific healing pattern that is a miniature holographic universe of its own.

The application of flower essences is simple, yet, profound. Edward Bach, the founder of the Bach Flower Essences in the 1930's was diligent in his efforts to find a means to cure the deep cause of great suffering and despair within the individual. The essences are here for all of humanity, rich or poor, and all color and creed. Edward Bach offered us a peek into the medicine bag of nature, the plants themselves, and stated over and over again that the language of nature dictates the harmony and goodwill of humankind. Bach wrote, "Once we realize our own Divinity, the rest is easy." Flower essences address the conditions of our spiritual and mortal bodies. If there is discord, disease will follow. Disease is the soul's way of addressing imbalance. For example, negative emotions, such as fear and anger, create rigidity and disharmony in the body and these unhealthy constructs can eventually turn into physical disease. Flower essence therapy addresses the mental states within us that distort our soul's spiritual journey. Flower essences, working in the sacred space between body and soul, wash away our impurities, and anchor the soul in the rich new soil of encouragement and hope.

All people are invited to use flower essences in their everyday life to prevent and cure disease. We are all healers, graced with the virtues of love and compassion. It is the work of our soul to draw this force forward so we can be in service to one another. There are times, however, when a professional in the art of flower essence diagnosis can be of great service. One who has studied the flowers and observed the mental and emotional states of patients day in and day out may be able to diagnose flowers with great skill. One practitioner may use methods such as muscle testing and hypnotherapy to diagnose flowers, where as another may use a pendulum. The most important tool of all, of course, is love.

Through the laws of higher order, and, regardless of our resistance, we are each graced with the potential to serve humanity with compassion and understanding and offered the opportunity to align ourselves to a way of living that promotes respect for all individuals. The path to individuation is the key that unlocks the potential for each person to blossom and discover their path to freedom. Flower essences enable us to balance the mind in order that we may overcome the human maladies and sufferings that keep us apart from knowing the mission or destiny we have come to fulfill.

Flower essence application is varied and diverse, yet, simple. Essences made from the living plants of our Earth are imbued with glorious luminosity, brimming with vitality and high vibrations. A vibrational medicine of the future, flower essence therapy may seem too simple for the modern day health practitioner. However, it was Edward Bach's wish, a wish he held up to the day he died, to keep the art of flower essence therapy simple and pure and available to all. He believed that the administering of essences should be as simple as walking out to the garden to pick some lettuce for your supper or hiking to the woods to pick mimulus for your fear. The bottled essences make it possible to reach to the guardians of nature within the apothecary of your own home and choose a flower helper that may help our selves and loved ones overcome the conditions of human limitation.

There are many ways to apply the essences. The most common way is to take several drops orally, under the tongue, from a one-ounce remedy bottle. This remedy is made by adding four to seven drops from the Mother Stock (this is the original essence that was made from the actual flowers and is preserved in brandy) into a dropper bottle filled with spring water. Avoid distilled or tap water if possible. It is advised that you take the remedy at least four times a day. It is lovely to take them before sleep, for during dream time, the essences may stir the unconscious into new discovery, opening the Soul to a panoramic world of inner visions.

Do not store your essences in hot and sunny places for the essences are highly sensitive. Moldy particles can contaminate the remedy if it is not stored properly. It is best to store them at room temperature or in a cool environment.

Applying essences topically is a way to energize particular areas of the body, including the seven major Chakras. Massage therapists may add essences to the oils used for massage, or individual essences can be chosen for specific conditions. Dandelion essence and oil is especially effective for muscle tightness and stress. Lavender, chamomile, self heal, and rock rose are all very helpful when applied topically. Pomegranate and mariposa lily essence help a person receive the nurturing benefits of a massage, especially if they have been deprived of love and care. Pink Yarrow protects the energy around each person and crab apple cleanses the soul and opens it to purification and cleansing.

Children benefit by having essences rubbed onto the bottom of their feet at night, especially if they do not want to take the essences orally. Many children enjoy taking the drops orally, especially if they are called "fairy drops" from the flowers. Choose chamomile, lavender, or rock rose essence for the high strung child. Mimulus and cherry plum reduce night terror and nightmares. Clematis helps to ground a child who tends to daydream and disconnect from their physical reality.

Add several drops of an essence into the palm of your hand to rub onto the fur of your pet. A little drop on their nose is a fine way to administer to animals, as they will lick it off immediately. Also, add the elixir to your animal's drinking bowl. It is useful to have rescue remedy in your medicine cabinet to administer to ailing pets and children. For aggressive dogs and cats offer chicory or tiger lily. For timid cats offer violet. For pets that have become jealous of a new baby in the family, or of visitors, give holly.

As keepers of the seeds of future manifestations, flowers represent a rainbow bridge to enlightenment, a mirror of tiny mandalas of the Great Womb we call our universe.

Turning to the flowers for help with the challenges now facing humanity makes good sense, for they direct us to the source of our own majesty-divine love. With their vibrant color, aromatic scent and graceful geometry, flowers embody the purity, joy, and innocence residing within each one of us. We may each become more fully realized individuals, as we realign ourselves by listening with our hearts to the teachings of the flowers.

In closing I would like to quote Rumi, the mystic poet of the mid-thirteenth century. His words echo the potential that flower essences offer humanity. The flowers essences allow us to reach deeply into the pools of our inner strength where we seek to understand the core of our Karmic imprint, the pain and suffering that offers us the gems of compassion and love for life. If we are courageous enough to fully sacrifice our life to our fullest destiny, we must keep our feet on the ground and stay focused here on Earth in service.

How will you know the difficulties of being human,
If you're always flying off to blue perfection?
Where will you plant your grief seeds?
We need ground to scrape and hoe,
Not the sky of unspecified desire.
Rumi

Part III Next month:
Flower Essences and Astrology: The Cosmic Mandala of Nature

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.