Flower Essences and Healing Thoughts from Mama Love Organics

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2026-06-13T13:28:47.440-07:00

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Can Your Posture Change Your Mood?

2026-06-11T14:11:46.483-07:00

In my last blog post, I talked about using flower essences to switch your consciousness from one that is overly focussed on illness or emotional fragility to one that is focussed on full health, well-being and emotional resilience and stability. The experience is that by doing so, you naturally return to a place of joy, hope, and optimism. Today, my partner Paul said. "Wouldn't it be great if we could switch consciousness like that just by switching an internal switch, like a simple change of thought or something like that?"

Well, actually, there is a way that can often work! And you don't necessarily need flower essences for that. (I'm such a great flower essence marketer, I think sarcastically. Oh well.) You don't NEED flower essences to change your mood. They're very helpful but, in many instances, all you might need to do is change your posture! And pretend to be a person who feels relaxed, happy, and confident.

What?!!! Just pretend? Put on a happy face?!! You've got to be kidding me. That's so insulting!

I know, we all hate hearing that kind of well-meaning but sappy advice in the year 2026. And it's true that shoving your feelings away doesn't work for long. We do have to acknowledge them and sometimes make changes. But, yes! If you are caught in a long-term pattern of worry and anxiety, doom and gloom, here's something that is worth a try.

Imagine that you are worried and anxious. How do you hold your body? How do you walk? Is your body slumped forward as if protecting your belly? Are your shoulders up high as if you are protecting your head? Are you walking with a deflated kind of posture?

Now imagine that you are a person who feels relaxed and confident, a person who can handle anything no matter what. Stand up straight, put your shoulders back, and pretend to be confident. Walk with a swagger, let your arms swing as you look out at the world with an air of presence and well-being. Remember how Alysa Liu walked onto the ice at the ice skating competition at the last Olympics? Yeah, hold yourself and walk like that! Paul and I tried this while walking through our local park a few days ago and it was an instant mood changer.

But this isn't just me relating a personal experience or being ridiculously old-fashioned. There is an entire field of study called embodied cognition that has been showing that the body-mind connection is not just a one-way street. We don't just think thoughts and our body reacts accordingly. If we choose a way of physically acting that is associated with health, safety, and well-being, our body sends a message back to our brain that we are indeed safe and our nervous system can relax. You can actually wind up feeling the way you act.

Fake it til you make it?

To some extent, but not exactly! I'm not really telling you to fake it in a superficial way. Putting a fake smile on your face when dealing with a repeating pattern at home or on the job just adds to your anxiety or depression. But when you actually pretend you are the person who feels the way you want to feel it's different. It's embodiment, taking on the desired way of being in a deep way along with the desired point of view. It's not just how would a confident powerful person look, but how would they see the world from this more powerful stance? Taking the stance first can help you feel it. Feeling it, can help you shift to a more powerful perspective and point of view (literally and figuratively). Psychologists call this "deep acting." It involves reappraising a situation to genuinely feel the emotion you want to project. You might even draw on memories of yourself feeling that way. You don't have to guess at how to act, feel or think—you remember.

For example, imagine you are stuck in traffic and you are late and anxious about being late. You're upset, you're irritated, but there's nothing you can do about the situation. So what if you shifted into the perspective of a person who is relaxed about it, who knows that people will understand or that any issues that arise can be fixed? You could relax back in your seat (acting like that person), take some deep breaths, and perhaps see the delay as an opportunity to meditate or enjoy the view. In other words, you have reframed the situation and can now respond to it differently.

You can also eventually take this beyond just walking in the park or relaxing in your car. When you are living within a deflated mindset and posture you are sending a message back and forth between brain and body that you are helpless. When you walk, stand, and feel like someone with confidence, you tell the brain that things are not hopeless and it acts accordingly. Perhaps it will let you imagine possibilities you couldn't imagine before, courses of action you wouldn't accept before. Who knows what positive changes might happen then? 😃

Learn more about this:

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Flower essences are used to assist with mind-body-spirit interactions and individual results may vary. They are extremely dilute which makes them quite safe. But because so little physical substance can be detected in a flower essence solution, these products are presumed to work on an energetic or vibrational level—something that cannot be adequately tested by western scientific methods. Claims made by me, therefore, are based on personal experiences and the evidence of the combined multiple decades of case notes by Dr. Edward Bach as well as Healing Herbs and Flower Essence Services (the companies who make the ingredients I use in my products). This is not, however, accepted medical evidence or substantiated scientific evidence from a modern allopathic point of view. I am not a medical doctor or licensed healthcare practitioner.

Statements made have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information provided on my blog, websites or by this company are not a substitute for a face-to-face consultation with a health care provider, and should not be construed as individual medical or mental health advice. Consulting with a health care provider is a must for anyone taking medications or working with a medical or mental health condition, and highly recommended before using any herbal product. Please consult your doctor or health care provider for any possible contraindications and/or interactions with current medications. I trust you to seek the medical guidance you need to use any of my herbal products healthily at your own risk.

An Apple a Day . . .

2026-06-06T10:08:08.765-07:00

After many months, perhaps years, of dealing with challenging bouts of anxiety through therapy, pharmaceuticals, cognitive-behavioral approaches, and flower essences a good friend said, "I'm sick of dealing with this! I just want to feel well!" We set a strong healing intention using Reiki and new ideas came in (new information which led to different ways of thinking about the situation) and the guidance to try Apple Blossom Flower Essence.

And that's interesting because the major shift there was one of turning away from flower essences to stop the anxiety and pivoting towards the idea of a flower essence for full health and wellness. There's nothing wrong with choosing a flower essence to try to change an emotional state that you're struggling with—that's how it's usually done! But what if the emotional state is actually coming from either a physical condition that hasn't been addressed yet or fear of a physical change that is natural as people age? (That's the new information we're working with today.) And Apple Blossom tends to bring hope and optimism and a true sense of wholeness. It helps a person let go of an obsession with illness (Crab Apple does this, too) and helps you let go of whatever might be holding you back.

The main difference between Apple Blossom and Crab Apple, as far as I can tell at this point, is that Crab Apple helps people with hyper-perfectionism who get obsessed with even tiny bodily imperfections. (It's a small apple.) Apple Blossom is made from flowers from trees with larger apples and tends to orient to a larger, more global sense of wholeness. The person who needs it most is concerned about a bigger actual illness or life situation that they need to have a more positive perspective about. People needing Crab Apple may or may not have a real illness—it might be something the average person wouldn't notice at all. The person who needs it might have great shame about their body or a need for purification or cleansing. The person who needs Apple Blossom seeks physical renewal and emotional resilience and stability.

When I use Apple Blossom I feel a sense of joy! I have a happy heart and more faith that things are going to get better. And that completely fits with the folklore of Apple flowers. In various cultures Apple flowers symbolize new beginnings filled with hope and abundance as well as love and fertility. You could think of it as being for embracing well-being and prosperity. And THAT can be a very strong magic spell—another purpose apples and apple blossoms have been used for. You could try taking a bite from an apple while setting an intention for something you would like to manifest in your life. And if what you want is a strong sense of wholeness, resiliency, and well-being, give Apple Blossom flower essence a try! Move out of the fear-laden consciousness of illness and into the consciousness of full health, joy, and peace.

UPDATE (6 days later): It's hard to know if it's Apple Flower Essence alone or that in combination with Reiki healing, but there has been enormous improvement! The attitude shift alone might be making the difference because nothing else has changed, and the anxiety is back to very handleable levels, practically no anxiety most of the day. Physical tests have been taken to test for a wide variety of things, but we don't have the results back so nothing has been addressed yet there.

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Experimenting with Herb Tea for Soothing Acid Reflux and Heartburn

2026-05-31T22:58:45.703-07:00

Tonight's blog post is a discussion of how I go about experimenting with herbal teas for health and well-being rather than a recommendation for the blend I'll be discussing. I haven't used this one long enough to know whether it will work. But I can say the experiment I've been doing for less than a week is off to a good start.

I've been having an increasing problem with acid reflux and esophageal spasms that I have been working with in a variety of ways—both medical with my doctor and esoteric. One thing I have discovered is that I have a very long-time habit of contracting my stomach muscles when I feel stressed and that appears to have contributed to the creation of a hiatal hernia that pushes acid into my esophagus. The most effective things I have been doing are attempting to slow down when I eat and breathe into my lower abdomen to relax that unconscious reflex. But I also want to heal the damage that may have happened due to inflammation.

I started by Googling herb teas for acid reflux and inflammation and many ideas will come up if you do that, none of which really have felt right to me. But then Meadowsweet started selling in my shop and that caught my attention because I actually planned to discontinue that tea ingredient since I sell it so rarely and never use it myself. I even forgot what Meadowsweet is used for in modern times—I added it to my shop because of its ancient spiritual history as a strewing herb and associations with creating peace, harmony, and good vibes in a home. So I looked it up and was reminded that this herb is sometimes called "Nature's Antacid" because it has a reputation for coating the stomach lining, neutralizing excess stomach acid, and reducing esophageal inflammation. Wow, now isn't that a fortunate "coincidence"! You would not believe how often sales in my shop result in me learning something I really want to know. I lead a bit of a magical life sometimes.

But I don't really love the taste of Meadowsweet by itself so I started to explore what might blend well with that. This I did by dowsing what I already have on my shelf that I like. My stomach muscles clench for "no" and relax for "yes" so it's just a systematic process of seeing what my body likes and then looking up what herbalists have to say about those ingredients. I got led to Honeybush and Blackberry Leaf which I assumed was because I happen to like the taste of those two together. But no, herbalists actually say they have useful effects for the problem at hand as well!

Honeybush contains anti-inflammatory antioxidants like mangiferin as well as the flavanone hesperidin that theoretically could work synergistically to reduce inflammation, assuming you were able to drink enough of it. But it is also gentle on the stomach and has a slightly sweet taste that I happen to like. Blackberry Leaf contains astringent tannins that might help tone, tighten, and strengthen the mucosal tissues of the digestive tract. That gives it a flavor more like black tea which is why I like blending it with Honeybush. Meadowsweet contains tannins as well. Potentially, this tissue-strengthening effect might help reduce the vulnerability of the esophagus to acid damage. Research indicates that certain tannins bind to proteins to form a temporary, soothing shield over damaged stomach tissue. But in too strong a dose tannins can actually cause digestive distress in some people. So be careful about that!

I decided to experiment with 1-2 cups a day of a blend of one part Meadowsweet, one part Honeybush, and one half part Blackberry Leaf to see what would happen. I don't add any sweetener or dairy to the blend. I like it just fine without anything added and I have experimented with both hot tea and cold. I like it both ways. What I notice so far is that the tea itself has a silky mouth feel which I associate with soothing effects. And I'm not having heartburn as often anymore. I still need to use my behavioral techniques to avoid esophageal spasms but that's probably a good new habit to adopt anyway for me. Still, it would be nice to have more leeway on this so I plan to continue the experiment for two - three weeks longer to see if the situation settles down some more.

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Flower Essences to Help Heal from Betrayal

2026-05-26T16:05:39.625-07:00

A lot of people in my life have been talking about how to heal from a recent betrayal or the need to heal from betrayals in the past being triggered by current events. Betrayal is a DEEP trauma as it disrupts a person’s fundamental ability to trust and feel safe in the world. You could be left with so many questions about WHY and HOW this could have happened that haunt your days and interrupt your sleep. “How could I have been so blind? How could someone who seemed to care about me, treat me this way?” This kind of experience can be a real blow to your self-esteem and it’s common to wonder if you can trust yourself when it comes to other people and similar situations. But it’s not just that! There are so many varieties of betrayal depending on whether you were cheated on in a relationship and abandoned or robbed or misused for something you didn’t agree to. Perhaps you were taken in by a con artist and lost your life savings or convinced to donate money or vote for someone who has made your life far worse! In any case, something you were counting on emotionally or physically was taken away from you. You didn’t just get your feelings hurt. You may have lost your physical safety and well-being, maybe your whole way of life!

This is not a small thing and it can be useful to gather in support (professionally or otherwise) as you work through the layers that are sure to come up. Flower essences can be a great support but you will likely need different ones at different points along the way.

Dealing with the shock and initial trauma: Star of Bethlehem seems essential for this stage and perhaps for other steps along the way if the betrayal has triggered earlier memories of abuse. Rescue Remedy (or my Reiki-infused version called Emotional Recovery) also comes to mind as shock of this nature often activates feelings of panic or extreme anger as adrenaline courses through your nervous system. The desire to fight, flee, or freeze could be overwhelming and this formula was pretty much designed for all of that. It contains Star of Bethlehem for soothing the shock, Rock Rose for courage to quell the panic, Cherry Plum for the feeling that you might lose control or that your life has gone out of control, Clematis for deep grounding, and Impatiens for calming the need for this situation to change RIGHT NOW.

Validating your pain and mourning what you have lost: Some people might want to minimize what has happened, wanting to deny that it is real. But acknowledging the pain, as hard as that might be, is really the only way to actually heal. Agrimony might help you recognize what those feelings are. But then you may feel a whole range of emotions: anger, horror, grief, resentment, shame, etc. Holly may be especially useful for anger, feeling stabbed in the heart or wanting to do the stabbing. It’s a tremendous heart-healer. Glassy Hyacinth can help with processing horror. Bleeding Heart (and Holly) for grief. Willow if you feel wronged and resentful. Pine if you are prone to blaming yourself.

Then there is the probable need to reconstruct your life. At the very least, you have lost a desired and presumed future. You may have been abandoned to find your way without a partner, friend or family member you thought you could trust. You might even have to reconstruct your whole life: where you will live, how to pay for it, figuring out what you want to do or need to do now.

My poorly named Support for Troubled Times Formula comes to mind. I should have called it Support for Traumatic Times. It contains Splendid Mariposa Lily for when it feels like you just can’t be consoled, Green-Cross Gentian for the ability to persist when things feel so hard you don’t know if you can manage it, Star of Bethlehem for soothing shock and upset, and Self-Heal for cultivating a deep sense of wholeness from the inside out. It comes as both a conventional dosage strength flower essence dropper bottle or unscented spray or in a range of scented products that add specially chosen essential oils to enhance the intention of the formula. I created it when I divorced and was facing that as well as the loss of my long-time home. It felt like being deeply hugged and supported in a truly powerful way.

Other single flower essences come to mind. Fireweed is for the strength and hope to reconstruct your life after a devastating loss. Walnut is for a sense of inner protection and safety as you attempt to change your life. Baby Blue Eyes to learn to trust other people again. Borage for taking heart. Larch is for increased confidence and regaining more positive expectations. Elm for overwhelm. Sweet Chestnut for despair. Olive for exhaustion.

So many flower essences! And so many others could be needed as you proceed (or hold back from proceeding) on your way. How do you choose? Start with what is most on top and expect healing to be a fluidly changing process as different things come up along the way.

DO reach out to other people for help. Having a support group, a therapist, or a really grounded supportive friend can make all the difference.

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Protecting and Opening a Defended Heart

2026-05-16T11:19:25.029-07:00

Recently I have been taking a new look at Beech Flower Essence, the flower essence for people who are feeling intolerant of other people's behavior and want to shut it down. The classic description of people who need Beech describe them as lacking in compassion. Maybe, but I recently had the insight that in some cases (maybe most), people feel intolerant when they feel threatened and are defending their heart.

You know, sometimes you have to defend your boundaries, stand up for your rights, and maybe even fight back. How do you do that when you feel vulnerable and insecure? You put on your armor, shield your heart, and go into battle!

Temporarily, maybe, that might be necessary. But all the time? That takes a real toll on your humanity, your ability to express and feel love, maybe even your overall emotional well-being. (Some people report it hurts their physical heart as well.)

But Beech isn't the only solution! My Open-Hearted Loving formula is a great solution as well. It contains Chamomile (for releasing tension), Rock Water (for flexibility and a less perfectionistic attitude), Larch (for improved self-confidence and self-expression), Walnut (for a sense of inner protection especially when wanting to make a change), and Holly (for increased ability to give and receive love). It's one of my most popular flower essence formulas and one I love to use as well.

I particularly love using my scented versions that add the power and sensual delight of aromatherapy into the mix. The scented spray adds Jasmine, Rose, Lemon, and Neroli, relaxing heart-opening essential oils that smell so wonderful together I sometimes use this formula as a light healing perfume. You can also buy it as a body oil strength scented oil (true aromatherapy strength, not as strongly scented as even light perfume).

People who remember when I made full strength perfume, might know this product as "Love Drunk." Not appropriate for a health and healing shop, but the same amazing combination in a healthier form for every day use.

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A New Look at Beech Bach Flower Essence

2026-05-07T11:51:00.000-07:00

The classic description by Edward Bach of the person who needs Beech flower essence is "For those who feel the need to see more good and beauty in all that surrounds them. And, although much appears to be wrong, to have the ability to see the good growing within. So as to be able to be more tolerant, lenient and understanding of the different way each individual and all things are working to their own final perfection." On the Bach website, this person is described as being intolerant of differences and being irritable due to lack of compassion.

Perhaps. It's easy to see people who are overly critical in this way as intolerant and lacking compassion. They certainly come across that way to others. But I think if you had a conversation with someone in a Beech state they would often talk about how insensitive other people are being or how incompetent they are or how they are engaged in other behavior that makes the Beech person feel vulnerable, worried, or insecure. It could be that they were brought up in a household rife with criticism so they don't recognize their own knee-jerk reactions. But this state more often comes about over time as a result of challenges and growing discontent. Underneath is often a lack of base-level security or happiness—first chakra, for those following my discussions on the chakra system on this blog.

If the person they are criticizing is an employee, they worry that the employee's performance will reflect badly on themselves or keep them from meeting a particular company benchmark or business need. If the person is one of their children, they may fear that this child's behavior will reflect badly on them as a parent. And if it is a neighbor, community member, or political figure, the worry could be legitimate concerns for personal well-being and safety.

Beech is thought to work by helping a person see the good in other people and outside situations of various sorts. It helps people accept differences and things beyond one's personal control. But I think it does it by helping with a person's feeling of baseline security and groundedness.

I rarely use Beech but lately I have been feeling very intolerant and critical of other people's intolerance and expression of criticism. (lol) It makes me feel anxious, upset, and then angry about feeling that way so I want THEIR behavior to stop! (Not mine—I'm having a "normal response" to such upsetting behavior. lol) So I decided to try Beech to see what would happen. For me, it was at first grounding but of a specific nature. I could feel energy that had been a bit excessive in my third chakra descending down to the ground. And then there was a wonderful feeling of relaxation and my heart opened up. I suddenly found the issue amusing and far less concerning. In fact, not worrisome at all! My heart was happy and then I noticed that I was hungry even though I had not noticed that before. So, time for lunch! The blog post writing could wait. The behavior wasn't an "emergency" that had to be controlled at all.

Watch my video about Beech where I go into how useful it can be for lightening up about things that upset you and having a broader point of view.

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Oak Flower Essence for Those Who Are Too Strong and Dependable

2026-05-02T13:00:00.000-07:00

Too strong and dependable? What's wrong with that? Well, this is the person who winds up with too much work on their plate because they are so responsible everyone thinks of them when it comes to getting anything done. And they don't complain because they are so committed to the cause or their duty as a breadwinner or caregiver or volunteer. It's not that they tend be a martyr like the person who needs Centaury. The person who needs Centaury is a people pleaser who needs to learn to say no. The person who needs Oak has such a strong inner drive that they veer into workaholism and strive long past the point of exhaustion. You'll LOVE having such a person on your team until they hit the wall and get sick. And even when they do get sick, they'll keep on working, even with chronic illness possibly for years, until they fall apart altogether.

If you think about an English Oak tree in the wild you'll understand this personality type more completely. These are the "giving" trees where all manner of creatures nest. Hundreds of insects, animals and birds depend on oak trees, including parasitic insects that create galls on the tree. Some of these galls can become quite large but the tree struggles on, sometimes living over 500 years. The oak is important in many different mythologies. It was thought to be a protector tree because they act like lightning rods when grown near houses. The tree could crack apart but the houses would be safe.

If you fit the description of an Oak personality, please try using this flower essence before you hit your wall! Oak flower essence can help you balance work and rest, and let go of excessive perfectionism. It might seem like a virtue to struggle on and on, but in reality we need to know our human limitations and honor them. This flower essence can help you remain your strong determined self in balance with rest and rejuvenation, but it won't help you be more strong and determined if you are struggling too long and hard already or if you are already sick. It helps you gain in understanding so you can learn more flexible ways of being in the world. Oak trees don't flex—they crack. And they can't always come back from that without a great deal of help. So one way this flower essence is useful is in helping you feel okay about asking for help and noticing what YOU need BEFORE you have no choice about it (as well as at that point in time).

We all have physical world limitations and need to learn to take care of our physical needs and emotional need for enjoyment in our lives. But our culture tends to celebrate people with Oak personalities. We call them "brave" and "inspirational," never realizing that we are actually demanding too much from people who demand too much of themselves already. Support the people in your life who do it all for you! Let them put down their burdens and receive the help we all deserve.

Reiki-infused dosage strength Oak flower essence dropper bottles and unscented sprays.

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Dill Flower Essence for Addressing Sensory Overload

2026-04-29T10:53:00.000-07:00

At the moment, while I am writing this blog post, I am sitting outside on my apartment balcony. There is birdsong (I usually like that) and the very disturbing noise of the lawn crew using their blowers. When I put my logo over the bottom of this image on the right, I found it so overstimulating that I couldn't read it anymore so I faded that section in Photoshop. (I still find it hard to read but I didn't want to take it further.) Finally I decided to go in the house (calming in itself), and I took a few drops of Dill Flower Essence. Blessed relief! I immediately felt more grounded and calm. And I'm now back on the balcony and, thankfully, the blowers are no longer so close by because Dill is very helpful but it's not a magic potion! If the blowers were still in front of my apartment I'd be inside.

Still, Dill flower essence is so useful for calming sensory overload that I've heard that some people have had success using it to help Alzheimer's patients. I used to work for the Alzheimer's Association and had the opportunity to visit what used to be the most highly rated assisted living facility in Santa Cruz with a dementia wing. It was in an old ornate Victorian mansion and the regular part of the facility was gorgeous! It had wonderful decorative woodwork, beautiful flower-patterned wallpaper and patterned rugs. But the dementia wing was shockingly different! Completely plain walls and floors, almost no ornamentation. The only quietly beautiful thing I remember was a tropical fish tank in the common living room. I was horrified! Didn't they care about these people? But, indeed, they did! A lot of Alzheimer's patients are so easily overstimulated by patterns on the floor, for instance, that they become terrified to walk. The staff said that the number of catastrophic incidents when a patient becomes agitated and can't be comforted goes way down in a less stimulating environment.

These days there are lots of people who could use this flower essence. Highly sensitive people like myself and neurodivergent people are highly susceptible to overstimulation. This is especially true when a person is tired and their defenses are worn down. Or if you are any person who has spent too much time in a noisy chaotic environment or ping-ponging from one intense post after another on social media. Sometimes it just becomes way too much! Things seem too loud, too bright, and you just want to go to a quiet dark room, lie down, and close your eyes like a person suffering from a migraine. Which is actually a very good idea, but today I really wanted to see what Dill on its own would do.

If you look at the structure of a Dill Flower you'll see that it is like a very strung out collection of tiny constellations of flowers connected with thin stems to the same center. The tiny flower clumps wave in any breeze and I use the term "strung out" on purpose because that is how a person who needs this flower essence feels—like they're barely holding it together. The flower essence does help you come back together. Sometimes it is very grounding. Sometimes it feels like it is energetically releasing congestion in my head and that is very refreshing.

Find Reiki-infused dosage strength Dill Flower Essence in my shop.

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Can Flower Essences Help with Sense of Humor?

2026-04-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I wrote a short blog post about organic herb tea I sell. I'm oh-so-serious about choosing just the perfect combination of ingredients for whatever I need in the morning, and I wish I could go into great detail about those teas on this blog. But for some reason I can't get myself to write very much except about flower essences. But I still take herbalism oh-so-seriously!

Yesterday though, just after I wrote that post but had not shared it to social media yet, a friend shared a cartoon that cracked me up. It showed two cats at a table. One is down in the dumps and the other offers him a nice cup of tea to help him feel better. The first cat immediately knocks the cup to the floor and then smiles and says, "Thank you! I do feel better!" The other cat says, "It works every time!"

And that was the best I had felt all day up to that point (even though tea on the balcony definitely helped). Sometimes we need to laugh and not take everything so seriously!

I don't normally think of using flower essences for that but my inner guidance really wishes I would! I tend to get guided to add flower essences for lightening up to a number of flower essence formulas I make.

The most common one I use is Zinnia and that's the only one I know that seems to be specific for cultivating a sense of humor about life. I think of Zinnia as being great for someone who wishes to connect with their exuberant, funny, and joyful inner child—the person they might have been before getting hurt rather than the one psych majors and therapists always want you to connect with to comfort. That's a great thing to do but, ultimately, part of the value in this exercise is befriending the part of yourself who still might have the sense of wonder, playfulness, and excitement you lost somewhere along the way. You know, even a child might have something to teach you about living life!

When I use Zinnia I don't actually feel that lightened up feeling right away. The healing usually starts with being a lot more grounded and connected to my first chakra. That's the chakra we typically associate with survival and physical needs. Physical vitality and a strong sense of security reduces worries about basic survival. And how do you feel when you have plenty of energy and have no worries about that aspect of life? I feel joy! And joy makes it easier to laugh and want to do more of that.

I think of this as a major aspect of feeling the abundance of life which is why I include it in my Abundant Prosperity formula. I also put it in a formula to help pets feel happier with indoor life, in Support for the Artist's Heart, Letting Go of Perfectionism, and Doing New Things with Confidence. It's all about feeling so enthused about life that you can't wait to get up in the morning so you can experience it some more!

And, yes, it does seem to bring back a person's sense of humor. 😄

Find dosage strength and Reiki-infused Zinnia dropper bottles and unscented sprays in my Etsy shop.

You can also add an essential oil from my list to create a scented Zinnia spray as well.

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A Perfect Day for a Cup of Tea

2026-04-21T12:31:00.000-07:00

It was overcast and cold yesterday, threatening rain. But I bundled up in multiple layers, fuzzy slippers, and a hat to have a cup of tea on my apartment balcony anyway! I chose super relaxing Lemon Balm and Spearmint and had more then one cup before deciding to come back in. Glad I did! It improved my mood considerably.

Lemon Balm is a particularly good choice if you are looking for a relaxing tea. It has a mild lemon flavor without any obvious acidity and blends well with Peppermint, Spearmint or Chamomile. It has a reputation for calming people down and improving sleep but you can use it anytime. Some people use it to improve digestion or to cool down a too hot constitution (it's energetically cooling from a TCM perspective). It works well alone or mixed with mint for a summertime drink. It was traditionally used to uplift melancholy and ward off evil spirits.

My favorite bit of folklore about Lemon Balm is that bees like it! Beekeepers have been planting this herb near their hives since ancient times in Greece and in Medieval Europe to encourage them to stay.

You can find a variety of organic teas, mostly herbal, in my Etsy shop.

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Artist Flower Essence Support

2026-04-19T13:29:00.000-07:00

I've recently noticed a mild uptick in sales of my Support for the Artist's Heart formula as well as for ingredients in that formula. And I thought each time "Thank you! I probably could use that one!" But I'm already doing two flower essence experiments and dismissed the thought. "I don't need this one so badly," I thought, "I'm out of practice but I just need to push through and get back on the horse."

Ha ha ha ha. Pushing through just pushed me deeper into distress. I'm not just trying to get back on a horse, I'm attempting to change my whole identity as an artist at the same time! Because:

I spent a lot of time building a portfolio suitable for getting into an MFA program I did not get into and
Thankfully, got a paid job with good benefits instead that, unfortunately, left me with little energy to do any art except for what I can do on the computer or combine with oil pastel.

I enjoyed it (when I could make time for it) and I have received some recognition as an artist. I've gotten into several juried shows, was in a gallery for awhile, and have even shown my art in the local regional art museum. I have three pieces in a show there now! But I rarely have sold that work and no longer have gallery representation as a result. Disappointing, yes! But I, honestly, haven't dwelled too heavily on that because I've been too busy working.

Or did I just bury those feelings and carry on? Because as soon as I decided to return to maybe being an artist (note the hesitant "maybe"), I also didn't want to do that work anymore. But NOT because I wasn't successful at selling it (uh huh, sure), but because it doesn't make my heart leap up as much as other work I have done a little bit in the distant past which I assumed would not get me into an MFA program or earn the respect of art jurors.

THAT art is more like children's book illustration or sometimes like folk art or outsider art or Etsy craft art or [name your derogatory expression for art that is not deemed "fine art" in our culture here]. But it was children's book illustration that made me want to be an artist in the first place (besides my artist mother's influence). And I did succeed for a time doing illustration for books a LONG time ago when I worked at Crossing Press. But switch from my "serious artist" reputation to having more fun? You'd think that would be enticing (it is, actually) but, whoa, is that artist who wanted to be taken seriously upset! And let's not even talk about the politically aware and terrified human thinking "THIS is what you want to do at a time like this?!!! And who is going to buy your silly art now?"

Um, um, um. I don't know. But, yes. I DO want to lean hard into what lights me and other people up because I can't have my nose into pain and horror and fear all the time. But talk about a lot of angst suddenly coming up I wasn't expecting.

So last night when I couldn't sleep I tried Support for the Artist's Heart formula, went back to bed, and woke up with better thoughts: the art I've been doing for years appeals to my intellect and to a certain kind of aesthetic, but the older art really does make my heart leap up. I've already done a couple experiments and learned through trial and mostly error the importance of taking the time to prepare more in advance before jumping in. I could compose on the computer, for instance, and even create collage elements there (which is fun for me), and do the final piece much more quickly after doing that. I have several canvases to work on and all the supplies I need already so it doesn't cost me anything. I can sell them at a much lower price point than my other work because they will be small. And I have room for such small pieces in my apartment if I can't sell them, especially if I'm aiming to please myself anyway! Plus I don't HAVE to do this. I can just try a few more and see how it goes.

I will continue with this flower essence formula. I actually added it to my Letting Go of Perfectionism experiment to see how that works. And we'll see. Hopefully, it will help me let go of procrastination and have more fun!

UPDATE:

An even better-feeling choice came in a day or two later! My abreaction to the collage-based piece I was working on continued. So I asked myself if this was lack of confidence or truly not liking this direction. Well, the answer was probably both so I probed further. Would I like "this" or "that", "this other thing" or "that other thing"? I finally realized that I did not want to use collage in my work and completely reinvent myself as an artist. I wanted to change subject matter and maybe use collage digitally in the composition phase of my work before finishing it in paint and/or oil pastel. A true Libra solution combining the old direction with the new one without giving up my current identity as an artist.

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Flower Essences that Address the Desire to Escape into Daydreams

2026-04-14T13:22:00.000-07:00

“Dear God, make me a bird so I can fly far, far away from here.”

That's Jenny praying in the movie “Forest Gump” when she was hiding in the cornfield from her father.

She might not have thought that prayer was answered, but it was in the sense that she wound up fleeing from that house to live with her grandmother nearby. But the desire to fly away and never feel firmly at home until she was near death was the underlying theme of her part in the movie.

When I was a child I used to witness physical abuse more than I experienced it—I was the “good girl.” But that was intimidating and scary enough so as a young child I would put my legs and arms into the Underdog pose with his knee up so I could fly in my dreams. And later, during the day, I flew away into my daydreams. I did that way too much and LOVED when the habit disappeared after using Shooting Star flower essence.

Shooting Star is NOT what most people would recommend for excessive daydreaming—that would be Clematis. If you are so dreamy or disconnected that you prefer to stay in bed with your daydreams than live the life you are in, Clematis can help you come back down to earth so you can face and take steps to address the challenges in your life. I’ve noticed my tendency to daydream has been plaguing me again so I used Clematis just now to help me describe what it does. For me, I felt a strong refreshing clearing up and out of my head and then noticed the energy come down and linger a long while in my solar plexus (Third Chakra) before trickling down lower in my body.

Shooting Star, on the other hand, addresses the feeling of being so alienated or disconnected from the current state of humanity that you don’t feel like you belong here or would prefer not to be here. This is not the same as suicidal but it’s definitely not the same as embracing life either. That somewhat applies to me because of war and politics these days, so I just took this one separately from Clematis and noticed a strong grounding effect that seemed to connect my heart to the earth.

When I started to put Clematis away, my intuition urged me to keep it out followed by the desire to add it to Walnut (safety while going through big changes), Shooting Star, and Star of Bethlehem (for soothing trauma). When I tried that combination I felt like I had the whole package I needed—a strong clearing up and grounding down, a happier heart and solar plexus, finishing with feeling more at home in myself. The second time I tried it, I felt energy in my solar plexus connecting to the earth, followed by a very mild clearing up and a distinct feeling that I suddenly had a supported backbone and wanted to stand up straight. That feeling is not one I’ve had from flower essences before! I felt like I was confidently looking out at the world and ready to take it on. That experience was repeated when I used the combo again later in the day, but in the evening I felt more energy in my heart and lightly grounding feelings. There was still a desire to stand or sit up straight but in a very relaxed way.

I’ll be experimenting with this one some more. The energetic and immediate emotional effects are interesting but I think I need more time to see how it affects my life. I can report so far that I didn’t spend any time daydreaming once this experiment started today. I was busy all day working on Etsy orders, writing, and doing art and didn’t experience having my mind wandering into daydreams while I did it.

UPDATE (next day):

The energetic effects are quieter but still quite noticeable. I've used this formula twice so far today and both times the energy went down with a grounding effect then back up. I also, again, noticed the energy supporting my back. Interestingly, the energy lingered on places along my spine where I have been having discomfort. I wasn't even thinking about that when I started using this flower essence combo. I also seem to be noticing my feet more firmly and sturdily connected to the floor. Interesting! The daydreaming is less but not gone, more directed to specific issues rather than indulging in escapist fantasy.

UPDATE (the third day):

Grounding and feeling my feet firmly connected to the floor continues to be the most noticeable feeling. Daydreams have become focused on art I want to do next (so it's productive, not escapist). I have a sketch I'm developing into a painting idea. I also followed down a blog post idea with some research, but it's going to take time to digest what came of that. A pull to go into escapist fantasy did come up late in the evening when I was knitting, but I noticed and took more of this formula instead. That stopped it and I instantly became interested in something else to do to relax. I basically chose a more social way to wind down with Paul instead of being in my own private world.

Learn More:

Come Down to Earth with Clematis Flower Essence

Using Shooting Star to Heal Alienation from Earthly Existence and the Human Race

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Orange Flower Essences and the Second Chakra

2026-04-07T20:38:00.000-07:00

One of my ongoing interests combines flower essences, my joy as an artist in using vibrant colors, and my curiosity about how specific colors affect us on every level. This also intersects with my interest in eastern philosophies and spirituality—specifically the chakra system that also uses color to represent different aspects of consciousness and stages of development. The question I like to explore is whether the color of a flower gives you an indication of its use and does that line up with the psychology of color and the chakra system.

Now keep in mind that, even though there are some universal associations, there are many cultural differences in how color is perceived due to learned associations. Also, when it comes to flowers, many flowers exhibit more than one color at a time and others change color in different seasons, showing hidden colors that show up when another fades away. Plus there are a myriad of other factors to consider related to how the plant grows, where it grows, its basic form, etc. And when it comes to chakras it is very rare that only one is out of balance at a time as the condition of one can affect several others. So this is FAR from an exact science!

However, indulge me a little here. My working hypothesis is that flower essences bring forward qualities that help balance something in us that is out of balance. I think that it is possible that they bring forward the strengths associated with chakras that are out of balance and that the predominant color of the flower may be an indicator of that.

The second chakra is on my mind today because I am working with chronic (on and off) deficiencies there that have been present for some time. And interesting enough, the color orange—the only color I never wear except in the variation of rust—is the color associated with a vibrant 2nd chakra. So let’s take a look.

The Second Chakra

The second chakra (Svadhishthana) is located in the lower abdomen and is thought to be the center of emotions, creativity, pleasure, and sexuality. Unlike the first chakra that keeps us rooted in basic survival (literally being fed and kept physically safe in the womb and after birth by your mother or other primary caregiver), the second chakra is more associated with the flow of life and how we interact and develop in relationship with others. Svadhishthana is translated as “the abode of the Self” because it is at this stage that your conscious awareness of self and your individual identity with your own desires and personality is thought to emerge.

The family and cultural environment we experience at this early stage of development, however, is so important that it dictates what we believe about relationships and how safe we feel about being ourselves. Trauma and especially repeated trauma can have a huge impact on our lives. The habits we develop because of this can last a lifetime—shaping who we are but not what we are capable of evolving into. When I work with emotional healing I don’t think that our set point can’t grow and change. But we have to start where we are today given all that has happened to us. So be kind to yourself, acknowledge what has happened, and—if desired—consider new approaches and make changes step by step. Emotional safety is a healthy second chakra’s claim to fame, so to speak. Everything flows from there!

Strengths of a Balanced Second Chakra

Creativity and playfulness comes easily to you. You don’t lack for creative ideas and you have a joyful enthusiasm for life.
You feel comfortable in your body and have a healthy, balanced, and enjoyable relationship with sensuality, sex, and intimacy.
You can express your feelings, releasing them when needed with ease and without being overwhelmed, making it easier to adapt to change. You feel emotionally stable more often than not.
You can set healthy, firm boundaries in relationships without being overly rigid. You have a solid sense of your own needs in relationships and can respect others' limits.

Signs of an Unbalanced Second Chakra:

It can be deficient, blocked or overactive, (or might swing between extremes). Depending on what’s going on you might struggle with:

Challenges managing emotions, high sensitivity, feeling needy or overwhelmed or, conversely, feeling numb and out of touch with your emotions.
Challenges with emotional connection such as shyness, fearing or feeling reluctant to trust other people, pushing people away.
Struggles with creative blocks, feeling stuck, or uninspired.
Fear of intimacy, repressed sexuality, or conversely, excessive dependency, addictions, or hyper-sexuality.
Codependency and challenges with setting boundaries because of too much focus on other people or looking outside yourself for personal validation.
Challenges with distinguishing your own feelings from those of others (being a psychic sponge).
Emotional disconnection to physical embodiment and pleasure, preferring intellectual activities, being stuck in your head.
Fear of change such as having a rigid attachment to routine or deep fear of losing control.
Physical issues such as lower back or hip pain, kidney or reproductive or urinary system issues.
A tendency to feeling guilt, shame, envy, or a general feeling that life lacks joy.

Orange Flower Essences to Heal the Second Chakra?

When it comes to addressing the above issues, any number of flower essences could be used of every color! In fact, a blockage in a higher or lower chakra could be the cause of second chakra problems. I have frequently found that bringing in the strength of a higher chakra is essential for balancing the needs of a lower one and vice versa. For example, seventh chakra faith can balance first chakra fear. Enjoyment of embodied physical experience on the first or second chakra level can balance and help ground inflated spirituality or an overly intellectual approach to life on the seventh chakra level. To have the healthy emotional expression needed for positive second chakra function, you also need a healthy fifth chakra which assists with self-expression.

So, personally, in flower essence work I don’t focus on one chakra at a time as a general rule. However, for the sake of this discussion, I need to note that all the orange flowers used as flower essences that I know about seem to bring forward the strengths of the second chakra. So to bring forward those strengths, you might choose an orange flower from the following list:

Nasturtium: This flower essence helps when you are too much in your head, too intellectually focussed, and not having enough fun, sensuality or enjoyment of physical life. It brings more vitality and joy. It might even bring more passion into your life. (This is the one I'm using right now and I love it! It helps me feel stronger and noticeably gives me more energy and enthusiasm.)

Sticky Monkeyflower: Helps address insecurity about relationships and sexuality and fear of emotional vulnerability. Many people say that it helps with having safe loving boundaries which is probably essential for relieving fears. It also seems to bring more joy and ease with intimate self-expression.

Canyon Dudleya (Not currently allowed in my shop because it is now an endangered species due to succulent poaching. But I still have the flower essence on my shelves from before it became endangered. You can ask for it here.) This flower essence is used for a much more grounded approach to emotional and spiritual life. It is used to balance extreme emotional reactivity, grounding individuals prone to intense or hypervigilant survival-mode responses, or for those with overly intense psychic experiences.

Alpine Lily: Orange and red so it is working with both the first and second chakra, this flower essence mostly helps women who feel disconnected from their female physical form, including your sexuality or reproductive functions. It helps you feel more embodied as a woman if you are overly focussed on spiritual aspects of life.

Wallflower: This yellow-orange flower might embody aspects of both the second and third chakras. It eases shyness and social isolation due to fear. It can help you come out and join others with more confidence, feeling more optimistic and more emotionally secure, and more able to enjoy getting to know other people.

Calendula: for bringing a compassionate and receptive spirit into your communication when distrust and anger and the resulting bitter words are causing division and misunderstanding in your relationships.

Tiger Lily: Also used for bringing more cooperation into relationships where there is hostility. It helps with building bridges and creating mutual trust where polarity currently exists.

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The Safety to Navigate Change with Walnut Flower Essence

2026-04-05T14:04:00.000-07:00

I've noticed an uptick in sales of Walnut flower essence lately. That's a great flower essence to use if you need a sense of internal safety from negative outside influences while you are attempting to make a change in your life. The change could be anything from something you dearly want and are looking forward to doing to unwelcome changes forced on you by something that has happened in the outside world. You can also use it as a support flower essence when taking another one for an emotional change in your life. It helps a person break out of hardened patterns like breaking out of a too-tight shell. Maybe that shell was meant to protect you but it's not appropriate anymore. Walnut can help provide that inner sense of protection while you go forward.

I notice that when I have used it that I feel a clearing in my head and then a sense of grounding that is centered in my 2nd and 3rd chakras, maybe a little in the 4th. That means that, for me, it is addressing emotional insecurity and use of will with a touch of doing what my heart needs now. My heart wants to rest after several years of working full-time for a workaholic boss while also trying to do a business of my own. But my 3rd chakra (the seat of will-power) is too used to being in charge and is driven by a very deficient 2nd chakra that has rarely felt safe.

So I have started to use Walnut along with my Letting Go of Perfectionism formula but not at the same time. I've been experimenting with Letting Go of Perfectionism since identifying that issue as the main one I want to address now in semi-retirement. But, as I mentioned a few times before, part of my healing process has brought up old fears. That formula helps me relax a lot more but now I have fears about relaxing too much. Walnut, I hope, may address my need to feel safe as I navigate new ways of being in the world. Sometimes I just don't feel like doing anything productive! And that freaks me out. What's the worst that could happen? Well, if I don't stay on top of things my business might fail! Probably not, but there's a traumatized part of me that has been so focussed on survival for such a long time that it's hard to just let go.

What does that part need? To feel safe while I rest and to feel safe to do less. Or to accomplish the same things but in a less workaholic mode. For someone like me, that's a big enough change for now.

Learn More About Walnut Flower Essence:

Flower Essences for Protection from Negative Outside Influences

What to Do if a Pattern Keeps Returning when Using Flower Essences

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Self-Esteem without Narcissism Using Sunflower Flower Essence

2026-04-02T11:44:00.000-07:00

One of the themes I've been exploring lately is how flower essences can help you reconcile opposites that conflict in yourself or between yourself and other people. Carl Jung thought that this was so important it became a key feature of his style of psychotherapy. When we say this extreme is me and the opposite is not me we wind up in a polarized position with a piece of our potential in what he called "the shadow" (where it might trip you up later). It's far better to resolve the tension between extremes than to push pieces of yourself away.

Sunflower flower essence is a great frame to talk about this in. Sunflower is often used for people with low self-esteem who are too self-effacing. They hide their light under a bushel, holding back from sharing their talents and true self with the world. Chances are they just don't want to be that visible. Perhaps they experienced a lot of rejection in their childhood. Or maybe, just maybe, they grew up with someone who acted in the exact opposite way and there is no way in hell they want to be like that!

What is the opposite of low self-esteem and self-effacement? A narcissist who wants ALL the attention all the time, thinks they know everything and is better than everyone else. "I'm king of the world!" Yikes! We don't know anyone like that, do we?

The Sunflower itself is often the largest flower in the garden. It stands tall. It has a very large flower head. And it loves being in the spotlight of the sun. But in another phase of its development, when its head is at its largest and full of maturing seeds, the flower head will bow towards the ground. That's one of the signs that show the seeds are ready for harvesting.

Sunflower flower essence can be used for both people with low self-esteem and for those with too big a head. It helps reconcile those two extremes in behavior. You can shine like the sun and share what you have to offer without arrogance and narcissism. Both behaviors, by the way, come from fear of not being good enough or rejected. The narcissist compensates for that and demands adulation while the person who hides their glory is giving in and shuns the spotlight altogether. The healthy stance Sunflower Flower Essence provides is to balance your ability to be your full self without having to claim it in a fake, exaggerated, and unconscious way.

Find Reiki-infused Sunflower Flower Essence droppers or unscented sprays in my Etsy Shop.

Add an essential oil scent to my Sunflower Flower Essence spray.

Learn more . . .

Flower Essences, Polarity, and the Interplay of Yin and Yang

Learn more about Sunflower Flower Essence

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Is it Safe to Be Yourself?

2026-03-26T19:49:00.000-07:00

I have been continuing on with the Rock Water, Larch, Zinnia and Mariposa Lily experiment I am doing to address over-perfectionism, and the thought I had before bed when I was taking that formula and first thing in the morning was to “be myself.” And my first fear-inducing thought after that was “No! I’ll screw things up!”

That fear, actually, is what the Rock Water and Larch are for! So apparently that concern is being made conscious . . . because I don’t think of myself as a person who is afraid to screw up! I think of myself as a person who works tremendously hard to NOT screw up and spends a lot of time trying to find and fix mistakes (and feeling mortified if I miss one). In other words, I AM a person (or I have been a person) who is very afraid to screw up, I just don’t acknowledge it! Lol. I wish it actually felt funny.

So, I am exactly the type of person who needs these flower essences. But right now I am also taking Emotional Recovery (my Reiki-infused version of Rescue Remedy) and another formula with Nicotiana for more grounding and inner peace, Mimulus for addressing everyday fears, and California Valerian for fears about the future. I actually have a lot of fear of making mistakes and fear of failure for a lot of reasons.

Starting with the absurdly mundane:

Yesterday was a day when I made a number of mistakes. I spilled food on my white t-shirt while eating and then spilled on the T-shirt I changed into after finding two more stained T-shirts in my drawer. They just needed to be spot pre-treated in my next wash and they’re clean now. But something this mundane upset me because it’s happening more often. Apparently, I haven’t gotten used to my post-menopause-sized breasts and that’s where the food spills! But so what, right?

But I also started a new painting— a small one and I’m not used to working small. And I have made some mistakes because I’m learning. And I will need to paint over those parts.

Again, so what? I’m just “playing.” I’m just trying something out.

But there is an inner part of myself (I want to say “inner child” but that part takes offense) that is REALLY upset by this!

I give her a voice: “I CAN’T get dirty—mom will be mad. I CAN’T make mistakes! Daddy will be mad and Mom will be disappointed. Wahhhh!!! I’ll have to crumple up my art and throw it away so they can’t see it. And I really wanted this one to come out good so bad! Wahhhh!”

And another older voice warns me that I have made BIG ungrounded mistakes about making a living because I wanted to go my own way so much despite warnings not to. And then that business failed because of the Great Recession, I ran out of money and wound up working for a series of demanding bosses, jumping through hoops to please them the way I did in my family. Yes, I was able to do what needed to be done and yes, I can be proud of that because my retirement account got filled. But did I do a good enough job of saving money? Can I finally relax? Have we covered all our bases? I think so. But what if? What if? I don’t know for sure, especially with this president. So that part is still scared. And my younger self doesn’t want to have to be—she wants to finally get to have some fun!

Wahhh!!

Okay then. That was revealing! Should I even share this on my blog for other people’s benefit?

Whatever. I do it all the time. But there you see my inner state again: is this safe? AM I being grounded enough to plan for whatever could go wrong?

Fear, fear, fear, fear, fear.

And that’s what was underneath the lifelong pattern I’ve had of being over-perfectionistic. So now I’m working with that, which is how working on lifelong patterns often goes (whether you use flower essences or therapy or whatever). You use your healing tools for what appears to be your problem and then up pops the reason you adopted that way of being in the first place!

And none of that was your fault.

Defense mechanisms are a perfect solution for a situation (as a child) when you had no other apparent recourse. And does it work? Of course! At least at first. In my case, I didn’t get yelled at so much. I got good grades in school. I succeeded at a variety of jobs and got rewarded for that defense mechanism throughout my life.

Which is why it is so challenging to get rid of. The truth is I learned a lot by adopting that pattern, but it didn’t help me feel safe and more relaxed in the world. It just made me think I couldn’t be myself, I always have to be what other people want me to be, and “failure isn’t an option" so I work too hard at everything, especially when making big life decisions.

Commitment, perseverance, and dedication to getting things right to achieve a goal can be useful—especially if your life is at stake. But what about trust, faith, banding together with other people, getting to have help, being able to say no, and having a lot more fun? What about knowing that you learn important things by making mistakes that can help you succeed even better in the future? And what about knowing that a great life doesn’t even require “success” in the way our current society defines it?

So, for those following along, I am still using my Letting Go of Perfectionism formula (Rock Water, Larch, and Zinnia) with Mariposa Lily added for my specific life history. It still feels appropriate to continue. But my intention has shifted not to “getting rid of the pattern” but to using what I have learned in a flexible, less fear-driven state of mind to achieve my goals without being rigid or by swapping rigidity for lack of grounding. That’s the other side of the polarity: rigid adherence to rules and plans vs lack of grounding and ignoring the demands of daily yet fluidly changing physical life. You get to have a dynamically changing balance of both—flowing like water around and over obstacles, moving wherever you can go, going with the flow AND being solid as a rock when circumstances demand it. Water can shapeshift from solid ice to flowing water to water vapor and then condense and be flowing water or ice again.

Imagine that as a metaphor for how it could help you approach your life.

You don’t have to pendulum swing from firm rules and boundaries to having no boundaries at all. Water needs boundaries such as a riverbed to shape its experience and direct its path. But when caught in too tight a container with a cap on it, it doesn’t move or change at all. It can’t express its full nature. Rock Water can help you work with the actual realities of your life with its boundaries, obstacles, and restrictions while allowing yourself the freedom to think more flexibly and find a different way forward if desired.

So I think the Rock Water, Larch, Zinnia, and Mariposa Lily message to me is to not ignore the fearful smoke signals about whether I’m going to have enough money. Instead I intend flexibility AND the wisdom gained from life experience (positive and negative).

More about working with polarities with flower essences.

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When Flower Essences Bring Up Unexpected Feelings (Video)

2026-03-21T20:38:49.935-07:00

My latest video!

Or read my script below:

One thing that people don’t expect when they are working with flower essences is that sometimes feelings you didn’t expect come up when you’re using them. And that’s always a shock because you probably hoped the flower essence was going to help you get over your bad feelings!

And they often DO seem to work that way for something that’s very current and where you already know why you feel the way you do. But sometimes the feelings you feel are a cover or a defense mechanism for something else. So you deal with the feelings on top and up pops what’s underneath. And this is especially true if you decide to tackle a problem that’s been around a long time.

So, for example, I have had a long time struggle with over-perfectionism that makes me anxious and gets in the way of me enjoying my life. So I decided to use Rock Water (which is great for that issue), Larch (for having more confidence and more positive outlook), and Zinnia (for being able to approach life more playfully and with a sense of adventure). And that was helping me feel a lot more relaxed at first but then up popped all these early memories about feeling rejected by my parents for not being good enough and a lot of grief about what that has meant for my life.

So what do you do in a situation like that? What I did was let myself cry because that’s the best way to release grief. But I also added Mariposa Lily to the formula because I wanted to address those feelings of rejection left from my childhood. So that’s what I did and what came up after that was the realization that my parents weren’t rejecting me at all. They were treating me the exact same way they were treating themselves and how had been treated by their own parents. And all of a sudden I saw things differently because I was looking at the situation from my adult’s perspective instead of from the perspective I had as a child, which was something I had been holding in me all this time because it wasn’t conscious.

So in a lot of ways flower essences are a tool for self-awareness. You might want to bring in the help of a therapist if you’re not used to working on yourself like that. But otherwise you do what you normally would do: you grab a journal, grab a friend, let yourself cry or pound a pillow, and that’s not enough add in or switch to a flower essence to specifically address what’s coming up.

Find my Letting Go of Perfectionism flower essence formula.

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Pink Yarrow—Empath Flower Essence Support in Challenging Times

2026-03-18T13:19:45.700-07:00

Hello Fellow Empaths! Something happened with me about a week ago that I feel I really must share for others to benefit.

I had one of those really bad, awful nights of feeling anxious and not sleeping that happens every so often (but especially this past year). And because it's happening more often in our current political times, I assumed that's what was keeping me awake. I took a couple of flower essence formulas I make for anxiety, and it helped somewhat but I still wasn't sleeping. I took a Chinese Medicine herbal formula that usually works and that did nothing. So I turned to a flower essence aromatherapy oil I make called "Restful Nights" because often that will help me sleep. Again, it helped me relax more but sleep wasn't happening.

So what was going on? I had no idea but, while attempting to entertain myself, I came across an invented image of a girl with Pink Yarrow that I created years ago and thought, wait, is THAT it?

Pink Yarrow is the best flower essence I know for empaths who inadvertently take on other people's emotional distress. It tightens up the aura and helps it let go of what isn't yours, especially when it is affecting you on the emotional level. So I tried it, and I felt a visceral tightening in my chest which was perhaps too wide open. I then used intention to deliberately release what wasn't mine. That was interesting. I had a distinct sensation of energy leaving my chest area and suddenly felt MUCH better. I went back to bed and slept well the rest of the night.

What had I taken in? Well, I did do a couple of things late in the evening that were probably the problem. I watched The Daily Show and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (which I do most nights). But this time they weren't funny. They were visibly and audibly upset but trying to reach for the joke anyway. I also read Heather Cox Richardson who can sometimes be a very grounding influence, but she was definitely concerned about the news and history she was reporting that night, too. So I didn't just take in the news, I took in how upset and worried the people reporting it were. And that's where I got hooked in and vulnerable. If those people couldn't do their jobs without intense emotions in their way, did that mean we were in serious danger? That thought connects with my own life history of bad things that I couldn't do anything about that negatively changed the trajectory of my life, so the outside world energy had a place to stick to in me and that almost sent me into a panic.

Now it's a week or more later and we have apparently survived so far. I've been using Pink Yarrow 1-3 times a day, especially when I've been exposed to upsetting news, and that seems to be doing me a lot of good. I still need to process emotions that originate in me, but at least it isn't magnified by other people so much now, and that makes it much more manageable. So I thought I'd pass that emotional self-care tip on to you. Maybe the intense emotions you are feeling don't just belong to you!

Find Reiki-infused dosage strength Pink Yarrow flower essence in my shop. I usually recommend people try the spray version of any of the Yarrow flower essences, but this time I actually found the dropper version most effective.

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The Pressure to be an "Olympic Athlete" in Everyday Life

2026-03-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

Ilia Malinin came to me in my dreams earlier this week. In case you somehow missed this, Ilia is a figure skater (from a family of Russian Olympic figure skaters and coaches) known as the "Quad God" for doing incredible quadruple jumps nobody else can do in competition. He was expected to blow all his competitors out of the water at the 2026 Olympics and did perform well except for one important event where he fell multiple times. Later at a demonstration performance he did a powerful skate set to music about overcoming great fear.

In my dream, Ilia was following right behind me as I walked up a steep hill and sat across from me in a coffeeshop booth in order to tell me something. With great gentleness and kindness and with quite a bit of hesitation as if trying to find the right words, he said,

"Girl, it's not just 'stress.'"

I woke up and knew exactly what he meant. You see, earlier this week I decided to tackle a lifelong pattern I've had with hyper-perfectionism and feeling like I have to be a super-achiever just to survive. I've worked on this before with significant success but backslid terribly because of pressures on my last job. I quit that job a couple of months ago because of a sudden escalation of abuse that I received no support on despite speaking up multiple times. Some co-workers understood (which was extremely supportive), and I tried to fight for myself with HR, but in the end I had no legal recourse so I just said "no" anyway and left. Paul and I did the financial math multiple times, and I think we're going to be alright, but things have felt challenging at times as I go through the transition of reorganizing my life.

But it's not "just" stress. The emotional project I just took on goes back to early childhood in my family of origin. It probably even goes back to pre-birth as my mother had trouble with all her pregnancies, and I was half-starved in the womb. My parents are the children of Russian pogrom survivors, the "Fiddler on the Roof" style oppression which was extremely softened in the play and movie despite being somewhat accurate. They were actually much more violent. My parents grew up with a lot of fear they passed on both inadvertently and purposely to their children in an attempt to teach us what they believed was necessary to survive. Super-achieving and perfectionism was a big part of that when it came to me, their oldest child and the "good girl" of the family. I was "smart" (or learned how to fake it well) so I was always expected to do great things, but I have a history of not quite being able to succeed as much as desired, frequently needing to leave conventional jobs because of illness. I am proud that I walked away from this last one without getting sick and with my head up. But, damn, that wasn't the outcome I really wanted. (Or the job I would have wanted for myself if I'm really being honest.)

Ilia might know something about that kind of family pressure and expectation although it came from a different place. So he didn't really have to say more in my dream than what he said. I got the message. We're not just talking about "stress." It's an entire approach to life meant to teach you how to succeed but causing fear that trips you up terribly in the end.

I would have much preferred to be Alysa Liu, who somehow broke free of the childhood pressures that drove her early in her career by retiring and prioritizing her mental health and happiness. She won Olympic gold with confidence, happiness, and while having a lot of fun in stark contrast to almost everyone else I've ever seen in Olympic competition.

So that's my goal right now: to prioritize my mental health and happiness and win a life fueled with joy.

The flower essences I'm using right now are Rock Water (for letting go of unreasonably high perfectionistic standards), Larch (for more positive expectations and confidence), and Zinnia (for approaching life with joy and a sense of adventure). That's my Letting Go of Perfectionism formula. The evening before Ilia showed up I had added Mariposa Lily to my personal bottle for dealing with early childhood parenting issues.

A lot of memories, insights, and grief came up because of that addition the first night and most of the next day—the reasons why both of my parents taught me to behave like this, how hurtful it felt to me when I didn't understand why I had to be perfect to be good enough, how much anxiety and illness resulted from it throughout my life, all the ways I have held myself back to avoid getting sick throughout my life, and damn, that last job! People don't tend to expect that flower essences could toss up old experiences and feelings. But when you're dealing with a chronic pattern, they certainly can. I know that if you let the tears out or the anger or whatever needs to be released, in a day or two or three you always get to a place of relief and greater wellbeing. But it can be a shock if you don't expect it, and if you don't have a lot of experience in working with your emotions and past history in this way, you may want to grab a therapist, a good friend, or at least a journal for support.

But for me, after a couple of days and the visit from Ilia, the grief piece feels over. Now the combo brings me the desired feeling of relief and greater wellbeing I wanted as I continue to use it. I feel more hopeful about what might come about as a result.

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Flower Essences to Counter Worst Case Scenario Thinking

2026-03-13T12:30:00.000-07:00

You know this happens all the time. You’re staying positive, keeping your head above water, and you suddenly come across something online or on the news and all your alarm bells go off. WTF!!! They’re doing what? Why?!!! This could mean . . . don’t go there! Too late, I know you did. We might have different versions of worst case scenario depending on our life history or what we just heard or read, but we’re all susceptible to going there, especially these days.

Okay, so you imagined your worst case scenario and for the moment you’re terrified it might come true. “Catch it, check it, and change!” Those are the “three C’s of cognitive behavioral therapy. The idea is to cope with anxiety by first catching yourself in a catastrophizing mindset and then stopping the anxiety by turning things around.

Catch it. You’re not just imagining the worst case, you believe it’s likely. You feel overwhelmed and helpless and you can’t stop thinking about it. No doubt you learned to do this to try to protect yourself from danger or prepare for it when you were younger, but it's really not working.

Check it. You may be magnifying the danger. So the next step is to challenge that. Is that the only potential outcome? Name as many other outcomes as you can imagine. Is your first worst case fear really the most likely outcome? What’s more probable? (This step is often easier done with the help of a friend or therapist who can think outside of any boxes you might be in.)

Change it. Reach for a more balanced perspective. Yes, the worst might happen, but if there are other possible scenarios, it’s not as likely to go the way you fear. It is far more likely that there could be as many possible solutions as there are perceived problems. In fact, you could probably come up with a few positive possibilities right now.

Having used this approach myself many times, I can say that it works. But in the midst of wide-eyed, heart pounding panic, it’s a little easier said than done. The news might also be causing grief or numbing hopelessness or depression. So I use flower essences to support the process (especially in the Catch and Check it stages).

Flower Essences to Consider

If you succumb to worst case scenario thinking often, you most likely need support for anxiety and pessimism so we’ll focus on flower essences for that here. If there is life history trauma in the background feeding these reactions, I also recommend seeing a therapist or at least grabbing a journal to help you gain clarity.

Rescue Remedy (or my Reiki-infused dosage strength version called Emotional Recovery): This is always my first choice for dealing with panic. It's very calming and grounding.

Releasing Worry and Fear: This flower essence formula combines Rock Rose (the same essence used to calm panic in Emotional Recovery) with Larch (see below) and White Chestnut (to calm obsession that keeps you spinning those scenarios in your head all night). It's the most popular combo formula in my shop!

Elm: Great for calming overwhelm!

Larch: Is the worst case scenario you imagine based on lack of confidence or fear about how people will respond to something you want to do? Larch can help you have a more positive outlook and increased self-confidence.

Willow: "Oh me, oh my." Are you like Eeyore in always expecting the worst and feeling hopeless or resentful about it? Willow flower essence can help you have more optimism and faith.

Gorse: If you're truly feeling hopeless, Gorse can help you accept the life experiences that have led to you feeling that way and gather the faith to face a new day and try again.

Borage: This flower essence is quite effective if you are deeply disheartened or discouraged. It helps you "take heart" and have more courage. It's very uplifting.

Healing a Broken Heart: This combination of Bleeding Heart (for healing grief), Star of Bethlehem (for soothing shock or trauma), and Walnut (for coping with traumatic change) can be extremely helpful if you have received (or watched) heartbreaking news.

Personal Sharing:

I recently found that my usual choices for calming fear and anger were not sufficient when it came to my reaction to the United States going to war in Iran. That's because the first news out of there was about a girl's elementary school being destroyed with 165 children killed. I've been using Healing a Broken Heart combined with Elm for that, frequently followed or preceded by Emotional Recovery. If one of those combos doesn't seem like enough, adding the other afterwards seems to do the trick.

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Flower Essences, Polarity, and the Interplay of Yin and Yang

2026-03-10T13:00:00.000-07:00

My latest video! Or read the script I wrote for this video below.

Today I’d like to talk about polarity and the interplay of Yin and Yang (and what that has to do with using flower essences).

From a Chinese philosophy perspective, everything in nature is about the dynamic interaction of opposites on a continuum. They call that Yin and Yang and it’s easy to understand if you think about the cycles of nature. Night turns to day and back to night again. Winter turns to Spring to Summer into Fall and back to Winter again. There is a time for activity — that’s Yang — and a time to rest —that’s Yin. And everything in between. The extremes of Yin and Yang are like polarized opposites. Winter- Summer, Night-Day. Being in one polarity for a short period of time isn’t bad. The trouble begins if we get stuck there.

Too much Yin which is cold and dark, still and quiet will eventually kill you because you won’t move and you’ll freeze to death. But too much Yang which is hot and bright, active and loud will also kill you because you’ll burn to death or from inflammation. And the idea of being stuck in a polarized position being bad holds true whether we’re talking about our physical condition or emotional health, our relationships with other people, our society, or the health of the planet itself. We’re supposed to change and adapt and grow from working effectively with all parts of the spectrum.

In nature that tends to happen, at least over time. But unfortunately humans frequently do get stuck in a polarized extreme and that’s when all hell breaks loose. A person who gets stuck in a Yin state is too still, too weak, and too cold. A person who gets stuck in the Yang state is too forceful, hot, and angry. And both extremes, when it goes on too long, can lead to illness and undesirable ways of interacting with other people and the world.

Where flower essences come in, is that you can think of them as helpers to help balance unbalanced states. Plants hold inside themselves different aspects of their particular nature in dynamically changing balance through the seasons and through their life cycle. And by studying plants in their natural state you can get clues of what they might help you with on a healing level by noticing how they express themselves in the wild.

That sounds weird but let me give you an example.

Let’s talk about dandelions because most people are familiar with them. You know what they look like: They have bright yellow sunny Yang-like flowers and jagged tooth-like leaves which is where it gets its name. Dent-de-lion which is Dandelion in French means teeth of the lion. And Dandelions are very strong and hardy, maybe even a little fierce in terms of how intensely they claim their space, say, in your lawn. In one part of their life cycle Dandelions very aggressively and quickly put down long thick tap roots that make them hard to get rid of. If you pull them up without getting all of that root out, it just sends out shoots and pops back up. They have great staying power. But in another part of its life cycle it’s the exact opposite. The flower turns into an airy white puff ball with seeds that just blow away and gently land wherever they fall. You could think of that as the Yin let go, let God section of its life. It just "makes a wish" to spread its seeds and allows the wind to just blow that wish into fruition without any effort of its own at that point at all. Then, when the time is right the seeds puts down roots and takes over that section of your yard!

So the person who needs Dandelion flower essence is somewhat similar but they have gotten stuck in the Yang expression of its nature. They work too hard and too aggressively, they grab on tight to what they are trying to accomplish, and never relax. Dandelion flower essence helps such a person lean into the full capacity of their Dandelion-like self. They stay strong and capable but they can also allow themselves to let go, let God, and get some rest. They are still themselves but in balance and that means they are less likely to burn out.

And that is just Dandelion. As far I can tell that’s how all flower essences work. They let you be who you are but in a more balanced, healthy, and flexible way.

Find Reiki-infused dosage strength Dandelion Flower Essence in my Etsy shop.

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Reconnect with Life Purpose and Find The Energy to Follow Through

2026-03-09T19:20:00.000-07:00

Changing your life at any age can feel hard. But at mid-life or beyond, just the thought of it can be exhausting! Ask how I know. Or don't, I'll tell you.

I am unexpectedly semi-retired now—so far with no regrets! But going from full-time employment plus self-employment to suddenly having the time I need to do other things was a bit of a shock. And even more shocking was how my time was suddenly taken over by one thing after another related to the kinds of decisions a person retiring from the job market would ideally make many months ahead! Plus my family back east is needing my attention. And then when I took a break to scroll through my Facebook feed I saw people fighting for the sanctity of their communities being hit with less lethal bullets and tear gas for peacefully protesting and some were being killed, the Epstein files hit the news hard, and now we're at war with Iran for who knows what reason. It felt like the attention I really wanted for my own life was just being sucked away along with my energy!

Even though I had ideas of what I would want to do with my time once I had it again, the overwhelm of all of this has been quite the distraction! And I must admit I have been having to take a hard look at whether what I wanted before is still what I want now! Sounds like a job for Wild Oat (choosing between various directions) . . . except that's not quite right for me.

I know what I wish I could do. I have been wanting to find more time for being an artist again for years but now I'm worried about it because, as I said, the timing was unwanted. And before I can do much art—or even explore how I feel while doing it—I need to do a lot of clutter reduction and re-organizing of my art studio space so I have room! And that makes me TIRED! (Maybe it's better to be distracted.)

No, it isn't!

A flower essence formula selling well in my shop this last week gave me a clue of what to try: Re-Connect and Energize. This formula combines Elm (to calm overwhelm), Explorer's Gentian (for people later in life who have suffered loss and need to re-connect with their life purpose enough to be willing to try again), and Rock Fringe (for the energy and enthusiasm to take on the challenge). I say it's perfect for me because I don't know whether I can succeed as an artist enough that the paintings don't just stack up in my house or in a garage somewhere. And will I even enjoy painting again? I don't know, so the overwhelm and tiredness comes from that.

The last time I tried this formula I had new ideas of what I wanted to do right away. This time I did not—I already have ideas for paintings and I know I want to at least try doing one. Instead I felt more grounded and then my head cleared and I felt joyful. Sometimes the weight of the world and a person's doubts and fears is like a veil they wear over their heads. I had the sensation of that veil lifting within a minute or two of when I tried this formula again, and it felt great!

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White Chestnut Flower Essence for Soothing a Worried Mind

2026-03-03T10:49:00.000-08:00

I like to check the mood of the nation sometimes in my shop. What my customers purchase sometimes gives me a great indication of that. Right now though, the flower essences being chosen are all over the place. It's as if people are trying hard to put their attention somewhere else. And that might be true because the only repeated pattern I see is the sale of White Chestnut.

White Chestnut is for when worried thoughts are keeping you up at night or making you miserable during the day. Maybe you're grappling with a problem and your mind just won't let it go as you try out different scenarios over and over. Or you're obsessing about something that happened during the day, maybe going over a conversation you had over and over. You'd love nothing more than to turn these thoughts off! The mental anguish is awful.

I asked for guidance about a problem I've been grappling with in my life last night and it was to "stay in the present moment." Aggh! I hate the present moment! I'd rather be thinking about just about anything else instead! Except not. The desire to use my mind to solve problems that really can't be solved completely without more information or time is an addictive tendency. What's underneath that? Oh, you know: the constant sorrow, chaos, and anxiety in our current times combined with decisions I'd like to make in my own life that might be impacted by that. But earlier in my life it might have been something else.

Paying attention to benign aspects of the present moment isn't bad advice though. Currently, the sun is shining in my location. Someone is making noise cutting the grass at the apartment complex. I don't like that but, hey, at least someone else is doing that! That part is nice. I just had breakfast. One of my cats is curled up beside me. I'm in my favorite soft fuzzy bathrobe. Now the mower has moved to another location so it's actually pretty quiet. I know there are things happening in the wider world but right here, right now, in this moment . . . there isn't really anything I have to do.

So let me finish this post by telling you what White Chestnut does. I took some right now. It's very calming and grounding. It makes it easy to be in the present moment and just be quiet. And that is a great relief.

I use White Chestnut in my popular "Releasing Worry and Fear" formula. If you prefer to use one flower essence at a time, you can find Reiki-infused White Chestnut flower essence dropper bottles and sprays in my Etsy Shop. You can also find it as a spray with option to add a scent.

Learn more about Chestnut flower essences.

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Flower Essences for Soothing Controlling Behavior

2026-03-01T22:14:00.000-08:00

A lot of times people who engage in overly controlling behavior aren't aware of the impact of their actions on others so they don't even think to look for flower essences for those problems. Other people, however, are often VERY aware of their behavior because they might be the target and it drives them crazy. On the other hand, there are also those who may not be trying to control others so much but are desperately trying to control themselves or anticipate and control outcomes. In that case, your behavior might be driving YOU crazy.

In both instances, the desire to control too much tends to come from insecurity, fear or anxiety, and is often due to past trauma. The behavior is basically a coping mechanism to manage uncertainty and pain or avoid failure. It might look like perfectionism or a need to constantly try too hard. Other people wind up attempting to predict the future too much. We all probably wish we had a crystal ball about certain things happening in our world these days. But, in reality, the future generally isn't in cement. As spiritual counselors, Paul and I were extremely aware that people wanted us to predict the future and tell them what to do. But as healers we soon learned that what they really needed was to be able to face the future with less fear and to have more confidence about their ability to handle it. And that's especially true when other people are involved.

Some of us learn to be secure in this way as children. We were encouraged to run and jump, try new things, and have no fear of failure—there would always be someone who lovingly had our backs and would encourage us to try again. Others of us learned the opposite. Our parents were either overprotective and frightened us out of trying things or were harsh disciplinarians who had no patience for mistakes and reacted with punishment. A controlling person quite often grew up in a family of controlling people.

I mention all of this because if you are on this blog looking for help for yourself, you may have been called "controlling" by someone who was not so nice about it. (People hate to feel controlled.) But I want you to start your healing process by recognizing that you are not to blame for having these behaviors. You learned them the hard way and are worthy of being loved.

Flower Essences to Consider

Rock Water: This flower essence helps those who are overly strict with themselves and are too rigid in what they consider to be acceptable behavior in themselves and others. It fosters flexibility and adaptability in situations while softening the need to always do things perfectly in order to avoid failure.

Beech: If you find yourself intolerant of other people's behavior, overly judgmental, or criticizing, Beech can help you find more compassion and empathy for other people, develop the ability to accept differences, and to let go of overly perfectionistic expectations.

Chicory: Chicory helps if you are trying so hard to take care of other people or make them love you that you wind up trying to control people by "helping" too much. This flower essence can help you let people make their own choices without always trying to intervene or telling them what to do. It helps you feel secure enough inside to love unconditionally without manipulating or guilt-tripping others to return your attention because of "all you do for them."

Vine: The classic description of the person who needs Vine is someone who is bossy, domineering, or bullying, thinks they know better than anyone else, and attempts to force people to do what they want. You know, the quintessential horrible boss. But even if you never act this way, you might find Vine helpful if you try so hard to control the outcome of situations that you are being a bit of a bully to yourself. It will help you be kinder and more relaxed, more interested in motivating yourself and others than controlling their behaviors in an authoritarian way.

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