Flower Essences and the Reiki Stream

by Cheryl Stroup

Reiki is a safe, gentle, non-invasive form of hands-on healing that increases energy, reduces pain and stress, and produces deep relaxation and a general feeling of well-being. Reiki initiation attunes a practitioner to become a channel for the Reiki energy and is a powerful, life-changing experience for growth along one's spiritual path.

The powerful versatility of Reiki lies in its capacity to operate simultaneously on the physical/etheric, emotional, mental and Soul levels. Reiki is an effective healing discipline whether used alone, or as a supporting modality with other treatments. Reiki hands benefit any activity where a caring touch is desired, including massage, chiropractic, veterinary medicine, gardening, adult and child care, dental care, food preparation, housecleaning, etc.

One of the features of Reiki are its keys or symbols, taught in Second Degree, invoked to enhance frequencies or characteristics within the Reiki Stream for healing purposes. Because the Reiki Stream encompasses virtually everything, any frequency or pattern, including those of flower essences, can be enlisted to deliver its particular healing benefits.

Several years ago, upon the suggestion of a friend, I made a superficial acquaintance with flower essences and used one or two for short periods of time. After these dips into flower essence therapy, I was impressed with the results as well as the simplicity of use, and I decided I would like to learn more about flower essences.

During the latter part of 1996 and the early part of 1997, in the midst of a major healing crisis, this desire became a need, and I was compelled to quicken my personal investigation into the use of flower essences. I began by purchasing a remarkable book called Flower Essence Repertory , written by Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz, directors of the Flower Essence Society located in Nevada City, California. Thanks to the meticulous research and easy-to-use format of this flower essence encyclopedia, I was able to put together an effective healing strategy for my current conditions with flower essences as a primary support tool (while also continuing my self-healing Reiki sessions). Within a few weeks, the conditions were remedied and the healing crisis passed. Although I use flower essences now with the Reiki Stream in an altogether different way, it was during this 1996-1997 period I began my casual exploration of flower essences with Reiki.

Flower essences can be dispensed in several ways and during the aforementioned period, I administered the flower essences with myself in the standard oral form while running regular hands-on Reiki sessions. Over the past couple of years, however, I have consciously expanded my use of flower essences with the Reiki Stream.

When working with Reiki clients, I primarily use the Five Flower Formula, a combination of five essences comparable to Dr. Edward Bach's Rescue RemedyTM and the Self Heal flower essence, a member of the Flower Essence Services FES QuintessentialsTM North American Flower Essence line. While possible to use any or all flower essences, I have found that these two particular essences, with their generically versatile and multi-dimensional support qualities, to effectively support most any situation or energy condition.

Although I periodically suggest a certain flower essence therapy for a client (to be administered in the traditional, oral fashion outside of Reiki sessions), I primarily use flower essences in a topical format, in both distance and hands-on sessions.

Using Flower Essences with Reiki

When using flower essences, it is necessary to "potentize" the essence before application. By lightly tapping or shaking the bottle before one can ensure that the matrix pattern is energized at the time of dispensing. All applications of flower essences call for potentizing before use and are done with the essence at the stock level.

Flower essences may receive Reiki attunements in their original packaging with an effect similar to attuning anything else. The attuned flower essence would then channel the Reiki Stream, in the bottle as well as all particles dispersed in any of the usage formats. One may also simply hold the bottle between one's hands and run the Reiki Stream as a thank you to the flowers, as well as to enhance the life force within the imprint pattern of the essence. Simply put, this means that all levels of effectiveness and traits contained within the flower essence are animated with vital force as an autonomous life form.

Over the course of my usage with this blend of healing therapies, there have consistently been "before and after" distinctions in the session experience. Some are very subtle and detectable by clients while others are only momentarily detectable by the changes in the Reiki Stream flowing through my hands.

I had a 17 year old young man who was playing high school football. Three days before the playoffs (Tuesday), he injured his ankle during practice. Hoping he would be able to play in the game that Friday, his mother, a Reiki student, made an appointment for him to see me that same evening. When he arrived, I asked him to remove his shoe and sock, something unusual for Reiki work, so I could directly apply drops of Star of Bethlehem (for trauma), Five Flower Formula (to ensure vitality in the area) and Self-Heal (to accelerate healing).

Along with direct topical application, I also puts drops of those flower essences into my palms. I applied three special Reiki techniques along with additional Reiki on the injured ankle. Before leaving, I gave him some Star of Bethlehem and suggested he apply the remedy to his ankle 4 times a day, especially after getting out of any water. I also suggested an additional Reiki session in two days.

Upon arising the next morning, much of the swelling was gone, though there was some pain, and he could walk without his cane. At school that afternoon, he soaked his ankle in a whirlpool. When he arrived Thursday evening, I repeated the same procedures as the prior session and sent him on his way. On Friday, he was walking pain free and, with ankle taped, he played in the entire game that night which his team won, much to everyone's delight!

Whether or not such results can be pinned down in a linear format, however, is questionable since awareness is also governed by an individual's sensitivity to energy. Nonetheless, I continue to use flower essences when so compelled.

Session Usage

I usually put 2 to 4 drops of an essence on my hands and rub them together to distribute the flower essence pattern. This also decreases the liquid form at the same time. The pattern of the flower essences is retained on the hands for a period of time. The Reiki Stream emphasizes whatever attributes and correlated healing specialties are pertinent to the client, in priority item order, while orchestrating the process for maximum impact.

How long one can distinctly perceive a flower essence's influence varies, and there is no consistency in one case to another. However, because the flower essence patterns seem to work in a similar fashion as the Reiki Keys, i.e., their characteristics coincide with a particular harmonic resonance chord pattern within the Reiki Stream itself, I simply allow the wisdom of the Reiki Source to determine the flower essence patterned activity period. To this date, there have been no ill effects reported to me. Because the process by which flower essences work is largely governed by mutual resonance, there are really no side or ill-effects from their use, even if a given essence currently has no therapeutic value for this particular soul.

I generally inform clients when I would like to apply a flower essence to my hands during the session, and tell them what the potential benefits are. For example, Self Heal flower essence helps orchestrate and enhance the client's individual healing capabilities on all levels. When Self Heal essence is used with the Reiki Stream, quality, activation, and integration of these individual healing characteristics seem to be more easily available. Because of the brandy preservative, I will usually apply the essences as I do in the "hands-over-the-eyes" position. This way, the leftover alcohol scent is not directly inhaled by the client.

For a client with a physical ailment, depending on the anatomical area of complaint, I may topically apply the flower essences as I did in the sprained ankle case I mentioned earlier. If the location is more intimate, I will simply place the drops in my palms and apply them about 1-1/2 inch above the physical body while the drops are still wet. For other situations, I will place the drops in my palms and invoke Keys using the physical drawing option while the essence is still damp. Because of the energy field construct, this delivery method will also have a definite impact.

I had a 50-year-old woman with severe shoulder, arm and elbow pain. Arm movement was severely limited much of the time. Conventional medical treatment was not providing her with any substantial or long term relief. She had previously taken Reiki classes with me and since she had experienced total pain relief from her class sessions, she decided to try Reiki again.

During the first session, I applied Blackberry flower esence to my hands as I worked at her shoulder area. Blackberry helps move energy into the limbs. At our second session, I was intuitively aware of heart injuries contributing to the distress and pain, so I applied Nicotiana (for numbed emotions and sensitivity) and Pine (for guilt) to my hands while running Reiki on the upper body, both front and back.

At the conclusion of this session, her "pain rating" went from a 5 to 0. She still has "good" days and "bad" days though she no longer has any pain in her elbow, arm or wrist. We continue to work with the shoulder area as her schedule permits.

When flower essence-infused hands invoke Keys within 12 inches of the physical form, the Reiki-infused flower essence pattern is directly dispersed into the astral body consciousness, and from there into the etheric/physical "vehicle" along with a corresponding mental body impact.

When infused hands invoke symbols within 2 to 3 inches of the physical form, the Reiki-infused pattern is directly deposited into the etheric matrix. From there this synergistic blend is dispensed into the Meridian Network, incorporating its pattern within the flow of personal vital force. The Reiki-infused flower essence pattern then travels throughout the physical body and all interpenetrating layers of the energy field over the next 24 hours, safeguarded by, and sustained within, the synthesis of Reiki Stream and one's own personal vitality.

For further information on Reiki, Cheryl suggests the following:

Empowerment Through Reiki by Paula Horan
Reiki: A Torch In Daylight by Karyn Mitchell

Cheryl Stroup, a Reiki Channel since 1993 and a Reiki Master Teacher since 1996, believes Reiki enhances a particular essence's energy signature. She resides in Sanger, California, and can be reached at reiki_cher@hotmail.com