Flower Essences for Difficult Patterns of the Fire and Earth Signs

©2010 by Donna Cunningham, MSW

 An astrology session provides insights into the difficulties an individual is facing, but insight alone is seldom enough to bring about a major change.  That was why, after 10 years as an astrologer and therapist, I was drawn to seek out healing tools.

My favorite among them were the flower essences, not to be confused with the essential oils used in aromatherapy.

Also known as flower remedies, these gentle, natural healing catalysts can support us in releasing longstanding emotional blocks and finding new ways to perceive and respond to life’s challenges—an excellent adjunct to other types of healing.  You’ll find links at the bottom to downloads with more information about how to use them.

They are an excellent addition to an astrology practice, because once the birth chart and transits have pinpointed the challenges a person is struggling with, essences can provide a catalyst for a breakthrough. In this article and the next, I’ll provide examples of how they can work with difficult patterns associated with the four elements.

THE FIRE SIGN TRILOGY—ARIES, LEO, AND SAGITTARIUS

The true fire sign type is like the eternal flame, burning with a seemingly inexhaustible energy and a passion for the things that matter most to them.  No shrinking violets, they radiate a confidence and a conviction that they are right that can make others instinctively turn to them as leaders.

There are many factors that can diminish the flame of a fire sign—natal chart features that detract from it and residues of hard transits like Pluto’s long stay in Sagittarius, as well as the wear and tear of the tense and often difficult times we live in. can help fan the flames and re-ignite that innate zest for living. If your Sun, Moon, or Rising sign is in fire, here are some flower essences to rectify the imbalances these signs can build up over time.

FANNING THAT TIRED FLAME: Fire signs tend to burn the candle at both ends and to alternate between pushing themselves flat out and intermittently crashing.  Even when transiting trines are involved, this innate tendency to overdo has left many fire signs uncharacteristically worn down of late. Aloe Vera—the flower remedy, not the plant—is offered by Flower Essence Services – Flower Essences (FES) to help this type learn a healthier balance between effort and rest.

Fire signs might also find Olive, a Bach remedy for a combination of mental and physical fatigue, useful at this time. It may be better to start taking it on Friday evening of a slow weekend when you can also catch up on some much needed rest and quiet relaxation. (Bach Remedies are available at many health food stores, but FES offers Healing Herbs, a variety that is of the highest quality.)

BALANCING SELF-ESTEEM: Ordinarily a confident lot, many fire signs have developed self-doubt due to the strenuous challenges they’ve faced during these harder times. FES’ Self-Heal eases self-doubt and helps restore a sense of wholeness and vitality by strengthening their capacity to heal themselves.

Not too surprisingly, Sunflower, offered by FES and a variety of companies, is a potent remedy for self-esteem and other issues represented by the Sun and by the sign Leo in the chart. What is interesting is that this remedy helps people at either extreme of confidence—those who are overly egotistical and those who suffer from a deep lack of self-worth. It creates a balance, giving the person both a deep appreciation of their own gifts and a deepened respect for the contributions and merits of others as well.

THE EARTH SIGN TRILOGY—TAURUS, VIRGO, AND CAPRICORN

Among the most solidly productive signs of the zodiac, the true earth sign types are hard-working folks who devoutly wish to establish material security for themselves and those they love. Again, difficult natal placements or hard transits may make it hard for earth signs to achieve these aims, but it is in the nature of earth to be reliable, responsible and well grounded. Often conservative on a personal if not a political basis, they are likely to take a wait-and-see attitude toward the newest developments.

How stressful, then, have the iffy economy and rapid-fire changes in our way of life over the past two years been for the earth signs, Capricorn in particular? Many with Virgo placements have had to contend with tough aspects from both Saturn and Uranus over the past two years. Others with Taurus placements have been challenged to stay grounded under the influence of either Neptune or Uranus. If your Sun, Moon, or Rising sign is in earth, here are some flower essences to assuage the stresses of these times.

RELIEVING FEAR AND DISCOURAGEMENT: Keenly attuned to challenges to the earth and its resources and to the material realm, many earth sign natives have been feeling fearful and discouraged about the economy and where they fit into it.

While we all are concerned about where the world of work and career might be headed, financial security is a major issue for the true earth sign.

FES’ Penstamon lends extra courage and fortitude in facing times of hardship, reviving the inner strength that this type has in such abundance.  Gorse, by Bach, is a balm for those who are discouraged because their efforts have met with obstacle after obstacle.  One of the most helpful flower essences of all, Bach’s Oak provides a tremendous respite from the weariness that comes from a long, hard struggle.

LIGHTENING UP ON OVERWORK: The true earth sign is hard-working and may not know when to stop, so many drive themselves too hard. Capricorn and Virgo, in particular, can be perfectionistic, afraid to delegate tasks to others who may not perform up to the same exacting demands. Rock Water, a Bach remedy, helps individuals who are too hard on themselves to lighten up and flow with the needs of the current moment rather than trying always to live up to some rigid standard.

Bach’s Elm helps those who have taken on too many responsibilities and have become overwhelmed, so that they develop more of a sense of what is reasonable to accomplish.  The Integrating Being and Doing Formula by Desert Alchemy Flower Essences is tailor-made for workaholics who must be continually occupied with tasks. It helps them develop wisdom in taking care of themselves and balancing work with play and other important needs.

Learning More about the Essences

WANT PHOTOGRAPHIC PROOF THAT THE ESSENCES WORK?  See http://www.floweressencemagazine.com/blog/?p=979   by Deborah Bier, PhD. These photos of an experiment conducted by Deborah and her students were lost for several years. They show clearly the positive effect an essence mixture has on germinating and growing plants. These photos have never been published anywhere before!

For more information about using essences, download the introductory chapter of my ebook, Flower Remedies: How Plants Can Heal Us here flower essence information-ch1  and order the book at moonmavenpublications.com.. Bach Centre also has a free ebook to download at: http://www.bachcentre.com/centre/download/healers.pdf.

For a large collection of articles on the subject, visit Vibration Magazine, the free online educational blog I co-edit with Dr. Deborah Bier. You can use the search engine to locate articles for any healing need or about a specific essence.  The blog is at:  http://www.floweressencemagazine.com/.   Vibration participated in the 2010 Blogathon by publishing A Collection of Articles about Combining Essences and Astrology.

Articles about Essences on Skywriter:  

• Flower Essences for Difficult Patterns of Water and Air Signs
• Bailing out the Water Signs–The Emotional Hangover Remedy
• Uranus in Aries & Flower Essences–8 Years of Significant Change Ahead
• Relocating under Fire? Help from Astrology and Essences
• In a Crisis? Rescue Remedy Can Help You through It
• Common Issues of Pluto and Saturn—and Flower Essences that Help
• Space Clearing, Flower Essences, and the Art of Sacred Space
• Hope for Those in the Dark Night of the Soul
• Saturn Remedies–Flower Essences for Overcoming Fear and Worry

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