The Magick of Flower Essences

The Magick of Flower Essences

by Nicholas Pearson, author of several books, including Flower Essences from the Witch’s Garden and Crystal Basics Pocket Encyclopedia

Flowers have held a special place in cultures around the world and throughout history. Ancient cultures used them for healing and in ceremony. They took on special meaning during the Victorian era through the language of flowers, a sort of floral code used to send messages and convey feelings to those around you. Flowers are magickal, and they always have been. It’s no surprise that flower essences, vibrational elixirs carrying the energy or soul patterning of flowers, invite healing and transformation on so many levels.

There are lots of theories and models for how flower essences work, but the truth is that we cannot truly measure what makes them effective. In spite of that, they really do work. Studies, formal and informal alike, show that flower essences work better than a placebo in a variety of contexts. Flower essence therapy aims to bring balance to the psyche by flooding the mind and emotions with the positive virtues of flowers, thereby enabling the body, mind, and spirit to return to a state of balance. In most cases, flower essences catalyze deep healing at psychological and spiritual levels, though many people who take flower essences also experience the amelioration of physical symptoms.

Despite—or perhaps because of—the mystery of their workings, the inherent power of flower essences lends to their use beyond the healing arts. As I began to truly engage with and explore flower essences, I started using them in my own spiritual practice, taking them well beyond their traditional role in therapy. I meditated with them, used them to facilitate journeying and dreamwork, and combined them with other ingredients in spellcraft and ritual. I did this with an investigative spirit and an open heart. The essences themselves, and the consciousness of the plants that works through them, led the process. I found other practitioners using essences in magick and ritual, too, which validated my exploration and motivated me to continue.

Whether we use essences as medicine or magick, as therapy or thaumaturgy, they always bring balance to the mind and spirit, eventually grounding this balance into our bodies. Essences offer more radiant health and a deeper connection to the parallel worlds of nature and spirit. They remind us that our very lives are equally as mysterious as the mechanisms by which they work, and they offer us tools for embracing the mystery and magick of everyday life.

Flower essences are easy to make and even easier to use. In light of that, I’ve tried to make my book Flower Essences from the Witch’s Garden as practical as possible. The book opens with a discussion of what essences are and how they work, followed by a brief survey of flower essence history in chapter 2. Chapters 3 and 4 guide you through my perspective on plant spirits; here you’ll find some experiential techniques to help you better perceive and commune with the intelligence of the plant kingdom, as well as learn how the different classes of spirits manifest themselves in flower essences.

Chapter 5 focuses on how to make flower essences; it will introduce you to the equipment you’ll need and walk you through a variety of methods for making essences. Chapter 6 offers advice for discerning how to use a particular essence. By examining the shape and color of the flowers, as well as other attributes of a plant, you can glean valuable insight into the nature and effects of the flower essence derived from it. Chapter 7 provides practical information for selecting and using flower essences within a therapeutic context. The next section of the book is decidedly more magickal.

Chapters 8 and 9 will introduce you to some nontraditional uses for flower essences. These techniques are rooted in magickal and ritual practice, and you’ll find tips for using essences in incense and for dressing candles, as well as a formulary of flower essence recipes that cover a wide range of intentions. Chapter 10 bridges the topic of flower essences with alchemy, introducing a special formulation called a flower essence spagyric.

The last chapter of the book details the therapeutic and magickal uses of 100 different essences. Most books on flower essences tend to center around a particular line of essences as well as the therapeutic ideals and techniques taught by a given essence maker or founder. I’ve decided to cover essences that can be purchased from a variety of sources or made in your own garden. Many of the essences are made from plants that are staples of magickal herbalism, though some are relative newcomers to the realms of magick and flower essences alike. Each entry includes the plant’s Latin name, the classification of plant spirit, and the elemental and astrological correspondences associated with the plant. You’ll find a brief list of the magickal uses for each essence, as well as the indications for using the essence therapeutically. The entries for each essence weave together folklore, history, and botanical information to paint a picture of what each essence offers.

However you have used essences in the past, I’m hoping that Flower Essences from the Witch’s Garden will offer you something new. Should you already use essences as part of a healing practice, perhaps shining a light on their magickal uses will offer you new tools for your toolbox. Likewise, if you already have a love of magickal herbalism, flower essence can broaden the scope of your work and provide safe and effective ways to work with plants that are otherwise inaccessible or dangerous. My hope is that this book will inspire you to create more magick and healing in your life, no matter what your practice looks like. May the green heart of nature bring you healing and magick each day.

Witchy Rescue Remedy

Ingredients: foxglove, lemon balm, nettle, periwinkle, potato flower essences

The most famous of all flower essences blends is Dr. Bach’s Rescue Remedy, a formula that consists of cherry plum, clematis, impatiens, rock rose, and star-of-Bethlehem. Each of these essences contributes to the blend in a way that makes it the ideal ally for times of emergency, acute trauma, and crisis. My own “witchy” version works similarly and can be used in a wide variety of situations to bring clarity, calm, and healing no matter what obstacles and upsets you might face.

Lemon balm flower essence calms a racing mind and releases tension and fear. Nettle bolsters your defenses and grants additional stamina during times of stress, and it is helpful when you feel “under attack” from your life’s circumstances. Foxglove calms emotions when relationships are under strain; it also helps you stay clear and aligned with higher purpose during crisis. Energetically, it is very protective of the heart. Periwinkle is helpful for managing crisis; it alleviates feelings of overwhelm and dissociative states and allows you to think clearly. It also reminds you to make use of your magickal prowess to improve any situation. Finally, potato, one of my favorite nightshades, is called for whenever you feel spacey, ungrounded, or impractical; it helps when you are having trouble coping with reality.

Mix equal amounts (two to four drops) of each essence in a one-ounce dropper bottle filled with water and your favorite preservative. Take the blend at the onset of crisis or emergency. It can be used for any setback great or small, from stubbing your toe to crashing your car, and it helps you stay levelheaded rather than falling into flights of panic, worry, or other kinds of distress.