As with homeopathic remedies, flower essences work by their unique vibrational signatures, not by the actual substance that is ingested. Homeopathic remedies tend to work closer to the physical body, whereas flower essences have their greatest effect on the mind, emotions, and spirit. Flower essences act at a subtle level to restore harmony and infuse positive energy into the subtle energy matrix which forms the foundation of our physical life. They are traditionally made by placing flowers in a bowl of water and then leaving the bowl in the sunlight for 4 to 5 hours. The effect of the sunlight is to transfer the energetic imprint, or vibrational frequency, of the flowers into the water. Each flower has its own very specific frequency, and water is a medium which can hold that kind of energetic imprint. Once the water has been fully imprinted, it is then decanted into bottles and preserved, usually with brandy.

Flower essences were brought to the attention of the western world by Dr. Edward Bach in England. In 1930, Bach was inspired by a nature walk through the dew-laden fields of Wales where many wild flowers grew. Shortly thereafter, he began to experiment with his flower essences and then to treat patients. Bach created a set of 38 remedies which were divided into seven groups, each representing basic conflicts that prevent us from being whole: fear, uncertainty, insufficient interest in present circumstances, loneliness, over-sensitivity to influences and ideas, despondency or despair, and over-care for the welfare of others.

Because of the success of Dr. Bach’s original remedies, and because of increasing interest in non-invasive, energy-based healing modalities, recent decades have seen a great proliferation in flower essences. Large companies, such as the Flower Essence Society, have been formed and offer thousands of individual remedies.

The work of another great genius, the Japanese researcher Dr. Masaru Emoto, has brought flower essences to an entirely new level. Dr. Emoto began to study the crystalline properties of water. He photographed water molecules from a polluted lake, which were ugly and misshapen. Dr. Emoto then gathered a group of people on the shore of the lake. The group prayed, sending love and positive energy into the water. When Dr. Emoto photographed the water molecules again, they had been transformed into a beautiful, crystalline shape.

Dr. Emoto proceeded to conduct further experiments with water. He found that taping a written word onto the bottle would change its crystalline structure. Words such as “Hitler” would cause deformed shapes, whereas “Love” or “Gratitude” created perfect, symmetrical water crystals. In repeated experiments, Dr. Emoto demonstrated conclusively that thought and intention influenced water. When asked about the difference between the focused intention of one person v.s. a group, he replied:

“Since the water reflects the composite energy of what is being sent to it, the crystalline structure reflects the composite vibrations of the group. So one person praying reflects the energy or intention of that one person. In terms of how powerful the effect can be, if you have one person praying with a deep sense of clarity and purity, the crystalline structure will be clear and pure. And even though you may have a large group of people, if their intention as a group is not cohesive, you end up with an incohesive structure in the water. However, if everyone is united together, you will find a clear, beautiful crystal, like one created by the prayer of a single person of deep purity.”

Based on the traditions brought to our world by Dr. Bach, and furthered by the knowledge that thought, prayer, and intention can affect water, a whole new generation of flower essences is being born. A person who has mastered the ability to focus and channel pure energies can overlight a flower essence as it is being made, adding layers of depth, power, and resonance into the resulting essence. It is also possible to call on higher dimensional beings, such as Archangel Michael for example, to directly potentize the water. These new remedies often have a faster, deeper, and more noticeable effect than the traditional remedies. In a sense, they combine the simple devic energies of the nature kingdom (flowers) with the high frequency power of ascended and angelic beings.

Flower remedies, both enhanced and traditional, can be found at many health food stores and coops or on the Internet.

Elora Gabriel, founder of Cosmic Essences, is a writer and researcher who lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains.