# flower essence therapy vs aromatherapy?



## evergreen (Aug 19, 2010)

I was wondering if someone could explain to me the difference between flower essence therapy and aromatherapy?  

I met a local herbalist a month ago and she has a two day workshop in a few weeks in flower essences.  When I used the word, "aromatherapy," in the conversation, she said this was different and seemed to indicate it was more spiritual.  

Any enlightenment on the topic would be appreciated.  I'm curious about aromatherapy and interested in any local resources, so I need to decide if I should pay for this class.

Thanks!


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## agriffin (Aug 19, 2010)

Hmmm, I'm not sure, but I bet Lindy could offer some thoughts if she comes across this post.


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## Lindy (Aug 19, 2010)

Here is what Bach Flowers say about how they make their product:

_*To make a flower essence, flower blooms are placed in a crystal bowl of spring water, which is placed in the sun for 4-5 hours. The sun's heat melds the energetic qualities of the plant into the water, which is then preserved with brandy to make the mother tincture. For spring flowering trees and shrubs, the blooms are placed in boiling water for the same effect. *_

With essential oils you are actually extracting the oils from the plants through steam distillation, demarcation, chemical distillation etc. using different parts of the plant, depending on where the essential oils are stored.  It take a lot of plant material to make an esential oil, some more than others.

With a flower essence most of the liquid is water, probably with a preservative to keep the nasties away and is meant to be smelled only.  In aromatherapy we are applying the oil blends directly to the skin diluted in order to not burn or damage the tissue.  There isn't any water in an essential oil and in its pure form there shouldn't be any other oil there either unless disclosed as is the case with rose, sandalwood as well as a few others.

Fragrance has therapeutic effects in that they tap into memories so even with a fragrance oil if it reminds you of something (pleasant or unpleasant) it is going to affect how you feel.

Flower rememdies are more on a spiritual level of healing which you must be open to for it to be effective.  You don't have to believe in Essential Oils for them to work.  Someone who has lost their sense of smell is going to find EO's work because they work on the physiological level.

HTH


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## Chay (Aug 19, 2010)

Flower Essence Therapy is simply an infusion and many of them are to be taken internally. While I do this for my own family I would be very careful because your getting into the murky waters of medicine.


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## Lindy (Aug 19, 2010)

Chay I think Flower Essence  has a close relationship to herbology doesn't it?


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## Deda (Aug 19, 2010)

I use flower essences in Naturopathy and Holistic medicine.


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## evergreen (Aug 19, 2010)

Thanks, all!  That certainly helps.  I had never heard the term before that discussion and she was a bit vague at explaining it.


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## IanT (Aug 19, 2010)

Deda said:
			
		

> I use flower essences in Naturopathy and Holistic medicine.




Same here, it is more of the Naturopathic/Holistic genre of medicine, Aromatherapy is different in that you usually do not take the Essential oils internally (though some can be taken internally ONLY with the guidance of a licensed professional)... Bach Flower remedies are used in either a liquid form or can be found in pellets (sugar pellets that have been soaked with the flower essence solution) You can formulate specific recipes based on a persons ailments. I would say that in my experience they definitely work...

Ive used them in both pellet and liquid form (usually with a dropper that you drop a few drops under your tongue) ... you can order them online for personal use, or make some yourself, however you may not sell them to my knowledge unless you are a licensed professional trained in that area... can get yourself into some seeeerious hot water with the Department of Health and local authorities...


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## Lindy (Aug 19, 2010)

Thanks Ian & Deda -  I don't have any real knowledge of flower essences since my interest was more in the aromatherapy end of things.

Definately different methods of application and use.  I have seen the Bach remedies available at different stores and it is from one of them that I had gained the impression they were used for fragrant therapy.  Thank you for correcting me on its application.


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## IanT (Aug 20, 2010)

Lindy said:
			
		

> Thanks Ian & Deda -  I don't have any real knowledge of flower essences since my interest was more in the aromatherapy end of things.
> 
> Definately different methods of application and use.  I have seen the Bach remedies available at different stores and it is from one of them that I had gained the impression they were used for fragrant therapy.  Thank you for correcting me on its application.




I think you could probably use it as fragrant therapy as well, they are quite fragrant (some dont smell so nice, like when you get into the kava extracts and all that side of things... smell like old gym socks lol)...even just rubbing it on the skin works (remember our skin will absorb many things!!... cool experiment... take a garlic clove, crush it and then lay any of your toes on it, try to count how long it takes you to taste it in your mouth... usually you can taste it in a minute or less... kinda crazy huh!!?) but it is most effective as an internal application to my knowledge..


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## agriffin (Aug 20, 2010)

Really!?!?!  Okay, I'm getting some garlic on the way home...sounds like a fun Friday night.  Drinking margaritas and putting garlic on our toes!


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## Lindy (Aug 20, 2010)

I bought a pharmocology book for reference with my aromatherapy practise (checking on contraindicators for drugs clients may be using) and found it absolutely fascinating.  Did you know that even with meds it is believed that taking meds orally is considered the least effective method of using them?  It is indirect and has to be able to survive the acids of the stomach as well as the cleansing of the liver as it works it's way into our blood stream.  The ones that are not delievered orally are the ones that are most toxic, plus it allows you to have a lower dosage used.  Skin absorption is becoming more popular for delivering meds to patients who have nausea issues with some of the stronger pain meds plus it's effective for maintaining the levels of the medication over a 24 hour period.

For most medications though orally is the easiest method of delivery for most of them.


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## IanT (Aug 21, 2010)

Lindy said:
			
		

> I bought a pharmocology book for reference with my aromatherapy practice (checking on contraindicators for drugs clients may be using) and found it absolutely fascinating.  Did you know that even with meds it is believed that taking meds orally is considered the least effective method of using them?  It is indirect and has to be able to survive the acids of the stomach as well as the cleansing of the liver as it works it's way into our blood stream.  The ones that are not delivered orally are the ones that are most toxic, plus it allows you to have a lower dosage used.  Skin absorption is becoming more popular for delivering meds to patients who have nausea issues with some of the stronger pain meds plus it's effective for maintaining the levels of the medication over a 24 hour period.
> 
> For most medications though orally is the easiest method of delivery for most of them.




Transdermal patches are definitely the new fetish in the medical world... previously alternatives have been to use suppositories (which I wouldnt call pleasant) so Id take a skin patch any day over that... lol...

Basically from your mouth to anus, its just one long tube OUTSIDE of your body (though its inside) none of the food or anything you eat is actually inside your body... All nutrients need to be broken down into smaller and smaller sizes until they are able to "fit" through through the membrane and be absorbed into a system which further metabolizes it... this is why we have such a length of intestines (about THIRTY FEET from S-I to the end of the L-I!!!) thats a lot of space! the idea is that it increases the surface area so that we absorb the most amount of nutrients per amount of time the food matter spends in our body (the food "ball" that is formed after we chew is referred to as a "bolus".

Basically ... by using a substance on the skin instead of orally, you eliminate the "middle man" and potential loss of potency of whatever you are ingesting because stomach acids denaturing everything that enters into it... not all of the nutrients from our food are absorbed, some just pass through and stay "stuck" in the food fibers..

I definitely agree that skin is the most effective method of administration! 


Here are some notes on the digestive system from my classes if you are interested!

Isnt science interesting!! 

Okay warning sci-head content ahead....





> Overview of the digestive system (Pg. 473): The process of breaking food down into particles by mechanical and chemical means so that they are small enough to be used by cells.
> ○ 2 groups of Organs:
> 1) Gastrointestinal Tract/ GI tract/ Digestive tract/ Ailimentary Canal:
> 1) One continuous tube from mouth to anus that passes through the body (not INSIDE of the body)
> ...


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## arch0101 (Sep 2, 2010)

Hello Friends,
If we are talking about the difference,one of the basic difference between both of them is that the flower essence therapy is a form of vibrational healing and the aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials,known as essential oils.


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## cwarren (Sep 2, 2010)

Vibrational healing That I have been subject to use EO. I think that's a healers choice.. and not written in stone..


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## Lindy (Sep 3, 2010)

Hey Ian I missed your reply - a lot of that material was in my Clinical Aromatherapy training as well..... truly fascinating stuff.....


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## tespring (Sep 22, 2010)

cwarren said:
			
		

> Vibrational healing That I have been subject to use EO. I think that's a healers choice.. and not written in stone..


Me too cwarren, I use essential oils that a woman called siddiqa from Soul Garden TV recommends and it is vibrational healing.  It works so good too.  I love her recommendations.


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