The process of unveiling the healing qualities of a flower essence begins with the doctrine of signatures, which is rooted in medieval cosmology. Physicians of the day used this approach to find healing plants for their patients.
The understanding behind this principle is that there is a visible message on the plant, which determines its role in terms of healing. Just as a graphologist can read a person through their writing, so a plant may be read through its growth pattern. This may include the color of the flowers, root structure, shape of leaves, preferred place of growth, the general shape of the plant, how it fruits, its yearly cycle, historical uses, folklore and so on.
The message may be very obvious, as in the case of the Dandelion, which, because the color is yellow like jaundiced person, is thought by herbalists to be good for liver problems. It does, in fact, cleanse the body, thereby proving beneficial in such cases.
Modern flower essence makes explore the visual message of the plant, but may also attempt to tune into nature's intelligence to verify the information. This is a very subjective approach and is dependent on how each person views the world. However, the results can be amazingly consistent and are often proven through individual usage.
Some examples of the Doctrine of Signature
- Lungwort leaves with their patches look like lungs, suggesting a use for lung problems
- Willows, which live in damp places, are indicated for rheumatism, as that condition is aggravated by damp
- When Comfrey roots are boiled they stick together, so they are often used to knit bones together. Comfrey is also called Knitbone.
- The centre of a Chamomile flower is like a stomach and the plant is thus considered useful for stomach ailments
Visualization to illustrate the Principle of the Doctrine of Signatures
In your mind, take yourself on a walk through a Bluebell wood: see the dense mass of blue, smell the perfume, feel the cool shade, hear the gentle silence of the wood, taste the freshness of the air. Open up all the senses, let each of them enjoy the experience and just sit for a while. Let your mind reach out to the flowers. Notice how you feel. Look at the Bluebell flowers closely. Does their color mean calmness to your or does the blue give a feeling of melancholia? The flower heads are hanging down, just as people's heads do when they feel blue. The flowers are very close together - does that suggest protection or an element of stress to you? Spend a few moments assimilating the atmosphere of the wood.
As you return from the wood, what messages do you bring with you? How are you feeling? Uplifted, calm or happy? Clear, and in touch with the best of yourself? Has all stress dissolved? Are you feeling renewed and recharged?
From this example it is possible to see both sides of the picture and get an idea of how to use the Bluebell essence. Given to a stressed and over wrought person with emotional difficulties, Bluebell brings forth happiness, peace and tranquility. It can also reconnect an individual with their lost sense of self.
Exploring the Doctrine of Signatures
Keeping the doctrine of signatures in mind, notice if a plant catches your attention. Is it possible to observe its message? Maybe the plant is presenting a totally positive message or a totally negative one, or both, as in the case of the Bluebell. Release your imagination and let it flow, and then out of interest look up other essence makers' descriptions of the same plant and see if their message is wrong, everyone has a unique slant on the world and any essence made is co-created with nature and is primarily a healing gift to the self. Exploring the doctrine of signatures is a wonderful and creative way of getting closer to nature and understanding more about flower essences.
