Flower essence therapy involves the use of subtle, non-material energies in medicinal plants for healing purposes.  The energy body of an organism is always expressing itself in more tangible ways of form and behavior that we call the Signature of that being.  The signature of a flower or herb draws us towards an understanding of its healing energies.  Similarly, a person's form, behavior and life history, not to mention the more mysterious clues felt through the pulse, form a signature of that person.  If you can understand their signature, you are led to what makes them suffer and how to release it.  When the energies of plant and person come together harmoniously, healing naturally happens.  Learning how to read these signatures is part of the art of using flower essences well.

Traditional herbalism uses the notions of anatomy, organ systems, etc. as a way of organizing our knowledge of herbs and their effects on the body. When it comes to areas like flower essences which work on the level of subtle energies and their effects on people, especially on the psychological level, what are the corresponding organizing principles? I'll be discussing some of the central notions of these energies, primarily the chakra system and the structure of the aura, that have been most useful in my own work and help me make sense of the often confusing situations when bringing people together with flower remedies.