Flower Essences For Self-Care

Elevate the everyday with flower essences.

By Saskia Marjoram

Reading time: 4 minutes

Like friends looking out for us and gently but firmly pushing us back on track, flower essences shift our way of thinking and behaving so that we can be the best version of ourselves that we can be. Which includes helping us to feel deserving of our own love and that of others. Taken as drops under the tongue (like The Bach Flower Remedies) flower essences contain the vibration of plants rather than any material matter, which like music, changes our mood and way of seeing the world. The shifts that essences can bring can be profound and long lasting — especially if the negative behaviour/emotion goes back to childhood — and as they are, chemically, just spring water and usually alcohol (although non-alcohol preservatives are available) they are very safe for all ages and whilst taking medication or supplements.

Here, I will focus on some specific flower essences that can really help us to love and take care of ourselves in a healthier and more sustained way. For long-standing issues I recommend that you take an essence (or essence blend) at least twice daily for two or three weeks – although always trust your intuition.

For lack of self-love, Potentilla (P.sterilis) would be my first choice. This tiny hedgerow flower reminds us that we are perfect just as we are. It brings a true inner knowing that in all aspects we are beautiful and worthy of love. It has a quiet strength and can remove old feelings of not being good enough, beautiful enough, pretty enough.

If you don’t find enough time for yourself and take care of others needs before your own, Dicentra can be a gentle and loving teacher. Besides being great if you are heartbroken, it also persuades you to take time for yourself before you reach breaking point.

Cowslip can help bring lightness and joy and playfulness, all crucial for self-care, especially if you haven’t received the mothering you needed as a child and are therefore over serious and a bit cautious about allowing love in.

If you are tangled up in old stories, old family patterns and/or addictive behaviour, Morning Glory essence can bring long-standing release and a feeling of freedom allowing you to move unencumbered into your future.

One of the things that can bring the highest level of self-care is maintaining strong boundaries which many of us struggle with. For this, I would recommend either Walnut, for feeling protected from what others think of you and whilst going through big life changes, or Yarrow, which stops you from feeling overwhelmed by other people’s energy and brings back a feeling of space where you can be just yourself.

Of course, there are many other essences that may be suitable for your situation, these are just a few that came to mind and are a good starting place for the fabulous healing that essences can bring.