All About Flower Essences: How to Partner with Plants for Whole-Self Healing
Flower power is back! Flower essences are liquid infusions of blossoms and light that shift the vibrational state of anyone who uses them. And they’re becoming more popular all the time — because they are one of the most gentle, accessible, and still potently transformational healing remedies available. The plants are here to support us, and in this article you’ll learn exactly what flower essences are, how they work, and how you can start using them for your own healing journey.
As the child of nature-loving hippies, I’ve been using flower essences for just about my entire life. I love them.
For the past decade, I’ve also been making my own flower essences in sacred ceremony out in the wilds — I spend miles and hours wandering through mountains, forests, and fields, allowing the spirits of nature to guide me to the perfect plants.
The result is an ever growing collection of powerful elixirs made from a wide variety of botanical allies — some of which are quite rare and true gifts from the earth.
Flower essences have been part of my life for so long that I sometimes forget that not everyone lives and breathes spiritual botany the way I do. And, from the outside looking in, they almost seem like a snake oil type of medicine…how does infusing a blossom in spring water actually make a difference for your own health and wellness?
Read on to discover the magical, vibrational, and natural power of the flowers!
What Are Flower Essences?
Flower essences are natural remedies made from the energetic imprint of flowers. They are created by infusing the blossoms of specific plants in water, and then preserving with alcohol, to capture their unique vibrational signature.
By working on an energetic level, flower essences affect the subtle energy systems of the body to promote emotional, spiritual, and, as a result, physical healing.
Unlike essential oils or herbal extracts, flower essences don't contain physical substances — and therefore have no scent — but instead carry the vibrational imprint of a flower’s unique healing qualities.
The term “flower essence” is often used as an umbrella term for vibrational essences of all types, as well, including:
Trees and mushrooms — even if not technically flowers, these make wonderful essences
Environmental essences — these capture the energy of a place, such as a body of water or sacred site
Gemstone essences — these essences carry the vibrational imprints of crystals and stones
The History And Origins Of Flower Essences
The history of flower essences can be traced back to ancient civilizations, when healers and spiritual practitioners recognized the healing potential of vibrational remedies. The modern-day foundation of flower essences, however, is attributed to the pioneering work of Dr. Edward Bach.
Dr. Bach was a British physician and homeopath. In the 1920s, he developed a set of 38 individual flower essences — known as the Bach Flower Remedies — each corresponding to a specific emotional state. His belief was that imbalances in our emotional and mental states led to physical illnesses, and by addressing these emotional imbalances, true healing could occur.
Dr. Bach created the first flower essences based on his intuitive realization that the healing properties of flowers could be transferred to water, which captured the energetic imprint of the plant — something Dr. Masaru Emoto later demonstrated with his famous water experiments.
A strong proponent of accessibility in healing, these essences allowed Bach to share healing remedies that could be easily administered and understood by people without specialized medical knowledge. To this day, Dr. Bach’s work with homeopathy and flower essences continues to influence alternative and holistic healing methodologies.
How Are Flower Essences Made?
Creating flower essences involves a gentle and sacred process that honors the essence of the flowers.
The most common method is the sun-infusion technique, where freshly picked flowers are floated on the surface of spring water and left to be infused by the sun's energy, which helps transfer the vibrational healing qualities of the flowers to the water. (I use a moonlight infusion for mushroom essences, though, as the moon and mushrooms have a unique relationship.)
Essences from hardier plants, such as trees, are often made with a boiling method instead of the sun infusion, as Bach felt that simmering tougher plant material in water for 20 minutes more effectively brought out the vibrational imprints.
Either way, the resulting infusions are then preserved with alcohol to create the mother tincture. Brandy is traditionally used, though many people today use vodka. (I have a 100% Demeter Certified organic grape alcohol I like to use.) For those avoiding alcohol, apple cider vinegar is a good alternative.
Why Flower Essences Work
The philosophy behind flower essences is based on the belief that emotional and spiritual imbalances can manifest as physical ailments. By addressing the root cause of these imbalances on an energetic level, flower essences facilitate healing and personal growth.
They can assist in alleviating stress, anxiety, fear, grief, and other emotional states, promoting a greater sense of harmony and connection with oneself and the environment.
As a subtle healing remedy, flower essences probably won’t give you an immediate, noticable difference with a one-time use. However, used consistently over time, they do make a difference.
You’ll likely wake up one day and realize that your thoughts have become more positive, and you didn’t notice it happening. Or your back pain just isn’t bothering you as much, and you’re not sure why. Or you have an inspired idea, seemingly out of nowhere. These are the essences at work!
Here are a few signs your flower essences are working:
Your dreams — look for shifting patterns in recurrent dreams, insights, and healing
Your habits and daily patterns — notice subtle shifts that arise naturally and will make a bigger difference over time
Your thoughts — again, notice subtle shifts in old thinking patterns, as well as new insights and inspiration
Your intuition — you’ll begin to come into clearer connection with your inner knowing and meditation may feel easier
Synchronicities — seemingly ransom blessings are actually the result of your own shifting energy
Relationship changes — as you change, your relationships with those around will change too
Physical wellness — you’ll start to just feel better, whether that means having more energy, peace, or joy
How to Use Flower Essences
Flower essences are best used consistently over time. The most common way to use them is to drink a few drops in water four times a day — but you can get creative :)
For a complete guide on using flower essences, take a look at this article!
Why to Use Flower Essences
Flower essences can support a wide range of intentions. Here are a few common ones:
Alleviating anxiety — aspen is one of my favorites for this
Healthy boundaries, energetically and emotionally — try a combination of yarrow and rose
Embodying your worth — I absolutely love queen’s crown as an ally
Enhancing psychic abilities, intuition, shamanic journeying, and lucid dreaming — mugwort and amanita are favorites
Shadow work — the poison plant essences are potent allies, and you can get a full set of them here
Support for times of change — bistort helps us with internal scaffolding, and fireweed helps us re-emerge after having the ground pulled from under us
Sleep and relaxation — elephant’s head is my absolute favorite for this
Tending the mother wound — mariposa lily is a beautiful essence
Deepening your relationship with the Earth — you have to read my article on gnome flower essence!
Plus healthy relationships, healing depression, motivation for life changes, physical changes, and so much more.
Safety Considerations And Potential Side Effects
One of the wonderful things about flower essences is that they are so safe and easy to use, with no known side effects or interactions. They usually can be used with animals, children, and the elderly without any problems.
That said, the emotional transformation that may arise with use of flower essences may be intense — you’ll want to have proper support, such as a trusted therapist or holistic healer, for any emotional or mental issues that arise.
Remember: While flower essences can be a valuable tool, they are not a substitute for professional medical or psychological help when needed. If you are dealing with significant emotional challenges, mental health issues, or physical ailments, consider seeking guidance from a qualified healthcare practitioner or therapist.
Flower essences offer a profound and accessible path to holistic healing and personal growth, bridging the gap between nature's wisdom and our own well-being. If you’d like to go deeper with your exploration, grab my free guide to flower essences here:
Ready to start incorporating flower essences into your own healing journey? Explore the wild, sacred essences I’ve created in partnership with the plants in the Alchemessence Apothecary.
