Here's an excerpt from some of Andrea Mathieson's (of Raven Essences) thoughts on how flower essences offer an opportunity for conscious partnering with nature:

" Flower essences are liquid extracts made from the life force of the plant. They are vibrational substances that work with the electrical system, which is the interface mechanism between one's soul and one's body. Flowers have been used in a variety of ways for millenia, but the bethod of making flower essences was most recently developed by an English physician, Dr. Edward Bach, in the 1930s. In the 1500s, Paracelsus prepared remedies from dew collected from flowers to treat his patients' emotional problems. Flower essences are now used effectively throughout the world in holistic helaht and wellness programs.

Traditionally, flower essences are seen as being effective at an emotional level, but their effectiveness is far greater than this. One vital difference is that humans have an emotional capacity, whereas plants do not, and throughout our life it is often this place where we get stuck adn out of touch with naturla cycles of evolution. We hang on when we should let go; we rush when we should be slow; we judge when we should celebrate. Our strong emotional reactions to change are what most frequently short circuit our electrical systems. Nature, through flower essences, can help us by holding our electrical systems in place so we can work with nature's blueprints for growth and adaptation.

At the same time, flower essences afford us a tremendous opportunity for conscious partnering with nature.

An important aspect of flower essences is their ability to coordinate with the cyclical nature of healing, growth and change. Drugs, including herbal medicines, work at an 'event' level; you have a problem, and this is the corresponding cure. Flower essences work in a more transparent and alchemical fashion. They support the cycles, not just the events of our lives. When you say, "Here I am and this is where I want to go," the subtle energy of nature supports you in that journey.

Another attribute of flower essences is their role in opening the corridors of spiritual expression. At the physiological level, the essences work with the body's electrical system that is the interface mechanism between the soul and body. The body is weakened if the soul connection is compromised, an the soul's expression is limited if the body cannot support the soul. Here is the rare opportunity afforded through flower essences. They are not just to calm jangled nerves so we can carry on top speed in the rat-race. They open a strong, stable corridor between our soul and our body so that we can be who we are and do what we came on earth to do."

On earth, we rely on nature to provide beautiful life-sustaining forms within a balanced ecology. Try as we might, we cannot truly separate ourselves from nature. Our task is to approach nature with a reverant co-creative attitude; then we can develop 'man-made' forms and systems that are as balanced as ones in the natural world.

Emotions and Essences

The emotional realm is where most of us resist and lose touch with the natural cycles of life. The energetic patterns laid down at the emotional level compromise the entire body-psyche. What we feel at a core level affects how we respond and act in our outer lives. When our emotional reactions to change short-circuit our electrical systems, essences help to balance and harmonize our emotions and thought patterns as we navigate through life's challenges.