If you only read the descriptions given by the two companies, however, you would never suspect the flowers were related. This seems to happen frequently when two companies in different places have grown up independently, and yet offer the same essence. Such differences are a fascinating study, for they often produce new insights into a given remedy. When I know both makers and am sure that both are dedicated in pursuit of knowledge -- as is true in this case -- I assume that both are seeing the same truth from different perspectives.

The phenomenon is similar to that old story about the blind men and the elephant. One had hold of the trunk, one of the ears, one of the flank, and another of the tail. Each described the elephant from his own perspective, and each was convinced he knew the whole truth about elephants.

The analogy holds up well in the case of our fringed flower friends, because there are at least four blind men describing this particular elephant. Not only do Australian Bush Essences and Living Essences offer the remedies, but so does Australight Essences (which I am unfamiliar with), and it also appears in Vince Halpin's book, The Healing Essence of Australian Flowers.

My first contact was with Ian White's description of Fringed Violet as a healer of the aura in case of trauma, whether recent or old. (Australian Bush Flower Essences, pp. 82-3.) As my psychotherapy and flower essence practice included many victims of childhood sexual abuse, it was indicated often and seemed to have an excellent effect. I was perfectly satisfied that I knew the elephant.

I next encountered Fringe Lily Twiner's description in Living Essences' Healing Handbook (p.20). Here the description focused on a self-absorbed, selfish, manipulative spoilt-child type who uses others. For a time, it seemed that the difference in the Latin names might have meant a different enough plant such that the essences were for altogether different types. Two different elephants, perhaps.

The picture became even more complicated when I read Australight Essences' description in Spiritual Healing and Australian Flower Essences (p.116). The Latin name was the same as the Australian Bush Essences' remedy, but the description had nothing to do with damaged auras and everything to do with the same selfish user that Living Essences described. They added that this type is determined and strong, with good leadership qualities, which would emerge with the remedy. Vince Halpin's book also mentioned the concentration on the ego with too little regard for the needs of others. However, he felt the essence would ease stress and clear mental and emotional blocks to free expression. (p.60)

How many elephants are we talking about here? My belief was that there was probably only one elephant and only one fringe, and that the connections between the various descriptions could be teased out. I began to brood.

Ultimately, I remembered some material on the chakras which had been given to me by my friends in spirit. It pertained to the order of the primary opening of the chakras in childhood and the connections between neighboring chakras. The root chakra is the first to open between birth and age two, followed by the solar plexus from two to five. Although there isn't space to cover the whole developmental sequence here, any chakra which is opened out of sequence because of trauma or premature stimulation is likely to be damaged, and also to create difficulties in the energy flow of the chakra which should naturally be developing at that age.

With this memory, the connection between the two types of descriptions became clear. When sexual abuse occurs between the ages of two to five, when the neighboring solar plexus ought to be flourishing, the sexual chakra is opened very early and the damage to the solar plexus is serious. Thus, SOME victims of sexual abuse do become the self-absorbed, selfish users described here. Also, in alcoholic or dysfunctional households the likelihood of successful ego development in the appropriate years is slim, so solar plexus distortion is frequent. (When the abuse occurs at other ages, other chakras are the primary site of damage and the effects are different.)

I recalled a friend (a Leo!) who did turn into the exact type described during a time when she remembered and explored sexual abuse in early childhood. The Twelve Step programs also describe among Adult Children of Alcoholics and others from dysfunctional backgrounds a self-absorbed Recovery Brat, who misuses the recovery process manipulatively to tyrannize others and demand excessive attention.

However, Ian White's description also talked about healing the aura from recent traumas such as physical assault. How does this fit into the picture of self-absorption? Some traumas DO affect the solar plexus -- and thus the self-esteem -- more than others. For instance, a man who is beaten up may have severely wounded pride as a result of not being able to defend himself properly. In fact, it is typical for there to be repeated punches to the solar plexus in any fist fight. The adult who undergoes a traumatic experience which damages self-esteem might then react by developing self-absorption. Thus the fringed flowers might help not only to repair damage to the solar plexus and surrounding parts of the aura, but also the self-esteem. Therein, I am convinced, lies the gestalt of this particular elephant.

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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.

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