Mustard

Positive Qualities: Emotional equanimity, finding joy in life

Patterns of Imbalance: Melancholy, gloom, despair; generalized depression without obvious cause

Definition: Mustard is one of the important remedies for the soul's experience of darkness. The soul in need of this essence feels suddenly overwhelmed with feelings of gloom and despair. This mood does not appear connected with obvious episodes or situations surrounding the person's life. Instead, the feelings are much deeper and more overpowering, especially because the consciousness finds it difficult to penetrate to the cause or meaning of such depression. The reason for this experience lies deep within the subconscious memory, and often points to karmic circumstances beyond the present life. If the events preceding the depression are carefully reviewed the individual can usually identify an image, a word, a person, or a place which served as a trigger point for the unconscious to activate this darker material of the psyche. Mustard assists this healing response, helping one to come to terms with deep, unreconciled parts of the past. This essence is very helpful for complex states of depression, such as manic-depressive mood swings. It brings equilibrium and equanimity by helping the Self to balance extreme polarities of light and dark. Rather than experiencing light as separate from darkness, the soul is able to experience darkness as a transformative process. In this way, Mustard flower essence helps the soul to anchor and stabilize its light, leading to a sustained experience of gentle joyfulness and quiet radiance.