Editor’s Note: This article was translated, edited and formatted from Ricardo’s original report in Spanish.

I was recently able to observe the crucial healing role of Chaparral flower essence in treating the devastating psychological conditions of many refugees encamped on the Greek Island of Lesbos . I had gone there to assist my colleague, Luz Carmona , who has worked selflessly for many years to provide humanitarian service to this population, including the extensive use of flower essence therapy.

Chaparral flower essence is a powerful cleanser of intense trauma pervading the psyche of those who have been exposed to degrading, humiliating or violent experiences. It typically addresses the horrific situations one has had to endure and witness, pummeling the depths of soul and bodily consciousness. A toxic imprint remains, like that of a bleeding wound or scar. If such memories are not purified and released from the mind of the person, they remain as a harmful influence, repeatedly tormenting the individual. This fundamental reality makes it difficult for the victim to achieve any measure of mental composure or calm and thus move forward with one’s life.

Four typical examples of my use of Chaparral for the refugees included the following:

1. To help Baremah , originally from Ghana, who suffered from many mental problems, including nightmares involving episodes of hearing disturbing voices in other languages at night.
2. For Yves , who arrived from the Congo. He related about his mental state that he had constant visions of murderous bandits who stormed into the homes of his people, violently stabbing them and raping the women. Sadly, he was unable to find any trace of his children before he escaped.
3. To aid Joan , who fled from Nigeria, where her family home was attacked and burnt. She was in profound shock and grief, unable to learn anything about the whereabouts of her family.
4. For Olivier , who had been subjected to heinous torture in his native Congo. He suffered physical wounds, accompanied by intense hostility toward European countries that had colonized Africa decades ago and created its current conditions of poverty and instability.

The liberating virtue of the Chaparral was so necessary in these cases and many others. In particular, this flower purges acute trauma lodged in the psyche. The toxic nature of this mental condition continues its pervasive influence and leaves the individual un-free. This condition of post-trauma stress especially affects mental well-being, and thus the ability to move forward toward future possibilities.

Distinguishing the Role of Arnica and
Star of Bethlehem in Trauma Healing

Chaparral, Arnica and Star of Bethlehem have similar restorative capacities, but each of these three essences acts in its own unique pattern, allowing us to choose one or another (or even all three) depending on the significant aspects of each case.

Arnica is a plant from the Composite family (Asteraceae). These flowers have strong harmonizing and re-constellatory qualities, helping the many aspects of the Self-identity to achieve new wholeness and cohesion after trauma. With Arnica especially, we see a restructuring and re-building quality, involving repair and regeneration for the energetic and physical bodies. The vital forces of the energetic bodies are re-integrated with the damaged physical body. In the case of Olivier mentioned above, Arnica was also important to address his experience of extreme physical torture, while the Chaparral helped to heal the psychic terror of having witnessed many egregious experiences.

In the Star of Bethlehem we have a plant from the broader family of Liliaceae . These flowers work more on the feminine, receptive polarity of trauma. Here we help to restore a finer and more subtle aspect of the soul’s spiritual integrity. With this flower, we attend to the innermost sensitive dimension of the trauma. As Julian Barnard affirms, it is an essence that restores a pattern that is dislocated, re-establishing original harmony. In the case of Yves described above, Star of Bethlehem was used to heal the deep soul wound of heartbreak and loss in having to leave behind his three children in the Congo, unable to ever locate them.

Chaparral, Arnica and Star of Bethlehem are all strongly related flower essences, essential for trauma healing. With them we can address three different levels: the purgative and cleansing role of Chaparral, the structural, vitalizing and regenerative aspects of Arnica for physical and energetic cohesion, and the spiritually harmonizing qualities of Star of Bethlehem for the interior identity of the soul.

See The Purifying Qualities of Chaparral Flower Essence by Patricia Kaminski.

Ricardo Javier Mateos Saínz de Medrano directs Centro Gaia in Barcelona Spain, along with his professional colleague, Begoña Alías. Read more about Ricardo and Begoña (in Spanish). Ricardo completed his FES Certification in 1999 and is an authorized teacher of the FES Certification Course in Spanish-speaking countries. He is the recent author of Edward Bach, las esencias de flores, y otras hierbas and co-author with Begoña Alías of Las esencias de Flores de la Flower Essence Society de California . You can reach Ricardo via e-mail at richimateos@yahoo.es .

For further information on the refugee work in Lesbos, Greece (also known as Lesvos), and Luz Carmona's work with flower essences, see:
Flower Essence Therapy Aids Refugees in Lesvos, Greece
Volunteer Relief Aid Work with Refugees in Greece