Choosing Flower Essences

An Assessment Guide

featuring North American and English Flower Essences

by Patricia Kaminski
published by the

Flower Essence Society

a division of

Earth-Spirit, Inc.
a non-profit educational and reserach organization

What Are Flower Essences?

Flower essences are liquid, potentized plant preparations which convey a distinct imprint or etheric pattern of a specific flower. These remarkable remedies expand our understanding of health care, recognizing a relationship between body and soul, and the interweaving of spiritual, mental, emotional and physical aspects of wellness. Flower essences enjoy a reputation of being both highly effective and very safe to use. They are not part of standard biochemical medicine for they contain only minute traces of physical substance. Rather they belong to a new field of potentized remedies which derive their beneficial powers from the inherent life forces within substances. By careful attention to celestial and environmental factors which influence the plant at its stage of blossoming, and rhythmical procedures which further enhance the living properties of each plant remedy, the essence of a specific flower is prepared. Because the remedies contain subtle properties, their primary field of action goes beyond physiological states of being. The remedies are designed to help transform emotions, attitudes or patterns of behavior which hinder our full development or potential. Flower essence therapy is based on the insight that the human being is a microcosm profoundly related to the macrocosm of Nature. The archetypes which are found in the human psyche have their healing correlation to plant archetypes which are living in Nature. Flower essences should not be misconstrued as cure-alls or simplistic panaceas. They are precise tools which can be used by qualified therapists as adjuncts in a wide range of health care programs, or by informed and insightful home-care practitioners. The flower essences work most beneficially as part of a holistic program of health enhancement, including exercise, nourishing diet, stress reduction, inner development and appropriate medical care.

1994, 1996 by the Flower Essence Society, a division of Earth-Spirit, Inc., a non-profit educational and research organization. All rights reserved. Printed on recycled paper. For permission to reproduce this questionnaire in any form, please contact the

Flower Essences and other Health Modalities

Flower essences are renowned for their universality of application. They are used by thousands of people in diverse circumstances, and as a supplement to many forms of health care. Because the flower essences work at very fundamental levels, yet in such a non-invasive way, they can be used concurrently with other health therapies. What is more, use of the essences can actually enhance other practices by addressing psycho-spiritual issues which may be underlying various health problems. Physicians, nurses, chiropractors, acupuncturists, herbalists, massage practitioners, physical therapists, nutritionists, psychologists, pastoral counselors, social workers, and other professionals find the essences to be an invaluable adjunct to their practices.
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Flower Essence Society

P.O. Box 459 Nevada City, CA 95959 USA tel: 800-736-9222 or 530-265-9163, fax: 530-265-0584 e-mail: [email protected] World-Wide Web: www.flowersociety.org

Flower essence therapy is not an exclusive answer to all of humanitys ills. It does not substitute for our daily practices of meditation and prayer, physical exercise, healthful diet, social responsibility, and moral development. However, used with sensitivity and understanding, the essences are an important catalyst toward a more health-filled, balanced lifestyle. By stimulating greater awareness of our inner life, the essences build a much needed bridge between the realms of body and soul.

Preparing a dosage bottle

1. Fill a one-ounce (30 ml) glass dropper bottle nearly full of spring water or other fresh water. 2. Add a small amount of brandy (1/8 to 1/4 of the bottle) as a preservative. More brandy can be added if the dosage bottle is used over a number of months, or will be subject to high temperatures. 3. To the water and brandy mixture, add two to four drops of flower essences from the stock bottle of each essence selected. 4. After the essence stock has been added and before each subsequent use, you may want to rhythmically shake or lightly tap the bottle in order to keep the essences in a more potent or energized state. 5. Place four drops under the tongue, or in a bit of water. This dosage is most commonly taken four times daily. A 30 ml / 1 oz dosage bottle used in this manner will last approximately three weeks to one month. 6. The dosage bottle can be further diluted by adding four drops to a halfglass of water. Stir this mixture both clockwise and counter-clockwise, and sip slowly. This is one way to attenuate the taste of the brandy preservative. Glass bottles and droppers are recommended, since plastic may adversely affect the subtle qualities of these natural plant remedies. It is best to use new bottles for new combinations of essences to ensure the cleanliness and clarity of the vibrational patterns.

How Are Flower Essences Used?

Flower essences are most commonly taken orally from a dropper bottle directly under the tongue, or in a bit of water. In addition to oral use, flower essences are also quite effective when absorbed through the skin in baths or topical applications. The dosage preparation methods described below are guidelines for flower essence use, based on several decades of experience. Keep in mind, however, that there are many creative and effective ways to use flower essences. There are several levels of dilution in the preparation of flower essences. The mother essence is derived from fresh blossoms in a bowl of water, infused with the morning sun (or heated by fire, in the case of some of the English essences). The mother essence is generally preserved with brandy. This infusion is then further diluted to the stock level, and sometimes again to a dosage level. Generally it is the stock level of dilution which is available commercially from flower essence companies, although there are some premixed combinations sold at the dosage level of dilution.

Using a glass spray bottle or mister

1. Prepare as you would a dosage bottle. 2. Rather than taking the drops internally, spray the mixture around the body and in the environment. 3. Shake the bottle before each application to sustain potency.

Practical Directions for Administering Flower Essences

Using directly from stock
1. Flower essences can be taken directly from the stock bottle (the form in which most essences are sold). 2. Place four drops under the tongue, or in a little water. This dosage is most commonly taken four times daily.

Use in baths
1. Add about 20 drops of stock of each essence to a normal-sized bath tub of warm water. 2. Stir the water in a lemniscatory (figure-eight) motion for at least one minute to help potentize the remedies in the water. 3. Soak in this solution for approximately 20 minutes. Pat the skin gently dry, and then rest quietly or go to sleep to continue to absorb the subtle qualities of the essences.

Mixing the essences in a glass of water

1. Add four drops from each essence stock in your combination to a large cup or glass about three-quarters full of fresh water. 2. Stir the water for about a minute in a clockwise and counter-clockwise motion. 3. The essence combination can then be sipped several times throughout the day. Cover the glass to provide protection. 4. This mixture can be newly prepared after one to three days. In any case, it should be freshly stirred each day.
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Topical use
1. Add 6-10 drops of stock of each essence selected per 30 gm (1 oz) of creme, oil, or lotion. 2. Use on a daily basis either exclusively, or to supplement oral use. 3. Essence drops can also be applied directly on the body in conjunction with massage, acupressure or acupuncture, or chiropractic treatments.
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Frequency and timing of dosage

Regular, rhythmic use of the flower remedies builds the strength of their catalytic action. Therefore, potency is increased not by taking more drops at one time, but by using them on a frequent, consistent basis. In most cases, the essences should be taken four times daily, although this may need to be increased in emergency or acute situations to once every hour, or even more often. On the other hand, children or other highly sensitive persons may need to decrease the frequency of use to once or twice daily. The essences address the relationship between the body and soul, and therefore are most effective at the thresholds of awakening and retiring, since these are the times when the boundaries between body and soul shift. Other transition times of the day are also important, such as just before the noon or evening meals. Even when the essences are used in the midst of a hectic schedule, it is beneficial to allow a quiet moment of receptivity so that the messages of the flowers can be received at a subtle level. Many people find it helpful to remember to take the essences by keeping one bottle of their flower essence formula right on the bed-stand, and another one of the same combination in their purse, briefcase, or in the kitchen. Although flower essences can be used on a short-term basis for acute situations, their ideal use is for long-term or deep-seated mental-emotional change. At this level, the most common cycle of essence use is four weeks or one month, a time interval which is strongly correlated to the emotional or astral body. Seven-day or 14-day cycles may also be of significance in the growth process. For particularly deep changes, a whole series of monthly cycles may need to be considered. However, in most cases changes will be noticed in about one month. At this interval there is usually the need to reformulate or re-assess the flower essence combination. We recommend continuing to use a formula, or at least one or two key essences from the mix, for a period of time even after some change has been noticed. This allows a possibility for the essences to be anchored at deeper levels of consciousness.

1. Use two to four drops of stock in a large glass of water or juice, stir and sip slowly. 2. Prepare the essences in a dosage bottle, but fill it 1/4 to 1/3 full of apple cider vinegar as preservative, instead of brandy. 3. Prepare the essences in a dosage bottle, filled 1/3 to 1/2 full with vegetable glycerin. Vegetable glycerin is a derivative of coconut oil; it has a sweet taste and is used extensively to preserve herbal preparations. The dosage bottle can also be prepared with no preservative if it is refrigerated, or used in a shorter period of time (several days to a week).

What to Expect from the Flower Essences

There is a full spectrum of responses to the flower remedies. Some people report immediate, discernible, and very dramatic results. Others appear to notice no differences at all, and may only slightly perceive shifts in well-being and in mental-emotional states after a very long period of time. Most people typically respond to the essences somewhere in the middle of this range. Especially when the remedies are used for change in the inner life, we are likely not to experience them in a very direct way. We are more apt to observe their effect over a period of time, as we notice subtle changes in the way we act, or in the way we view ourselves and others, and even very real changes in our sense of physical well-being. Flower essences are not substitutes for meditation or other self-awareness practices. They are inner catalysts, that stimulate our ability to respond, or take responsibility for our growth. They can help us deepen our contact with ourselves, to be more in touch with our feelings, underlying attitudes, and our spiritual self, and thus empower us to make real changes in our lives. It is also important to understand that flower essences are not drugs, and have markedly different properties from psychoactive drugs such as tranquilizers, anti-depressants, or psychedelics. From the point of view of materialistic medicine they contain only minute, insignificant amounts of physical substance. The flower essences are actually an etheric imprint held in the medium of water, which then speaks in a subtle language to the human psyche or soul. The essences leave each individual free to respond according to inner rhythms and needs. This is why the flower essences are so safe, yet at the same time extraordinarily effective. Their action is not bio-chemical, but vibrational. Rather than overwhelming or masking consciousness, essences work gently with the awareness of the individual. They do not work by modifying our behavior from without, rather they evoke our freedom to make changes from within, by bringing to consciousness core archetypal pictures which are already present within the psyche.
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Use with alcohol-sensitive persons

Many recovering alcoholics and other alcohol-sensitive persons have benefited greatly from the use of flower essences. Although flower remedies are preserved with brandy at the stock level, people have found much success in diluting the essences to the dosage level without the use of alcohol. Dilution methods insure that any alcohol ingested is chemically and physiologically insignificant, about one part in 600 when diluted in a one-ounce (30 ml) dosage bottle, or about one part in 4,800 in a eight-ounce glass of water. All of the following four methods have been reported to be effective:
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Essences and Physical Disease

Physical conditions can be important indicators for issues facing the soul. However, because flower essences are soul remedies, they should not be used as are drugs or even herbal remedies for directly treating particular physical symptoms or illnesses. It is thus misleading to correlate flower essences with cures for specific physical diseases. Essences are chosen according to the unique issues and experiences of the individual; those with the same physical symptoms may have quite different emotional patterns and life issues. While flower essences are not cures for particular physical ailments, the emotional and attitudinal shifts engendered by the flower essences can facilitate remarkable changes in physical health. Qualified medical practitioners report many cases in which flower essences play a key role in treatment programs for various diseases. A growing body of research in the field of psychoneuroimmunology continues to demonstrate a clear interrelationship between physical illness and emotional-mental outlook. However, there are legal and ethical considerations concerning the use of flower essences for physical conditions by those who are not medical practitioners. First, there is the practical problem of not violating local laws specifying what licenses and qualifications are necessary for treating particular conditions. There are also important ethical issues, which would deserve attention even if there were no legal restrictions. Particularly when working with severe conditions, health practitioners and home-care users of essences need to know the limits of their knowledge and skill. Using flower essences should not be an excuse to neglect medical help from a practitioner with the appropriate training and experience. Flower essences can be quite beneficial in such circumstances, but there also needs to be a qualified medical practitioner who can monitor any serious medical condition, and provide treatment if necessary. The same caution applies to extreme psychological dysfunction, which may need the intervention of a trained counselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist.

sense of uneasiness. Perhaps too many issues are stirred up, or change happens faster than can be tolerated. On occasion, rapid psychological transformation or our resistance to it can produce unpleasant physical sensations such as fatigue, skin rashes, or headaches. Such reactions are generally short-lived, and may be an indication to re-formulate the flower essence combination, or to work with counseling and other practices to remove any psychological impediments to the therapeutic process.

The awareness crisis

One common experience reported by people using flower essences is an intensification of certain traits prior to experiencing a transformation. For example, someone taking Willow essence for resentment may have an acute awareness of resentment, before being able to let go and forgive. This seeming increase of an emotional trait has similarities to an aggravation produced by a homeopathic remedy, or a healing crisis stimulated by such cleansing practices as fasting. We call this phenomenon an awareness crisis, because it is caused by bringing unconscious emotions and attitudes to the surface of awareness. Since they were previously hidden or disowned, these qualities seem more intense when brought to consciousness. Such experiences provide us with a clear opportunity to witness and acknowledge negative or dysfunctional aspects of ourselves. Support from counseling, self-reflection, journal-writing, and other means of strengthening the witnessing aspect of consciousness can help create a smoother journey through the sometimes rough waters of this experience. If the awareness crisis becomes unusually intense (beyond a healthy level of discomfort), then one may reduce the frequency of dosage, or change the flower essence selection to ease the process. With awareness comes the ability to understand and to change. It is difficult to let go of resentment and forgive if one is unaware or in denial of having any resentment. If self-awareness has already been cultivated, there often is no need for an awareness crisis; one is most likely to move directly into the transformative stage of the flower essence process.

Possible side-effects
What happens if the wrong flower essences are selected? Are there dangers or side effects associated with flower essence use? In general, flower essences are among the safest, most self-regulating health remedies available. If we take essences that are totally inappropriate and have little relationship to our real issues, then we will experience little effect. Flower essences work by resonance; thus the wrong essences will not stimulate a soul chord within us. If we take too many essences, or essences which address only minor issues, they may be ineffective; substantive changes will not be achieved, or will take much longer to occur. Sometimes inappropriate or chaotic essence selections will stimulate confusion or a
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The Assessment Guide: An Overview

Choosing Flower Essences: An Assessment Guide is intended as an evaluation and teaching tool, to be used either by professional practitioners in a counseling format or for independent reflection. This guide lists three or four leading questions pertaining to behaviors and feelings correlated to each flower essence. Beside each question is the opportunity to designate whether these behaviors and feelings are nearly Always present, occur Sometimes, or are almost Never present (indicated by the letters A, S, and N
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over the check-off boxes.) The following is a summary of ways in which practitioners may choose to use the Assessment Guide.

Client Intake and Assessment

The Assessment Guide can be used to survey the range of emotions, feelings and behaviors which are germane to flower essence therapy. Once the client has completed this guide, the practitioner can then evaluate the information. Each question is framed so that a positive answer of Always (A) indicates a strong possibility for that essence. A response of Sometimes (S) indicates an essence or issue that may be in need of further consideration during the counseling session. The Assessment Guide is not intended to provide an exact scoring card or mathematical formula for automatically assigning a particular flower essence. If this were so it would deny the client relationship within the full context of the practitioners healing art. The Guide is intended to provide a time of earnest reflection and inner consideration for the client, which should then be explored within a more active counseling matrix. While questions associated with each essence address some of the most basic issues, they are by no means all-inclusive. Rather, the questions should be considered as seeds out of which can grow further reflection, discussion, and inner work.

Those questions which evoke strong feelings can be used as catalysts for journal writing, imagery, affirmations, or other ways in which one explores the meaning and healing potential associated with each flower essence. Following the selection and use of the appropriate flower essences, one can return to these questions at a later time to evaluate ones progress. Frequently, a change in behavior or feelings will be noted, or the guide may reveal new areas needing attention and inner work. Even though the Assessment Guide can be used for personal exploration, it is still highly recommended that you seek out the advice or insights of family, friends, or co-workers who know you. Ultimately all healing involves a balance between two primary polarities that of self-responsibility and awareness, and that of social relatedness and reflection. By allowing ourselves to receive help or counsel from others, we are often able to see more deeply into our true nature, and take humble and wise account of our dysfunctional feelings or moral shortcomings.

Directions:
Take a quiet moment to read each of the questions pertaining to each flower. Try to be as honest and spontaneous as possible in choosing your answers. Pause for a moment to consider each question, but do not overanalyze your responses. Mark A if the behavior or feeling is always or nearly always present for you. Mark S if the behavior or feeling is only sometimes or infrequently present. Mark N if you believe that this behavior or feelings is never, or hardly ever present. You may also wish to mark or underline key words, phrases, or entire questions or essences which evoke an especially strong recognition or emotional response.

Counseling Tool For the Practitioner

In some cases, it may be more appropriate for the counselor or practitioner to use the guide as a reference tool for interviewing the client, rather than have the client answer the questions directly. The Assessment Guide can be an invaluable counseling aid as the practitioner hones in on the specific areas of dysfunction or disharmony for each client. The leading questions listed for each essence will often be trigger points for further discussion about the feelings and situations which are unique to the client. The Assessment Guide can promote a dynamic counseling process leading to selection of appropriate flower essences. In addition to the data and observations which can be gleaned by using the Assessment Guide, it is recommended that the practitioner consult the Flower Essence Repertory, which contains comprehensive descriptions of each essence, as well as an extensive listing of issues and situations associated with flower essence therapy.

Evaluation and Essence Selection:

Please be aware that there is no scoring system associated with this guide. After completing the survey, you should note those essences which contained a response of A (Always) to one or more of the listed questions. If A is marked for all three or four questions in each category, there is a strong likelihood that this flower essence would be beneficial. A particular flower essence may also be indicated if there are two or more S (Sometimes), or a combination of A and S. You should also take extra consideration of essences where you have marked key words, phrases, or entire sets of questions as being especially evocative.
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For Self-Reflection and Inner Awareness

The Assessment Guide can also be used for personal growth and reflection. By taking the time to honestly consider the questions related to each flower, many insights about ones behavior and feelings can come to the surface.
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Most persons will discover that many questions in the guide will elicit strong responses, indicating far more essences than can be effectively combined in one formula. Group the essences which show the strongest responses according to personal themes and priorities, so that you can move toward a selection of essences. Your goal is to choose a flower essence combination which is cohesive and integrated so that each part relates to the whole. Generally speaking, the clarity of a formula is achieved by keeping it simple. It is best to combine no more than five essences in one formula, and using just one single remedy is quite often the most powerful and focused way to proceed. Keep in mind that you do not need to select essences for every emotional or mental condition which you identify. You can choose new combinations of essences in a cyclic manner as you work through the stages of development and change which are needed. You will discover that many minor issues and problems will resolve themselves once core levels of change are initiated. Some important considerations in making a wise selection include: priorities in development especially a sense of ones next step; the grouping of remedies according to key themes such as anger, fear, or depression; and ones readiness and willingness to recognize and address the issues which the essences invoke. The essences are intended as catalysts for your own soul development. They can and should stimulate your own inner work and unique response. Furthermore, if you are not involved in a ongoing counseling program, seek out advice and feedback from trusted family members and friends as you choose and experience the flower essences. We also recommend that you consult the Flower Essence Repertory for fuller descriptions of each flower essence listing in this guide, as well as a discussion of many different soul issues and categories of healing. If you work in these ways with the flower essences, you will find that your choices will become wiser and more attuned. Choosing Flower Essences is a starting point for your own program of inner exploration and healing.

Agrimony
Agrimonia eupatoria

wearing a mask, appearing carefree Does it seem that you aredeep insidesocialfeel quite tormented? and cheerful to others, when you real feelings, Were you taught to deny yourpoliteness? to keep a stiff upper lip, or maintain a veneer of social you often rely on alcohol or other drugs to Do or troubling emotions, or to help you to feelkeep back any unpleasant at ease?

Aloe Vera
Aloe vera
to Do you tendgoalsneglect basic emotional or physical needs in order to accomplish or projects? you currently in a state of burn-out Areotherwise challenging situation? due to a physical, emotional, or yourself as typically Would you characterizeand personal aambition? fiery person with a great deal of enthusiasm

Alpine Lily
Lilium parvum
hard you to Is itearthy forphysicalrelate to the feminine aspect in yourself or others in an or way? For men: Do you tend to put women on a pedestal, or think of them as being more spiritual than physical? For women: Are you currently experiencing congestion or other dis turbances in your reproductive system? For women: Is it hard for you to have a positive experience of basic female biological functions such as menstruation, pregnancy, nursing or sexuality?

Summary
Choosing Flower Essences is meant to be a tool for healing and self-discovery. The Assessment Guide is not meant to replace other methods of professional diagnosis for medical or psychiatric conditions, nor is it meant as a substitute for human-based counseling and other healing relationships. This guide contains profound, leading questions that convey deeper insight about each essence and its possible benefit. However you choose to use this resource, we hope that it may be a positive aid for you in learning the language of the flowers and in experiencing the incredible benefits of flower essence therapy.
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Angels Trumpet
Datura candida
going through intense inner experience, which feels Are yousome part of you isandying or encountering very deep change? as though you illness Do hard have a terminaldying? which fills you with great fear, because its to think about you to surrender or Is it difficult forspiritual faith or trust?to submit yourself to any process which requires

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Angelica
Angelica archangelica

Basil
Ocimum basilicum

you tend to see Domaterial terms? others, and the world in general, in purely physical or going through Are you guidance? an experience which requires spiritual protection and you often feel Doseparated from aa deep sense of loneliness, as though you are isolated or spiritual source?

regarding sexuality Do your values though both cannotand spirituality feel in conflict with one another, as really exist at the same time? Does your sexuality have a clandestine or secretive aspect to it, such as a hidden love affair? Do you participate in shame-based sexual conduct, or in sexual activities which seem demeaning or dehumanizing?

Arnica
Arnica mollis

Beech
Fagus sylvatica
set Do you livehightostandards for others, making it almost impossible for them to up your ideals? seem that in a position Does it behavior oryou are frequentlyothers? of criticizing or judging the performance of Are you hypersensitive to the physical and social environment around you, needing to be surrounded by a bubble of perfection?

you Are kind?currently experiencing shock or numbness due to trauma of any part Do youis feel that you do not fully inhabittosome from of your body, or that it generally difficult for your body heal wounds or other
Have you suffered a major trauma such as an accident or surgery from which you feel you never fully recovered? injuries?

Aspen
Populus tremula
find yourself anxious fearful, or Do you oftennightmares, yet areorat a loss experience vaguely troubling to understand what is causing or prompting these feelings? to Do you seemfromhave pronounced psychic sensitivity, easily registering impressions unseen or unknown sources? confidence to your Do you need to bring more spiritual strength and wakeful perception daily life, transforming fear and anxiety to more and inner knowing?

Black Cohosh
Cimicifuga racemosa

In looking at your family history do you see a pattern of violence or abuse? Are you currently involved in an exploitative or violent relationship? radiate intense Do youmany challengingmagneticoror charismatic power, which often attracts people situations to you?
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
yourself in of denial, blocking things from Do you often finddisassociatingpatternsbehavior that you do not really your memory or from want to face?

Baby Blue Eyes

Nemophila menziesii
hard for Is it help you?you to let down your guard around others, or to trust they can early childhood experience include Did your the absence of a loving and supportiveabandonment by your father, or father? have a Do you oftenmust gorather cynical or skeptical attitude toward life, or feel that you it alone?

Do you suspect a deeply traumatic event from childhood, for which you have emotional amnesia? a shadow side to your or unrecognized Is there which needs more honestpersonality,and understanding? part of yourself attention
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Blackberry
Rubus ursinus

Calendula
Calendula officinalis

ize? Do you have many plans or intentions which never seem to materialbe oriented, Do you tend tothan philosophically execute? someone more likely to think or reflect to organize and you feel Do vitality orsluggish, as though your physical body is lacking in essential willpower?

Do you find yourself frequently interrupting others or becoming argumentative? Is it hard for you to listen or to take genuine interest in what others are saying? Do you feel you need to develop more warmth and compassion in the way you relate to others?
California Pitcher Plant
Darlingtonia californica
often feel Do yougut-level?disgusted or squeamish around anything that is too raw or Do you keep yourself under strict control, so that you are seldom spontaneous or instinctive in your response? Do you tend to be anemic, pale, or lacking in physical vigor or strength?

Bleeding Heart
Dicentra formosa

a member or friend Has offamilyand loneliness? recently died, resulting in intense feelings grief often Do youyou feelfind yourself in troubled relationships, especially ones in which rejected? Do you need a lot ofonsecurity in personal relationships, or become emotionally dependent attention from others?
Borage
Borago officinalis
Do you often feel emotionally weighed down, burdened by feelings which seem oppressive or stifling?

Do you feel devastated or broken-hearted by a relationship which has ended?

California Poppy
Eschscholzia californica
fascinated by or charismatic peo Do you often find yourselfexperiences glamorousseem to promise ple, or attracted to which more than they actually deliver? use drugs or seek similar Do youor escape the realities of life?experiences which help you to feel high, you perennial seeker, always Arewhicha will hold the real answer?looking for someone or some teaching

Are you currently experiencing a great deal of sadness, grief, or loss? Do you feel closed down in your heart, an experiencingheavy-heartedness which almost physical sensation of weight or prevents you from fully joy?
Buttercup
Ranunculus occidentalis

California Wild Rose

Rosa californica
for you Is it hardservice? to get involved in committed relationships or in community you frequently feel apathetic or bored, lacking enthusiasm or inter Doin life? est find yourself unwilling Do you oftenor challenge involved? to take risks, hoping to avoid the possible pain

Do you feel that others are more worthy of attention or respect than you? Do you evaluate your social status by conventional standards of achievement, rather than an inner sense of your own self-worth?
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Do you often find yourself apologizing for what you do or who you are?

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Calla Lily
Zantedeschia aethiopica
Are you deeply troubled or uncomfortable with your sexual identity or gender?

Cerato
Ceratostigma willmottiana

Did you receivea mixedormessages about your sexual identity or gender when you were child adolescent? need to integrate the inner qualities of masculine Do you feel you yourself into a more harmonious wholeness? and feminine within
Canyon Dudleya
Dudleya cymosa

intuitive Do you doubt your owncounsel of assessment of people or situations, frequently relying on the others? Do you commonly find yourself of the decision? not in touch withregretting choices you havethemade, realizing you were your own innerwisdom at time Are to make life youryou currently requiredability to formchoices or critical decisions which require your utmost independent judgment and own authentic evaluation?

Chamomile
Matricaria recutita

find events, Do youappear yourself exaggeratinglife? somehow needing to have things larger than ordinary you have hysterical Dodaily life for yourself or dramatic tendencies which interrupt the flow of and those around you?
Does your life often seem like one big trauma-drama, as though you are in continual crisis?

Do you frequently burst into tears or react in a highly emotional way to many life situations? of congestion in your Do you oftenasfeel a lottheretension or feelings stored there?stomach or solar plexus, though are many you to Do oftenbelieve that you needonedevelop more serenity in life; that you are fluctuating between emotional mood or another?
Chaparral
Larrea tridentata

Cayenne
Capsicum annuum

Are you currently in a situation which feels stuck or stagnant? Wouldtoyou like to make some changes in your life, but lack the energy or fire do so? find that you have phlegmatic Do youtends to watch life goa by? or complacent personality, one which
Centaury
Centaurium erythraea or Centaurium umbellatum

there are violent, disturbing fearful Do you feelmay still have a psychic grip onoryou? episodes from your past which Have psychiatric which altered your to youryou used psychoactive or and whichdrugs toxic or invasive consciousness or behavior, feel well-being?
Do you frequently have troubling dreams or nightmares?

Cherry Plum
Prunus cerasifera
Is your life characterized by deal of pressure or stress, tension?current enormous feelingsa greatemotional or physical resulting in of Do you challenging situations by holding control?tend to cope with stressful orgo would mean that you had lost on all the tighter, as though letting Have moments insanity, to youryou experiencedwhich makeof temporaryspirituality?or suicidal or destructive impulses, it hard for you to trust surrendering own natural impulses or inner sense of

difficult in touch with your own for rest, play Is itcreative for you to be and do you find that needsall tooeasily or expression; you
compromise these needs to meet the demands of others

Are you someone who finds it easy to serve others, but submerges your own identity or integrity in the process?

Do you feel that your will is weak, especially with regard to your own personal goals for inner development or self-realization?

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Chestnut Bud
Aesculus hippocastanum
Does it feel that you are somehow stymied or stuck, unable to make progress, repeating the same mistakes again and again in relationships and other life situations?

Corn
Zea mays

Is it hard for you to step aside and observe your life, so that you can understand and learn from your experiences? Does it seem are a slow learner, needing to develop more encounter? that youdiscriminate in the life situations whichability to observe and you
Chicory
Cichorium intybus
you often experience feelings of Donot really appreciate your efforts? frustration, suspecting that others do Do you wanting attention from others, especially the for them?find yourselfacknowledge how much you are giving or doing desire to have others

Are you extremely uncomfortable if anyone intrudes or impinges on your living space or personal environment? especially to be in crowds of people Do you find itthough youdifficultof touch with yourself? or in urban situations, as are out often sense that your feet quite the Do you not adequately anchored inare notphysicalonbody?earth, as though you are your
Cosmos
Cosmos bipinnatus
yourself when you Do you often findthan whatfrustratedcomes out? want to speak, having much more to say actually to bring Is it difficultwriting? order, coherency, or fluency to your thinking, speaking, or you often feel Docommunicate itflooded with inspiration, but at a total loss about how to to others?

you find Doothers? that many of your actions provoke the negative attention of
Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum morifolium

Are you possessive in relationships, wanting others to recognize how important you are in their lives?

Crab Apple
Malus sylvestris

unclean, impure, Do you feel physical attributes? or otherwise ashamed of your bodily functions or you Arebody often drawn to purification or cleansing rituals for your physical or environment out of proportion to the real need?
Are you often obsessed with feelings of imperfection, focusing on even the tiniest details which seem out of harmony?

in a of transition, Are you in mid-life, orvaluesstage purpose? requiring you to assess your deepest life goals, and Are you currently experiencing life-threatening other and spiritual identify?to considerathe meaning andillness or of yourcrisis which prompts you purpose life
Does the idea of aging really scare you, especially the fact of physical death?

Dandelion
Taraxacum officinale
frequently over-schedule yourself, Do you into every day and every hour? trying to cram as much as you can you typically experience Dothe neck and shoulders? tension throughout your body, especially in the need Do you feel unwind? to flow more with life, especially to give your body a chance to

Clematis
Clematis vitalba

Are you someone who lives more readily and comfortably in your own inner world, rather than in an outer world of daily affairs and responsibilities? Do you have a highly developed imagination or psychic life, but find it difficult to focus or concentrate in the classroom or workplace?

Deerbrush
Ceanothus integerrimus
often find yourself saying and doing things Do youthan expressing or behaving how you really feel?expected of you, rather troubled motives, as though Are you your outerby your and inner intentions? there is a dissonance between actions you need more inner awareness, Do real feelings in your heart? especially to recognize and honor the

Are you attracted to drugs or other physicalof expansiveness,world?ease psychic experiences which give you a sense and your feeling of constriction in the body or physical
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- 21 -

Dill
Anethum graveolens
Are you frequently in chaotic or stressful environments where it seems that your nerves are stretched to the breaking point?

Elm
Ulmus procera

Are you often sights, which you encounter?bombardedtobyreally sounds, and smells absorbseem to strain your ability appreciate or what
Do (or have you just completed) major trip, which andyou have plans forto encounter many new a people, places, will require you environmental stimuli? Do you often end assimilate?farfeel exhausted by the can of the day, as though youve taken in more than you inwardly understand or

readily assume major or responsibilities, only Do you completely overwhelmedtasksotherwise dysfunctional? to find yourself or or over Are you someone who is frequently overly-responsible isolating concerned in family or work situations, to the point of yourself as the lone hero or rescuer? currently a great deal of fatigue, despon Are youregardingexperiencingproject for which youor evenassumed dency, a task or have responsibility?

Evening Primrose
Oenothera hookeri
feel unwanted or unloved, Do you oftenchildhood memories? tracing these feelings back to your earliest frequently feel emotionally cold or as Do you its hard for you to feel love from distant in relationships, in though others or to express it return? an adopted child, or did Were you stress while pregnant with your mother have a great deal of conflict or you?

Dogwood
Cornus nuttallii

Did you feel extremely as a child, or were there neglected?which left insecurefeeling unprotected, harsh circumstances you abused, or
Would you describe yourself as accident-prone someone who seems to have more than your share of accidents, both big and little? body feel Does your to feel often graceawkward or heavy to you, as though you would like more and ease?

Easter Lily
Lilium longiflorum

Fairy Lantern
Calochortus albus
your family circum Were you the youngest child inidentityfamily, or diddependent? stances excessively reinforce your as a child or Is it difficult for you to have stable employment or commitment to family responsibilities? you Dosome frequently daydream about your childhood, or wish to return to part of your past which seemed more carefree and innocent?

to establish your own standards Does it seem hard for youmessages about sexuality? of integrity, given societys conflicting Is there a issue sexual andcurrentsense for you regarding theorpurification of your sexual desires, or a of dysfunction disturbance in your reproductive organs?
Do you feel conflict about how to express your sexuality, vacillating between prudishness or promiscuity?

Echinacea
Enchinacea purpurea

Fawn Lily
Erythronium purpurascens
comfortable with or Are you moreyou retreat from thea spiritualpacemeditative lifestyle, which requires that normal of life? world and invasive Does the modern technological happierseem harsh simpler time? to you, as though you would have been living in a you a great deal of alone or time, it stressful Do you ifrequire family obligations requirequiet much making time? for job or too outer

Are you currently experiencing a great deal of stress or upheaval in your life, requiring you to rally all the inner strength and positive identity you can muster?

you feel numb devoid of Dopainful itssomehowbe reallyorpresent for true identity, as though life is so hard to it? Have you experienced a situation which was so abusive or assaulting respect,you feel robbedin the past? essential dignity or selfthat of your either recently or

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Filaree
Erodium cicutarium
Would you describe yourself as a nit-picker, someone who is often preoccupied with even the smallest details at home or work?

Gentian
Gentiana amarella

Do find yourself where the youryou oftenin myriad wonderingbut failingtimetogoes, becoming entangled details accomplish major goals? Is it common toward some importance? fororyou to worry or become hyper-focusedto its actual event, person object, often out of proportion

you generally Aresolution? skeptical, often dwelling more on the problem than the Are you often discouraged by setbacks, viewing them as stumbling blocks rather than as learning lessons? succumb to doubt pessimism, finding it hard to Do you easilyyou experience withorrenewed forces or a fresh start? tackle any difficulty

Forget-Me-Not
Myosotis sylvatica

Golden Ear Drops

Dicentra chrysantha
for you to recall about your Is it hardpainful experiencesmuchdont want to childhood, perhaps suppressing you remember? hard to Do you find it feelings?cry, because you learned a long time ago to hold back your real or troubled by and Are you often haunted awareness andmemories from childhood,early wish to bring deeper understanding to your experiences?

you feel Dofriend? abandoned or bereft since the passing of a family member or deeper, more Are you seeking a with family andsoulful and eternal understanding of your relationships friends? Are you intending to conceive a child, or are you currently pregnant connect you to this being?deeper appreciation for the soul bonds which and needing to develop a
Is it hard for you to sustain a memory or an inner relationship with a loved one who has died?

Golden Yarrow
Achillea filipendulina

Fuchsia
Fuchsia hybrida
have a lot of Do you be precipitatedconfusing and shifting physical symptoms which seem to by emotional experiences? Do you find yourself with surface emotions to many life feelings? yet somehow reacting to express your deeper, authentic events, unable address of grief, Do you feel a needintoa way thatsome deep-seated feelingshonest? pain, anger or rejection seems more genuine and

Do you often get performance anxiety when in front of others? back Do you holdhow tofrom public roles because you feel too vulnerable, or dont know remain confident and centered? you an similar lifestyle which demands great Areand innerartist or in ayet also exposes you to public scrutiny?sensitivity awareness,
Goldenrod
Solidago californica
or compromising your real Do youorfrequentlyinfind yourself ignoringapproval or acceptance from values feelings order to gain social others? in a family or other group situation which Are youremain true to your own individual feelings?makes it difficult for you to you find that you alone with Do in touch with yourseldom take time to be visions? yourself, or to get deepest needs, goals or

Garlic
Allium sativum

you Domore tend to be nervous, easily frightened, or apprehensive; in need of strength and vitality? Have you been through a physical illness or other circumstance which system isfeeling listless or sapped of energy, as though your immune left you compromised?
Do you often look pale or anemic, or feel drained of life force?

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Gorse
Ulex europaeus

Honeysuckle
Lonicera caprifolium

that there is little hope Does it seem are now experiencing? for the challenging condition or situation you your personal world feel or menacing, with the feeling Doescan expect no improvementdarkbetterment of your situation? that you or Have you inner process condition?lost faith or trust in yourlittle you can of healing or transformation, believing that there is do to improve your

find yourself former living situation? Do yourelationship orfrequently dwelling on, or otherwise longing for a was an earlier part of your Does it seem that therethan your current situation? life which was more glamorous or fulfilling Do you find yourself romantic, that life circumstance? ifwistfully nostalgicinoranother era,convinceddifferent would be different only you lived or in a

Heather
Calluna vulgaris
Does it seem that you are your life traumas or wor consolation from others? often absorbed in or wanting attention or ries, needing to tell others about them, be to resolve Is it challenging for youatogreat aloneoforsupport fromproblems independently, instead requiring deal others? intense inner loneliness sense Do youtofeel anfill the emptiness you feelorinside? of insecurity, looking to others help

Hornbeam
Carpinus betulus
Do you feel fatigued in work-project at demandedschool,task?orofdrained in yourtojob, orreal aphysical energy home or out proportion the for the Does life like a monotonous energetic often seemmotions at work orroutine, as though you are just going through the home, with little interest or involvement? Do to develop a fresh newyou feel you needperhaps recapturingperspective on your daily tasks and responsibilities, your original zest, or finding and enlivening situations at work, home, or school?

Hibiscus
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

feel that trauma has numbed Do youyou from aprevious sexualown trueor abuseidentity? or disengaged sense of your sexual it warmth and Do you findwithdifficult to integrate the real of sexuality? love you feel in your heart a more physical experience
Is sexual intimacy difficult for you, especially the ability to feel warmth or pleasure from such contact?

Hounds Tongue
Cynoglossum grande
feel scientific or intellectual training has somehow Do you yourthat your perceive the world in a more soulful manner? blunted ability to hard for you to Is it your perception think in an imaginative or lively way; does it seem that is dulled or overly mundane? see reality composed Do you tend to material thanasspiritual? of things rather than beings; as more

Holly
Ilex aquifolium

Is it hard for you to feel compassion for the plight of others? ity? Do your feelings for others often turn to alienation, mistrust, or hostilstruggle Do youthat othersor compete inisorder to receive love or recognition, feeling will get what rightfully yours?
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Are you plagued by feelings of jealously, rivalry, suspicion or vengefulness?

Impatiens
Impatiens glandulifera

Do you often find yourself tense, irritable, or easily impatient and argumentative? tend to for finishing Do youtheir taskstake over youothers,you can dotheir sentences or completing because know it more quickly? seem that are always rushing ahead of your Does itable to enjoyyou pay attention to what is unfolding experience, not really or around you?
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Indian Paintbrush
Castilleja miniata
Do you have many artistic ideas or projects which never come to full expression or manifestation?

Larch
Larix decidua

any creative process very intense Do you find you feeling drained and devitalizedor hard on your body, often leaving afterwards? you Do morefeel that your creative expressions are too dull or lifeless, needing earthly vitality?
Indian Pink
Silene californica

your own censoring, down-playing, or otherwise stifling expression Are youyour creativeworst critic, or contribution? Do you sufferbefrom self-doubt, often lacking the essential confidence to take risks or spontaneous? Does your own fear of failure or work,you back from makinggroup? expectation of criticism frominothers hold a unique or creative contribution your community or social Do you experience difficulty sufficientlyaffecting your speechinorspeaking or performing publicly, adversely presentation, even when you are prepared?

remain when demands Is it hard for you toawarenesscentered own identity? are made on you, as though you lose of your frequently Are youand lacking tense or emotionally volatile, agitated by too much activity a feeling of calm centeredness?
Iris
Iris douglasiana / Iris versicolor

Are you easily attracted to many activities or projects, but often feel that you are spinning out of control?

Larkspur
Delphinium nuttallianum
you have conflicting feelings about leadership or Doin charge, but then shirking your responsibilities? service, wanting to be Do you purpose?find yourself going through life dutifullybyexecuting your responsibilities, rather than being carried along inner joy and others Do you findinthatleadershiprespond negatively or apathetically to you when youre a position?

Lavender
Lavandula officinalis

Were you told as a child that you werent an artist, or were your artistic aspirations somehow blunted? your life, or work environment seem dull or Does do youemotionalbring home inspiration and soul color into your gray; need to more
Is there little art or beauty in your life; does your life seem mundane and strictly practical? life?

you suffer from mental Do highly concernedinsomnia, absorbedtension, or headaches when you are or overly in something? attracted very spiritual lifestyle, Are you meditationtooraother spiritual practice? which includes many hours of
Lotus
Nelumbo nucifera

Would you characterize yourself as high-strung often being hyperactive or nervous?

Ladys Slipper
Cypripedium parviflorum /Cypripedium reginae

as Do you often feel exhausted or weary, andthough you are out of touch with your own sense of personal power destiny? it seem that you integrate your sense of spiritual Doesvision more closelyneed toyour daily work and lifestyle? purpose and with
Does it seem that your current life is only a dim reflection of what you are really capable of achieving?

think of yourself Is it hardtofor you toexperiences? as a spiritual person, or to open yourself spiritual Do you deal so much so passions?have a greatwant invested in your spiritual identity,emotions or that you would not others to see you as having lower Do spirituality unbalanced, that it is dailyyou feel that yourtoo exaggeratedisand not integrated enougheither expressed too little, or with life?

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- 29 -

Love-Lies-Bleeding
Amaranthus caudatus

Mariposa Lily
Calochortus leichtlinii

you suffering from physical disease from Arementalcurrentlywhich makes youafeel abandoned ororisolated?some form of agony for you to are in pain; do Is it hardbe left alonereach out to others when you understand you?you prefer to or believe that others will not about physical handicap, Do you feelofdeeply depressedmakes it ahard for you to see anyillness, or other form anguish, which meaning or purpose in your suffering?

relationship your mother Was yourfull of turmoilwithalienation? or any other major female figure or Were you abandoned, abused, or did you suffer any other major trauma during your childhood years? to develop understanding childhood Do you needespecially youranrelationship with of your early and how it experiences, your mother affects your current life?

Madia
Madia elegans
get Do you ideaeasily distracted, finding it challenging to stay focused on any one or project? Do you tend to start projects or tasks, and then lose interest or leave them unfinished? with mental concentration, Do you have troubleafternoon or in hot weather?feeling drowsy or listless, especially in the

your own role as a mother?

For women: Do you feel a lot of conflict, doubt or insecurity about

Milkweed
Asclepias cordifolia
suffered long illness, Have you extremelya dependent ontrauma or other handicap which has made you others? you to independent; Is it hard foryourself feel responsible or trulyby others? do you frequently find needing to be cared for or other Have you used drugsautonomy?extreme behaviors to blot out your conscious awareness or

Mallow
Sidalcea glauscens

Mimulus
Mimulus guttatus
from a Do youoffind that you frequently shortchange yourself worries?full experience life, isolating yourself due to nagging fears or It is hard for you to be truly spontaneous ororjoyfully curious about life, paralyzed instead by annoying doubts, fears worries? you hypersensitive, Would even describe yourself as ordinary or dailyfrequently troubled or uneasy when encountering activities?

by inner Are you frustrated those youfeelings of warmth or closeness that are not conveyed easily to love? like Would youothers?to develop more trust and openness in your relationships with
Manzanita
Arctostaphylos viscida

Do you have a difficult time making friends, finding it hard to feel affectionate or socially outgoing?

Morning Glory
Ipomoea purpurea
basic living patterns erratic or chaotic Are yourtravel at divergent or unpredictable times? tending to eat, sleep, work or it seem as though is Doesto arise freshly in theyour internal body clocklateaskew, finding it hard morning but staying up at night? attracted drugs which boost your Are you give you ato stimulantoffoods oryour body does not have?energy level, or false sense energy

Do you frequently diet or binge, or subject yourself to harsh physical regimens of exercise? it spiritual and physical parts of Does thatoften seem like thenot seem harmonious with youryou are at war; your body does spiritual
Do you have a negative self-image of your body or physical presence in life? identity?

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- 31 -

Mountain Pennyroyal
Monardella odoratissima

Mustard
Sinapsis arvensis

Have recently been subjected to hostile or think?youfrom others which seems to be affectingotherwise negative behavior how you feel and seem hazy Do your thoughts or feelings fatigued? or troubled, or do you often feel drained and unnecessarily When you actions, does feel as though youre not really or desires ofexamine yourrather that youit are carrying out the intentions in the drivers seat, but others?

Are you often subject to unexpected bouts of depression or inner darkness? experience at times happy Does it seem that you readily with feelingsmood swings,melancholy? or joyful, then suddenly filled of gloom or for you to causes your depression Is it difficultcomes fromgrasp theyou like ofdark cloud? or anxiety, as though it outside a
Nasturtium
Tropaeolum majus

Mountain Pride
Penstemon newberryi

challenging situation Are you currently in aa choice for your beliefs?which demands that you take a stand, or make to develop more confidence Do youtoneedstrong, courageous or positivelyin yourself, especially your ability be assertive?
Do you often avoid letting others know what you really think, remaining uncomfortably passive or silent?

Does your current occupation or lifestyle demand a great deal of study or other mental concentration? Does your approach to life seem at times to be too dry, abstract, or intellectual? in fire, vitality or warmth, Do you find that you are lacking other physical depletion? frequently experiencing colds, congestion or
Nicotiana
Nicotiana alata
disposition that could Do you have awhich seems imperviousbe described as macho: a tough, cool persona to emotions? Do you use drugs, especially tobacco, as a way to feel more relaxed, grounded and emotionally stable? find yourself your Do you often with the harshneeding to blunt or numbaroundfeelings, in order to cope or stressful environment you?

Mugwort
Artemisia douglasiana
often seem life of Does it or confusedas though your innerevents? dreams or thoughts is blurred with outer, ordinary Is there a intuitive or psychic aspect to so observationstrong sometimes overpowers your your personality, or much so that it good judgment in the physical world? Do to develop greater clarity of dailyyou needresponsibilities? events and consciousness, especially regarding dreams or other inner their relationship to your life and

Oak Mullein
Verbascum thapsus Quercus robur
and dependable, Are you hard-workingprovide for or assistoften pressing to the limits of endurance in order to others? you feel you are Do unrelenting paceon the verge of collapse or utter exhaustion due to the you have set for yourself? over-strive beyond your capacities, generally Do you yourself small pleasures or true limits ormoments of joy? denying spontaneous

facing Are you currently sense ofa painful decision which requires that you further develop your inner conscience or moral values? you need to develop more Dothe meaning of your actionspersonal authenticity, so that your values or are really clear to others?
Do you frequently find yourself lying to others, or acting in other ways which are deceitful or misleading?

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- 33 -

Olive
Olea europaea

Pine
Pinus sylvestris

Are you extremely challenging ordeal which requires you to muster all your resolve? facing now, or have you just completed anphysical stamina and all Doayou feel that youofhave spentandof your physical energy, resulting in profound sense exhaustion fatigue? Do you generally seek to heal yourself, yet sense that elsewhere for completephysical measures is so immense you must look your current exhaustion or dysfunction recovery?

religious, social, or family Did you agrow up inofa guilt or shame about your ownsituation which imparted great deal self-worth? you have unusually for Do to self-blame if your harsh expectations thanyourself, readily resorting performance is less perfect? to let go or failures, frequently Is it hardonfor yourather thanof past mistakes to new opportunities or dwelling these moving forward risks?

Oregon Grape
Berberis aquifolium
filled Are you oftenothers?with feelings of paranoia or mistrust regarding the intentions of experience the world unsafe During childhood, did youdefend yourself in orderastoansurvive? place, or that you had to constantly you meet is to wonder Whenyou, ratherothers,howyour first instinctthem? how they might harm than you might help

Pink Monkeyflower
Mimulus lewisii
intense feelings of shame or vulnerability, feeling Do you suffer fromyourself from exposure to others? you need to protect you deeply wounded or the past, Werefor you to take emotional violated inothers? so much so that its hard risks with to touch the feelings in Is it hard for others or even fearful deepest intentions? your heart, as though you feel wary of their

Penstemon
Penstemon davidsonii

Pink Yarrow
Achillea millefolium var. rubra
you easily influenced others emotions, making Are to distinguish your ownbyfeelings from those of others?it difficult for you often in a Are youand depletedcaretaking or nurturing role, yet find yourself drained by the emotional needs of others? hypersensitive to Are youyou feel extremelyany emotional discord in your environment, making uneasy or otherwise dysfunctional?

Have you experienced one or more misfortunes or life tragedies, which require you to rally all the faith and endurance you can possibly muster?

physical defect or other handicap Do you suffer aand strength in order to cope from which requires enormous fortitude day to day? Do persecuted life?you ithave the feeling of beingfaith or trustor otherwise victimized, making hard for you to sustain in the unfolding of your

Peppermint
Mentha piperita

Poison Oak
Toxicodendron diversiloba
find creating negative Do you frequentlyanger, yourself or irritability? barriers to others, especially through hostility you keep a safe distance, so that Doshow oftenmuch intimacy,emotionalor vulnerability? you do not have to too emotion have a fear of Do you who seems too being engulfed or absorbed by others, especially anyone feminine or nurturing?

other stimulants Do you drinktocoffee or takeyour tasks? in order to feel mentally alert enough accomplish Does your mind often feel foggy or lethargic, lacking in alert and awake mental forces?
- 34 -

Are you often hungry and in need of stimulation from food, only to find yourself dull and mentally sluggish after youve eaten?

- 35 -

Pomegranate
Punica granatum
For women: Are you currently experiencing great doubt or conflict in

Queen Annes Lace

Daucus carota

choosing between having a family or developing your career? For women: Are you infertile, or have you recently experienced a mis carriage or abortion, causing you to reconsider or resolve your feelings
about pregnancy and motherhood? or confused how focus your creativity, Are you ambivalentvalues of careerabout home,toor personal and social especially between and involvement?

experience blurred, foggy or distorted vision, Do you oftenunder emotional stress or psychic overwhelm? especially when you are easy or misunderstand your perception Is itevents,for you to distortemotional vision is clouded? of people or as though your sexual energies often Do your psychic andclarity and balance? interfere with each other, requiring more inner you have which seem Doemotionallyclairvoyant or psychic impressionsand objectivedistorted or based, needing keener perception insight?

Pretty Face
Triteleia ixioides

Quince
Chaenomeles speciosa
in similar caretaking Are you a singleofparent, orandasensitivity? role which demands equal measures strength being too harsh Do you find yourselfcombine disciplinewith children or others in your care, not sure how to with nurturing? or to the softer Do you find it hard to trust,will loseact from for you? side of your personality, fearing that others respect

Do you invest a great deal of time or money in your personal appearance? sense Do you feel a is less of shame or unease if your personal appearance or physical body than perfect? you have a physical to Do disease, which makeshandicap, or a condition dueyouaging or physical it hard to accept yourself as are?
Purple Monkeyflower
Mimulus kelloggii

Rabbitbrush
Chrysothamnus nauseosus
home Does your jobbeorhandledrole require the command of lots of details which need to simultaneously? difficult for you to maintain awareness of Is it are working on a project that includes manythe big picture when you fine points? Does your or chaotic because you responsible?lifetooften feel overwhelming loose ends for which are simply not able keep pace with all the you are

like to a expression Would you but feardevelop ormore authentic by others? of your own spirituality, censure condemnation experienced a premature psychic opening through Have youor other psychic means, which makes you fearful ordrugs, cultic abuse uncertain
Are many of your spiritual feelings fear-based, such as a fear of retribution by your religious community or punishment from God? of how to practice your spirituality?

Quaking Grass
Briza maxima

Red Chestnut
Aesculus carnea
Do about others own?you frequentlysofind yourself worrying or concernedlives than your welfare, so much that you are living more in their trust in dren or other family close to you? Is it hard for you to or friendsthe unfolding of life events for your chilneeding to develop Are yousocial situation whichmore detachment about a current relationship or is troubling you?

of conflict current social Are you experiencing a lotworkplace orabout acommunity? situation, either within your family, larger to avoid Do you tendfrustrating?any kind of group process, finding it irritating, tiresome or
Do you find it challenging to be involved with groups, tending to be protective of your individual identity?

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- 37 -

Red Clover
Trifolium pratense

Sage
Salvia officinalis

you yourself Dopanicfindhysteria? unable to cope in emergencies, often succumbing to or Have you found yourself unduly by public or disaster? ideology, responding influenced to aa picturepersonality or political with fear of doom in your family or other Do you lose your positive identitynegative circumstances? close group, whenever there are challenging or

you need to more objectivity Do events whichdevelop or perplex you? and perspective about recent life trouble Does your life seem surrounding insightmore accidental than purposeful, making it hard to have much into, or acceptance of, the people and events you? you in an phase of life, wanting Arethe meaningelderyour experience? to gather wisdom and reflect on of

Rock Rose
Helianthemum nummularium

Sagebrush
Artemisia tridentata
unnecessarily Does your life seemlearn how to letcluttered, burdened or complex, as though you need to go and find more simplicity? Have you experienced is lifestyle? recentlychange and toan illness or misfortune, which or prompting you to let go of old parts of your self for you contact your true Is it difficulttightly totopossessions, lifestyle,spiritual identity, because you hold on too or social personality?

Are you currently facing a emergency? proportions, suchsituation which has life-threatening or destructive as an impending death or catastrophic
Do you frequently suffer from nightmares, or other experiences which bring a sense of terror or deep emotional disturbance?

Do you need to develop greater courage and equanimity in stressful situations?

Rock Water
Solarized spring water

Saguaro
Carnegiea giganteus
you Doethnicfeel alienated from or ashamed of your family lineage, cultural or identity? frequently find yourself rebelling against Do you who have authority or power over you? or in conflict with persons need deeper understanding Do youwhich to develop a your family or culturalor respect for the traditions have shaped identity?

religious, Do you have strongrigidly? work, or study disciplines, which you follow relentlessly, or Do you feel that you yourself the opportunity to programs which allowdenylittle spontaneity or creativity?enjoyorlife on its own terms, generally subjecting yourself to strict schedules external for
Do you tend toward an ascetic or highly regimented style of living and eating?

Rosemary
Rosmarinus officinalis

Saint Johns Wort

Hypericum perforatum
to bright drained dysfunctional summer? Are youorhypersensitive during the light or heat, feeling particularly Do you feel depressed in the winter when theres not enough light? dream disturbances, night-sweats or bed-wetting? Is it common for you to experience distress when sleeping, such as of consciousness Is your statestrength and clarity?generally diffuse or expansive, needing more inner

Do you tend to have cold extremities especially hands and feet warmth completely intoits difficult tobody? your consciousness and with the feeling that bring your physical
Do you frequently experience states of absentmindedness or forgetfulness, as though your consciousness is not fully present at times? Did you experience trauma in your past, in physical body? or stress kept sometime feeling warm andwhich extreme physical abuse you from secure in your

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- 39 -

Scarlet Monkeyflower
Mimulus cardinalis

Shasta Daisy
Crysanthemum maximum

have difficult dealing Do you insteada to stuff time feelings?with issues of anger or power, tending your in where try Are you frequentlyventsituations feelings youangerhard to be polite or calm, but suddenly explosive of or rage? you need to develop more ways of communication, Dothat your honest feelings or direct and clearare fully acknowledged? so disagreements

Do you have a when other make clear sensechallenging timedoing?forwriting or performingidea or intellectual tasks, because its difficult you to see the main of what you are Are you who tends to overly picture? someonebut not alwaysbegraspinganalytical, easily seeing all the bits and pieces or appreciating the larger as though your life is divergent Does it seems to find more meaning, full of chaosororharmony? threads, requiring you integration

Scleranthus
Scleranthus annuus
yourself in situations torn Do you frequently findoptions, unable to takewhere you seem your between one or more a firm hold of decision? someone often goes back Are you vacillatingwhoyour commitmentand forth between people or situations, in or intentions? constant shifting emotional as Do you experience acharacterized by aofgreat deal ofstates as well or physical symptoms, restlessness confusion?

Shooting Star
Dodecatheon hendersonii
considerable Was there your life? trauma surrounding your birth, or the earliest months of by stories of UFOs or extra-terrestrial Are you particularly fascinatedyouve had such an encounter? encounters, or do you feel that deeply alienated, Do you often feel part of the human as though you dont feel quite at home on earth, or family? your consciousness feel more cosmic than human, leading Doesless interested in earthly life or mundane, worldly affairs? you to feel

Scotch Broom
Cytisus scoparius
alienated or Do you oftenorget depressed, state of worldoverwhelmed when you hear news reports consider the affairs? you to see how your contribution can make much Is it hard forneighborhood, community, or in the larger world? difference in your experience personal despair, or feel Do you frequentlycomes to solving problems or helpingWhats the use, why try? when it others?

Snapdragon
Antirrhinum majus
you tend toward verbal abuse or insults, Do suddenly and without much forethought?tending to lash out at others though you have Does it seemorastalk a great deal? excess energy in your mouth, needing to chew, eat powerful will or but find it challenging Do you have aconstructive ratherlibido,destructive channels? to direct your forces in than

Self-Heal
Prunella vulgaris

Star of Bethlehem
Ornithogalum umbellatum
you subject to a very deep trauma or assault from Werehave never regained your original vitality or strength?which you feel you seem deep lacking life, stress and other trauma? Does it in yourthat adue tosense of inner peace and self-containment is suffered from a prolonged state of which has Have you feel cut off from your Spiritual Self orpsychic stress feelings? led you to deepest soul

Do you endlessly try one healing approach after another, convinced that a particular practitioner or health regimen holds the answer for you?

a challenging health problem or Are you currently experiencing you rally all your healing forces? other dysfunction which requires that hard to how anything you think, Do you find itdifferenceseeyour state of wellness? feel or do could make any real in

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- 41 -

Star Thistle
Centaurea solstitialis
Are you extremely conscious of all of your material possessions or personal wealth, feeling it as a form of personal security?

Sweet Chestnut
Castanea sativa

grow up in poverty in Did you situation, which madeorhardanforeconomically or emotionally unstable it you to feel materially secure? time being open or Do you have a hardtaking financial risks? generous, sharing what you have with others, or
Star Tulip
Calochortus tolmiei

feel that you have hit rock Do you despair that there appears tobottom, caught in such an extreme state of be no way out? feel extreme mental suffering, Do you the breaking point ofanguish orcan endure?as though you have reached what you Are you experiencing a sense of utter aloneness or source forfaith that there really is a Higher Powerabandonment, testing your or loving spiritual you?

Sweet Pea
Lathyrus latifolus
Did you move great so you live? that itsa hard todeal during childhood or throughout life,that much so feel connected or interested in any place have a hard time calling Do you area where you live trulythe neighborhood, community or geographic home? Do with your surroundings, not you?you feel out of touchsustained byenvironmentalthe people around really feeling rooted or the land and

be in touch with the feminine side of your conscious Do you wantbetoable to listen to others be receptive and intuitive? ness, and to Do you find it difficult to pray or meditate, or recall your dreams?
Sticky Monkeyflower
Mimulus aurantiacus

Do you feel that you lack an inner life, and are unable to contact your own spiritual guidance or inner wisdom?

Tansy
Tanacetum vulgare
been lazy an Have youthat youcharacterized asacting onoryourunder-achiever, because it seems are not really full potential? Do you procrastinate, energetically withdraw from participa pressuretend toothers? as a wayorof staying contained and coping with tion or commitment from Did your childhood include a great enthusiasm, curiosity,which caused deal oftochaos, confusion or emotional instability, you to suppress your natural or energetic response situations?

a number of relationships Have you hadfeelings withinsexualheart? which mean very little to the deeper your yourself as a sexual human being, Do you hold back from expressingconveying your inner feelings to because it is hard to feel safe in another?

Are you frightened or awed by sexual intimacy, unsure of how to deal with your own vulnerability or feelings of love and warmth?

Sunflower
Helianthus annuus

Tiger Lily
Lilium humboldtii
you are Does it seem thatyour ownoverly aggressive or competitive, excessively concerned about performance? have separatist tendencies, thinking about Do you tend torather than developing cooperative strategies?your own aims and goals, For women: Are you currently experiencing energetic fluctuations due to menopause, especially stronger, more masculine forces which you need to balance and integrate?

often come or Do youyou know it ison strongway seem overbearing to others, even though just your of trying to convey confidence? feel uncertain Do you individuality? or insecure about your own core identity or sense of
Is your relationship with your father, or any other significant male figures, full of tension or unresolved conflict?

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Trillium
Trillium chloropetalum
Do you frequently find yourself measuring your own or others worth by standards of financial wealth and personal power?

Violet
Viola odorata

as extremely ambitious, someone who Wouldayou characterize yourself personal influence in order to achieve needs great deal of wealth and
your life goals? your consciousness often directed issues, Is you had more money or economictoward survivalproblemsfeeling that if security your would be solved?

from a deep sense of Do you sufferyourself with others butshynesstoordoloneliness, wanting to share more of afraid so? fragile or uneasy Do you often feellost or submerged? in group situations, as though your sense of self gets a great deal of reserve, frequently working alone Do you tend to havethat others might perceive you as being aloof? or silently; so much so

Walnut
Juglans regia
Do you tend be social expecta conviction ortoholdnegatively influenced by family ties or own sense of tions which you back from following your destiny? Are you establish a of inner patterns,attemptingortobeliefsfindingnew programprogress? development, or change in lifestyle; yet yourself succumbing to old habit thoughts, which retard your Are you in a state physical new which majorway? of transition eitherand othersorinpsychological will require you to view yourself an utterly or courageous

Trumpet Vine
Campsis tagliabuana

Do you speak in a flat, monotone, or unexpressive voice? or stammer Do you stutter yourself? when you speak, or have other difficulty fully expressing need to bring colorful and creative Do youand your generalmoreof presenting yourself? expression to your speech way
Vervain
Verbena officinalis

Water Violet
Hottonia palustris
seem that you are aloof Does itfor people to really often rather you? or socially distant, making it hard get to know Do you others associatefind yourself measuring thelevel?according to social status or economic background, often with sense that you would not want to with someone beneath your your best you work independently, finding that Are you atwith otherswhenare easily annoyed or otherwise stymied?when you work you

of Do you possess great feelingsyourenthusiasm and intensity, so much so that you can tense and push body beyond its natural energy level? convictions, making it difficult for Do you overwhelm others with youropenly explore your point of view? them to freely develop a response or
Do you believe that the world would be better off if only others heeded your vision and values?

Vine
Vitis vinifera

White Chestnut
Aesculus hippocastanum
Does your mind sometimes seem like an echo chamber, resolution?bits of conversations or life episodes without anyconstantly replaying apparent mental agitation or racing Do you suffer from a great deal ofsleep, or general restlessness?thoughts, often resulting in insomnia, fitful pray Is it usuallyofdifficult for you to inneror meditate, or to experience an inner state calm objectivity or peace?

the point of being aggressive, Areinyou frequently assertive towill be done your way? wanting to be charge and insure things Do you possess such a strong will that it often seems to overpower or overwhelm those around you?
Do you often demand obedience or allegiance from others, with a strong need to be in control or to direct others?

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Wild Oat
Bromus ramosus
Do you feel that your current vocation or lifestyle is not in keeping with your sense of inner destiny and life purpose?

Yarrow Special Formula

Achillea millefolium, Arnica mollis, Echinacea purpurea

and capabilities, Do you have many talents toward a worldlyyet find it difficult to really focus or harness these gifts vocation? you chronically dissatisfied with employment, unable Arefeel real commitment or interestyour work ortrying many different to even after situations?
Wild Rose
Rosa canina
illness Has a prolongedlife? or other life situation drained you of vitality or enthusiasm for you Doworthfrequently itfeel resigned or apathetic, as though life seems hardly the effort requires? Do to recover from or other setbacks very you you tendrecovery?harness theillnessforces of physical vitalityslowly, seemingly unable to full which need for

Do you travel frequently, especially through airports? often around Do you workradiation? video display terminals, or other devices transmitting Have you had numerous X-rays taken, either recently or in the past? live in a geographic area Do youelectromagnetic frequencies?which is polluted or toxic, or with strong
Yellow Star Tulip
Calochortus monophyllus
hard for you to make Is itreally feeling or saying?contact with others, to understand what they are look some Do you need tomore atfully of the consequences of your actions, to understand how youve hurt others even when you may not have been aware of it? need Do youteachertoordevelop moreinempathetic sensitivity in your role as a parent, manager, or other social interactions?

Willow
Salix vitellina
tend to hold Do you of bitterness oron to past injustices or misfortunes, leading to feelings resentment? you yourself in the role Do beingfrequently find unfairly punished? of victim, feeling that you are persecuted or inflexible, Arebeyou emotionallyyielding? finding it difficult to forgive others, or to accepting and

Yerba Santa
Eriodictyon californicum

constriction in your chest, or suffer from afflic Do you feel physicaland lungs such as asthma, pneumonia, tobacco tions to the heart
Do you sense within yourself a deep, unexplained grief or profound sadness, which has never been fully realized or explored? addiction or breathing disturbances? breath a way feel Do you tend to tighten your to deepasfeelingsofofcoping with painfulother ings, or otherwise hold on sadness, grief or soul afflictions?

Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Are you someone who extremely sensitive and keenly aware of your not spoken? and of theisthoughts and intentions of others, even when environment

Zinnia
Zinnia elegans

when you are Do you often find yourself depletedsocial situations? in crowds, while traveling, or in taxing or challenging Does your work as healer, or parent require enormous nothing more toanda giving, teacheroften leaves you feeling youforces of compassion which have give?
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Do you have many allergic responses to food or environmental stimuli, feeling that you need more inner strength and integrity?

described as over-dutiful or Are you someone whoa couldofbesomber responsibilities which seema workaholic, carrying load
Does your life seem overly grim or serious, as though you are gritting your teeth to get through each day? never-ending? to Are youonabledailylaugh at yourself, or find moments of spontaneity or humor a basis? time to Do you frequently take are trulyplay with children, or to schedule activities for yourself which enjoyable and uplifting?

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About the Author

Patricia Kaminski is co-director of the Flower Essence Society, a world-wide educational and research organization, in Nevada City, California. She has been instrumental in designing and administrating the Society's research and practitioner training programs, and is editor of the Flower Essence Society Newsletter. Patricia also maintains a private flower essence therapy practice, and enjoys creating the gardens at Terra Flora, a 17acre Nature sanctuary in Nevada City, California. She is co-author of the Flower Essence Repertory and has written and taught around the world on the subject of flower essences for over 17 years.

About the Publisher

The Flower Essence Society, founded in 1979, is a division of EarthSpirit, Inc., a non-profit educational and research organization. There are four major purposes of the Society: 1) to promote plant research and empirical clinical research on the therapeutic effects of flower essences 2) to conduct training and certification programs for active flower essence practitioners, as well as public classes and seminars throughout the world 3) to disseminate publications about flower essence therapy to practitioners and to the general public throughout the world 4) to provide a communication and referral network for those who are teaching, researching, or practicing in the field of flower essence therapy.

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