Flower Essences return us to the Origins of Faith
In 1997, I was asked to join a Healing Environment program at Baylor Medical Center, a huge hospital complex in Dallas, Texas. We work with people internationally to provide the best patient care and experience. I was asked to create essence blends with Petite Fleurs for various conditions.
My first assignment was to create a blend for stem cell, bone marrow and solid organ transplant patients. Doctors asked for a blend to reduce side effects of 99 intravenous meds given to each patient and for pain, nausea, anxiety. The doctors also wanted to increase longevity. These procedures had only a 15% of survival. This was my welcome to nuclear medicine!
I returned to my gardens and gathered Antique roses and several varieties of lavenders. I felt several sages also calling me. We have over 800 varieties of sages growing in Texas, so I had my pick. Wildflowers soon joined the mix, with over 5000 to choose from. I only use flowers growing on my property form an abundant source. It took a day to choose all the flowers at the appropriate time. I named the blend Harmony. Only the synergy of many different of flowers could manage so many patient needs. When I returned to the hospital, I was wearing harmony to control my anxiety!
Harmony also was being applied before and after procedures and surgeries to calm anxiety and control blood pressure. We monitored the” Petite effects” by pulse, respiration, skin temperature and blood pressure. Some patients only used Harmony for pain relief after surgery. To my great relief and gratitude, Harmony was a success.
I suggested the essences be applied on an acupuncture point in the inner ear. I learned about this point from ancient cultures. It affects 5 major nerve ganglia in the brain. Healers refer to this point as the “Path to the Soul.” Soon patients, loved ones, nurses and practitioners were wearing harmony. One new patient asked me,” Why is everyone walking around rubbing their ears?”
We use Harmony with every type of cancer. In my mind, I was complete with Harmony blend. It’s a very versatile blend. However, the Healing Center had other plans. I was given a list to make blends for the following: Chemically dependent, high risk maternity, obesity, heart and cardiovascular, pulmonary and COPD, diabetes, sickle cell anemia, lymphedema, general medicine, speech therapy, palliative care…and eventually Hospice care to encourage a peaceful journey.
One day, a patient I worked with for 2 years called a therapist to his bedside. He said, “my life story is finished; it’s time to close my book”. I knew in my heart it was time to make a Grief blend. Grief includes disappointments, feeling loss, incompletion, anxiety about the unknown and how this moment affects all of us. Grief helps us move forward as we let go and become a vacuum that will always be filled with beauty and happiness. I also created a Gratitude blend to celebrate and appreciate life. We express our gratitude during each patient care. We also celebrate death, if they are called to a new life. The Petites keep us in the present moment of grace. I feel each of the patients in my heart and put all the feelings into blends. Gratitude originates from our soul and is as natural as joy and sorrow.
It is important for survivors to leave empowered and build self esteem to begin anew. Many people had surgeries, lost intimate parts, suffered through prolonged chemotherapy, hair loss and radiation. They felt vulnerable and lacked self confidence. Serious and prolonged illness can lead to loss of self-identity. Self-Image emerged from Indian Paintbrush and other Texas wildflowers. Salvias enhance self-confidence, the Carnation family replaces unworthiness, Texas roses reduce depression, Zinnias encourage self-nurturing, to mention a few essences in the blend. I only use Mother essences and blend proportions. After setting overnight, I can make changes. As I work with patients, I may be guided to add more essences or adjust amounts of each.
Blending is an ongoing awareness of the daily dynamics of creation. Life changes and so do my blends. Every time I make an essence or blend, I attain guidance. How many flowers? What is the best time and season to pick and prepare the essence? It’s different for every flower, which can only be chosen from an abundant source. The process encourages a plant’s longevity and the possibility of reblooming. Plants have memory, inherent in their song. Memory fuels immunity in plants and people.
Cancer and cardiac patients often suffer memory loss. Research indicates the neurotransmitters are available, but they lack receptors after treatment. With cancer, it is referred often as ‘chemo brain”. This is a self- healing process the Petites can help. I developed Recall Memory to reinstate and reconnect memory receptors through activation of immune enhancement. Many native Texans are in this blend with grounding essences like Viridiflora. Native Texans are varieties of flowers that only grow in Texas or naturalize here. Some flowers may be considered weeds, but like Native Americans, I see value in every plant.
Pain relief is a constant challenge. Each person experiences pain uniquely. By doctor request, I created Manage pain blend. They said, no, we want to stop all pain. So, a comprehensive Stop Suffering blend developed. I use essences to increase endorphin release, which many aromatic flowers do naturally; essences for emotional repression, guilt, sadness, self-sufficiency, courage, immune competency to remove metabolic waste…I was in my gardens a long time. I approached adversity from every angle, physically, mentally and emotionally as one. Finally, Stop Suffering emerged. Pain is a loop in neurotransmission, so I chose flowers to close the loop and redirect energy on a subtle level. I can “see” results when I enter the aura and hear the music of each flower. This loop is like a broken circuit with energy flying everywhere. It’s chaos in the brain, as it searches for control grounded in a new reality.
If the patient is autoimmune, I use specific flowers for inherited disease. Autoimmune people are more self- aware and draw inward. They are less likely to be total extroverts, who welcome approval from other sources than themselves. Autoimmunity is a sensitivity of its own origin. These patients experience a pattern that responds to Reduce Stress blend. I also use Reduce Stress for birth trauma, Post traumatic Stress, abuse, rape, irritable bowel, interstitial cystitis, Crohn’s, high blood pressure, allergy and high cortisol levels. When patients enter a hospital, we also treat many unrelated issues.
Patient caretakers experience mental- emotional stress that can lead to burn out, chronic illness and drug abuse. Therefore, Reduce Stress is a part of everyday routine for many of us. We keep a separate storage space for Patient and Therapists. For patients not receiving chemotherapy, we often apply essences to the medial side of the wrist, close to the little finger. These are heart points in acupuncture causing a sense of peace and tranquility and outreach to others.
After certain procedures, we use Recovery blend to include pre and post symptoms. An example is stroke. We apply the blend before and after treatments to recover speech, swallow and limb movement. Stroke patients recover more quickly and completely when choosing to wear the blends. If a patient is chemically sensitive, damage to the hypothalamus increases smell 25x. We use the bottom of the feet to apply Petites because several have a light scent. Recovery can be used with any illness.
Proper sleep is another challenge with patient care. Physical trauma, weakness, pain, stress, anxiety, excess or fearful dreaming, improper diet and trying to recuperate in unfamiliar surroundings contribute to sleepless nights. Patients don’t recuperate as quickly when given sleep medication. The side effects are grogginess and dependency. Doctors and patients agree that less pharmaceutical medicine is the best medicine for sleep. Deep Sleep is a blend of calming aromatic herbal flowers and antique roses that carry a natural scent developed over 60,000 years. These flowers are blended at the same time in a glass container and distilled for purity under low heat. It takes all day to complete. Deep Sleep also tonifies the Heart Shen to balance the psychospiritual element. The head and heart are in a peaceful state.
Deep Sleep is applied to the outside of the earlobe, a deep sleep acupuncture point. Patients feel rested and fall asleep faster without negative side effects. Achieving REM sleep is most effective for patient recovery and longevity. The most long-lasting effects occur over a 3-week period, using Deep Sleep nightly. If patients awaken during the night, I encourage them to apply Deep Sleep again.
During the past 20- year period, I created over 30 therapeutic blends for patient care also used in mainstream practice. I also formulated 16 Children’s blends for tiny bodies with big hearts. Occasionally, I use a Children’s blend for adults, especially Mr. Grumps.
The Children’s blends are used like other Petites. I often prefer to apply a few drops on the bottom of feet. Children enjoy the foot massage. I remember massaging my children’s feet until they grew so tall I couldn’t see the top of their heads. They are all gardeners and landscapers as adults. We all grew Petites together over 40 years.
In my gardens, I spend time with my plants daily. I know their habits and preferences. We compost food scraps into rich soil to nurture them. We save thousands of gallons of rainwater to hydrate them during the hot summers and companion plant natives of like growing habits. There is no time of year I am not in constant touch with my plants. I read, study and write about these plants. They respond to my touch and voice., as naturally as my children. Their pictures are taken yearly, like school pictures of my kids. This and more is all necessary to make potent essences. My plants are like animal guides in Native American culture. My parents were Italian. In their culture, flowers represent our joys and sorrows as one.
I made a promise over 40 years ago to share this knowledge and expertise in caring for others. I call this Healing from the Heart. The Petites offer an invitation to experience life in its fullest.
All true healing comes from the Heart, Judy Griffin
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