Is it okay to take more than one flower essence at a time? Or should I use one for 30 days before opening a new one? Yes, you can use them together IF they are, more or less, for the same or very related purposes. For example, my ready-made formulas use more than one flower essence at the same. But if you want to try to work on more than one issue, try to avoid taking them at the same time. In that case, I sometimes take an essence for one purpose at meals and one for a different purpose in between meal times. — What would you recommend for someone who has a hard time focussing? It depends ..read more

Have you ever felt so impatient and frustrated you could scream? I certainly felt that way today! I kept thinking, "How much longer is this going to take? I want to be done with this NOW!" And that feeling just got worse and worse throughout the day. Even though I was actually getting things done, I had no patience for the normal pace of life at all. I finally realized this was a job for Impatiens Bach Flower Remedy! It's calming, it's grounding. Energetically (for me) it feels like my heart is being attached to the earth—and that's a good thing! The anger and irritation transforms into p ..read more

I remember doing this as a very young child because I did it many times (and still do). I agree with Henry Miller 100 percent: "I have a theory that the moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself. I have tried this experiment a thousand times and I have never been disappointed. The more I look at a thing, the more I see in it, and the more I see in it, the more I want to see. It is like peeling an onion. There is always another layer, and another, and another. And each layer is more beau ..read more

Angel’s Trumpet Flower Essence is for moving into a Holy Trust kind of state instead of an “OMFG!” one by surrendering to a Higher Power at points of major transition. It’s for BIG events (both negatively or positively anticipated) or transformation points such as nearing death, marriage, a big move, or change of life (graduation, career move, divorce, or catastrophic incident). It’s for when you can’t and shouldn’t control every aspect of what happens but fear the consequences if you don’t or can’t. Angel Trumpet helps a person in this kind of pent-up state of fear or anxiety let go and let ..read more

  Earlier today I was feeling quite discouraged about a long-standing situation and thought I needed Gentian. My inner guidance said "no." "Well, I feel really bad! Maybe I need Sweet Chestnut (the flower essence for despair)!" My inner guidance said "No! Try Gorse."  I disagreed. Gorse is for people who have given up! That's not true for me! But everything in me said "Gorse." So I tried it, didn't believe it would work, and went for a walk without making note of whether it had any energetic effects.  Oh yeah, that IS the Gorse attitude. You might try something, but you don't ..read more

Sometimes Bach Flower Remedy practitioners talk about "type" remedies. I don't tend to do that because I use too wide a range of flower essences and think more in terms of life themes. I don't want to feel like a single flower essence defines me and my life! Does that make me the "rebel" type? Perhaps! (lol) But for those who find this concept helpful, I will explain that "type remedies" are sometimes described as remedies for the primary personality you were born with and what, therefore, appears to define what you are meant to work on in this life.   Very spiritual-sounding—and t ..read more

I love to cook and I especially love trying something new and creative. Lately, the herb tea ingredients on my shelf have been enticing me to try them in cooking! For example, I recently found out that Calendula is known as “poor man’s saffron.” It can be used in place of saffron in cooking. It has a slightly spicy taste and adds a nice golden color when added to rice. You can also add the petals to salad, perhaps with other colorful flower-petal tea ingredients such as rose or red clover. This recipe for Calendula Cream Cheese Fruit Dip sounds amazing!  Speaking of Rose Petals, they h ..read more

  Calendula is available both as an herb and as a flower essence in my shop. As an herb it can be used as a tea thought to be energetically neutral or cooling and soothing to an inflamed digestive system. It can also be infused in oil to be used topically for soothing inflamed skin. And as a flower essence it is used to soothe inflamed emotions. This plant is known for its anti-inflammatory effects! Which is interesting because as a garden plant, the very popular Calendula—also known as Pot Marigold—has a great affinity for the sun. It grows best in full-sun locations and ..read more

Because of excessive news-watching and social media use combined with a number of actual predatory incidents in my local community, I recently found myself in the situation of being so overly concerned about predators in our society that I started to feel as though I was attracting them in my life! This is uncharacteristic of me and not something I want to continue. And yet I don’t think it wise to discount one’s perceptions when it comes to predatory activity. I might even say that a “healthy” amount of paranoia might be helpful in some respects, at least in certain situations. Street smart ..read more

Did you grow up in a place where you were taught to keep a stiff upper lip? Did you get the message growing up that it's a sign of weakness to cry, even in the most grievous circumstances? Held back tears can lead to all sorts of problems—both emotional and physical! My acupuncturist believes that the lungs hold repressed grief and, interestingly enough, the whole herb form of Yerba Santa is often used address lung health. Yerba Santa flower essence helps a person let go of deeply held emotional pain. Yes, grief, but not just that! Buried emotions are often covered by emotional pa ..read more