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HEALING FLOWERS OF THE ZODIAC
Healing the Chiron Wound
by Candy Hillenbrand
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Have you ever found yourself sitting with a person and their chart, having identified the issues, challenges and problems, illumined the shadow areas, uncovered the projections, and still wondering what on earth can be done about it? For many years I felt frustrated with the limitations of astrology. Undoubtedly, it is a superb diagnostic tool. Used at its best, it can awaken us to a sense of our highest potential or 'purpose' in life. It can help us to cast light on our dilemmas, complexes and inner conflicts, and equally our gifts and talents. But what if we want to change an area of our life? How can astrology be used as an agent for this process of transformation and change?
As an astrologer, I have sought to understand the signs, planets, houses and aspects from a 'transformational' perspective by asking questions like: What is a more positive way of expressing this aspect? What is the gift of this planetary configuration? What is the highest potential that this person could express? How could s/he use or heal that troublesome square or opposition? How could this difficult energy be more creatively expressed? Where, in the chart, is there an outlet for this conflict, blockage or frustration? Using this approach, we can look to midpoints or other 'resolution' planets for guidance, but in the end, all we can really come up with is yet more words and more suggestions.
This kind of focus has led me to seek practical healing tools or remedies which can meld with this 'transformational' approach, catalysts for change which can help to balance, harmonize, soothe and resolve the conflicts and dilemmas so well described by the horoscope. I see astrology and healing as inextricably linked. Healing means 'to make whole' and the round birth chart is indeed a potent symbol of this wholeness. The horoscope is our own personal mandala, and within its roundness we can gain a glimpse of that potential for wholeness, unity and self-actualization which lies within each one of us.
Healing with Flowers
In my quest to find a healing tool which could be used effectively in conjunction with an astrological reading, I discovered flower essences. These are liquid extracts of flowers and are referred to as a 'vibrational' remedy, for they contain no scientifically detectable material substance, but a principle which some have likened to the life force of the flower. Primarily, flower essences are used to treat emotional and mental problems, and are selected on the basis of the client's psychological profile, which is quite easily determined by an analysis of the birth chart. Through a quite simple but alchemical process of preparation, involving the use of the four elements, flower essences are imbued with the soul or spirit of the flower of a plant. They contain the aura of the plant soul.
Flowers are unquestionably a physical manifestation of beauty and perfection. Notice how many flowers are round and have a distinguishable 'centre'. They are nature's mandalas, just as our horoscopes reflect mandalas from the sky. Whatever their shape, flowers are undeniably beautiful. Their brilliancy and variety of colours, their rapturous fragrances, all serve to remind us of our own path to wholeness.
It is believed that flower essences have been around for a very long time, possibly dating as far back as Ancient China. Traditional peoples have always been aware of the healing power of flowers. There is evidence that a number of traditional cultures, including the Egyptian, Malay, African and Aboriginal Australian, have used flowers in healing. <1>
Paracelsus, the 16th century Swiss-German physician, astrologer, alchemist and herbalist was the first recorded person to use flower remedy healing. <2> Paracelsus was one of the pioneers of what we know today as holistic medicine. He believed that illness was the result of mental and spiritual disharmony, that the cause lay within the person, and that treatment should be based on an understanding of the whole person, not just the physical symptoms. <3> Paracelsus collected dew from flowers to heal emotional disharmony, and this is precisely what Dr Edward Bach did in England some four centuries later, when he discovered his now famous Bach Flower Remedies.
Dr Bach was a prominent Harley Street physician, bacteriologist and homeopath who in the 1920s became dissatisfied with orthodox medicine, abandoning his medical practice to search the English fields and woods for a more natural healing treatment. In all, Dr Bach discovered 38 flower remedies and these are now used widely throughout the world.
Flower essences are closest conceptually to homeopathic remedies, in that the activating agent is increasingly diluted and only small doses are taken, usually four drops at a time. Apart from this similarity, they are quite unique, and they differ from homeopathic remedies in one fundamental way: homeopathic remedies are based on the Law of Similars or 'like cures like', known colloquially as the 'hair of the dog', whereas flower essence remedies are based on the Law of Opposites. They work to infuse us with the 'positive' quality that we lack rather than by suppressing the 'negative' disturbance. For example, if we experience resentment and bitterness, the Willow remedy works not to attack the negative feelings, but to imbue us with the quality of forgiveness. Unlike homeopathic remedies, flower essences also do not use the products of illness, toxic minerals or plants, or animal substances.
The Twelve Groups of Humanity
Bach made the interesting discovery, and one hardly surprising to astrologers, that all of humanity could be divided into twelve groups. This discovery came to him suddenly one evening during a banquet, in what sounds reminiscent of a Uranian flash of inspiration. According to Bach's biographer and devoted assistant, Nora Weeks, he had attended this dinner unwillingly and was feeling rather bored. To pass the time, he began to watch the people around him, when he had a sudden realization that the whole of humanity consisted of a number of definite groups of types. <4>
He noticed that "every individual in that large hall belonged to one or other of these groups, and he spent the rest of the evening watching all the people he could see: observing how they ate their food, how they smiled and moved their hands and heads, the attitudes of their bodies, the expressions on their faces and, when he was close enough to hear, the tone of voice they used. So close was the resemblance between certain people that they might have belonged to the same family, although there was no blood relationship." <5>
Bach spent the rest of his meal observing everybody very closely, and by the end of the evening, he had identified twelve groups of personality traits or twelve archetypal patterns of behaviour in people. He called them 'world types', and he embarked on a quest to discover a healing remedy for each of these types.
When Dr Bach began his search for the first twelve healing remedies, he knew what he was looking for. He knew the personality trait or emotional state, and he generally knew something about the quality of the plant, tree or flower that would heal that state. It took him four years to discover the twelve remedies and he aptly named them 'The Twelve Healers'.
The Twelve Healing Flowers and the Astrological Connection
The Twelve Healers represent the twelve archetypal groups of humanity, or twelve primary types of personality. Bach felt that everyone fitted into one of these twelve categories, and even went so far as to link each of these twelve types and remedies with the twelve signs of the zodiac. Unfortunately, Bach did not reveal in his writings which of the Twelve Healers related to which zodiacal sign. He was familiar with astrology, but was cautious about referring to it in his public speeches and writings. However, he did say of the Twelve Healers that this work would "assist vastly in the purification and understanding of astrology." <6>
The Twelve Healers correspond to twelve types of personality, each possessing a quality to develop and a primary fault or negative emotional/mental tendency to overcome. Bach wrote that "each herb corresponds with one of the qualities, and its purpose is to strengthen that quality, so that the personality may rise above the fault that is the stumbling block." <7>
Bach taught that our personality type was determined by the Moon Sign at birth. He described the twelve types as the "twelve great lessons of life", and believed that each of us is concentrating on one of these lessons in particular. Astrologically, the Moon relates to instinctual responses, habit patterns, emotional makeup and the past. We can understand why Bach linked the Moon's position to the great 'lesson' of life, for it is in overcoming the instinctual and therefore entrenched negative emotional tendency of our Moon sign that we experience the challenge of our life, or indeed its major 'lesson'. <8>
I have found very little development of Bach's synthesis of astrology and flower remedies, with the exception of Peter Damian's The Twelve Healers of the Zodiac. In this book, Damian makes the following connections between zodiac sign and healing flower. <9>
THE TWELVE HEALERS AND ASTROLOGICAL CORRELATIONS
ZODIAC SIGN BACH FLOWER REMEDY NEGATIVE TENDENCY (Pacified) POSITIVE QUALITY
(Stimulated)
Aries Impatiens Impatience Patience
Taurus Gentaian Doubt Understanding
Gemini Cerato Self-distrust Wisdom
Cancer Clematis Indifference Gentleness
Leo Vervain Over-enthusiasm Tolerance
Virgo Centaury Servility Strength
Libra Scleranthus Indecision Steadfastness
Scorpio Chicory Possessiveness Selfless Love
Sagittarius Agrimony Restlessness Inner Peace
Capricorn Mimulus Fear Courage
Aquarius Water Violet Aloofness Sharing
Pisces Rock Rose Terror Self-transcendence
Damian also outlines a method of selecting what he calls one's 'Maintenance Remedy' from the natal chart. The technique for determining an individual's all-purpose Maintenance Remedy is as follows:
Select the corresponding remedy for one's:
1. Sun sign
2. Moon sign
3. Ascendant sign
4. Ascendant ruler's sign
5. 1st house planets in a different sign to Ascendant sign
6. Mercury sign
7. Saturn sign
8. If you have less than six remedies so far,
* the sign on the 6th or 12th house cusps
* the sign containing a stellium of 3 or more planets
Making your own Remedies
The process of making a remedy has a wonderful resonance with the astrological symbolism of the four elements. Bach described it like this: "The earth to nurture the plant, the air from which it feeds, the sun or fire to enable it to impart its power, and water to collect and be enriched with its beneficent magnetic healing." <10>
The flower essence remedies are made by floating the freshly picked flowers of the selected plant or tree in a glass bowl of pure water and leaving them to sit in the sunlight for several hours. Through the action of the sun and the process of combination of the four elements, the healing 'essence' or etheric imprint of the flower is transferred into the water. The flowers are removed and this 'mother essence' is preserved with brandy, diluted to make the 'stock' essence, and further diluted to make the dosage or medicine-strength 'remedy'.
The Principle of Flower Essence Healing
Flower essence healing is fundamentally a technique of emotional healing. When we use flower essences, we are looking at the person's emotional nature and mental attitudes. We are not looking at the physical symptoms, although physical symptoms can provide clues about the mental and emotional nature. For example, constipation may suggest that one tends to hold onto the past and has trouble letting go. Astrologically, a preponderance of planets in fixed or earth signs may reinforce this. The Bach Remedy Chestnut Bud is ideal for this 'holding on' tendency. The basic philosophy behind the flower remedies, therefore, is that the body cannot be separated from the mind or the feelings.
I have encountered some who express concern that an approach combining astrology and flower essences may amount to a Pollyana-ish world view, one which denies the darkness of life and seeks to eliminate the effects of a transit. This is an interesting analysis. There is no stigma about healing the body - we think nothing of treating a cold, bandaging a wound or massaging a sore back. Broken hearts also need mending. Relationships need healing, and anger needs treating as much as a fever does. Emotional healing does not involve repressing the feelings, pushing the 'shadow' qualities back underground, turning anger into something it isn't, or becoming something we are not. It is as damaging to our health to carry around feelings of bitterness, resentment, and hatred, as it is to leave a deep cut unstitched, or an ulcer untreated. We treat a bacterial infection with antibiotics or propolis. Equally, we treat bitterness with Willow and hatred with Holly.
Edward Bach defined dis-ease as a consolidation of a mental attitude. Flower essences work on the causal levels of our being, at the emotional and mental levels, which are seen as the causative factors in creating physical illness.
The first step in healing with flower essences involves identifying the feelings. This immediately implies that we are contacting and owning our feelings, and through this process of articulation and self-awareness alone, much healing can occur. It takes a lot of courage to face our feelings, and this is exactly what flower essence healing is all about - it's about facing ourselves.
Remember, the simple key to healing with flower essences is to first identify the emotional issues. We can prescribe flower remedies from the case history alone, or we can correlate planetary placements and aspects with an emotional or mental pattern and then select the corresponding remedy.
The Planets and Emotional Issues and Qualities
SUN - Too much ego or too little, pride, self-effacement, self-deprecation, lack of self-esteem, egotistical, arrogant, self-centred, creative blockages, wounded inner child, father issues, lack of purpose
Flower Remedies - Sunflower, Wild Oat, Larch
MOON - Insufficient nurturing, new mothers (pregnancy, birth, lactation), babies, emotional neediness, insecurity, rejection, wounded child, mother issues, childhood trauma, abandonment, eating disorders
Flower Remedies - Pomegranate, Pink Yarrow, Star of Bethlehem
MERCURY - scattered thinking, worry, restlessness, mental anguish, busy head, lack of clarity, over-rationality
Flower Remedies - Shasta Daisy, Snapdragon, White Chestnut
VENUS - relating issues, self worth, self-dislike, self-sacrificing, wounded in love, codependency, giving too much or not enough
Flower Remedies - Crab Apple, Borage, Holly, Cerato, Bleeding Heart
MARS - anger, violence, aggression, lacking energy, too much energy, exhaustion, frustration, burn-out, impatience, irritation, taking action, sexuality issues
Flower Remedies- Impatiens, Vine, Olive
JUPITER - positive/negative thinking, judgementalism, fundamentalism, proselytising, preaching, religious fanaticism, intolerance, over-exuberance, lack of moderation, over-extremism, mania
Flower Remedies - Vervain, Beech, Scleranthus
SATURN - rigidity, fixity, stuck in old patterns, melancholy, depression, weight of the world on one's shoulders (Atlas complex), father issues, issues with authority figures, rejection, loneliness, isolation, excessive responsibilities, fear
Flower Remedies - Chestnut Bud, Oak, Borage
CHIRON - sense of woundedness, rejection, abandonment, trauma, abuse, the wound that won't heal, hereditary conditions, inner cleavages, mind/body dualism, rejection of body or instinctual self
Flower Remedies - Star of Bethlehem, Self-Heal, Centaury
URANUS - out-of-controlness, kundalini rising (especially during Uranus opposition Uranus at midlife), mental instability, iconoclastic, rebellious, alienation, sense of being an exile, sudden changes
Flower Remedies - Scleranthus, Water Violet, White Chestnut, Chamomile, Dandelion, Rescue Remedy
NEPTUNE - boundary issues, codependency, victim/saviour patterns in relationships, addictions, escapism, not wanting to be here, loss and separation, Divine Discontent, problems separating from Mother and Womb, lack of a clear sense of ego, ungroundedness
Flower Remedies - Clematis, Corn, Sunflower, Yarrow
PLUTO - letting go and holding on, abandonment, trauma, jealousy, revenge, rage, suspicion, hatred, possessiveness, obsessiveness, grief, sexual abuse, power issues, Dark Night of the Soul
Flower Remedies - Sweet Chestnut, Willow, Holly, Chicory
Flower Essences of the Zodiac
In recent years, many other flower essences have also been developed. In various countries throughout the world, flower essences indigenous to those lands are being tested and used in clinical practice. There are now Australian, New Zealand, Alaskan, Himalayan, Californian, Hawaiian, Amazonian essences available, and no doubt there will be more to come.
The following flower essences are drawn from both the Bach Flowers and the Californian Flower Essence collections. The Californian flowers were developed during the 1970s and to some extent they reflect their era, which was the height of the personal growth and human potential movement. Many of these remedies are used to enhance creativity, interpersonal communication, spiritual growth and self-actualisation. They include a number of familiar herbs, like yarrow, borage, sage, rosemary, garlic, dill, dandelion and familiar plants, like sunflower, fuchsia, forget-me-not, calendula, iris, and blackberry.
I have selected the following flower essences whose qualities somehow match the qualities and energies of the twelve signs of the zodiac. If you have access to a set of flower essences, or are able to make your own, you can choose appropriate essences based on your own knowledge and experience. These combinations are suggestions only.
The Aries essences are also suitable for a strong Mars or 1st house influence, Chiron in Aries or the 1st house and Chiron/Mars aspects. While I have featured one particular remedy for each zodiac sign, a kind of archetypal or 'type' remedy, you may also find other remedies which are more appropriate. The principle of healing here is that the essences selected are designed to enhance the positive qualities of the sign or astrological energy, and to moderate, soften or transform the negative qualities.
The astrological approach used here is a choice-centred one, as opposed to a more deterministic or fatalistic approach. Maybe we do not have control over many of the events which happen in our lives, but we do have control over how we react to those events. We cannot change the past, but we can change how we perceive the past and how we behave in the future. Perhaps we can even change our future by changing our present, through becoming more conscious of and responsible for our emotions, thoughts and actions. It is indeed a truism that the point of power is in the now.
The idea with flower essence healing is that through healing our emotions and changing our attitudes, we can lead lives more attuned to that essential purpose and destiny which is so well revealed by the birth chart. This is not to exclude or deny the existence of Fate or Mystery. An astrologer would indeed be a fool to do that.
ARIES - MARS - 1ST HOUSE The Principle of Initiation ~ The Pioneering Self
FLOWER REMEDIES: Impatiens, Heather, Vine, Blackberry, Tansy, Sunflower, Wild Oat, Cayenne, Tiger Lily, Indian Paintbrush <11>
EMOTIONAL HEALING: These essences help the Aries or Martian type to slow down, to be more patient, considerate and sensitive towards others. They temper excessive egocentricity, aggression and selfishness, and assist us to manifest our potential by better enabling us to convert our ideas into action.
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS:
Headaches, migraines, high blood pressure, insomnia, head injuries, bruises, sprains and strains, burns and scalds, high fever, injuries due to accidents, rashes, irritations. <12>
KEYWORDS FOR IMPATIENS REMEDY:
Impatience, irritability, frustration and extreme mental tension, anger. (Bach)
Positive Qualities: Patience, acceptance and gentleness.
AFFIRMATIONS FOR IMPATIENS:
I relax. I accept the flow of life and the pace of others.
I allow the process of life to gently unfold.
I am patient and understanding. <13>
OTHER THERAPIES: Leboyer, primal scream, rebirthing, cranial osteopathy, sport, dance, martial arts, sex therapy, leadership roles. <14>
TAURUS - VENUS - 2ND HOUSE The Manifesting Self ~ Building Physical Security
FLOWER REMEDIES: Wild Rose, Chestnut Bud, Chicory, Iris, Tansy, Corn, Nasturtium, Gentian.
EMOTIONAL HEALING: These essences help the Taurean type to break through fixed attitudes and behaviour patterns. They encourage the apathetic and lethargic to get moving again. They temper the tendency toward possessiveness and 'holding on', and enhance our creativity and receptivity towards colour and nature.
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS: Neck and shoulder tension; throat problems, including tonsilitis, laryngitis, thyroid trouble; goitre; kidney trouble.
KEYWORDS FOR CHESTNUT BUD REMEDY:
Repeating mistakes and failure to learn from experience. Habitual behaviour.
Positive qualities: Breaking old patterns. Understanding life's lessons. Wisdom. (Bach)
AFFIRMATIONS FOR CHESTNUT BUD:
I recognise and am able to let go of old patterns.
I am learning something new from every experience.
OTHER THERAPIES: Massage, Touch for Health, shiatsu, chanting, sound therapy.
GEMINI - MERCURY - 3RD HOUSE The Thinking Self ~ Networking with Others
FLOWER REMEDIES: White Chestnut, Cerato, Hornbeam, Mimulus, Morning Glory, Shasta Daisy, Lavender Blackberry.
EMOTIONAL HEALING: These essences calm the ceaseless inner and outer chatter of the busy Geminian or Mercurial mind. They help us to think and communicate in a more holistic way. They balance an over-active nervous system, and are helpful for worry, anxiety, nervous exhaustion, fear, restlessness and hyperactivity.
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS: Asthma, bronchitis, nervous strain and collapse, injuries to hands, fingers, arms and shoulders.
KEYWORDS FOR WHITE CHESTNUT REMEDY:
Worry and mental arguments. Persistent unwanted thoughts. Mind stuck in a rut. (Bach)
Positive Qualities: Mental tranquillity and calmness. Clarity and inner peace.
AFFIRMATIONS FOR WHITE CHESTNUT:
My mind grows calm and peaceful.
I grow quiet within and the answers I seek begin to emerge.
OTHER THERAPIES: Logotherapy, NLP, Silva mind control, Feldenkrais, polarity therapy.
CANCER - THE MOON - 4TH HOUSE The Feeling Self ~ Nurturing an Inner Sense of Belonging
FLOWER REMEDIES: Chicory, Honeysuckle, Centaury, Red Chestnut, Chamomile, Pink Yarrow, Pomegranate, Aspen, Clematis.
EMOTIONAL HEALING: These essences bring emotional calm to the Cancerian or Lunar type. They are strengthening and nurturing for the highly sensitive and emotionally needy person, and assist those who are over-protective and possessive of loved ones. They help us to let go of the past and move forward.
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS: Anaemia, depression, alcohol dependence, stomach disorders, indigestion, nervous bowel, stomach ulcers, gallstones, constipation, breast trouble, cancer.
KEYWORDS FOR PINK YARROW REMEDY:
Oversensitivity to the emotional energies of others.
Positive Qualities: Emotional strength and protection (Cal)
AFFIRMATIONS FOR PINK YARROW:
I am strengthened by a shining shield of light.
OTHER THERAPIES: Psychotherapy, inner child work, family therapy, emotional release work.
LEO - THE SUN - 5TH HOUSE The Creative Self ~ Projecting our Power
FLOWER REMEDIES: Vine, Borage, Sunflower, Nasturtium, Dandelion, Vervain, Squash, Zinnia, Iris.
EMOTIONAL HEALING: These essences help the Leonine type to express leadership qualities in a positive way. They temper the tendency to dominate, to be inflexible, intolerant and egocentric, while enhancing the warmth and creativity of the sign. They assist us to open our hearts and be ourselves.
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS: Heart problems, blood and circulation disorders, back problems.
KEYWORDS FOR SUNFLOWER REMEDY:
Ego imbalances (too little or too much), creative blockages, self esteem problems. Anger and hostility towards father or authority figures. (Cal)
Positive Qualities: Balanced sense of individuality, enables the Sun to truly shine. Opens the heart.
AFFIRMATIONS FOR SUNFLOWER: I use my ego as an instrument to reveal my Higher Self.
OTHER THERAPIES: Drama, psychodrama, gestalt therapy, energy medicine, sport and physical activity, chiropractic, heart opening therapies, self-esteem work, all forms of creative expression, play therapy.
VIRGO - MERCURY - 6TH HOUSE The Healing Self ~ Towards Self-improvement & Wholeness
FLOWER REMEDIES: Beech, Crab Apple, Pine, Dill, Corn, Self-Heal, Zinnia, White Yarrow Centaury, Jasmine.
EMOTIONAL HEALING: These essences help the Virgoan type to lighten up, to be less critical and judgemental of oneself and others. They help us to accept ourselves and to contact our own inner healing resources. They enable us to feel closer to the Earth and to better assimilate the experiences of life.
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS: Indigestion, bowel disorders, assimilation problems, weak nerves, sluggish liver, stomach ulcers.
KEYWORDS FOR SELF-HEAL REMEDY:
For all conditions of ill-health, lack of confidence and self-acceptance, self-doubt. (Cal)
Positive Qualities: Healing and self-confidence
AFFIRMATIONS FOR SELF-HEAL:
I awaken the self-healing power within me.
I am one with all life.
OTHER THERAPIES: Naturopathy, nutrition, herbal medicine, pharmaceutical medicine.
LIBRA - VENUS - 7TH HOUSE The Relating Self ~ Harmony and Equanimity
with Others
FLOWER REMEDIES: Scleranthus, Cerato, Red Clover, Calendula, Eucalyptus, Holly, Agrimony. Sweet Pea, Penstemon. EMOTIONAL HEALING: These essences counteract the Libran tendency to procrastinate. They help us to be more decisive and to balance emotional and mental extremes. They assist us to balance independence with interdependence, to be able to follow our own guidance while still relating to and sharing with others.
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS: Kidney, liver and bladder disorders, vertigo, lumbago, diabetes, insomnia, glandular weakness.
KEYWORDS FOR SCLERANTHUS REMEDY:
Uncertainty, indecision and vacillation. Lack of balance.
Positive Qualities: Balance and poise. Decisiveness and inner resolve. (Bach)
AFFIRMATIONS FOR SCLERANTHUS:
I am decisive in thought and action.
I bring balance to all areas of my life.
I act from inner certainty.
OTHER THERAPIES: Acupuncture, biofeedback, co-counselling, relationships counselling.
SCORPIO - PLUTO - 8TH HOUSE The Surrendering Self ~ Deep Sharing and
Self-Mastery
FLOWER REMEDIES: Willow, Holly, Rock Rose, Fuchsia, Garlic, Black-Eyed Susan, Chicory, Basil, Sweet Chestnut, Gorse, Cherry Plum, Honeysuckle .
EMOTIONAL HEALING: These essences help the Scorpionic or Plutonian type to transform negative feelings into more constructive expressions. They enable us to release old and unfruitful emotional patterns such as resentment, anger, hatred, revenge, suspicion, fear, paranoia and possessiveness. They bring forgiveness, faith, courage and the potential to transform darkness into light.
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS: Ovary and womb disorders, menstruation problems, prostate problems, cystitis, constipation with haemorrhoids.
KEYWORDS FOR WILLOW REMEDY:
Resentment and bitterness, blaming others, negative and destructive thoughts. (Bach)
Positive Qualities: Forgiveness, acceptance of personal responsibility, positive thoughts, optimism and faith. AFFIRMATIONS FOR WILLOW:
I release all feelings of blame and bitterness towards others.
I accept responsibility for my life situation.
OTHER THERAPIES: Sex therapy, depth psychology, Jungian therapy, colonic irrigation, bereavement counselling
SAGITTARIUS - JUPITER - 9TH HOUSE The Expanding Self ~ In the Search
for Meaning
FLOWER REMEDIES: Vervain, Wild Oat, Agrimony, Sage, Zinnia, Borage, Shasta Daisy, Larkspur, Hound's-tongue.
EMOTIONAL HEALING: These essences moderate the Sagittarian and Jupiterian tendency towards extremism and over-expansion. They foster the philosophical nature and help us to order and integrate diverse ideas. They bring mental calm and clarity, and a sense of purpose and direction in life, while enhancing the jovial qualities of the sign.
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS: Injuries to hips, thighs, legs, sciatica, gout, arthritis, rheumatism
KEYWORDS FOR VERVAIN REMEDY:
Strain, stress, tension, over-enthusiasm. Extremism and fanaticism.
Positive Qualities: Moderation and tolerance, self-discipline and restraint. (Bach)
AFFIRMATIONS FOR VERVAIN:
I practice moderation in thought and action.
I allow others to hold their own beliefs.
I feel relaxed, open and balanced.
OTHER THERAPIES: Bioenergetics, Reich, yoga, meditation, religious practice, self-reflection.
CAPRICORN - SATURN - 10TH HOUSE The Purposeful Self ~ Structuring our
Contribution to Society
FLOWER REMEDIES: Rock Water, Elm, Borage, Oak, Wild Oat, Scotch Broom, Sunflower, Blackberry, Gentian, Mustard, Mimulus, Larch, Aspen.
EMOTIONAL HEALING: These essences balance the Capricornian and Saturnian tendency towards self-denial and rigidity. They are an antidote for pessimism, depression and despondency. They help us to express our ideals and individuality through a meaningful vocation or role, by overcoming obstacles and feeling confident about our abilities.
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS: Arthritis, rheumatism, knee and joint troubles, melancholia, skin complaints, cramps, dislocations, sprains, chill and arthritis in legs and knees.
KEYWORDS FOR OAK REMEDY: Depression due to overwork, inflexible struggle against mental/physical odds.
Positive Qualities: Renewed strength and stability, accepting limits, knowing when to surrender. (Bach)
AFFIRMATIONS FOR OAK:
I experience renewed strength and stability.
I feel strong and energetic. I accept my limits.
OTHER THERAPIES: Adler, psychosynthesis, rolfing, structural integration, chiropractic.
AQUARIUS - URANUS - 11TH HOUSE The Reforming Self ~ Towards a
Global Awareness
FLOWER REMEDIES: Walnut, Star of Bethlehem, Water Violet, Chamomile, Dill, Red Clover, Scotch Broom, Quaking Grass, Dandelion, Vervain.
EMOTIONAL HEALING: These essences help the Aquarian and Uranian type to overcome a tendency toward pride, aloofness and superiority. They foster a desire to put the fruits of our creativity at the service of others and enhance a global perspective. They help calm the nervous system for those prone to extremes of mental energy.
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS: Ankle weaknesses and injuries, blood and circulatory system disorders, varicose veins, chillblains, nervous disorders.
KEYWORDS FOR WATER VIOLET:
Proud, disdainful, aloof and tense. Physical stiffness.
Positive Qualities: Ability to share one's gifts with others. Gentleness and sympathy. (Bach)
AFFIRMATIONS FOR WATER VIOLET:
I am sharing love, humility and wisdom.
I need the world and the world needs me.
OTHER THERAPIES:
Group therapy, meridian therapies, acupuncture, astrology, energy medicine, radiesthesia (dowsing), homeopathy.
PISCES - NEPTUNE - 12TH HOUSE The Transcending Principle ~ The Search
for Love, Unity and Divinity
FLOWER REMEDIES: Clematis, Angelica, Rock Rose, Jasmine, Lavender, California Poppy, Pink Yarrow, Corn, Forget-me-not, Aspen, Lotus, Morning Glory.
EMOTIONAL HEALING: These essences help those sensitive and dreamy people who would rather not be here, the mystics and escapists of life. They have a grounding, strengthening and protective effect. They help us to take more interest in the present and to feel closer to the Divine.
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS: Foot problems
, environmental and chemical sensitivities, self-neglect, addictions, stomach stress.
KEYWORDS FOR CLEMATIS REMEDY:
Idealistic dreams, indifference, escapism and pre-occupation.
Positive Qualities: Expressing inspiration in practical life. Creative idealism. (Bach)
AFFIRMATIONS FOR CLEMATIS:
I am inspired to manifest my ideals.
I am happy to be here now. I am involved in life.
OTHER THERAPIES: Faith healing, Christian Science, Course in Miracles, reflexology, devotional music, reiki, religion.
Transits and Times of Crisis
Flower essences are ideal for use at times of major transitions and crisis in our lives. Such crises can often be described by transits to the natal chart. An analysis of the current transits helps us to pinpoint which natal issues or personality traits are being activated at any particular time. Through an awareness of the current transits, we can also prescribe remedies at the time that is most appropriate for effecting real changes and breaking old patterns.
The Bach flower Walnut, for example, is an excellent all-purpose remedy for all transitions, and is a highly recommended addition to the astrologer's toolkit. It is indicated for those experiencing life-changes, rites of passage and transitions of any sort, including teething, weaning, adolescence, retirement, retrenchment, marriage, relocation, divorce, giving birth, and so on. Bach called it "the link-breaker", for it not only helps us to move on, but to break old links which are holding us back. It awakens a sense of freedom and helps us to find the courage to find and follow our own path in life. It is a wonderful remedy for helping us to let go of the past.
Wild Oat is another remedy astrologers would find most useful. It is indicated for those who are experiencing uncertainty about their life direction, who feel unfulfilled and dissatisfied with their lives, and are seeking a vocation or a sense of greater purpose. Bach's Rescue Remedy, a combination of five Bach flowers (Cherry Plum, Clematis, Impatiens, Rock Rose, Star of Bethlehem), is particularly useful for clients undergoing extremes of stress during the outer planet transits of Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and Chiron. It is an emergency remedy and has a calming and stabilising effect during times of accident, shock, trauma, panic and stress of any sort.
Conclusion
We astrologers focus so much on the sky. The healing flowers in our gardens are gifts of the earth. To wed the modalities of astrology and flower essences is to unite earth and sky. Symbolically, we can ground the starry wisdom revealed by the map of the heavens at the time and place of our birth through prescribing a remedy prepared from the flowers of our earth.
Combining flower essence healing with astrology enables us to do something with the astrological awareness we have gained, to ground the starry wisdom in some practical or manifest form. For many, awareness is not enough. We want to change, to heal, to make those decisions and take that action, but something stops us, and that something is often the inertia and habits of the past. This is where the incredible healing potential of flower essences lies. Apart from restoring emotional and mental balance during times of stress and trauma, they seem to aid us in shifting our perspective.
In short, flower remedies appear to be potent catalysts for change. I have observed many, many people, within a short time of commencing flower essence treatment, finally making that decision, taking that action, doing that thing which they have always wanted to do.
It seems that blockages shift, obstacles move, and something lifts. Others experience a sense of finally being able to let go of a deep-seated emotion that has been holding them back, like bitterness, hatred or resentment. Still others find a new sense of purpose in life, or experience an increase in perspective or mental clarity after a period of confusion.
Edward Bach described the flower remedies like this: "They cure, not by attacking disease, but by flooding our bodies with the beautiful vibrations of our Higher Nature, in the presence of which disease melts as snow in the sunshine". <15>
Flower remedies treat the person, not the illness. They focus on the client, not the chart. While they are ideal for treating deep-seated problems with their roots in the distant past, their primary focus is on the now, and on the recognition that it is what we do now that affects the future.
In combination with astrology, therefore, flower essences can also help to offset any excessive fatalism found within the predictive approach. The goal is not to avoid fate, but perhaps to find ourselves better prepared to meet that fate, whatever it may be. Even though curiosity about the future often motivates one who seeks an astrological reading, it has been my experience that those who are told, in definitive terms, what will happen to them, often leave the astrologer feeling a combination of resentment, anger, depression and despair. As one person described it: "no-one wants to feel they have no control over their lives".
Flower essences are a self-help tool par extraordinaire - they do not require a healer, guru or astrologer-priest to fix us or to tell us what to do with our lives. The wonderful thing about these remedies is that they are empowering. We take them and we often know within ourselves what it is we must do. We feel more able to make our own choices, as opposed to blindly accepting the advice of others.
Both the philosophy of flower essence healing and clinical observation of the effects of taking the remedies suggest that they appear to help us to flow more with our lives, to attune more to our inner voice, and perhaps ultimately to facilitate a more conscious participation in the unfolding of our own destinies, as co-creators with The Great Spirit.
NOTES
<1> White, Ian., Australian Bush Flower Essences. p. 1.
<2> ibid. p. 2.
<3> Baker, Douglas., Paracelsus, His Methods of Healing. p. 1.
<4> Weeks, Nora., The Medical Discoveries of Edward Bach Physician. p. 39.
<5> ibid. p. 40.
<6> Barnard, Julian (ed)., Collected Writings of Edward Bach. p. 16.
<7> ibid. p. 100.
<8> Hillenbrand, Candy., "Transformational Astrology - Healing with the Bach Flower Remedies", article in The FAA Journal, Vol. 24, No. 4, Dec 1994.
<9> Damian, Peter., The Twelve Healers of the Zodiac. p 41.
<10> Barnard., op. cit. p. 171.
<11> Some of these flower essences have been drawn from the work of Marcia Starck and Donna Cunningham (see Bibliography).
<12> Little, Brenda., Health and the Zodiac.
<13> Some of these affirmations have been drawn from Katz, R., Affirmations for Bach Flower Essences, and Scheffer., M., Bach Flower Therapy.
<14> Some of these therapies have been drawn from Mann, A.T., Astrology and the Art of Healing.
<15> Barnard., op. cit. p 117
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Baker, Douglas., Paracelsus, His Methods of Healing (Little Elephant, London, 1986)
Barnard, Julian (ed)., Collected Writings of Edward Bach (Bach Educational Programme, Gt. Britain, 1987)
Damian, Peter., The Twelve Healers of the Zodiac (Samuel Weiser Inc, Maine, 1986)
Cunningham, Donna., Healing Pluto Problems (Samuel Weiser Inc, Maine, 1986)
----------., Astrology and Vibrational Healing (Cassandra Press, California, 1988)
----------., Astrology and Spiritual Development (Cassandra Press, California, 1988)
----------, Flower Remedies Handbook (Sterling Publishing Co, New York, 1992)
Hillenbrand, Candy., "Healing with the Bach Flower Remedies", article in The FAA Journal, Vol 24, No. 4, Dec 1994.
Katz, R., Affirmations for Bach Flower Essences (Flower Essence Society, California, 1986)
Little, Brenda., Health and the Zodiac (Reed Books, Australia, 1987)
Mann, A.T., Astrology and the Art of Healing (Unwin Paperbacks, London, Sydney, Wellington, 1989)
Scheffer, M., Bach Flower Therapy (Thorsons, UK, 1986)
Starck, Marcia., Earth Mother Astrology (Llewellyn Publications, USA, 1989)
Weeks, Nora., The Medical Discoveries of Edward Bach Physician (CW Daniel Co, Essex, 1973)
White, Ian., Australian Bush Flower Essences (Bantam Books, Sydney, New York, London, 1991)
Copyright © 1998 by Candy Hillenbrand
All rights reserved
This article was first published in The Southern Astrologer, Issue No. 4, May 1998. Some of the material contained within this article was adapted from an earlier article by the author which appeared in the FAA Journal, Vol. 24, No. 4, Dec. 1994.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: CANDY HILLENBRAND is an Australian astrologer, flower essence practitioner and writer with a special interest in a growth-oriented and purpose-centred approach to astrology. She is a Social Sciences graduate and holds the Practitioners Qualification from the Federation of Australian Astrologers, co-winning the FAA's Allan Johnson Gold Medal in 1997. She is the editor and publisher of the quarterly international journal, The Wholistic Astrologer, and her articles appear regularly in a variety of print and online publications. Candy can be contacted at P.O. Box 1796, Macclesfield, S.A., 5153, Australia, or e-mail: candy@aplaceinspace.net. Visit her web sites: "A Place in Space" - http://www.aplaceinspace.net and http://www.wholisticastrologer.com
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