Flower Essences are often seen as ‘medicine’ which people are used to being told how much and how often to take. We aren’t used to feeling like we can trust our intuition when it comes to our wellbeing, - on some level we like being told what to do -it takes the responsibility away from us.
However flower essences are all about giving us back the responsibility for our own healing and, because they are so subjective by their very nature, it is also best if we decide for ourselves exactly how much and how often to take them.
But there are a few guidelines …..
Understanding just how essences work can give us an idea about how to decide when, and how much, we should take them if we are unsure. (and if it feels better for you, follow the instructions on the side of the bottle)
Simply put flower essences contain the vibration of the plant they come from held in a liquid. When we absorb this liquid into our body (usually as drops under the tongue) this vibration travels through all the water in our system so that we can ‘hear’ the message the plant has to bring us. You can imagine it a bit like learning the song of the plant which helps us to change how we feel.
If we want to learn the song quickly we listen to it more often -however if we listen to it too often, like the CD playing in our car, we stop hearing it after a while. And listening to it more loudly doesn’t help much.
And so it is with essences…..
On the side of our bottles the suggested use is 7 drops twice daily under the tongue, or when needed. We decided on this amount for ease really. Twice daily fits in with most people’s daily routines. You can leave the bottle by your bedside or somewhere else you will see it and you don’t have to remember to carry it around with you. If you want learn your essences more quickly you can take them more often during the day - although a maximum of 4 times daily seems to work best.
7 drops is the amount in a good half dropper full and is enough for you to know that at least some of it has gone into you system. However if you want your bottle to last longer you can take less drops each time. If possible take your essences mindfully remembering why, and what, you want to change.
Using several essences at once
Again it is a good idea to think of the essences as musicians in a band. Single essences contain just one plant -so that’s a bit like being a soloist, combination essences are more like listening to a finely tuned band…
However if there are too many musicians in a band it’s very hard to hear the different musicians… and if you listen to several bands all at the same time you get completely overwhelmed. So I do strongly suggest that if you want to take more than one of our combination essences in the same day you leave about 4 hours between each one so that your system doesn’t get overloaded with different ‘songs’ to learn.
Also a bit like music, some songs are better to listen to at different times of day – if you are taking energising essences it is best not to take them to soon before bedtime.
And if you want to mix your own single essences into a blend I would go with seven or less different ones so that each one has space to shine and teach you what you need to learn from it.
Personally I like taking just one single essence at a time so that I can properly hear it’s song but that is entirely up to you.
The main thing to bear in mind is that you can’t go wrong and essences won’t do you any harm and contain no material matter …. And your intuition is much stronger than you know. Trust it… If you ‘forget’ to take your essence it is often because your system needs a break to adjust to the changes the essences have brought. If you just don’t feel like taking them don’t…
Often when I first start taking a new blend, or single essence. I’m really keen for the first week or so and take it two or three times a day… and then I get a bit ambivalent, or just forget… and quite a bit of time goes by without me using it at all and then suddenly I will remember it again and take maybe only one or two doses. A bit like buying a new record and playing it non stop at first over and over, then getting bored of it… and then listening with renewed enthusiasm months or even years later.
As to when it is best to take them…..
As Flower Essences are often associated with homeopathy people often ask if there’s any time when you shouldn’t take them. Luckily the answer is no. The best time to take them is when you remember.
Some people are more likely to remember if they fit them into their daily routine which works best if you are taking an essence for any length of time. I often leave mine next to where I eat my meals. When I first discovered essences when my children were small and life was unimaginably busy I had them on the shelf by the washing up bowl as I knew I would be there at least twice a day… So basically whatever works for you and the life you are living.
Many people now carry a drinking bottle around with them- you can add a couple of dropper fulls of your essence to this and take it throughout the day - this often works well with children too.
Some of our combinations are designed to take just when you need them, unless you have a long standing issue when you can take them for several weeks as you feel best. If you have a particular situation in mind then it is a good idea to take them a few hours before the event and then just before – for an exam or public speaking event, a visit to the dentist or surgery or going out on a date for instance. Again trust your intuition, and if you are starting to get nervous the day before use your essence then too.
Also :
Yes you can mix our single essences with those made by other people even if their ‘suggested use’ is different. Most companies sell their essences at ‘stock’ strength which means ideally they should be diluted down (in a glass of water, or dosage bottle). So if you are going to mix them with ours I suggest you buy ours at stock strength too and add the same amount of drops from each essence maker -or as your intuition tell you.
If any of the above isn’t clear, or you have another question not answered above, do feel free to email me with your questions.