By Maite Hernández

Editor's Note: Flower essences have remarkable benefits for bodily pain when used in topical applications or taken internally. Below is a brief report from Maite Hernández of Madrid, Spain, originally published in Spanish in Red Floral Bulletin #19 ( flowernet@terra.com.mx ). Ms. Hernandez is a flower essence therapist who uses massage and reflexology in her practice. She highlights a segment of her ongoing therapy with a young man, showing how key flower essences relieve his bodily pain, and also addresses underlying emotions that are at the root of his outer condition.

Treating Intense Pain

Edgar is a 23-year-old patient who has come for a consultation due to pain in his shoulders, wrists, and knees. During the interview, I ask him about his lifestyle and activities. He tells me he's a university student involved in soccer, swimming, and other sports training requiring significant exertion. He has suffered from tendonitis and other injuries that were treated with standard medicine.

I begin the massage and am surprised at the overall tone of the foot, where there is much hardness and little flexibility. Edgar reacts with pain when pressure is applied on the shoulder, knee, and ankle reflexes. When I ask whether these are old sprains, he confirms that they are, and is surprised at the precision of my therapy.

As we proceed with the massage, I inquire about his financial situation and about the circumstances regarding an injury to his right knee. Edgar shares memories of his stay in England and his difficulties in making ends meet, which coincide with this injury. In reflexology, this particular zone is typically associated with money and the father archetype — an image from which Edgar has tried to distance himself to avoid his feeling of personal pressure and inadequacy.

Edgar's Emotional Background

As our conversation continues, we discuss Edgar's way of fighting and confronting life. He is an outstanding student, responsible and self-demanding. However, his family situation is difficult due to chronic illnesses suffered by both his father and his brother. Edgar is struggling not to pull out of classes at the University of Madrid. I massage the foot plexus generously; there is a good deal of accumulated tension, and I soon begin using flower essences to assist my therapy. In selecting the remedies I let the emotional reading of his foot and my dialogue with the patient guide me.

Dandelion Taraxacum officinale

I begin by using Dandelion to address the intense anxiety accumulated in the foot plexus. I use this flower essence straight from the bottle, placing a few drops on this spot. With the application of the Dandelion , the tension yields easily and I move on to other zones I had explored at the beginning of the massage. Edgar's shoulders reveal his yearning to open a path for himself and push away obstacles and difficulties. I treat his overwhelm with Elm and also with Aloe Vera , the flower for those struggling to find their fire and creativity in the thorny desert of life. I apply these flower essences to the shoulder reflex and the scapular belt. I will also recommend these same flower essences blended together in a dosage bottle that he can take home.

The Deeper Issue of Sunflower

Edgar reported that his pain gradually ceased. He came back 10 days later in a better mood and more relaxed. During the second session we talk about his issues with authority and some aggressive encounters he has had in the street. I question him about his former pain and he says he feels better. However, I note that the muscle tone in his back is generally stiff. My interpretation is a certain mental rigidity. During the massage, I return to the same flower essences used in the prior treatment — Dandelion, Elm, and Aloe Vera .

Elm Ulmus procera

Aloe Vera Aloe vera

We discuss his father and in future consultations the foot plexus is treated with Sunflower , the flower essence that deals with the father archetype at the foundation of Edgar's deep soul struggle for identity. He has already taken this same essence in a dosage bottle several weeks prior to my massage work, and he will continue with this archetypal remedy.

Sunflower Helianthus annuus

I use a pendulum diagnosis to assess Edgar's energetic state and whether to continue with Aloe Vera, Dandelion, and Elm . Other essences that I will be considering for Edgar in the future are Beech and Rock Water — these two essences also effectively address many soul issues that result in muscular rigidity and contractions, as well as other loco motor apparatus dysfunctions.

I am happy to report that in a few months Edgar greatly improved and was successfully back on his life path.

Write to Maite Hernandez .