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Although the weather was cloudy, Exmoor still showed us it’s many delights and why so many of us can’t help but return.

Artistically formed hedge-banks of ancient pollarded Beech, bedecked with swathes of primroses. The promise of bluebells to come, everywhere.

Rolling hills with interesting hedges, red soiled fields contrasting with sharp green pasture. Moss and lichen hung trees tell of the moist climate.

Cowslip

Once as abundant as the buttercup, this engaging wild flower was used to produce a rather popular wine.  A member of the primrose family, it has gone into retreat, mostly due to our intensive farming techniques. Fortunately, with a little help,  it is showing signs of recovery as it flowers happily in church yards, by the side of motorways and reserves.

Periwinkle

A popular garden plant, originally from the Mediterranean,  has widely naturalised on hedge banks and wood, often near houses. These star like purple flowers were found on a hedge near cottages.

Forsythia

This is actually a member of the Olive family – and one of the first flowing shrubs to bloom in Spring and for this reason much loved as a garden cultivar for it’s striking four petal yellow blooms.

And finally the endless and many tea shops serving rich and heavy clotted cream with scones and jam – yummy!

Good job there’s miles of footpaths to work them off!

Vivien

The 13^th century Ta Prohm temple is particularly magical as it was chosen to be left in its original wild and overgrown state, with mature silk cotton trees and strangler figs intertwined within its structure. The result – an inspired decision, as what we now have is visually stunning and a unique example of man and nature existing as one.

Over many centuries the decaying temple succumbed to the intrusion of the jungle. Seeds dropped by birds into crevices in the stone walls germinated and the roots grew down and around, supple and adaptable, following the form of the temple. As the trees soared upwards, increasing in size, the roots slowly grew longer and thicker, unavoidably dislodging the stones and damaging the temple. Eventually the trees become essential in supporting the temple building, like buttresses.

As I sat, enthralled by this spectacle, a warm breeze whipped up dry leaves and sent them flying across the uneven plaza. For a moment I saw time speed up: in my mind’s eye, the people walking around the temple seem to fade and disappear, leaving the temple once more deserted.

But the marriage of man and nature remained, locked into a slower cycle of time, imperceptible to man. However, the outcome is assured, man with his magnificent and seemingly timeless statements in the landscape are but passing and fleeting guests, moving towards their predestined destruction. Mother Nature, with her lack of sentiment hidden in the mantle of exquisite beauty, has both time and patience as her companions…she will always be the victress.

This is the lesson of Prajnaparaminta, the Perfection of Wisdom, Goddess of Ta Prohm.  In our blind arrogance, we can forget that we’re a part of the eternal cycle of life. Nature is our creator mother, but also the inescapable agent of our inevitable annihilation.

Vivien, Ta Prohm, Cambodia, 14 March 2013

Stuck for a Mother’s Day gift that’s a bit different?

What about a Sun Essence Gift Bag? Designed to promote well-being, it’s the perfect way to make your Mum feel cared for and pampered! Choose one of our ready-made themed bags or a unique combination, to make your gift more personal.

Themed Gift Bags

• Relaxing – Be Calm & Be Relaxed to chill out, with Oak foot cream with Peppermint to refresh those hard working feet! (illustrated)

• Restful – Be Calm & Be Restful to encourage a more settled night, with Crab Apple Soothing Cream and lavender to ease those minor aches and pains.

• Confidence – Be Focused & Be Confident: get out into life and have a go, with Lavender Protection Spray to keep you feeling clear and refreshed.

• Strengthening – Be Vitalised & Be Resistant to give vitality and support, and Lavender Easing oil to sooth any discomfort or stiffness.

Choose your own Gift Bag

Select one of the following external care products

Lavender Protection Spray, Lavender Easing Oil, Oak Foot Cream with Peppermint, Crab Apple Soothing Cream with Lavender.

Select two items from our range of fifteen Be Blends

Balanced, Calm, Comforted, Confident, Courageous, Decisive, Focused,  Free, Loving,  Positive, Present, Relaxed, Resistant,  Restful, Vitalised.

Note: flowers and ribbon may be different from that illustrated.

Should you not have received a newsletter (and would like your own copy), just drop us a line at vivien@sunessences.org and we will be very happy to send one out to you.

Here’s a PDF version Sun Essences Newsletter Winter 2013, if you wish to take a quick read

PHOTOS NEEDED – CAN YOU HELP?

In updating our Living Essences photos, we are struggling to find good photos for a few of the essences. We wondered if you have any photos that we could possibly use (on the Sun Essences website)

Of course if we use them, we will make sure you are credited with the photo AND there will be a thank you in the post too!

We need photos of autumn leaves, Borage, the Chalice Well at Glastonbury, Chamomile, Elderflower, Eyebright, Mullein, Nasturtium, Pennyroyal, Pomegranate, Tormentil, White Violet & Wild Daffodil

If you have photos, and are happy to share them, feel free to drop us a line (vivien@sunessences.org). Oh and please make sure they are your own photos, as we would hate to get into trouble with copyright

‘I balance,’ are the key words for the Air sign of Libra. They are intelligent, eloquent and amicable people, with an innate sense of justice, so are good diplomats or judges. Chronically indecisive, (even a menu can prove a challenge), this the most well know trait of Librans, as they ‘hang in the balance,’ weighing up the alternatives so things are done in complete fairness.  They love harmony, (and music), and for this reason may sometimes compromise themselves with a ‘peace at all costs’ policy. Ruled by Venus, goddess of love, this is the sign of marriage, and the setting aside of ego-drives to share in a relationship, comes naturally to them as they naturally think in terms of ‘we are’.

Scleranthus

The connection between Scleranthus and Libra is clear, this remedy  is the choice for the indecisive types.  They are hesitant and uncertain, and can easily feel unbalanced and confused. They are quiet types and suffer alone, choosing not to seek help. They will eventually make up their own minds, but it  seems to others that these people  are fickle and lack conviction because they can vacillate,  being one way one day and another tomorrow. They can genuinely see both sides of the issue and want to be fair,( and liked).   

This remedy is helpful for mood swings, and  also motion sickness and vertigo. Always take when there is an ‘either or’ situation to tackle, and the flower  will foster discrimination and help people be more calm and clear about what is the correct decisions to make.

Flower Essences are highly dilute. They work on the subtle energy fields of the body, and any changes in these can influence mental, emotional and physical well being

These fields can be impacted by RESONANCE. What  does this mean? Let me try and explain.

When two systems of energy are resonant, i.e. they both have a simliar vibration or feel; that energy is greatly amplified or enhanced. e.g.

• If a C tuning fork is chimed, it will activate the C strings in the orchestra
• A violin, or even a voice, at a certain pitch, will shatter crystal
• Beautiful music can ‘move’ you emotionally. It’s affecting your energy field and amplifying your emotions.

What did Doctor Bach on this say:-

• “The flower remedies are like beautiful music or any gloriously uplifting thing which gives us inspiration, to rise our very natures, and bring us nearer to our souls and by that very act, to bring us peace and relieve our sufferings.” Edward Bach, Ye Suffer from Yourselves. 1931

Think about this; if you enter a room that has a ‘heavy’ energy about, you can sense it pulling your energy levels down. Conversely, if you encounter a high energy atmosphere, i.e. you join a meditation group, you can feel elevated. Both of these situations are resonating with something that is already inside you, even the  room with the heavy energy.  Interesting eh?

How does this relate to Flower Essences?

A certain flower’s vibration can resonate with similar qualities in the human heart,  and therefore amplify these qualities. To explain,  Mimulus for example, will resonate with courage in the human heart  and amplify it in the system, so it can be more accessible to the person.  The negative fear will be washed away, ‘melted like snow in the sun,’ as Dr Bach puts it. The closer the match greater the effect. Here is the special skill in treating the client and the particular value of a well chosen individual mix. If the flower essence is for some reason wrong,  there can be no effect, which is why this therapy is so safe for everyone to use.

Resonance with the Natural World

Nature ‘speaks’ to us on deep levels of our being; we know it, but then again, we don’t know that we do. If we are out walking and feel particularly drawn to a certain plant, we can know that there has been some communication between us. This is again the action of RESONANCE, and you can be sure that this plant has connected at a level deep inside, and has something important to say.

The realisation that a plant can actually give a ‘message,’ is based on the Doctrine of Signature, (a wisdom used by Herbalists in medieval times), or the science of Plant Signature as it is known today. The message was thought to give insight into understanding specifically  what the plant could do in terms of healing, and was more often related to a body organ. Lungwort has leaves that look like a lung so its used for lung complaints, cyclamen has ear shaped leaves, and so on. Flower Essence therapy has greatly extended the understanding we have of Plant Signature, and it now encompasses messages for the emotions, mind and spirit. It is now known to be a language of symbols, more like an artist’s language. The plant uses shape, colour, tone, structure, texture, fragrance, number, habitat etc to make its statement.  Often involving quite complex relationships, it’s probably beyond most of us to read such a message in full, but we could begin to understand some basic terms and so make our country walks a richer experience. Such simple knowledge,  will help us develop a deeper appreciation and respect for the natural world, understand our deep kinship to it, and the knowledge that even plants have a voice. We might also be drawn to try certain flowers as a healing essence, knowing that the plant itself has been our guide and wishes us unconditional health and happiness.

This lovely little plant is flowering now, on chalk downland, so take a walk and enjoy!!

This is the time of the Leos, who are fixed fire and ruled by the sun. They have huge pride, and people of this sign are great leaders and authoritative in their field. They are showmen, and may be actors, which feeds their need to be the centre of attention. Despite being dogmatic and dictatorial, they have a constant and romantic heart, if a little jealous at times. Here is the sign of the Sun King and the absolute power that corrupts absolutely!!

Vervain

The Bach flower that matches Leo is the Vervain. It is tallish, bushy plant, with many off-shooting and tangled stems.  However, it has  very tiny mauve flowers, so the plant puts in much effort for very little. These people like to be important and make their mark on the world; over enthusiastic, they put great pressure on themselves to achieve 200%. They work very hard, but are moving on to their next project before enjoying the rewards of the  previous one.  Often  fanatical, they believe they are always  right, and may get on their soap box !!!

Here are our great leaders and teachers, who when in balance, know how to get the best out of people without needing to dominate them. These are the people who could change the world, but they can get uptight, need to relax and slow down.