Benediction oil helps the departing soul to have a peaceful passage to the other side, and also provides a healing transition
for the loved ones on earth.

Editor's note: Elly Van Ekelenburg is an FES certified flower essence therapist who lives in the town of Venray in the Netherlands. Her case report includes three parts. She begins by introducing us to Jasper, a young man with physical disabilities who lived many productive years through the help that flower essences gave to his soul. Then, Elly relates the touching story of Jasper's passing and how the Benediction oil played a special role. The opening Elly experiences from Jasper’s passing, leads to another experience of Benediction oil in her own father’s death.

Part One:
Helping Jasper Live with Purpose and Dignity

Born 21 days late with a difficult labor, Jasper was both mentally and physically disabled. During his first years of life, he endured many surgeries and needed extensive medication. The doctors predicted that Jasper would live no more than four years, yet he managed to stay alive much longer. His spine and lungs were the most vulnerable parts of his body and he spent most of his time in bed or a wheelchair. By eight years of age, Jasper could walk a few steps but with great effort.

Jasper’s mother, Toos, first consulted with me when he was twelve-years old. She knew in her heart that Jasper was able to grow and to do more than doctors and school officials expected. He went to a special school during the day-time and was dependent on doctors and other caretakers who did not recognize his full potential. I felt that this lack of confidence and recognition caused aggressive behavior in Jasper.

The first flower essence formula provided an important starting point for his healing:

Mariposa Lily: to help heal the pain of separation from his mother during his long stays in the hospital since infancy
Shooting Star: to address his difficult birth and to help his body and soul feel at home on earth
Pink Yarrow: to help Jasper’s vulnerability and tendency to merge with his social environment, by providing more consolidation in his emotional field and a clearer sense of his own feelings
Impatiens: to help Jasper transform aggressive feelings towards himself and others

Jasper continued to receive flower essence formulas from me. Some other important essences in his early recovery period included:

Manzanita: to help him learn to accept his body
Wild Oat: to help him find his unique life direction and purpose for being on earth
California Wild Rose: to help him find joy and pleasure in life despite all the difficult challenges
Rosemary: to give him the warmth of Mother Earth in his body, so that he could live as long as possible

During our time of working together, Jasper affectionately called me his Flower-Lady .
The flower essences helped him to communicate with me at the level of his soul. Many times he told others in his circle, who had challenges, also, to call his Flower-Lady for help. This was very touching to me.

After stabilizing Jasper’s core emotional condition, he was ready to learn to read and write. Despite the low expectations of his schoolteachers, we proceeded. The flower essences used during this period were:

Bush Fuchsia: to assist the processing and integration of mental information, while learning to read and write
Impatiens: to ease frustration and encourage inner control during the challenging process of learning
Golden Ear Drops: to cleanse emotional memories and images from childhood when others told him he never would be able to read and write
Vine: to give a positive focus to his strong will which could not find the normal expression
Borage: to keep a light heart that was not weighed down with challenges before him

After several months, Jasper asked for a piece of paper and a pen. Jasper wrote his own name. He had kept his newfound skill as a special surprise for his mother and me. We were both in tears when Jasper proudly told us: “I can read and write! I learned, I knew I could!!!!” This gift made his life so much more engaging.

Jasper lived much longer than anyone expected. But he also had to deal with new challenges:

The flower essences had brought Jasper to a point of greater emotional sensitivity and consciousness. He needed to learn to live with his disability, and this was an even more challenging situation then learning to read and write. In short, Jasper wanted to learn about “living”.

The key flower essences that helped Jasper with this stage of development included:

Yerba Santa: Jasper’s lungs were one of the most afflicted areas of his body from the original birth trauma, and there were also emotional issues stored there. The lung is a part of the body that holds deep feelings of grief or sadness. The lung looks for release and freedom by expanding into the air element with the breath. Yerba Santa essence helped Jasper to breath out his suffering, and to be able to breathe in clean, healing air. This movement in his body and soul helped him to come to deeper levels of awareness about the gifts hidden in his heart.

Indian Paintbrush: The very name of this beautiful flower conveys its unique healing qualities: Paintbrush. It is a remedy for those souls who have many creative aspirations, but who are challenged to bring this creativity through the physical body.

As Jasper grew in his soul development, he realized he wanted to become an artist, and he learned painting. It is impossible to find enough words to express what this artistic breakthrough meant for Jasper. Painting became his life purpose. And with his painting, he brought so much pleasure in the lives of other people! Jasper lived in a special home with other disabled people and had a fulfilling life. His paintings became famous in the home where he lived and worked.

Other gifts also poured out of Jasper’s heart. For example, he played the role of a clown on several festive occasions. This was his way of helping others to learn to accept their disability. Jasper’s life became an example for others. He had a very special motto: Life is a party. He radiated his motto during the rest of his life. He knew his life would not last long and he wanted to make the best of it.

Jasper’s teaching for his friends who were disabled was simple, yet profound:

We are different. We can accept who we are and radiate our light to others.

Part Two:
The Special Healing Role of Benediction Oil During Jasper’s Death

Jasper lived, until age 23—so much longer than medical officials expected. He seemed to know that his end was coming and the last months were very intense. He hid the pain he suffered, until it was no longer possible. His body, which he learned to accept so very well, finally gave up.

My first flower ministry when Jasper died was with his parents who live in my village. I prepared a bottle with Benediction oil , with the added flower essences of Bleeding Heart and Forget-Me-Not , including a special preparation of Forget-Me-Not that I had made. 

This balm traveled spontaneously to others who needed comfort. One of the people who had a very difficult time was a woman called Anja, who was Jasper’s “second mother”. She was a social worker in the home were Jasper lived.

Jasper’s parents, Toos and Leo, had prepared a beautiful space in their home for Jasper’s body, surrounded by his art. Anja did not have the courage to go to Jasper’s coffin until she massaged the Benediction oil formula on her hands and heart. Then she sat next to Jasper’s body and spoke from her soul to his soul. Anja commented that this time was one of the most special forms of communication that she had ever had with Jasper.

I assisted Jasper’s parents to tenderly anoint Jasper’s body with the Benediction oil, in preparation for the funeral. The next day, the pastor who conducted the funeral service, asked me about the Benediction oil. That was the first time in 30 years I talked to a pastor. I explained what we had done and to my surprise he wanted to know more. He requested that I prepare another bottle for the funeral service.

During the time of Jasper’s passing, I observed that Benediction oil helps the departing soul to have a peaceful passage to the other side, and also provides a healing transition for the loved ones on earth. This balm helps the heart to open to the spiritual dimension, and all the souls involved, to speak with each other at a level beyond human words.

After Jasper’s death, I learned that Anja, who was so hesitant to make contact with Jasper, is now helping other people in her family and community with death and dying situations. Jasper’s mother and I both believe that flower essences played a major role in Jasper’s life. They helped to open his Heart and Soul so that he could take hold of his body and live far longer than predicted.

This is a portrait by Jasper of Anja, who was Jasper's “second mother” in the home where he lived. She had a difficult time when he died, and did not have the courage to go to his coffin until she massaged the Benediction oil formula on her hands and heart. Then she sat next to Jasper's body and spoke from her soul to his soul. Anja commented that this time was one of the most special forms of communication that she had ever had with Jasper.

Part Three:
The Bridge of Benediction Oil During My Father’s Death

The sacred opening that occurred with Jasper’s death, and the awareness that we all felt in our hearts through the Benediction oil formula, helped bring another spiritual event into my life. A little over a year later, I spoke with Jasper’s parents. His mother related how present Jasper was in their life – the soul bridge between dimensions was radiant and their son was guiding them in many situations.

This mention of Jasper brought an awareness to my heart. My father was very ill and I wanted to pray for him. I looked up in the heavens and prayed:

“Jasper if you have some time would you please help my father to have no pain or grief. Can you please help him to leave this life when the time is ready?”

I returned home and was there for only an hour when the phone rang. My sister told me my father was very ill; he would be administered the last Sacraments that same evening. I knew that the Benediction oil would again play a role in helping to keep my heart open in the time ahead. I prepared a bottle of Benediction oil with the flower essences of Angel’s Trumpet , Bleeding Heart and Forget-Me-Not .

Angel's Trumpet

My father’s death was a challenging one for my heart and soul. He was a very strict Catholic man who was the father of 7 girls. He was married to my mother for 52 years. He spent his whole life supporting his family, and in his spare time was a member of many committees like the Church, and the football club (his great hobby.) His many involvements did not leave much time for his family. I hardly had a father and my childhood was filled with many strict rules. After my marriage, we moved from my family’s village and our relationship was not that close.

When I arrived, I saw my father laying in bed and living his last hours. I lit a candle I had brought, and the Catholic priest began a ceremony for Last Rites in the presence of my mother, his seven daughters and their partners. The priest helped us to understand that the ceremony of blessing at death was one common to all cultures, and that similar rituals were conducted by Buddhists and Native Americans.

The Benediction oil Flowers— Flowers to Heal the Heart & Sanctify the Soul Clockwise from top: Damask Rose, Angelica, Angel’s Trumpet, Motherwort, Self-Heal, Hawthorn, Holly, Jasmine. Center: St. John’s Wort.

At the end of the ceremony, I used the Benediction oil to anoint my father’s forehead, hands, feet and heart while saying these words:

Bless these hands that worked for your children and wrote articles for papers and magazines. Bless your feet that walked with us in life and to the football field. Bless your heart that loves my mother and because of this love, gave life to your children.

And then I asked him:

When you arrive in heaven will you please give our love to the souls that will welcome you? And if possible, would you please watch over my mother from your special place in heaven? And when you have some spare time, please take care of your children?

These words came from my heart, I did not prepare anything. I believe the Benediction oil gave me the courage and the insight to act freely from within my Heart and Soul. Somewhere deep inside, I realized that I always knew my father would be able to care for his family from Heaven, more so than he was able to do on Earth. Two hours later, my father died in the arms of my mother and the presence of four of his children, including me.

Bleeding Heart

I think the Benediction oil and the essences not only helped my father to go on his way to “Heaven,” but also created a bridge for his love to still be connected to his family on earth. For me especially, it started to heal the pain in my own Heart and Soul.

To my amazement, I am now a regular writer for the same local magazine where my father was involved. I sense that my father is helping from the spiritual dimension, to carry on the gift of writing that he also loved so much. I still keep a bottle of Benediction oil next to me, especially when I am writing. It helps to make a bridge from my father’s gifts to my gifts, and to expand and radiate my soul qualities.

Forget-Me-Not

Through my experiences with both Jasper and my father, I have learned that Benediction oil not only opens the heart forces for those human souls who are dying, but also those that live on this side. In this way, the circle of love between worlds grows stronger.