Everyone's heard the expression "stop and smell the roses..." but what about tasting them? AMMA co-founder Emily spoke with Ameya Cohen, expert herbalist and flower essence therapist (as well as inspirational speaker, author, and feminine embodiment mentor) all about flower essences and their role in healing.

What Are Flower Essences?

Flower essences fall under the umbrella of plant medicine; unlike essential oils they do not have a smell and are intended to be ingested in order to be beneficial. Because they work on a vibrational level, they are completely safe for everyone (including children and pets) to consume. Flower essences are specifically for emotional healing, although you will likely experience a physical healing as well since wellness is holistic and interconnected. 

The Trifecta: Irritability, Overwhelm, Anxiety

We've all been there (some of us are probably there right now)...women in particular struggle with this "trifecta" of depleting emotional states, and we need to stop normalizing them. Though healing is a process, Ameya recommends the following essences to begin your journey and says that within 1-2 days you will start to notice changes in your emotional well-being.

Irritability → stems from a lack of creating powerful boundaries for ourselves

• Remedy: motherwort (redirects mothering energy inward), buttercup (aids in strengthening self-worth)

Overwhelm → indicates needs that aren’t being met

• Remedy: elm tree (grounding), lemon balm (quiets the mind), lavender (relaxes the system)

Anxiety → especially right now, mental health issues can be exacerbated

• Remedy → red cedar (promotes feeling of safety), angelica (provides balance to the soul and anchoring to physical world)

Other common areas of imbalance include people-pleasing (try white hyssop to alleviate guilt and Queen Anne’s Lace to resurrect your queenly self) and empathetic reactivity (yarrow helps you delineate other people’s trauma/wounds/beliefs from your own). Whatever areas of imbalance you are hoping to address, Ameya recommends a standard dosage of 3 drops of essence 3 times a day...flower essences actually work better when they are more dilute, so less is definitely more here. Be consistent and you will see major change!

Additional Resources

Woman Rising Mystery School → check out Ameya’s programs and trainings and browse her free resources (including an amazing guided meditation!)

Gaia’s Wisdom → learn more about each flower essence and shop for what you need