Dr.
Marina Angeli is a psychiatrist in private practice in Athens,
Greece. Her psychotherapeutic background is in Family Therapy
- the Systemic Approach. She is a graduate of the Flower
Essence Society Practitioner Training
and Certification Program.
In 1985 she was introduced to homeopathy,
and was amazed to see the tremendously important therapeutic
effect this energy healing method was able to have on the
personality, while treating the physical body at the same
time. Dr. Angeli became interested in alternative therapies
and also became aware of the unique healing potential of
the various forms of spiritual practices.
By 1988 she had discovered Bach Flower Therapy,
and found in this healing method an ideal means for use with
psychotherapy and personal transformation processes. Since
then she has not ceased working and experimenting with a
wide range of flower essences, both in her personal and professional
practice. Besides classical psychotherapy, she often combines
work with essences with other modalities such as homeopathy
and hypnosis, and makes use of the research findings regarding
the psychosomatic profile of illnesses.
According to Dr. Angeli, there are many
practitioners using flower essences in Greece, but they are "mostly
from the non-medical field of various sorts of healing, such
as aromatherapists, reflexologists and such. There are many
good homeopaths and acupuncturists, but not many physicians
who use flower essences as part of their work yet--and definitely
no psychologists and no social workers."
"I consider flower and other essences
as the greatest gift given to humanity to aid in the work
of soul treatment and spiritual development," Dr. Angeli
says. "Never before has the treatment of emotional pain,
personality improvement and transformation been attainable
to such an extent and so easily available to everyone. Especially
in fields involving working with people, such as teachers,
therapists etc, flower essences are a real treasure--which
I hope will soon become acknowledged and utilized to the
benefit of many."
As an example, Dr. Angeli cited the case
of "SG," a 48-year-old high school teacher, who
was having difficulty assuming the leading role with her
students in class. SG's students were showing extreme disrespect
towards her, and were totally lacking discipline in the classroom.
By matching SG's symptoms with the description
of the flower essence from the Flower Essence Repertory,
Dr. Angeli chose Larkspur. "I instructed SG to take
7 drops from a 30ml (1 oz) stock bottle four times a day,
for a month. Then she continued for one more month to stabilize
the effect. No other treatment was used."
SG knew she was going to take a flower essence
which was meant to help her with the classroom difficulties,
but nothing more specific. "It was interesting how the
therapy resulted with the desire to express her creative
potential--which was apparently inhibited by her misconceptions
of being an authority figure in the class," Dr. Angeli
noted.
A month after taking Larkspur, SG reported
she felt "stronger and more firm at school. I suddenly
felt that I, too, wanted to lead--not in order to dominate
and to suppress anybody, but in order to give the gifts that
I have. I wanted to offer what exists within me as potential,
and to make this potential useful for others."
At the same time SG discovered that her
inability to fulfill her class duties was a result of her
subconscious rejection of assuming a leading role. "She
used to view this role as something which inevitably dominates
and suppresses others," Dr. Angeli said, "confusing
the use of authority with abuse."
SG also reported that after taking Larkspur
she and her school colleagues started planning a dinner. "To
my surprise, they chose me to 'take them out', to organize
the evening! I don't understand why they chose me..."
Dr. Angeli has seen the benefits of Larkspur
in many other clients who were called to undertake leading
positions in their work. For example, there is the case of "RA," a
43-year-old healer.
"I wanted to report this case, because
of the clarity with which RA described the inner experience
with this beautiful essence," Dr. Angeli said. "RA
is considered a good healer, and her work was gaining increasing
respect in both alternative and allopathic circles. Consequently,
she started to get invitations to teach classes in some healing
centres which offered workshops on various topics."
RA responded as long as they did not look "very
official." But then came an invitation from a healing
school led by a well known physician, affiliated with university
faculties in Italy, and RA felt "uneasy." In RA's
perception, the offer appeared to be "too much, too
great a responsibility, too high a goal."
"I can't say I don't think I can't do it" RA
confided, "but it is just the image I've always had about
such things...something I very much respect.. On one hand
I am glad, because I feel my work is being recognized, and
I love the idea of becoming so effectively utilized. But
on the other hand, it just makes me feel upset, almost dizzy!"
RA told Dr. Angeli she would probably not
allow herself to refuse the offer, but wondered if she could
find enough energy to tolerate and overcome the feelings
of uneasiness, dizziness and feeling upset.
"I was discovering the Larkspur properties
at the time," Dr. Angeli said, "so I suggested
RA try it. I administered the Larkspur the same way I had
with SG--about 7 drops of the essence from the stock bottle,
at least four times a day, placed on the tongue or dilluted
in water or beverage, if prederred."
Only a few days later RA reported: "It feels
like magic, and the whole concept around this issue in me
has changed. I suddenly saw it as just a matter of certain
things to be done, and nothing more than that. I asked myself:
'Is it something you are able to undertake?' And the answer
was a natural 'yes, this is what I have been doing already,
although in a different context.'
Suddenly the whole issue of teaching in
that school looked simple! To be exact, it became demystified
and appeared as it really was. It was my mind that was making
it look 'too special' and consequently 'almost unapproachable.'
Before taking the Larkspur, I perceived this job as being
'way up there' with myself 'down here.' I felt I was being
called to make the climb 'up there,' which was exciting and
frightening at the same time. I became the victim of my own
self-aggrandizement. There was a fascination in looking at
the job as something so special--but the fascination would
last only for a minute. Then it became a trap, for I did
not find myself equal to it!
Larkspur took the element of 'WOW' away,
allowing me to look at the matter at hand in a practical
way. Now I just see a task in front of me and I simply consider
if I can do it and how to go about it. My mind concentrates
on the work itself, not on the 'role' I was thinking I would
have to play, for it is not who I am."
Another illustrative case concerning Larkspur
is that of "Mrs. N," age 53. Mrs. N is a very dynamic,
ambitious and competent woman, married and mother of two
sons in their late 20s. She has been working all her life--first
as a public servant. After taking an early retirement she
became an assistant in family psychotherapy groups, after
years of participation in psychotherapeutic and educational
programs.
"A year ago Mrs. N came seeking flower
essence help for her mother," Dr. Angeli recalled. "Soon
she became interested in flower essences for herself. We
began individual sessions in which we talked about her life
issues and chose essences accordingly, so that a process
unfolded. At the time Mrs. N was participating in the work
of a famous woman family therapist in Athens; Mrs. N was
a personal friend and assistant of hers."
According to Dr. Angeli, the more Mrs. N
seemed to progress in her ability to undertake responsibilities
in this job, the more she found herself in trouble. She found
herself quarrelling with the therapist, who complained that
Mrs. N was trying to "impose her own guidelines in the
work." At the same time, Mrs. N was furious with the
therapist, believing she was "bossy, trying to rule
everybody and everything, and not allowing her to have a
'free hand' at work."
"During our sessions together, it finally
became obvious what was actually happening," Dr. Angeli
said. "Mrs. N, although very much wanting to express
herself and 'do her own thing' at work, nevertheless feared
assuming a leadership role, and tried to 'hide' behind the
other woman. When this happened, Mrs. N was disatisfied with
the result. She believed herself unjustly treated, and felt
that her work was being 'stolen' by the therapist."
Mrs. N acknowledged her anger for the therapist
was due to her own reluctance to project herself and her
work in an independent way. "She intimated to me that
she had been doing this her whole life--always competent
and hard working, but never bringing things to a final accomplishment.
Mrs. N always stopped one step short of the goal. She was
The Eternal Student. Based on this picture, Larkspur essence
was chosen."
Results appeared in about two weeks, although
Mrs. N continued to take the esssence for 2-3 months to stabilize.
No other modalities were used in this case.
When Mrs. N came a month later she reported
to Dr. Angeli: "I did very well. I suddenly decided to take
those exams for becoming a Yoga teacher (she had not mentioned
that issue to me before). In the past I had refused to take
those exams because exams make me very anxious!!
But now I discovered the idea was not producing
anxiety in me. I said 'let's go to finish it'. I was having
fun with these exams. I did it for myself. I had been feeling
the exams were something too 'high up' for me. Now I relaxed,
but at the same time I was feeling a bit strange, thinking
that I had been in that situation (at the level of the final
exams) already for 3 years now."
In another session Mrs. N reported she was
also doing much better with her husband, with whom she also
had been in conflict. She believed he was trying to keep
her at home and prevent her professional progress. "He
is now supporting me and encouraging me to be active! I realize
now that I had been projecting a lot onto him."
Dr. Angeli said Mrs. N accepted work with
a medical doctor who works with bioenergy--and with whom
she had established a pattern similar to the one while working
with the family therapist. Mrs. N again was a client and
an assistant at the same time, but distancing herself whenever
she was invited to cooperate on an equal basis, as a specialized
professional.
"I realized I was projecting a lot
onto him as well, him being an authority figure," Mrs.
N admitted. "We started collaborating. I decided to
work on a doctorate. Every day is a revelation to me. I feel
that only now I am growing up."
Mrs. N has a private practice now, is very
busy and accomplishing her goals.
Dr. Angeli shared this compelling case involving
Mullein:
"I have known 'DR', now age 46, since
the end of 1996, when she first came to me with heavy neurotic
symptoms," Dr. Angeli remembered. "For the 3 1/2
years that followed, she has taken flower essences regularly
in the course of psychotherapy, and has seen positive changes
in her life in many areas. DR is one of the people I know
who is most enthusiastic about flower essences, and she often
says how grateful she feels to the people who work on discovering
them."
Recently, DR felt she finally wanted to
get married. As her circle of friends did not seem big enough
to allow her possibilities to get to know other people, she
was going to attempt to find a husband with the aid of a
match-making office. Dr. Angeli welcomed the idea and assured
DR she would assist the process.
"DR has been what one would call a
person of spiritual interests," Dr. Angeli said. "For
many years she has been spending most of her time--and money--doing
seminars and courses on self-development. She goes to church
and confesses to a priest regularly."
DR was angry with her mother for having
been "rude and unfair to her, as well as to the people
of their community in the island where she comes from," in
the past. The mother had "trapped" the father into
marriage when she was young, and had always treated her daughter
in a way which she felt was "humiliating and harmful
to her dignity."
According to Dr. Angeli, DR is sensitive
and perceptive of people's qualities. "You can imagine
my surprise then, when I learned her requirements for the
future husband--she did not seem interested in what kind
of a person he might be, but was focused entirely on finding
someone who would pay for some of her expenses. When I expressed
surprise about this, DR stated: Men are no use doc! I don't
need communication. For communication I have my seminars
and my friends. But if he pays for the electricity, food,
and the rest of my everyday life expenses, I can save all
my salary to pay off my apartment, and even have a little
left for my personal interests and maybe also a little comfort.'
I did not know what to say!
I tried to discuss the issue with her but
she would not listen. Soon Mullein came to my mind, but I
hesitated before deciding to put it in the 30ml bottle. I
had used this essence once before in the case of a psychopath
with a remarkable result. But that client had been a psychopath--a
person consciously cheating and exploiting others; someone
for whom the inability to function honestly was the diagnosed
illness. DR's case was one of a person with quite a high
a level of awareness, generally very honest and sincere."
This case posed crucial questions regarding
essence selection for Dr. Angeli. Did DR require help for
this issue or was she supposed to work it out via her consciousness
alone? Dr. Angeli did not know how to approach this encapsulated
fragment of DR's personality, which had suddenly surfaced.
Was this really an indication for Mullein? Is lack of dignity
in one's choices a matter Mullein could address in this case?
At this time DR was also taking White Chestnut,
Impatiens, Cherry Plum and Borage, for other issues. She
had been taking these essences for several weeks before Mullein
was added to the combination.
"I had DR take 7 drops orally 4 times
a day, diluted in a 30ml bottle preserved in brandy," Dr.
Angeli reported. "No other modalities were used, not
even discussion or any kind of confrontation. As I said,
it was impossible to even touch this whole issue before the
use of Mullein. Also, although DR always asks information
about the essences she takes in order to assist the process
by her efforts and to watch the changes, this time I had
felt uncomfortable to speak about Mullein to her, for the
fear of hurting her or make her feel embarrassed."
When a few days after starting the Mullein
essence, she started reporting her insights and conclusions,
it again took me a while to believe my ears : "During
these days, I decided that I must solve my problem (her present
financial difficulties) by myself, and only after that, to
look for a man(!). I said myself, (she burst out in and angry
voice as she was speaking to herself): "...Try to live with
some dignity at last, some inner dignity...". She went
on with this amazing statement: "I will sell the apartment
to pay off my debts, while at the same time I will be living
in peace."
DR mentioned that an old, close friend of
hers told her, "For all the years that I've known you, this
is the first time I hear you speaking honestly about yourself."
One week later: "For the first time
in my life I feel accepting my hidden negativity. I realized
that in my life I met very good men, who loved me! But, the
negative presumptions that I had inside of me I was projecting
onto them! It was impossible then to get happy. These days,
I had an insight: although I always believed that I've had
no luck in my life, this was not so. Men did not treat me
so bad, it was me who behaved crude to them. I saw them as
money, as pieces of paper money. Besides, I was domineering
in my behavior towards them. Who would have tolerated such
a behavior?"
Over the last years, she has had many insights
about what in her poor self image and feelings of inadequacy
had caused difficulties in her relationships with men, but
this was the first time she admitted that she, too, had responsibility
in terms of a bad behavior towards them.
interviewed
by Thomas Dillon
New Lotus Flower Essence cases from Dr. Angeli
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