Flower Essences + Wellness
In the last decade more and more holistic remedies have hit the market, creating an upsurge in what might be called “subtle medicine”. In other words, remedies that are based on nuanced ideas of wellness versus prescriptive medicine.
Flower essences didn’t come into popularity until the 1930s with Dr. Edward Bach, an English physician who created his essences using English wildflowers. However, flower essences originated much earlier in ancient times when the fresh morning dew that had collected on the flowers would be drunk as a method of harmonizing with nature. You can think of flower essences as a preserved form of flower-infused water. Once the flower has sat in water for a number of hours in the sunlight, the water is then preserved with organic grape alcohol.
Interestingly, while flower essences might be seen as faux medicine or “out there”, there are clinical studies that have documented the effects flower essences have on the mind and body. Dr. Jeffrey Cram completed two double-blind placebo studies studying the effects of flower essences on stress. In one study, they had participants take a math test while using electromyography (EMG) to test reactivity at multiple spinal locations. Dr. Cram and his team found that the participants who were given a flower essence showed less reactivity in their EMG, indicating a lower stress response. In the second study, they exposed participants to strong fluorescent lighting, which the body considers an environmental stressor. As with the first study, they gave certain participants flower essences, while others received a placebo. They found that the participants who were given the flower essence measured lower on their EMG, as well as an additional EEG the researchers used to measure brain wave activity.
While flower essences are certainly not a substitute for other medications or therapeutic protocols, they are incredibly safe and gentle. If you’re interested, it’s worth trying out a flower essence or two and seeing if it’s something you want to incorporate into your wellness routine. There are thousands of flower essences available and sifting through the uses of each can be difficult, but we’ve listed a few of our favorite here:
Passionflower
If you’re an overthinker, this one’s for you. Passionflower is known as the calming herb for a racing mind, and its essence will help you slow down, release anxiety, and sleep more deeply when taken at night.
Purple Saxifrage
Purple Saxifrage is a hardy flower that grows in the Arctic and the high mountains like the Alps. It’s said that this essence will help heal feelings of loneliness, discontent, and abandonment.
Calendula
Calendula is a popular herb with many uses. As an essence, it’s meant to help both empower and ease your entire system, aiding emotionally by easing communication dynamics, while physically helping support the digestive system and the liver.
Ocotillo
Ocotillo is a beautiful, vibrant plant indigenous to the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The essence of this plant is meant to aid with charisma, bringing radiance to anyone who uses it. It’s also meant to help with issues like anger and other emotional imbalances. Fun fact: although ocotillo is native to the desert, one of its closest relatives is the blueberry plant!
If you’re not sure where to start or feel overwhelmed by the idea of trying to pick out a flower essence, keep in mind that it’s perfectly fine to pick a flower essence based simply on what you’re most attracted to. Dr. Bach’s formulas are also a great place to start if you’re looking for a time-proven blend to combat issues like stress and anxiety. If you try a flower essence, let us know how it goes!
The author of this blog, Layla Hanson, is a writer and project manager for Infinity Aesthetics, specializing in holistic media production. You can see her popping in and out of the office from time to time to snap photos for our Instagram and website. Feel free to say hi and offer to pose for a picture!