Flower Essences

Flower essences are a gentle form of medicine for your spirit. They are safe, easy to work with, and invite subtle but profound change into your life. They are traditionally made by collecting flowers at the peak of their vitality and infusing them in spring water and sunlight for a few hours. This water is then blended with a preservative such as alcohol or vinegar to ensure a long shelf life. They are a drop-dose medicine, meaning they are used in very small amounts over an extended period of time. Blends can be made by mixing together different essences, and sometimes a flavoring like honey or vanilla is added. An important distinction of essences from tinctures, oils, or extracts is that there is no physical trace of the plants in the bottle.

There are several schools of thought in regards to how flower essences work, with it ultimately being up to the individual to decide what resonates. One thought is that everything on this planet has a vibrational energy, and the imprint of this energy can be preserved. You can then integrate these specific imprints with your own body to bring about shifts in your energy, spirit, and emotions. Another thought is that flower essences are like a talisman for a plant, relying on your own thoughts to bring about the subtle changes. Some believe that the essences work by untangling specific difficult emotions, and some believe they work by bringing about a greater sense of overall wellbeing and connection with the world. 

Each plant has a unique gift to share, just the same as people do, and flower essences are a tool to help us listen and take in the knowledge of the natural world.

Why I Make Essences

I live on the side of one of the oldest mountains in the world. It has a presence and a unique perspective that is filtered into every animal, plant, and rock that I’ve encountered here. The beauty and mystery is undeniable and magnetic, and it has an unshakable wisdom that is needed at this time. I’ve somehow found myself dedicated to the project of making essences from the land around my house to share with others.

Essences are a way to encourage others to tend to themselves and to their place in the natural world. We have a lot of options for medicine, but most are developed to heal your physical ailments. The spirit of a person is often neglected, even though it impacts our body and mind. Spirit influences how we process what we see in the world and how we respond to it, and it is an important part of our overall wellbeing. It also reminds us that we aren’t going through this life alone, and we’re actually immersed in a dense relationship with our surroundings. I want to share the spirit of these plants and this mountain to people who need it. I also want to keep participating in this reciprocal connection between people and places. And on a greater scale: the more we tend to ourselves and each other, the more the overall system heals.

How I Make Essences

There is no right or wrong way to make an essence when you’re listening to the plant itself. While the energetics of the person creating the essence are important, it is ultimately the plant’s wisdom being shared, and it makes sense to let the plant lead in the delivery. The person making the essence takes on a supporting role.

There are a lot of things that influence an essence during creation. One of the most significant is a sense of place - plants are rooted, after all, and spend their time stationary, absorbing and connecting with their surroundings. The sense of time and place can’t be separated from the plant, and so it is also brought into the essence. A dandelion essence made in a quiet field at dusk will have different energetics than a dandelion growing along a busy street during rush hour. Both scenarios are valid and needed, and can bring out different but important parts of what dandelion has to offer.

All of the essences I presently share are made within half a mile of my home, by plants I personally tend to or have a connection with. I find that the most potent medicine (from essences and beyond) comes from plants that have a good relationship with the crafter. Since all of these plants are on the side of the Black Mountains, I have chosen my tools to support the medicine of these mountains. The bowl I use for making essences is produced in a nearby city by a business that goes out of its way to support local social causes. The water used in the essences is from an underground spring next to my house. The preservative is made from a local distillery that uses plants and herbs from these mountains infused into their alcohol. I do all I can to honor the sense of place infused into each drop of my essences, because this place is the home and nourishment for the plants I work with.

Flower essences are traditionally made by picking or cutting a flower when it is at the height of its bloom, thought to signify the fullness and the most potent energetic imprint. I have found this to be often true, but it is not a rule I always abide by. While the flower is a good carrier for the message of the plant, the connection being facilitated is one with the plant as an entire being. This is why I let the plant set the terms on how we will create something together. I have used any above-ground parts to make essences, even including all of them at once if need be. Sometimes the flower doesn’t want to be picked and prefers a pour-over or dipping method. Occasionally, the plant itself isn’t even touched, and the shadow is cast into the essence water while the bowl rests against its stem.

Using an Essence

Just like there are countless ways to make an essence, there are also countless ways to use an essence. A traditional thought is to take 1 to 4 drops by mouth, up to 4 times per day. But the consumption of an essence can be as vast and varied as the creation of it. It can be integrated into food or drink, or even in bath water and hand washing. It can also be used to anoint the body or an object, and can be especially poignant in ritualistic work. I use drops of my essences in my paint water, especially when I am painting that specific plant and want a stronger connection to it. There is no limit in how to use them and I would urge you to try them in whichever capacity feels right for your life.

The way an essence works for someone will be unique to that person. Everyone has their own conditioning, thought patterns, traumas, joys, and associations that formulate how their body will respond. It’s similar to how a group of friends can go to the movies and everyone takes away something different from what they watched. There will be overlapping and sharing, but ultimately the different aspects of the story will resonate in a particular way with each individual. Essences work with your unique make-up to facilitate the change and healing that your body needs at the given time.