Mimulus aka Monkey Flower

Mimulus aka Monkey Flower Essences

Mimulus also known as Monkey Flower is family of plants common in the Western United States. During spring and summer months it can be found growing near rivers and streams as well as deserts and mountain enviroments. It is a large family that covers much ground in terms of habitat range and its flowers offer a variety of color. Monkey flowers can be yellow, red, pink, purple, orange, beige, brick as well as a combination of these colors. It is such a color diverse family that offers a wide range of benefits for treating a variety of fear related issues.

The species of Mimulus that Bach prepared an essence of prefers clear moving water. This species grows upright with leaves growing from the stem and flowers at the end of the stem. The flowers are striking bright yellow with many red spots on the throat of the flower which guide bees to the nectar inside. Over the years FES has been making essences from other varieties of Monkey flower most notably pink monkey flower, scarlet monkey flower, purple monkey flower and sticky monkey flower.

Mimulus was one of the first three remedies that Dr. Bach prepared. It is used for fear, timidity and shyness. Bach noted that the mimulus type are sensitive to their environment. They prefer quite, avoid challenges and shy away from life as they are often plagued by many small worries. This type of withdraw from challenges and giving into fears and worry stymies the growth of the soul on many levels. When using mimulus the soul and personality develop courage by facing fears and moving beyond them helping us to build the internal resources for overcoming challenges we may face in the future.

The following is a group of Monkey flowers prepared by FES out of Nevada City California.
Pink Monkey flower: This essence is for fears related to emotions and closeness. Pink Monkey flower helps one to achieve a state of emotional honesty; it is useful when feelings of guilt, unworthiness and shame lead one to hide themselves from others. It encourages emotional honesty and emotional risk taking helping one to remain emotionally open.

Purple Monkey flower: This essence treats fears related to spiritual experiences; it helps to build trust in ones spiritual experience. It helps one to learn to trust spiritual guidance and fosters clarity during spiritual or psychic experiences.

Scarlet Monkey flower: This essence is for those who repress deep strong emotions for fear that the power of these emotions will over take them and they will be consumed by the ’shadow’. Scarlet Monkey flower helps one come to grips with their shadow side, helping to integrate the trans-formative power of deep feelings.

Sticky Monkey flower: This essence treats fears around sexuality and intimacy. Sticky Monkey flower helps with repressed sexual feelings as well as bringing warmth to the experience of human sexuality. This essence helps one to integrate warmth in relationships and sexual expression.

Coming across Monkey flowers in the wild is such a fun feeling because they are so distinct in their coloration and there is such a variety of them. On June 6th 2008, I came upon a variety of yellow mimulus with a large red spot on the front lip of the yellow flower. On March 9th 2009 I came upon Bigelow Monkey flower a striking pink, purple, yellow variety that grows in the desert regions of Southern California.

I have prepared an essence of each of these varieties and look forward to doing more research with them over the coming years. So far they show promise with 1.) coming into healthy contact with anger and expressing it and 2.) treating fear of rejection. As I discover more about these two essences I will be sharing them with you on this blog. If you are interested in trying them as research essences please e-mail me and I will be happy to send them to you.

The Frangrance of the Desert

Bigelow Monkey Flower

Late winter and early spring often brings blankets of wildflowers across the deserts of the Southwest; rain permitting of course. This winter we have had a good amount of rain spread throughout the months of December, January and February. This steady amount of rain has brought much green to many areas of Southern California and this green has led to yellow, orange, blue, purple and white flowers blanketing the the landscape. These blankets of flowers fill the air with 'The fragrance of the desert'; the sweet smell of nectar from all the blooming flowers.

I always try to make it out to the desert during this time of year to catch the spectacle of color before it fades. This past week I headed out to the Chuckwalla Mountains; which are about 200 miles east of Los Angeles. Last year I made it to Joshua Tree and Anza Borrego a desert east of San Diego near the border with Mexico. Anza Borrego is a low desert with Joshua tree being more of high desert; Anza Borrego is part of the Colorado desert where as Joshua Tree is part Mojave desert in the upper areas and Colorado desert in the lower areas. The famed Joshua Tree favors the Mojave as it is cooler and moister than the Colorado.

While out in the Chuckwalla Mountains I saw many common desert wildflowers including gold cup, apricot mallow, California poppy, creosote, brittlebush, phacelias and many others. There were a few flowers I saw but not many of these definitely peeked my interested. I saw two families of Bigelow Monkey flower, three ghost flower plants and one yellow/tarnished gold colored nightshade; I was drawn to these less populous wildflowers. I prepared three remedies from these flowers and will be researching them over the next year; at which time I hope to have a definition of their actions and make them available.

During my visit to the deserts in 2008 I prepared essences from Desert Canterbury Bells, Desert 4 O'clock, Arizona Lupine and Desert Dandelion. I have preliminary definitions for 3 these essences and hope to make them widely available by 2010. Now I know it is not right to pick favorites but my favorite out of the four mentioned is Desert Canterbury Bells; it is an eye catching deep blue flower and grow in communities amongst rock out crops.

Preliminary Definitions:

Desert Canterbury Bells- enhances vertical alignment; relaxes the upper and lower chest, shoulders and throat; lightens a tense heart and throat; good for those who are burnt out unhappy and destitute.

Arizona Lupine- this essence helps us harmonize with community; helps heal divisions with others in community by fostering feelings of allowing others to be themselves and helping us feel comfortable being ourselves in groups. Helpful for group unity and acceptance.

Desert Dandelion- relaxing to overly tense musculature; helps us take a more relaxed approach to life; good for those who are tense and high strung.

Desert Alchemy is another producer of flower remedies from the desert region of the Southwest; they are based in Tucson, Arizona and many of their remedies come from the Sonoran Desert.

Deserts are magical places it has been a place of solitude, mystery and spirituality for many cultures around the world. It is a vast place that challenges the ego to quite the feeling of solitude and quite is enveloping making it a great place for spiritual retreat. It is a place that is seemingly inhospitable and lifeless but with a touch of water the desert comes to life reminding us of the potential for life and growth of the organism and soul.

Please contact me through this website if you are interested in any of our desert flower essences.

Bach Remedies for treating Fears

Bach Remedies for treating Fears

There are many types of fears and apprehensions folks suffer from and Dr. Bach felt negative emotions impair a persons ability to achieve well being. Because life is dynamic the negative emotion of fear falls into many categories. There are a few Bach remedies that treat specific fears; remedies such as Aspen and Mimulus. And there are ways which other Bach remedies can treat a variety of fears. Below is a list of 15 remedies and how they can help you surmount your fears.

Bach Remedies for Treating Fears:

Agrimony: treats fear of being seen emotionally- promotes emotional honesty with ones self

Aspen: treats vague fears, fear of the unknown, apprehension- encourages trust and faith in the unknown.

Cerato: treats fear of making the wrong decision- promotes trust in self

Cherry Plum: treats fear of losing control- promotes calm

Chicory: treats fear of loss of love- encourages freedom and letting go

Crab Apple: treats fear of germs, impurities and sin- a cleansing essence bringing a sense of purity

Heather:treats fear of making a fool of oneself, for those with low self esteem- promotes a sense of individual wholeness tempering vanity

Holly: treats fears that others will receive more love and attention- encourages an open heart and loving inclusiveness

Larch: treats fear of failure, fear of judgment from others- encourages confidence in ones ability

Mimulus: treats fear of known things, heights, public speaking, pain, good for shy persons- promotes courage and bravery

Pine: treats fear of punishment that arise from feelings of guilt- promotes wholesome thoughts freeing us from feeling of guilt

Red Chestnut: this is for fears and worry regarding the welfare of others- promotes trust in the welfare of others

Rock Rose: treats terror, extreme fears of self or death, for intense fears- promotes deep strength and courage during emergency.

Star of Bethlehem: treats fears relating to unresolved trauma or injury- promotes peace and healing of recent or old trauma

Water Violet: treats fear of close contact-encourages feelings of friendliness, openness helping us feel more comfortable connecting with others

Essence Alchemy has made it easy for you to design a personal remedy dosage bottle, we call it “Your Personal Bottle”. A dosage bottle which combines up to 6 different remedies into a single formula. This is the way essences were designed to be administered