©2000 By Candy Hillenbrand

I discovered flower essences in my very early 20s, a few years before stumbling upon astrology. At that time of my life I was seeking emotional healing and the Bach Flowers were like a God-given salve to me.

Of even greater value was the philosophy of Edward Bach which I eagerly lapped up through his extraordinarily small and simple booklet, Heal Thyself. Armed with two single Bach remedies and that little book, I stepped more confidently into the next phase of my life -- the search for knowledge, meaning and purpose.

My encounter with astrology turned on a light and satisfied in part my quest for knowledge. It offered some explanations, a sense of structure and purpose, a notion of a cosmic plan, all of which Bach had stressed in his wonderful little book. Bach wrote that the cause of emotional, mental and physical suffering lies in a fundamental disharmony between our personality and our soul.

The key is to find and express our soul's purpose. And the key to that is to do what we love the most, what gives us the most joy, what fulfills us on the deepest of levels. When we do that thing we most love, no matter how simple, our soul is in harmony with our personality, and we are fulfilling our divine purpose.

After many years of practising astrology, I now no longer look to astrology for answers, but more as a tool to "name" something. I believe that astrology's power to heal lies in this awakening and naming function. It is the healing power of self-knowledge, but it doesn't heal the emotions.

In fact, identifying, describing and knowing about an emotional wound, without a salve to soothe it, can make it worse. This is where the flower remedies can create a powerful alliance with astrology.

A portion of my work today is devoted to turning astrologers onto flower essences. And yet ironically, I am also acutely aware of how superfluous the birth chart is in determining the appropriate remedy for a person. That is the beauty of healing with flower essences -- all we need is the person, to be present with them, and to listen, and the remedy becomes clear.

A birth chart doesn't diagnose, although I believed it did in my early days of study. Rather, it offers us a picture or a star mandala of our highest potential, and a map of how and when that potential may be realized.

Astrology can provide us with a general sense of who we are. It can indicate times of transition in our lives and the general quality of those transitions, and also when we can expect them to end or phase into a new transition. Contrary to the beliefs and practice of many astrologers, I don't believe we can predict the future of an individual. We are not clockwork automations inhabiting a predictable universe. We are spiritual beings inhabiting physical bodies on this unique journey called life.

Over the years I have developed a choice-centered approach to astrology which blends well with the empowering nature of flower essence healing. Bach's emphasis on healing oneself and contacting one's own inner self-healing power has deeply influenced my approach to astrology.

Astrology can help us to map our journey. Flower essences can help us to cope with its ups and downs, to heal and process our emotional experiences, and to catalyze emotional transformation and growth. A few flower essences stand out for me as ideal therapeutic companions for the astrologer.

SUNFLOWER (FES) is literally the flower of the Sun and its sign Leo, and assists in healing all problems relating to the expressing of our natal Suns in the birth chart.

Some people have wounded Suns -- their creativity may have been stifled as a child; they may have felt abandoned or betrayed by the father or father principle; they may lack self esteem and confidence; or somehow hide their light under a bushel. Astrologically, these experiences may be found with Sun/Saturn, Sun/Chiron, Sun/Neptune, Sun/Pluto aspects, Chiron or Saturn in the 5th house, Sun in the 12th house, and other similar combinations.

Sunflower is the remedy par excellence for healing a wounded or clouded Sun --it helps us to shine forth our inner sun, and is a particularly helpful essence for women, many of whom struggle with identity issues in our western patriarchal society. Sunflower essence can help a woman to feel strong and empowered in her sense of self.

Many people who come to an astrologer are uncertain about the future and are seeking life direction and insights into vocational potential. A look at the Midheaven, 10th house, Capricorn, Saturn and North Node areas of the birth chart can be very useful here, while the Bach remedy, WILD OAT, is unsurpassed in assisting this awakening of a clearer sense of one's vocational purpose or soul calling in life.

During times of crisis and transition, which are often highlighted by transits of the outer planets to the birth chart, the Bach remedies WALNUT and HONEYSUCKLE can be particularly helpful for letting go of the past. RESCUE REMEDY is a powerful assistant during any major crisis and STAR OF BETHLEHEM is invaluable as a first-call remedy to neutralise and soothe any past trauma which may be activated in the present.

Somehow, when astrology with its dictum of "Know Thyself" meets flower essence healing with its dictum of "Heal Thyself" we have a wonderful combination. The two together can lead to a more synthesised perspective, an empowering place where we can begin to act from an inner centre where our goal becomes one of: "I will to Will Thy Will".

About the Author: Candy Hillenbrand is an award winning F.A.A. certified astrologer and flower essence practitioner. For the rest of her articles in Vibration Magazine and info about how to contact her, see her Frequent Contributor Page.

ART CREDITS: This very special background is by Lady Lavendar. The moon drawing on this page is by the Rhymester. The Saturn carton is by Noetic Art. The sun face comes from The Blue Planet. Zodiacal art can be found at Zena's Clip Art. Flowers and animated stars come from a clipart CD-ROM by Micrografix.

The World Wide Essence Society does not mean to imply any recommendation of nor give certification to any individuals or companies above. This article is provided purely for informational purposes. We ask consumers to make their own determination as to quality of the services and products offered above. This article is not meant to be advice, and the information is not meant to replace medical or psychological treatment.

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