By Eleana Needham, B.Sc., DBA, MLCHom, MARH
The Australian Bush Flower Essences were developed around 1987 by Ian White, a fifth generation Australian herbalist who has been practicing as a naturopath and homoeopath for the past twenty years. Ian is a pioneer in researching the rare curative qualities of the Australian Bush as demonstrated in the range of essences he has developed. A striking figure, Ian talks earnestly about the qualities of the essences: they are conduits for change, allowing one to shed negative beliefs and perceptions.
These qualities and the potential for change through "emotional health and well-being" (the Australian Bush Flower Essences company motto), are nowhere more topically and aptly demonstrated than in the sphere of pregnancy and childbirth.
The issues surrounding conception, pregnancy and childbirth today are as emotional as ever, with the added pressures of falling sperm count, stress in our daily lives, career aspirations resulting in older couples trying to conceive, pollution and even -- as some scientists claim -- the change in sunspot activity which affects fertility on earth on all levels. An array of treatments, including IVF and drug and hormone therapies, is on offer in response to some of these problems.
Simplicity
So, it seems almost magically simple to be able to tell a patient "Take seven drops of She Oak morning and evening and phone me when you get pregnant!"
But then, as the modern father of Flower Essences, Dr. Edward Bach, said, "Let not the simplicity of this method deter you from its use, for the further your studies advance, the greater you will realise the simplicity of all creation!" (1) He also pointed out: "Disease is a consolidation of mental attitude and it is only necessary to treat the mood of the patient and the disease will disappear." (2)
Modern medicine accepts that a large variety of medical conditions have their origins in emotional/mental attitudes or problems. And here is where the Australian Bush Flower Essences work: they allow a person the ability to move away from learned patterns of behaviour, which can influence health in a variety of ways, including breaking free from "hereditary disease". The benefits are manifold: a couple can approach conception without angst and fear, in optimum health; a pregnant mother can face her changing body and the growing foetus inside her with excitement rather than trepidation; she can view her looming confinement with equanimity and serenity; the future father can move with the changes, accepting his evolving role without resentment, "to be there to support the mother mothering" (Ian White); older siblings can be helped to cope with these challenging times, too.
The foetus experiences all the emotions the mother experiences. So, if the mother-to-be proceeds through pregnancy with a positive, healthy mind and body, the conditions are there for the baby to have the best possible start in life.
Essences to use when trying to conceive are She Oak for the female (clears emotional blocks); and Flannel Flower for the male (promotes intimacy).
A combination of Dog Rose, Paw Paw, Dagger Hakea and Crowea can help expectant mothers weather morning sickness.
For coping with the enormous changes that a pregnancy and birth bring, Bottlebrush is a marvellous essence; it helps bonding between mother and baby. Good to take in the latter stages of pregnancy and early days with a new baby.
For post-partum emotional overwhelm, combine Bottlebrush with She Oak, Tall Yellow Top for alienation, and Dog Rose of the Wild Forces for fear of losing control. If these feelings are extreme, Waratah is the essence to reach for there and then!
Bonding
Give a newborn baby Boab, as it clears "learned patterns of behaviour", something akin to "being stuck in a groove". Learned behaviour can be seen as one of the contributory factors as to why diseases "run in families".
For bonding between father and baby, Red Helmet Orchid is indicated.
Sibling rivalry can be alleviated using Mountain Devil and Dagger Hakea.
Case: Trouble Conceiving
Thirty-two-year-old, female patient, mother of girl, 6, and boy, 4. In her third pregnancy, a full-term female foetus lived only six weeks after the birth. When the patient came for help, it was two years after the death of her third baby, she was still grieving heavily and was desperate to conceive again. She had been unable to do so, despite a clean bill of health from her physician, a healthy regime of diet and exercise, and very frequent intercourse with her husband. She was prescribed Sturt Desert Pea to help her come to terms with her grief (she was also asked to give the essence to her husband and children). A month later she was prescribed She Oak which she took for five weeks. Within six weeks she had conceived. Since then she has had a full-term, healthy baby daughter of 9lb 6oz.
Sources:
(1) Bach, Dr. Edward: "Some Fundamental Considerations of Disease and Cure", Homoeopathic World, 1930
(2) Weeks, Nora: "The Medical Discoveries of Edward Bach, Physician", The C. W. Daniel Co. Ltd, 1940
Editors' Note: For more articles about essences from Australia, see
our Virtual Booklet,
Australian
Contributions to the
Essence World.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Eleana Needham, a graduate of the Lakeland College of Homeopathy, UK, is a registered Homeopath, Flower Essences practitioner, Rei-ki Master and lecturer, with busy practices in Surrey and Kent. She is an internationally published author and the Newsletter Editor for the Lakeland Graduate Circle. Find her website here.
All flower images by permission of Ian White, Founder, Australian Bush Flower Essences.
The World Wide Essence Society does not mean to imply any recommendation of nor give certification to any individuals or companies above. This article is provided purely for informational purposes. We ask consumers to make their own determination as to quality of the services and products offered above. This article is not meant to be advice, and the information is not meant to replace medical or psychological treatment.
