I recently spoke by phone with a gentleman who attended a series of my pets workshops in the Bay Area. As it turns out, Dr. Johnson didn’t have pets of his own and said he came to the classes for other reasons: to find an essence to help him deal with diabetes-related kidney problems.

A practicing psychiatrist in a maximum-security prison, he offered the following insights about our Date Essence (for tender sweetness):

“Nothing in this world could have kept me from grabbing that granola bar in my kitchen cupboard. I started on your Date Essence, and it’s still sitting there. I have no desire for it. To go 24 hours with no sweets: come on! Diabetics have a fierce sweet craving that seems unstoppable–like, no way, the bull’s loose and won’t stop.

“I think a lot of diabetics could benefit from using Date Essence. I never noticed the commonality before (of personality profile). There’s something about the diabetic personality that’s straightforward, and too much so, without the sweetness—like, bam, they just come right at you!

“You have to be a wounded healer to be good at what you do, standing on both sides of the window. As a psychiatrist, I’ve never heard any talk about the diabetic personality.

“This insight is good stuff. I can think of family members and friends with diabetes who are pretty much right to the point in their judgments and the way they come at people—maybe too direct—and I can see that they don’t know how to escape from their behavior.

“This was the last thing I would think about. Ms. Devi, you’ve got a tiger by the tail here. You have your hands on something very powerful.”

One of our more popular essences is Grape, for love and devotion. People often respond to flower essences by developing greater awareness, which leads them to fresh insights, more clear understandings, and a deeper commitment to changing old habit patterns that no longer serve them.

Here’s a recent testimonial from a user of the essence of Vitis viniera.

Cynthia writes:

My Grape Essence nearly knocked me out—though I had a deep massage late afternoon. I haven’t been laid up that that in years! I had some amazing breakthroughs on the Grape—much more about self-love and mistaken patterns of “loving ‘til it hurts”—if you know what I mean.

So I can really understand when you said: “Some flower essence companies might call this a cleansing. I have come to understand it as a greater awareness of what’s been happening in your consciousness until the present time, giving you the opportunity to make better choices in how I you your energy from this point forward. Does that make sense?”

Yes, this makes total sense. Your consultation came at a perfect time for me – adding just what I needed to a 2+ month process I have been going through. The essences are allowing me to confront and then lock in new habits and a new paradigm that I have long been wanting to own. So again, thank you!

This morning, I received an unusual question by email that has an equally unusual answer. One of our Home Study Course students from Japan writes (and I’ve left her comments unedited):

Asako’s Letter

Dear Ms. Lila Devi,

Here is my questions on Banana Essence. Is there any relation between Banana and ears?

When I gave Banana Essence to a client, she commented that she felt warm on the back side of her ears.

I also felt that the deep part of my ears opened when I took Banana.

I have been taking Banana, it seems that my hearing has been going, especially my husband’s voice seems not reach me. (It is simply clear that I do not want to listen to him.) Is there any relation between Banana and hearing problem?

Before I was going to meet a friend of mine one day, I was able to guess that she would need Banana.

I checked that with pendulum and the answer was Banana. And when I met her, she didn’t think of any stress, but she said she became defective hearing all of sudden.

Is there any relation between Banana and ears?

Thank you,
Asako

My Response

Hello, Asako,

How are you? I am very happy to hear from you. This is a fascinating question, and the answer is, yes!

The opposite of humility is the presence of the ego, and this is nothing to be ashamed about because practically everyone but the Buddha and saints do have egos.

With the ego comes more of an interest in one’s own voice than the voice of others. We all have at least some of this quality and are working through it as best we can.

That is why in The Essential Flower Essence Handbook, I explain that Banana Essence helps us to listen to others and to hear what they have to say.

Banana is for self-forgetfulness and self-honesty. The fact that you can ask these wonderful questions means that you most certainly have many of the positive Banana qualities and I think can “hear” the answer. Congratulations!

So in one sense, it is indeed the case that Banana Essence can possibly help with the metaphysical cause of ear problems, just as Coconut Essence can help us to feel taller. That essence being for upliftment, symbolically and spiritually, can be interpreted in physical terms as well.

I hope this response is helpful, Asako, and thank you for writing.

Kindest regards,
Lila Devi
SiNE Founder

At our recent July 4^th celebrations, one of the children’s games was the ever-popular “Tug of War.” This year, it was renamed, “Tug of Peace.” How perfectly that describes Pear Essence. Pear gives our life force that slight reminder-tug to accept harmoniously the tests that life inevitably brings to us, without reservation or resistance.

Peace of mind is the quality most needed to dissolve any resistance to our challenges— especially those we’d rather avoid. We could even say that resistance is a major cause of human suffering. Resistance is the use of our human will to thwart, rather than embrace, our trials.

“I’m losing my job.” “My marriage ended.” “I didn’t get the grades I wanted.” These are simply statements of fact. In the positive state of Pear Flower Essence, they could mean, respectively: “Oh, there must be something else I’m supposed to be doing.” “It would be great to be single now.” Or, “I can do better on my next exam if I study more and really apply myself.” These attitudes all reflect the positive state of Pear Essence: inner peace.

Pear is also our emergency essence. Countless testimonials (and I might add my own to the list!) have reiterated that the quality most needed in crisis situations is peace of mind. Perhaps this is why animals deal so well with crisis. Animals live in the moment; if that moment is filled with difficulty, they simply deal with it. And they respond, in most cases, beautifully and instantly, to Pear Essence.

The next time a crisis presents itself, you too might want to consider, as the song says: give peace a chance.

It’s blackberry season in the Sierra Nevada Foothills. The rural areas have exploded with berries of all shades from red to a dark purple-blue, where once their white and lavender blossoms grew. I can remember as a child being taught that it’s the ripe ones that pop off when you give them a gentle pull. Those are the sweetest, and worth risking the foreboding thorns of their bushes.

Just yesterday we received a call from a man who wanted to order some essences for his mother. Aged and still living at home with her husband, her behavior had gotten progressively more difficult to deal with, and the son was contemplating a nursing home for both parents. Flower essences were his last resort.

Yes, Peach Essence would be good, (also see blog post on Peach), to help her express the purity of a mother’s love, rather than trying to manipulate the situation in her favor. Date Essence would be another helpful suggestion, to restore her innate sweetness and to lessen, or remove altogether, any irritability or crankiness.

And then there is Blackberry Essence, to help free her from any thoughts that do not express her highest nature. Unpleasant attitudes such as pessimism, negativity and a carping spirit can be eliminated from our thoughts and behaviors with the support of this essence.

Some years back while teaching in England, I was fortunate enough to have some spare time for site-seeing. I visited the site where the Battle of Hastings took place-a war fought between King Harold II of England and Duke William of Normandy on that fateful day, the 14th October, 1066-a date that changed the course of British history.

Since this isn’t a history dissertation, I’ll get to the point. The land was covered with blackberry bushes. They grew on the plains and near the remaining ruins. Surely it was a bloody battle, owing to what we would now consider the primitive weaponry and armor of the Saxons and Normans: helmets, swords, spears, battleaxe heads, shields, and chainmail.

Considering the fierceness and brevity of the battle, one would think that an air of pandemonium and slaughter might linger on to this day. What surprised me was the clean energy of the land. I couldn’t help but think that the vibratory message of the little blackberry was responsible in part. The land felt settled, purified, and washed free of any lingering trauma.

It was a special visit to a special place with an important lesson about energy. I still have my Bayeux Tapestry t-shirt from the museum and gift shop that I bought as a memento of this trip and, when I wear it, I am reminded of the blackberries.

To develop a good memory, concentrate wholly on anything you do.

An avid fan of Avocado Essence, one of our customers who is already strong in the qualities of this remedy, writes:

“I can focus, especially on a project or a question. Also, by the way, it has occurred to me that one reason I did well in school was not because I am particularly intelligent, but because I loved taking tests!”

She also admits that she “loves being a student.” The Avocado buff’s joy in learning and challenging the mind is a strong indication of the presence of this essence within our own consciousness.

Avocado Essence is perfect for children of all ages before taking exams–it helps to make learning fun and removes the element of drudgery: “Mom, do I have to study?”

For pets and animals, this essence is wonderfully supportive for their training, especially for those pets who need to pay attention to the task at hand while in the presence of distractions, such as other animals or activities. It also helps animals who have received conflicting training in previous homes.

You could say that the need for Avocado Essence is expressed, basically, as a weak memory, which is caused by 2 things—lack of concentration; and the mental blocks people raise in rejection against some of life’s experiences.

As you use this essence, think of the softness of rich, ripe, green avocados. Their softness poses no hardness of challenge in the chewing. Affirm that you, too, pose no mental obstacles to life’s experiences.

Unselfishness, in today’s culture, is a somewhat misunderstood quality. People often tend to think they should meet their own needs first and then give what’s left of themselves, if anything, to others.

Peach Essence says exactly the opposite—when your first concern is for the welfare of others, you’ll find that your own energy expands. Likely as not, you’ll have more “pep in your step” after caring for others than you ever could have dreamed of!

This “peachy” tree is said to originate in China. Blossoming in the early spring in clusters of delicate pink flowers, it produces a gentle-tasting, soft-skinned fruit. Peach trees are sensitive to frost, much as the quality of unselfishness is resistant to contractive energies.

There is a saying, “the instrument is blessed by what flows through it.” Studies on prayer, in fact, demonstrate this point—that the person who is praying receives more benefits than the person being prayed for. This illustrates perfectly how Peach Essence works.

Recently, I had the good fortune to meet Joseph, a fine example of a person who is strong in the qualities of this essence. A self-employed car mechanic specializing in VWs for nearly 40 years, he said, rather matter-of-factly, that people give him cars as gifts—good ones, in good condition. Why? Because he’s such a giving person, and people respond to his gentle magnetism.

“Some people have a hard time receiving,” he said, “but not me. The energy I put out always comes back tenfold.” Joseph says he prefers to undercharge his customers—not due to a lack of self-worth (helped by Pineapple Essence), or an inability to set proper boundaries (strengthened by Strawberry Essence), but as a service to others.

Joseph says he’s very close to his daughter, now an adult, and that she calls him on the phone to talk. Demonstrating Peach as the “mothering essence,” he sees his role with her as both a father and a mother.

When I asked Joseph if I could profile him in this post, he replied in Peach-like fashion, “Sure. However you feel it best serves. It’s good to put other people first.”

What fruit can remove tooth stains, soothe sunburns, and lighten freckles?

The answer: strawberry.

What flower essence will help you to magnetize the relationship you want to have in your life; to stay centered in all circumstances; and to draw the respect from others that you feel you deserve? If you guessed Strawberry Essence, you’re right.

Of course, this all sounds too good to be true—which is also when Strawberry is useful. If we don’t believe we deserve a life that good, it’s time for this essence.

Dignity is the keyword for Strawberry Essence. Just as the strawberry plant grows low to the ground and sends out horizontal runners and sprouts pristine white-petaled flowers, this essence embodies a strong sense of grounding, surefootedness, grace, and beauty. When we live in that inner center, we are in tune with the energetic message of this essence.

One Case Study

Also good for setting healthy boundaries and preventing a negative transference of energy between client and practitioner, Strawberry helps us define ourselves in the highest possible sense of who we are. It gives a strong sense of responsibility, dependability, and presence.

A craniosacral therapist with a practice in Richmond, Virginia, recently gave Strawberry Essence to one of her clients. She wrote:

“I worked with a pregnant woman who came to me because of back pain. In talking with her, however, it became apparent that her greatest pain was a loss of self-worth. She was very beautiful, and had been model-thin before getting pregnant. Now she was gaining weight, and could see two ‘ugly red lines’ across her belly. It was devastating for her.

“I worked with her back pain, and also sent her home with a belly salve that included 4 drops of Strawberry Essence. The next time we met, she reported that there were no new stretch marks appearing. In fact, the two original ones were starting to fade away. ‘The funny thing is,’ she said, ’I stopped minding them a few days after I saw you.’”

The therapist said that, from then on, her client “arrived for her sessions in beautiful maternity outfits that showed off her belly as the amazing creation that it was.” This is a very “Strawberry” testimonial.

This essence is also an excellent remedy for separation caused by divorce—for the spouse who is left, for children in divorced homes who experience a rift in their world, and also for animals.

Strawberry Essence for Our Pets

One holistic practitioner gave Strawberry Essence to her friend’s dog in a divorced home. The beagle had been very close to the husband. After the couple separated, the dog began chewing the furniture and curtains and generally misbehaving.

So far, there has been some improvement and he has calmed down. “At least he is no longer howling at the top of the stairs near the front door,” she said.

Strawberry Essence is also useful in multiple pet homes with so many different energies to mesh with, where a pet in a domesticated lifestyle environment can’t internally find his sense of grounding and placement.

And when it is time for an animal’s passing, Strawberry Essence can allow him to “die with dignity,” especially if there has been a prolonged illness with a loss of independence, mobility, or self-care. Animals in domesticated lifestyles often outlive their natural lifespan by many years.

Strawberry helps to restore the sense of dignity that animals exhibit so majestically in their natural habitat. In our homes and in our care, they deserve the best we can give to them.

More Strawberry Information

These are but a few more Strawberry tidbits. You may want to refer for further reading to The Essential Flower Essence Handbook, with 10 pages on this essence, the book Flower Essences for Animals, and more about holistic pet health care.