Flower Essence Friends network

Drawing and flower essence learning (Bach flower essences)

I started to organize gathering to learn and discuss flower essences since the late 2012. However, it was not the first time I joined such activity. I went to gathering in the clinic that doctor shared her experiences about flower essence therapy, but I couldn't much about flower essences from her. Then I went to some flower essence courses for 1st and 2nd level. It cost a lot, but after workshop, it seemed no more continuation learning we could do here in Taiwan but paying more money to another workshop. I was thinking what I really need during the time to learn flower essence and self healing. I didn't need more workshops but support circle who could sharing personal experience of healing process, or the combination we chose as practitioners and users. I would like to take flower essences as healthy spiritual food but medicine, not experience healing products but daily support to everyone one.


instructor explained chakra of human body and flower essence (Australia Bush flower essences)




I did do my personal study for one year first, to see what did people in other country do to learn and use flower essence. I discovered a wilder perspective about natural therapy and self healing process. Then I went to California to join women spirituality program. The instructor moved to USA for almost ten years. she presented the attitude of inclusiveness to me, how did we share and listen to each other, no matter what it was useful or right. The listening was healing. I practiced the deeply listening with dearest teacher, Thich Nhat Hnah. I decide to try such spirit and organize gatherings in Taiwan. So I started to do it in 2012.


Plants and flower essence with international students (FES)



Study group about FES




In the beginning, I invited various flower essence practitioners from Bach, FES and Akasha(one of German system, being famous in Taiwan recently) to introduce the group their flowers and healing processes. Sooner and later, I felt some unpleasant feeling during the group, some of them wanted to promote their products, another wanted to share personal experiences, and others kept silence not being ready to share. It was really tough time and I reduce the numbers each gathering, but kept the principle to let everyone have chance to share. The knowledge was not the most important here but supporting, sharing and listening.

New Bach Flower Therapy (with Bach essences, developed Germany natural therapist, Kramer)


Gradually, more silent people started to talk, the talking members would stop to listening to others. It seemed the sharing part was become easier. The next stage would provide more understanding about flower essences and plant's healing power. I brought some books from UK and USA to discuss how the plants presented its signature. The training in FES gave me idea how to cultivate the part. I also encourage members to organize reading group and art creative group to know some ideas about flowers made as flower essences. The cultural and medical history, the environmental and structure of looking. It was a prepare time to show people to go outside to connect with the Nature. More and more flower essence producers develop the issue about Earth and Nature for urban area in this time. For the reason, I know more about spiritual ecology and herbal medicine. Though it was new to me, the connection with flower essence, ecology and spirituality was so natural as continuation of Mother Earth's energy to every living beings. I went back to California to join training, and work in organic farms. I particularly paid attention to the biodynamic agriculture. It was also the method FES garden used. I discovered the deep background of plant's study of Goethe and Rudolf Steiner. I knew they will be my important guiders for the next steps and I would like to keep sharing with other friends. To show people how beauty we live with the living Earth and how wonderful we know flower essence to heal ourselves and help other in the natural way. It was not only method or product to me. It is a mindfulness bell from the Nature to remind us breathing in the present moment and practice loving and kindness with other beings.



So, in Taiwan, the Flower Essence Friends gathering continued. I build and invited various friends as mindful sangha though we didn't chant or practice any Buddhism, nor do we have same religion or spiritual tradition. We shared together, learned together, no matter what systems people uses. It is a circle to welcome people to bring personal experience and professional understanding. The diversity will be a challenge to our society. It could have argument or disagreement, not an easy work to support to each other with deep listening but judging. What I know is I was supportive by similar group before, and it could be worth to keep such supportive circle to support people who may need.

Let's make flower essence mindfully

Buddha and organic farm in California

When I came back to Taipei, one Buddhism nun friends invited me to visit their temple in the mountain and provided some ideas as former architectural designer. The land policy changed so the planning needed to shift again.


I has close relationship with the monastics. I used gone to this new temple few years ago. There was an old Chinese traditional building as meditation hall. I loved the small scale and simple architecture the nuns kept. However, this time, I heard they tried to have more buildings for bigger hall and dorms for retreatants. I agreed to visit and provided some experiences of organic farm and ecothearpy for the landscape design.


Buddha in the forest, Plum Village in France


The first glance to meet the temple again surprised me. I saw several large buildings located in the top area of mountain. The original forest was gone though nuns created another are for vegetable farms. I couldn't understand why Buddhism in Taiwan could not treat nature as human beings.  In the meeting with architect, the team showed me the planing, it seemed they will to cut more bamboos forest to make a entrance area. As Chinese Buddhist, I understood monastics needs to provide comfortable environment for retreatants; I tried to explain the idea how nature as living being to live with us harmonically but resource and land to use as material. The nun seemed understand some points I wanted to express. I was not the right person to do the planing for limited schedule in Taiwan, I suggested a ecology-base landscape team to them for more details if they can make decision to work harmony with this land.

Frankly, I felt sad to see the large buildings in the mountain. I didn't need Big Buddha sculpture to worship but peaceful and mindful environment to support my practice.  I learned the new design idea from several western retreat centers. The simple life and mindful practice reversed my idea of former architectural profession. I realized the mind as core to make outer world. I want to be a spiritual architect. That's the start for my spiritual journey of flower essence therapist and mindfulness practitioner.


I spent one night in the temple. It seemed I couldn't do anything more for the land which made me depressed. In the morning of the next day, I walked alone in the farm after breakfast. It was cold day with some cloud. I walked through fields of vegetables,corn plum tress. Plenty of yellow flowers caught my attention. They was shining and blooming. I made fresh herbal tea with their leaves to enjoy the lazy day. Around 11 p.m., one nun asked me to help pick coffee beams where same yellow flowers growing aside. I sang the nature songs to the coffee tress and talked to the yellow flowers. It was surprised I had inner response from these little yellow flowers. They were  happy to be made as flower essence today, if I wanted. I looked up to the sky; it became clear blue and the sun was blight. Yes! It was the day, the day I would make essence in my homeland.






I didn't bring any equipment with me. I went to the storeroom to bring a glass bowl. I collect the local clean water and brought all to the meadow. The yellow flowers seemed happy. I checked with them with Oring test for both conditions. I started to choose and pick flowers who were most bright one to be made, the joyful swaying one to enjoy the moment together. It was the time no any tourist or nun passing to disturb our process. I appreciated flower's energy; I also looked at the change of my mind. It was also a mindfulness practice for me to make flower essence; a meditation with the plant kingdom. When put all flowers into the bowl, there was many bubble appearing under sunlight. It will be the sacred process between the natural element, fire, water, wind ,earth, and clear mind as human beings to join the celebration. Later, I invited nun friend to join the process. We sat beside the bowl and flowers, breathing in and out mindfully, showing our gratitude to see such wonderful moment, present moment. Was that the message to show me the healing power of yellow flowers? I had some idea but I may need more evidence to confirm.




It cost about three hours to finish. I filters the water and made several spray bottle with essential oils as gift for nuns in the temple. I brought one back to home and add edible Vegetable Glycerine to preserve as mother tincture as Catherine, the California herbalist shown to me. Well done, the first local flower essence I made in Taiwan. It has living energy to keep in the bottle.





Well, the next step would be to recognize the quality for the yellow flowers.  I didn't have guide for the plant as Western practitioners. To receive and confirm the message I got when making this flower essence, I observed the condition I met and the efficiency the essence enhanced. We had meeting with architect again in the afternoon of the same day; it was not harmonic communication in the beginning. Then I sprayed the essence during the break time. After that, the meeting became easier to discuss, the architect shown his smile after argument. I used the essence for other meeting too. It always released the tense of different idea and argument. People felt released to accept other's suggestion and communication became better. I didn't write any complete sentence for the quality yet. It was just some memo when and how to use the first essence I made here.

Ready to make Flower Essence?

I has used flower essence for seven years. I started to learn as practitioner in 2012 to join workshop in the Bach center, UK and FES in California. For the first five years as users, the flower essence combinations were provide by my doctor who is using bio-informational medicine. Following the principle of Dr. Bach's philosophy- Heal Thyself, I was wondering how and what I could find the destiny. I was the Mimulus type, with various worries and fear in daily life. I would only please others but listening my inner voice. The true healing was the moment that I decide to take the responsibility to look deeply what happen to my life? Why I was not so happy? During the soul journey, flower essences and mindfulness practice from PV tradition were both my best supports.

In the summer of 2013, I came back to north California. I would try another new program in CIIS- Ecology, spirituality and religion. I understood the only emotion approach of flower essence therapy was not suit to me; it worked and I knew something sacred behind that. After the training in FES, I recovered the biodynamic farm and spiritual science about plant kingdom from Rudolf Steiner's theory. I came back to California to look for more research resources. So, I took course in CIIS, and joined some organic program in the East Bay. I also took another flower essence training in Marin to seek for more group support in flower essence therapy circle, which seems not so popular for bay area people yet.

It was amazing life to live in the East bay. I admired the spiritual and practical life people live, and the colorful and beautiful landscape, easy to get natural park for medicine walk, one of ecothearpy instructor shown me how to do. I loved the practice of medicine walk; I also called it as mindfulness walking to clarity the thought and keep the mind calm.

 

Thought I didn't meet many local people who knew flower essence much. There were few new friends using Bach remedies usually. I was curious why flower essence was not popular in the area? Anyway, I tried my best to find any possible to have more support. I joined a local flower essence maker's course. One of reasons to join was to meet new friends, another reasons was look forwards to have chance to make flower essence in person this time.


I was lucky to meet the wonderful instructor, Catherine, who is professional herbalist for over 40 years. Catherine taught herbal and flower essence making in different countries, but her products provided only in local herbal shop and farmer's market. I was surprised she didn't even plan to sell the products to other states or nations. In the beginning we met in the group, I was the only foreigner and the only person who learned flower essence as practitioner. I knew the systems of Bach and FES, but I had rigid idea for the therapy. This new group gave me chance to refresh my experience to work with flower essence, the spirit of plant kingdom, which was not job or rule but true Self to touch the Earth. I cultivated more inner space and curiosity about making flower essence in person, which is the direct way for me to understand how flower essence connect with living beings.  I appreciated the chance to experience in the sunny October when Catherine said it was good time to make Aloe Vera flower essence which bloom in the winter. I prayed to the Sky women to give us a good sunny day to learn how to make.

It was a sunny day in October. members of the group and one 5yrs boy joined together to make Aloe Vera flower essence. The weather was cold but some of Aloe Vera fought with the cold and bloom with great living energy. Catherine taught us how to pick petals with knife or hands; we used the leaves and stems to pick petals but not touching them. The clear water of bowl was ready and put on the meadow nearby. Catherine invited us to have a circle, and share our healing goal to work with Aloe Vera. I knew the quality of Aloe Vera from FES and from Pegasus founder, Gurudas. I thought it was only explain. During the group discussion, I realized I didn't believe my inner voice when I met Aloe Vera but remembering other experts words. Thought I respected these guiders but the the journey to work with flower essence for me was not to gain more knowledge but experiencing and reconnecting with the Earth. 

Catherine encourage us to make our own flower essence in our local area. I knew the sunny and beautiful Aloe Vera gave me the permission as Earth's student to learn from them. I will make flower essences in Taiwan, as the way to touch my homeland.



Resources in Bay area of CaliforniaEcology, Spirituality and Religion program in CIIS http://www.ciis.edu
Ecotherapy circle http://www.arianacandell.com/ecotherapy.htm
Mindfulness-based Ecology http://rainsussman.com
EcoBuddhism http://www.ecobuddhism
Flower Essence Society www.flowersociety.org
Pegasus Essences http://www.pegasusproducts.com/
Flower Essence of Marin herbalist www.gatheringthyme.com/

In a spitirual ecology journey

One flower essence practitioner guided me to have such vision about a stone as spiritual map.

When I live in CA for these months, some new friends want to identify Who I Am? Why I am here? What I plan to do? I don't feel as anxious as usual, as heavy requirement as being in Taiwan. I have clear awareness during the year to organize gathering in Taiwan. I know I am working with the nature, for the Mother Earth. I make my commitment to contribute my life for her. It bring me back some grounding, that I am aware more what the message around, particularly from the flower or grass.

Another Step with flower essence

Today, I sent my flower essence practitioner report for the certificated program. It has never been easy work for me to do client study and write report in English. I prayed to the package in the post office asking spiritual beings to bring the report to the right direction.


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