Excerpt from

Flowers that Heal—How to Use Flower Essences
By Patricia Kaminski

© Patricia Kaminski 1998. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, without permission of the publishers.

MetaFlora Level Six  Shadow and Soul: Recognizing and Transforming Karma, Meeting Death

In this MetaFlora level, the soul digs deeper into its shadow side. MetaFlora Level Six forms the completion of the six wedges of the Soul Wheel. It is related in some ways to MetaFlora Level One; but whereas in the first MetaFlora level the soul encounters its emotional vulnerability and early beginnings as a child, in this sixth MetaFlora level the emphasis is on the adult self. Here we examine not how we have been hurt, but how we have hurt others. The ability to make amends for our wrong actions, as well as to forgive others is key to growth in this MetaFlora level. As the soul faces its shadow self, it may grapple with deeper levels of existential darkness, such as depression or other soul anguish. This descent into darkness is a necessary element in the soul's evolution. Ultimately this MetaFlora level has to do with facing one's own mortality or death. Thus the soul may be tested with life-threatening illness or the loss of a loved one. One can also over-compensate in this MetaFlora level, being too strict a taskmaster, too melancholic, or too morbidly preoccupied with death or disaster. The following are the major essences which help to facilitate the beneficial working of this MetaFlora level:

Black-Eyed Susan  Learning to recognise and accept darker, or hidden aspects in our actions and emotions; for denial or repression of these aspects

Black Cohosh  Coming to terms with shadow elements in the human soul, especially masquerading as psychic force which controls and manipulates others in hidden or unseen ways

Sagebrush  Accepting emptiness, letting go; especially when illness or misfortune strip the soul of its outer structures

Chrysanthemum  Over identification with the mortal personality, fear of death due to attachment to the personality; the need to cultivate spiritual identity

Sage  The ability to understand and accept life experience; learning from karmic lessons and find deeper meaning in all of life situations

Willow  The ability to forgive others, to transform bitterness and resentment which corrodes the soul's love forces

Holly  To help the heart let go of toxic emotions which enslave it to shadow consciousness; unconditional love

Love-Lies-Bleeding  For feeling utterly alone in one's suffering, the need to transform personal identification with illness into transpersonal awareness

Sweet Chestnut  For dark nights of the soul which test one's faith and courage

Gorse or Scotch Broom  Deep pessimism and depressive tendencies which are exacerbated by dwelling on dark aspects of reality

Pine  Overly strict assessment of one's failings, tending to dwell on one's shortcomings rather than move forward

Angel's Trumpet  The ability to surrender to spiritual process, especially to the process of dying; the soul's ability to see and believe in non-physical worlds