Integrating Flower Essences Therapy and Intuition into a Holistic Life Coaching Practice

Alicia Holland^*

Alise Spiritual Healing and Wellness Center, PO Box 94224, Phoenix, Arizona, 85070, USA

*Corresponding Author:

Alicia Holland
Alise Spiritual Healing and Wellness Center
PO Box 94224, Phoenix, Arizona, 85070, USA
Tel: 858-751-4675/480-454-3505
Fax: (512)233-5389
E-mail: alise@alisehealingcenter.com

Received date: August 26, 2017; Accepted date: September 11, 2017; Published date: September 15, 2017

Citation: Holland A (2017) Integrating Flower Essences Therapy and Intuition into a Holistic Life Coaching Practice. J Tradit Med Clin Natur 6:243.

Copyright: © 2017 Holland A. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Visit for more related articles at Journal of Traditional Medicine & Clinical Naturopathy

Abstract

Limited research has been conducted on the integration of flower essences therapy and intuition into a holistic life coaching practice. The objective for the current qualitative case study was to examine the clients’ experiences, beliefs, and perceptions regarding the integration of flower essences and intuition in a holistic life coaching context? Clients who elected to participate in the study kept a weekly reflection journal regarding their insights and any key spiritual experiences. Twice a month, clients had either in-person or phone intuitive life coaching sessions and reported their experiences with the flower essences in each 30-day cycle. After three to six months of intuitive life coaching, clients completed an interim survey regarding their experiences. At the end of their intuitive life coaching program, clients completed their final survey regarding their experiences. Themes extracted were related to flower essences, intuition, emotional healing, meditation, personal power, and general wellness from the data: online surveys, monitoring notes, and weekly journals. There were 8 emerging themes that were coded and analyzed. Evidence from each theme included a narrative revealing what the clients experienced with flower essences, intuition, and other alternative medicine and holistic practices in the study. The findings revealed that flower essences therapy was effective with emotional healing, body image, intuition, and meeting both personal and professional goals as it relates to the body, mind, and spirit.

Keywords

Intuition; Flower essences; Holistic life coaching; Emotional healing; Alternative medicine

Introduction

There is a need for research to focus on flower essences therapy and intuition in holistic life coaching setting. For this clinical case study, it was difficult to find specific literature using the keywords of intuition, flower essences, holistic life coaching, emotional healing, and alternative medicine. Therefore, the current research may begin further exploration on the relationship of intuition and flower essences therapy in holistic life coaching. Each of these clinical case studies presented will showcase several emotional issues that were addressed during their flower therapy and intuitive life coaching sessions. When working with such issues, it is important to ensure that Free Will is honored and sacred space is provided so that individuals can have the best chance at working through their challenges.

Literature Review

Flower essences are prepared by using a bowlful of fresh spring water and floating flowers in it, keeping it under sunlight and then extracting the essence of the flower. The process can also be done by boiling the flowers and then extracting its essence in the water. This process enables a transfer of invisible knowledge from the flower to the water, and this fortified water is then diluted to prepare treatment. Flower essences therapy carefully matches the character of the flower with the state it attempts to soothe. For example, the water violet flower can be used to alleviate the pain or depression in people who seem to have withdrawn from the world [1]. As it relates to spirituality, flower essences are the most powerful modality for spiritual growth. “A wellprescribed year of flower essences equal ten years of spiritual growth without them. Flower essences coupled with spiritual exercises are less methodical but more transformational and speed up the process [2]. Flower essence is not tied to a particular religion, but focuses on the consciousness and helps clients examine their own belief systems. This is important because the belief system is the inner driving force and it governs how individuals manage relationships and how individuals deal with problems and receive happiness in their lives (Alise Spiritual Healing & Wellness Center, 2016).

Five-Step Process for Selecting Flower Essences

For clients who are receiving Flower Essence Therapy in our healing practice, the practitioner selected flower essences used in our healing practice is based upon the following five-step [3] outlined below (Figure 1).

Since the researcher is intuitive, she elected to use the intuitive impression. Intuitive impression is a technique used to describe a direct intuitive sensing of the flower essences that have been divinely guided and deemed as appropriate [3].

Flower Essence Response Stages

Clients who opt to receive Flower Essence Therapy experience four stages as their body, mind, and spirit responses to the flower essences.

These stages are the following in (Figure 2).

However, the adherence to a full 28-day cycle for each phase is not necessary. The phases naturally occur in shorter lengths of time, and clients move through the four stages much more quickly [4].

Dr. Holland’s Emotional Stages Framework

Dr. Holland’s Emotional Stages Framework is based on the emotional experiences that clients often report when they are going through an emotional crisis, life transition, or dealing with emotional pain [5]. These stages are outlined as the following mentioned in Figure 3.

Stage One, the revenge stage, is where the client still wants to get back at the person or people who have wronged them. Negative emotions associated with this stage are anger, control, gossip, and manipulation. This stage can last one to 30+ years depending on the emotional level of the person and free will.

Stage Two, the regret stage, is where the client wishes that he or she never met the person or got involved in the situation. Negative emotions associated with this stage are blame, unforgiveness, and shame. This stage can last one to 30+ years depending on the emotional level of the person and free will.

Stage Three, the release stage, is where the client begins to release the negative emotions and positive emotions begin to emerge. Positive emotions associated with this stage are peace, joy, and happiness. (Holland, 2016). This stage can last one to 30+ years depending on the emotional level of the person and free will.

Stage Four, the renew stage, is where the client starts new beginnings in all areas of their lives and are able to set and maintain healthy boundaries. Positive emotions associated with this stage are happiness, peace, joy, faith, and love. This stage can last one to 30+ years depending on the emotional level of the person and free will.

While Dr. Holland’s Framework focuses on four emotional stages, the work done at the study site primarily focuses on stages three and four. However, depending on what the Spirit shares during the intuitive impression process for selecting flower essences, clients may have emotional issues that need to be resolved. In that case, there are flower essences therapy that will help the client deal with underlying emotional issues that may fall under both revenge and regret emotional stages. It is important to note that each of these stages can last anywhere from one to three years or longer depending on the healing and free will of the client. Therefore, it is important to document any spiritual insights, experiences, dreams, and so forth to monitor how the client is progressing emotionally and how he or she is responding to the flower essence therapy.

Dr. Bach’s Framework

Dr. Bach’s Framework is based on the understanding that health requires being in harmony with the soul, and it is only through treating our internal imbalances that wholistic well-being can be attained [1]. Some researchers have found that Dr. Bach’s flower remedies have the potential to alleviate symptoms related to menopause like insomnia, mood changes, and anxiety [6]. Dr. Bach’s Framework consists of 38 flower essences that are divided into three different types – Twelve Healers, Seven Helpers and the Second Nineteen. This classification is based on an emotional mapping of an individual. The emotional state of the individual is matched with the characteristic of the flower essence to initiate the soothing and healing process. The Seven Helpers are remedies for long term chronic problems like while the Nineteen are for appeasing emotional reactions to diverse traumatic events like. The framework distinguishes between seven psychological states – uncertainty, despondency/despair, fear, and insufficient interest in present circumstances, loneliness, oversensitivity to influences and ideas and over-care for the welfare of others – for which there are several sub-states. For each sub-state a flower essence is found to provide alleviation of symptoms [7]. For the purposes of this clinical case report, the practitioner used Isha Lerner’s Power of Flower- Healing Essences because she utilized Dr. Bach’s methodology. Each flower essences were energetically tested and case studied [8].

Intuition and Intuitive Life Coaching

While intuition is difficult to define, it is presumed to be an output of a lifetime of collected wisdom including emotional, intellectual, and physical information and knowledge in out sub-conscious. This collection of data, facts, experiences and knowledge is not on stored at the sub-conscious, it is constantly analyzed and the results are made available to our conscious mind in specific contexts and in a rapid manner [9]. It has been proved by neuroscientific research that subconscious mind plays powerful role in the way think, do, or remember things, and intuition is one of the output of the sub-conscious mind. Themes like intuitive personality trait as seen in the Myers Briggs psychological instrument, and Intuitive Leadership, are making inroads into mainstream approaches to decision making [10].

Intuitive Life Coaching is a process where an individual is able to tap into their subconscious wisdom and make better life decisions - thus setting themselves on a path of continuous improvement and success. It begins with an ignorance of what we do not know (unconscious incompetence), and moves on to insights and acceptance of things that we are not aware of (conscious incompetence). It then proceeds to conscious competence, where we are aware of our skills and knowledge, and finally moves into a final state where we are able to make better decisions without even knowing that we have the skill or knowledge or competence (unconscious competence) [9].

Reiki (Energy Healing)

Reiki is a touch therapy or a bio-field energy therapy that is performed with hands of the practitioner to help the patient’s body to become strong and improve its ability to heal [11]. While not many empirical studies have been conducted to assess the impact of Reiki, it has been found to alleviate symptoms of stress, pain and improve the body’s recovery against wounds and illness [12]. In a notable study, actual physical correlates of Reiki were studied and it was found that salivary IgA levels increased, skin temperature increased while systolic blood pressure dropped after a session of Reiki on the research participants [13]. The findings of this study indicate that Reiki may have an indirect and beneficial impact on the immune system [13]. Reiki has been found to be beneficial in depression [14] and to reduce anxiety and pain in women post abdominal hysterectomy and in women post cesarian section deliveries [15].

Meditation and Mindfulness

Mindfulness or Mindful Meditation or MM is aimed at making people aware of everything around them and in involves paying attention to their body, breathing and any physical sensations as well as to that is happening around them [16]. There are however more than 33 definitions of Mindfulness available in literature, which can be synthesized to arrive at four core elements of the theme – presentcenteredness, attention and awareness, external events, ethical mindedness and cultivation [17]. On the other hand Concentrative Meditation (CM) occurs when there is a constant focus on one object. The two styles differ in the focus that they desire from the person who is observing them – MM not so much as focusing on any one objective but being aware of everything and CM trains to focus on one specific object. Prayer Meditation is when there is a chant or repetition of a particular world and the focus in kept on this task alone. Research has found that meditation – irrespective of the style – leads to enhanced well-being, enables [18] and leads to improved creative performance [19] and cognitive flexibility (Table 1) [20].

Clinical Case Studies

In this clinical case study, there were a total of five clients who consented to participate. The researcher has used pseudonyms to protect their identity and privacy. Below are the following clinical cases:

Clinical Case Study #1: Carla

Carla was a 23-year old, African American, single woman with no children. She was a full-time student majoring in Human Service and currently worked a full-time job. She reported her interest in singing, songwriting, dancing, and acting. She was social and spent a great deal at church. Carla exercised about three times a week and ate fairly healthy. She was currently not on any medications or undergoing any therapy. Carla reported that she felt fatigued frequently, had trouble sleeping, experienced anxiety, and sporadic mood changes. Carla was seeking to address her concerns with setting healthy boundaries at work and in her personal relationships with family, friends, and romantic interests. She had a goal of being the first child in her family to graduate from college [21].

The core essences that helped Carla included the following: (a) Pink Yarrow; (b) Larkspur; and (c) Shasta Daisy. There were two themes that came up throughout her six-month intuitive life coaching program and flower therapy sessions (Figure 4).

Carla completed her six-month intuitive life coaching program, in which she had 12 sessions, including one distance Reiki healing session and six 30-day cycles of flower essence therapy focusing on a variety of emotional challenges and personal goals. Carla shared with us the following:

“I was going through some emotional hiccups, needing to ground myself, also setting some boundaries, not walls. Pink Yarrow helped with that a lot in relationships with everyone around me. Helped me value myself more and respect my standards. Hibiscus helped with my emotional balance, also opening my chakras. I feel that now my basic needs are my prime focus and I am doing well in managing them. The Shasta Daisy was to help with clarity, creativity, and concentration. I still find myself getting off track sometimes when it comes to focusing, but I do find myself expressing my creative thoughts more in my homework, fun committee at work, and in my music.”

By the end of her program, Carla realized that she could graduate early so she took advantage of that opportunity. She became the first person to graduate from her family. Therefore, she met her professional goal.

Clinical Case Study #2: Princess

Princess was a 31-year old, African American, single woman with one child and a new position in the banking and investment industry. She enjoys listening to music, fashion, and art. She reported that she is currently not taking any medications or have not been diagnosed with existing health conditions by her medical doctor. Princess does not exercise regularly or follow a strict diet. She shared that her energy level is high during work hours, but low during nights and weekends. Princess came to our healing center to seek help with learning more about herself, setting healthy boundaries, and seeking clarity.

The core essences that helped Princess included the following: (a) Hibiscus; and (b) Letting Go of the Past Blend. There were two themes that came up throughout her six-month intuitive life coaching program and flower therapy sessions. These themes were the following (Figure 5).

Given that Princess completed one 30-day cycle and was content with the results. She opted to continue focusing on her career goals for a Master Degree in Business Administration. During our final flower essence appointment, Princess shared the following:

“Last week, I learned a lot about myself, had many aha moments, and gained increase trust in my intuition. I would like to stop our coaching sessions for now. Thank you for sending me your healing energy! I feel like major positive changes has taken place in much a short period of time”.

Therefore, Princess has made the choice to focus on other areas of her life, but recognizes that she still needs work on letting go of her past relationship.

Clinical Case Study #3: Kenya

Kenya was a 32-year old, African American, divorced woman with two children and a full-time research job. She had high expectations of herself and suffered from self-doubt and low self-esteem when she was rejected for her work or unable to meet her goals. The pressures and standards that she held herself to where unrealistic and leaving her exhausted and overwhelmed. Due to the emotional stress, Kenya ate more than when she should and ended up gaining over 50lbs. over the course of four years. Kenya reported that she gained most of the weight throughout her marriage. Kenya committed to our two-year in-depth Flower Essences Therapy Program. Over the course of those two years, there were seven core essences to help her with this emotional stress.

The core essences that helped Kenya included the following: (a) Hibiscus; (b) Larkspur; (c) Manzanita; (d) Cosmos; (e) California Poppy; (f) Apple Blossom; (g) Black-Eyed Susan; and (h) Pink Yarrow. The additional essences used at various times over the years, in combination with the above core essences to address the identified themes in Kenya’s life experiences included the following: (a) Clear the Aura Blend; (b) Healing Body Image Blend; (c) Karmic Imprint Blend; (d) Let Go of the Past Blend; and (e) Purpose and Destiny Blend.

There were three themes that came up throughout her 24-month intuitive life coaching program and flower therapy sessions (Figure 6).

Pink Yarrow facilitated the process to help Kenya established proper boundaries with work, home, and personal relationships. She had to learn how to apply Divine Order in her life to maintain balance. The Karmic Imprint Blend serves to cleanse the aura as emotional issues rise to the surface to process. Over the course of 8 months, Kenya lost 40lbs. and 20 inches in which she reported being taken off two of three medications due to her significant weight loss, dietary changes, and increase in exercise. She credits the flower essences for keeping her focused on meeting her goals.

The fact that Kenya has made progress, it is still important to keep clearing her aura, letting go of the past, healing her body, and focusing on her purpose and destiny. During our last flower essence appointment, she recognizes that this is a life-time commitment to emotional healing. These are core issues for Kenya and she has been working on them aggressively and keeping a reflective journal to keep track of her emotional state.

Clinical Case Study #4: Guari

Guari was a 36-year old, Asian Indian, woman with no children. She worked full-time in a research position and aspired to become a physician. She reported her interests as loving to read, travel, and dance. Guari reported that she was ill frequently as a child and really never had a full physical as an adult. She feels lack of energy resulting in a lack of exercise. Guari is a vegetarian and shared that she lacks proper intake of protein and is not currently taking any medications. Guari is seeking to address why her love relationships do not manifest into long-term connections and help focusing on her goal to pass her state board medical exam for residency.

The core essences that helped Guari included the following: (a) Larkspur. There were two themes that came up for two intuitive life coaching and one 30-day flower therapy sessions. These themes were the following (Figure 7).

Guari learned that her past romantic partner was getting married and she opted not focus on completing her medical exam because he was supposed to help her given that he is a medical doctor in the field. Her emotional state superseded her goals, which was something that she identified in one of her intuitive life coaching session. Therefore, Guari has made the choice to focus on a romantic relationship rather than her own self and goals.

Clinical Case Study #5: Meredith

Meredith was a 27-year old, Native American, Irish, Czech, and El Salvador, single woman living in an apartment with her dog and a temporary position building hiking trails and maintaining conservationist duties. She feels her relationship with others is difficult at times as she is shy and quiet around groups of people or new people. She is not good at opening up to others, but she is placed in leadership positions. Meredith reported that dealing with arrogant and overwhelmingly negative people. Additionally, she reported that she struggled with self-doubt, self-acceptance, and have trust issues. Meredith reported an irregular diet, regular exercise which includes yoga, hiking, and going to the gym. Lastly, she considered her mood to be up and down (Figure 8).

The core essences that helped Meredith included the following: (a) Hibiscus; (b) California Poppy; and (c) Larkspur. There were two themes that came up throughout her three-month intuitive life coaching program and flower therapy sessions. These themes were the following:

Given that Meredith completed one 30-day cycle and was content with the results. She opted to continue focusing in her career goals and pursue being a Reiki Master Teacher. During our final flower essence appointment, Meredith shared the following:

“I am well, I’ve been receiving much more insight in depth. Feeling like veils lifting away, I have a lot of visions of my friends face and experience good but odd things when around him energetically, so I have been trying to see what that is about. I feel I’ve been trusting and listening to my inner selves, intuition and physical sensations. There is so much I’m experiencing. Yoga, nature, meditation, is all I ever want to do. I’ve been releasing from my heart as well but I feel there is still much.

My dreams of night and daydreams are there, having some amazingly real ones that feel just as I’m living now. My dreams feel like they want to come in finer but it’s still hazey and hard to remember them. Also, I am very more conscious and aware, I’m in synch with my body pains and feeling emotions instantly, I’ve noticed jealousy and a couple other emotions I’m not sure how to rid of just yet. I’ve just been having a lot going on, I’m trying to learn as much as I can since my view of the universe is coming in clearer than before.

Therefore, Meredith has made the choice to focus on her dream of using her spiritual gifts to serve others. However, she realizes that she still has emotional issues that needs to be cleared and continuing to be addressed in her aura. In terms of her meeting her goals, she was able to connect with her higher self and the Divine based upon what she shared in our last flower essence appointment.

Summary

These are just five examples of how flower essences and intuition are used in holistic life coaching sessions. These examples give a snapshot of emotional issues in which individuals are dealing with and are seeking spiritual and life coaching support to address them. It is important to note that results were effective in the shorter durations of intuitive life coaching and flower essence therapy. However, this depended on whether the individual had fewer energetic blocks resulting in faster results with the flower essences. The longer individuals took the flower essences and continued with their intuitive life coaching sessions, they could achieve significant results in one or more areas of their lives.

Care Manager’s Context

Spending over 15 years in the spirituality and holistic medicine industry, resources have been limited and there has been a need to provide insight into how flower essences therapy is integrated into a holistic intuitive life coaching practice. As an alternative medicine and holistic wellness practitioner, the researcher has worked with clients around the world with flower essences therapy, energy healing, and intuitive life coaching. My intentions with this project is to disseminate the knowledge to benefit the alternative and holistic medicine industry and provide frameworks to work with clients who need spiritual healing, life coaching, and emotional wellness to improve their lives.

Funding

This research project was funded by the 501c3 Not for Profit, Alise Spiritual Healing & Wellness Center and iGlobal Educational Services.

Acknowledgements

We want to thank the 501c3 Not for Profit, Alise Spiritual Healing & Wellness Center in Austin, Texas and Phoenix, Arizona for allowing us to conduct our research at their alternative medicine and spiritual healing practice. A special thank you to Reshma Donthamsetty for preparing the client profiles for this research project.

Medical Disclaimer

Each client consented to participating in our clinical case study as part of their intuitive life coaching program and/or flower essence therapy services. The information presented in this clinical case study is not intended to take the place of your doctor’s advice nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Discuss this information with your own doctor or healthcare provider to determine what is right for you. Alise Spiritual Healing & Wellness Center is not a substitute for prescription medication, surgery, or any other medical treatment. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician before having any beauty/holistic/complementary/spiritual treatments. The information contained in this clinical case study should not be considered complete and should not be used in place of a visit, call, consultation or advice of your doctor or other health care provider. Information obtained from this clinical case study is not exhaustive and does not cover all diseases, ailments, physical conditions or their treatment. Should you have any health care-related questions, please call or see your doctor or other health care provider promptly. You should never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read here.

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