Hi Spirit-in-Nature,

I wanted to write and tell you about my Pineapple experience. I originally ordered the Orange Essence but felt nothing.

Then I was reading about all the other essences you offered and Pineapple fit the perfect description of the emotional difficulties I have been dealing with for years. When I first received the package, I immediately took a few drops and got a boost in energy and clarity. I have never experienced that with a flower essence, since their energy is so subtle. Then my boyfriend broke up with me within 10 minutes of taking the essence. Pineapple helped me cope and has given me the strength to feel more confident, regardless of the sorrowful experience.

I was led to your website originally because I wanted to take Cherry Essence, being I am madly in love with the blooms. Since I didn’t have any results from the Orange, and they seem very similar, I am wondering if you have any insight if I were to order the Cherry. I am working on opening my heart chakra and I am thinking that’s another reason why I am so in love with the cherry blossom. But I don’t want to make another purchase that may not have any effect on me since I felt the Orange Essence would work but didn’t, or maybe the Orange is working but I don’t feel the immediate change.

In Gratitude,

Grace

Lila’s Response

Hi, Grace,

Thank you for taking the time to write. We’re glad to hear from you. You never know; what seems like the “wrong” order might be just the thing. There are several possible reasons why you felt nothing with Orange Essence. You mentioned one possible reason yourself, about the Orange maybe working but in ways that were too subtle to feel. I’d ask as a follow-up how long you took the essence; sometimes it does take a week, even two, which really isn’t very long. Sometimes the benefits are so natural that we tend to not see them; all we know is that life seems to be going better. And of course there’s the obvious possibility that it may simply not be the best essence at the best time for you, and might work better at a later date when you are more in sync with its vibrational message.

Your next question about whether you should purchase Cherry Essence: to be completely honest and fair, you are probably the best judge of that. While I can elaborate on the many properties of this essence, I cannot say how your own energy will respond to it, embrace it, and interact with it. The key is your “in-love-ness” with Cherry! It sounds like a part of you is drawn to it because you “just know” that it’s right for you. See what you think, especially since Cherry isn’t typically an essence for issues of the heart directly, but that is your understanding of, and relationship with, it. And yes, the blossoms are mesmerizing right now, aren’t they?

Let me know what you decide! I’ll be curious to hear how this story ends, and I’m glad we’re keeping in touch.

In perfect well-being,

Lila Devi

SiNE Founder/Author

Here’s my answer:

“You might want to read our Avocado Essence chapter,  followed by Corn Essence:

Avocado, interestingly, for good memory, though in your case for the sense of remembering what you already know to move your life forward, with the understanding that we already have the answers to our questions.

And then Corn Essence, for “saying yes to life” and for new beginnings and the burst of forward-moving energy to make things happen.

Hope this helps. Please let me know your response. And saying the corresponding affirmations when you take the essences is a great support!

In perfectly motivated well-being,

Lila Devi
SiNE Founder

Here’s what happened to Jan:

“I got addicted to online romance, I just can’t shut my phone off. It’s disrupting my life in a big way. I’m not eating or sleeping right. It’s strange that I’ve let this overtake my life. Meanwhile, the thought came that I’ve finally found my knight in shining armor!

“I really look forward to his messages. In fact, I missed them one night and got very depressed. I think I’m getting emotionally addicted to this guy and feel like I’m losing control of my boundaries. Do you have a flower essence program that can help me?”

Jan and I discussed a simple, straightforward program, supported by repeating the accompanying affirmations to energize the flower essences: The first is Apple Essence for 1 week, for peaceful clarity, and to clear the air, so to speak. Next is Tomato Essence, again for 1 week, as this is an essence for developing empowerment, strength and courage, and most of all for building one’s will power.

The last essence in Jan’s program is Almond Essence, also for 1 week. While Tomato helps us to build the courage of our convictions, Almond is for the ability to live according to our moral beliefs; what we think is right, how we want to use our energy, and how to live with moderate, not  excessive, life habits.

I’ll let you know the outcome when Jan responds.

Happy Valentine’s Day,
Lila
Spirit-in-Nature Essences Founder

Hi, I have several of the vegetable essences and was wondering if any essence in your collection would work with reducing / eliminating the symptoms of my son’s ADHD.

Thanks!
Kathy

Hi, Kathy,

And thanks for writing. I’m very sorry to be responding so late. Your letter arrived the day I left for a business trip to Italy and I’ve been slowly but surely recovering from jet lag and getting my feet back on the ground.

First of all, it’s important to clarify that flower essences do not directly treat physical symptoms but rather work directly on the life force.

Also, I’d like to share a personal story with you. At a Halloween party last year, I had the delightful job description of offering “fake” palm readings in a special booth for the children. In preparation, I’d familiarized myself with a basic understanding of the different lines and markings on the hands, and said to one girl as I studied her palm, “Ah, I see by your head line that you have a brilliant mind.” The girl looked at me intently, with great intelligence, and said, “I have ADHD.” “Perhaps,” I replied, “but you do have a brilliant mind.” It’s helpful to keep in mind that these children are indeed very intelligent! And, as the saying goes, that their glass is more than half full rather than half empty.

You mentioned vegetable essences, and we do have 5 in our line of 20 flower essences. Among the vegetable essences, to answer your question, Lettuce Essence can be very helpful as well as Spinach Essence, the first for calmness and working to bring scattered energy to a place of center and focus, and Spinach, for the simplicity associated with childhood and that carefree state where the mind is more at rest.

It’s helpful, according to our research to take flower essence singly, for 2 weeks each instead of in a combination formula, for better and quicker results in most cases. Also, Almond Essence is very good for helping to moderate one’s energies, and Pear Essence is an excellent “first essence.” It has a peace-of-mind quality that can also help to sensitize your child to other essences in his flower essence program, much like settling the sediment in a pond to highlight the clarity and brilliance of the waters. (Please see our new Free Consultation page where Pear Essence is the suggested as the first essence in the program.)

So I hope this is helpful, Kathy.

If this is your child we’re talking about, please give him my best, and let me know how it goes. And of course the first photo of the little guy at the computer is rather young for the subject matter of this post—but his brilliance, and levity, really shine through!

In perfect well-being,
Lila
SiNE Founder

Whilst writing, I thought I might give you some feedback about my current situation and the beautiful experience I’ve had with your essences.

As you no doubt have heard, we are having a rather tumultuous time here in Australia with the recent flooding and, given that the floods were only an hour’s drive away and my daughter and I woke to find part of our garden submerged, I have been somewhat challenged in remaining calm and centered during the crisis. Having had for some time, a gut ‘knowing’ that this was around the corner, plus visions of seeing water surrounding the area where I live, I am forever grateful to you all at Spirit-in-Nature for creating the essences and for the incredible support they give, especially during such times as this!

As I’ve previously mentioned to Lila, when my first order arrived, I immediately sensed that my theme essence was Cherry as I do have this inclination to always look for the positive in the most direst of situations. However, when the flood crisis first began, for some strange reason, I forgot all about taking the essences! I soon found myself falling into the mass fear that was gripping the country. So I prayed for guidance and almost immediately found myself rising above the situation and seeing all the positives that are coming out of it. I also ‘saw’ myself gulping down one of the bottles! I then went to my affirmation cards and asked what I needed to take during this period and, of course, picked out the Cherry card! I can’t help but wonder if I was showing myself what it is like to both ‘not have’ and ‘have’ the essences and how invaluable they (and Nature of course!) are to the world, especially at this time of great change.

It’s so reassuring to know we’re loved and supported by Spirit/Mother Nature, and thank you once again to you all at Spirit-in-Nature Essences for bringing their love to us via these precious essences. It has made me more determined than ever to speak up for Mama Nature and remind everybody of her unconditional love!

With fondest love and gratitude,
Terri Lamerton, Flower Essence Practitioner, Mt. Tangerine, Australia

P.S. From Lila: As mentioned in these earlier posts—Flower Essences for The Affirming Mind and Affirmation Cards: Playing With a Full Deck –you can energize your flower essence results by repeating the corresponding affirmation when you take your essences. You might also like to read the complete online Cherry Essence chapter  in The Essential Flower Essence Handbook.

Greetings, and thank you for your interest in Spirit-in-Nature Essence. I am very pleased to hear from you.

To answer your question, which is a deep one, the essences directly affect the life force, the true healer. The life force absorbs the prana from Nature, distilled through the blossoms of the particular essence, and works with it consciously, both according to its own design and to the receptivity of the person taking the essence. It is helpful to remember, too, that flower essences are vibrational and not biochemical in the way they work.

Because the clarity and functioning of the human mind are so easily interfered with and at times blocked, repeating affirmations when taking the flower essences is a powerful adjunct to energize the vibrational benefits of the essences. Our Affirmation Deck is brimming with the energetic message of each flower essence—through the blossom photo, the corresponding fruit/vegetable photo, the key word, and the affirmation itself.

Our U.K. distributor, Clare Harvey of FlowerSense, says, “They’re fantastic, gorgeous. They really jump out at you and the spirit’s there. That’s what makes the difference.” And from Cynthia Horn, a yoga instructor in Tempe, Arizona: “I’m using the cards every day in my classes; they’re amazing, amazing, amazing.”

I hope this helps, and wish you perfect well-being,

Lila Devi
SiNE Founder

Halloween’s a night for vampires,
Lording over their vast empires.
Waiting to see what fright transpires,
While belfry bats sing off key in choirs.

Halloween’s a time for screaming,
While witches stir their cauldrons steaming.
With eye of gnat and other notions,
There’s lots a’brewing within their potions.

Flower essences you’ll not find–
In the witches brew of all combined.
As to her poison, she’s resigned.
Drat! Where’s Pear for peace of mind?

If, upon this terrible night,
The ghouls give you quite a fright,
And vampires hover for one more bite.
It’s time for Tomato, for fears that alight.

Have some fun with flower essences,
Through childhood and adolescences.
To ward of all these scary presences,
A Happy Halloween. . . from Spirit-in-Nature Essences!

I’ve just returned from a productive, though too short, trip to Italy, where Ananda Assisi—voted one of the best yoga retreats in Europe—and InnerLife, a metaphysical online “cooperative” that has carried SiNE for several decades, and myself are establishing L’Essenze “Spirit-in-Nature” Istituto per Operatore Olistici (The Spirit-in-Nature Essences Institute for Holistic Practitioners).

The Institute—the newly launched European headquarters of Spirit-in-Nature Essences—is a branch of the Ananda Yoga Academy and a department of the Center for Self-Healing.

In these times of economic instability, global conflict, and rampant stress, the Institute offers training for practitioners, health care professionals, therapists, and those new to the healing arts, to help clients and customers find easy, inexpensive, and quick-acting solutions to the difficulties in their daily lives. The Istituto serves as a learning center of higher consciousness, based on: Paramhansa Yogananda’s insights into the psycho-spiritual qualities of the different foods from whose blossoms our essences are made; the rishis (Indian seers) and their ancient wisdom; and Mother Nature, who has given us tools for wellness through flower essences.

I’ll be teaching the inauguration of the first educational and practical Practitioner Certification Training Course, Level I of 3, which begins in June of 2012. Although you may not be able to attend this 5-day professional course, I wanted to mention it and let you know of our expansion abroad. This course will give students a solid, working knowledge of all 20 Spirit-in-Nature Essences and their practical usage for adults, children, pets, and plants.

Featured Content of This Course:

*The relevance of flower essences in today’s world within the context of universal energies.

*The psycho-spiritual interpretations of Spirit-in-Nature Essences, as explained by Paramhansa Yogananda, and the historical origins of these essences.

*Botanical background and the Doctrine of Signatures.

*Learning these flower essences in respect to their positive applications for awakening resonant soul qualities.

*Developing an innate ability to implement Yogananda’s wrist-holding technique for essence assessment.

*Self-evaluation and analysis as tools to effectively work with others.
*The placebo effect, the healing crisis, and prefrontal lobes: How our free will affects our flower essence response.

*Music of divine inspiration and flower essences: their vibrational similarities.

*Flower essences and the relevance of affirmations: utilizing Nature’s points of rest to hasten spiritual evolution.

*Incorporating the concepts of theme and plot essences into an understanding of subtle flows of energy.

*Enhancing and enriching the practitioner/client relationship.

Please send your well-wishes for this new venture and adventure. Even though the trip was brief, there was enough time to enjoy a bit of sightseeing in the hills of Assisi, 2 hours north of Rome, and to give special attention to some of the best gelato, ever, plus an oven-baked pizza or two—though I somehow managed to return home none the fatter!

Arrivederci,
Lila

Hi!

I have loved working with your flower essences and reading the information on your website. In your recent blog post about finishing the whole bottle of an essence that’s working, you mentioned not overusing it. I was wondering if there are some guidelines about overuse. Most flower essences seem to say 4 times or more a day. So, I’m wondering—how much is too much? I’m not sure if you will have a chance to answer my question—but thought I would ask! Thanks again for all the wonderful information you have on your website.

Warmly,
Melanie

Lila’s response

Hi, Melanie,

How are you? As for your great question about how much flower essence is too much, for which we can refer back to the August, 2011 blog post where I wrote: “Yes, of course you may finish the whole bottle! If used properly and not overused, it can last at least 6 weeks.”

To clarify: first of all, this refers to a ½ oz, or 15 ml bottle. The 1 oz, or 30 ml, size will obviously last twice as long.

And this is not an easy answer, to respond to just how much is too much—the reason being, the essences are vibrational, which means that the precise dosage is somewhat open to interpretation. Why? I’ve had clients who say that even 1 drop is enough to help them work through their issues—and not just 1 drop per dosage of 4 times daily, but 1 drop, period. Also, the dosage is the same for adults, teens, and children, and very similar for animals. Unlike with allopathic medications, there is no connection between the number of drops and a person/animal’s body weight.

The important point about essence usage, in most cases, is not the number of drops but rather the number of times per day. Most people need to regularly re-introduce the essence into their aura or energy field, or rather the message of that essence—4 times daily, until they can energetically understand what the essence is communicating to them.

To illustrate by contrast: wasting the essence is what happened years ago when a young boy got hold of a 1-oz Grape Essence and drank the entire bottle! His mother called our office, nearly in hysterics, and enquired if he’d need to be rushed to the hospital to have his stomach pumped. Absolutely not. Not only are there no harmful side effects from this kind of overdosing, but the boy also did not receive too strong a dose of unconditional love! Flower essences possess a great purity, and can help us greatly, and safely, without causing any harm.

So you can see here the full spectrum from under-dosing to overdosing. The correct/standard dosage falls comfortably somewhere in the middle: several drops, several times a day. To refer back to the previous post of August 2011, overusing the bottle means squirting a dropperful into your mouth, per dosage. Only 1 to several drops are needed at a time.

Not to confuse the issue, there can be emergency situations or extenuating circumstances where a person or animal may need a flower essence every 5 minutes. We might say the life force is “grabbing onto” the essence with greater immediacy, which supersedes the regular dosage directions.

So, there you have it. If this response leads to further questions, Melanie, please don’t hesitate to write. And please keep enjoying these amazing essences.

In perfect well-being,

Lila
SiNE Founder

Hi, Lila,

Anyway, all’s well. I believe the Raspberry Essence had an extraordinary if subtle effect. I noticed almost inadvertently that I was feeling remarkably calm and content and good about myself last week. May I keep taking it until it’s gone, and then switch to the Coconut Essence?

I keep meaning to read about all of these essences in your flower essence books.

Thank you,
Theodora

My Response

Dear Theodora,

Here are some thoughts in answer to your question about finishing the rest of the bottle.

Yes, of course you may finish the whole bottle! If used properly and not overused, it can last at least 6 weeks. You may find, though, that you will internalize the qualities of Raspberry Essence awakened in your awareness much sooner than that. It may feel like it is “wearing off,” when in fact this is merely a sign that these qualities have been integrated into your newly awakened self. They will feel so natural, so much a part of you and blended in to your natural state that it may feel like the benefits have either stopped or slowed down. In other words, there’s a lessening of the contrast between who you were before taking the essence, and who you’ve become after.

So again, while you may certainly finish the entire bottle of Raspberry Essence, it might be a good idea to introspect on when you feel you have received and stabilized in its benefits before moving on to the next essence in your program; in this case, Coconut Essence. That time may come sooner than you think!

Another interesting element to your comments is that what we call the “textbook definition” of Raspberry Essence is kindness and compassion, yet you reported feeling calm, contented, and good about yourself—all great qualities, but not the typical definition for this particular essence.

This is a wonderful substantiation of how far-reaching each essence is in its application. Raspberry Essence provided just what you needed when you needed it, supplying other “vibrational vitamins” for you at the same time, such as the calm feeling you reported. Your testimony is also highly supportive of the single-essence approach, for which we are such a strong advocate. In other words, you can take one essence to help develop many fine qualities, instead of a combination formula where the mindset is “one essence for one quality.”

Good luck, and please let me know what happens.

In perfect well-being,
Lila