Heal with Flowers

   

   I always respected flowers for their ability to heal us. But that wasn’t the reason why I would dress up in white lace and start  picking roses, bougainvillas,  and xanthans when I was a silly 7 year old. Now, in less embarrassing times, I still am a fan of these blooms and nicely arranged bouquet of flowers never fail to elevate my spirits. Spreads of flowers just have the power to make any moment beautiful and decadent! Since it broke into the wellness scene, aromatherapy is still very much in vogue.  Essential oils used in spa treatments are mostly derived from flowers like lavender, geranium, roses, jasmine and many more popular flowers. They help lower blood pressure, induce relaxation, help our brains release happy hormones, that’s why a bouquet of blossoms always bring us to a happy place.

Here’s a rundown of the healing powers of flowers:

    Geranium calms nervous tension and lifts depression. A vial of this essential oil keeps me grounded during really stressful times and I find that mixing this with lavender oil makes me feel really positive after a long workout at the gym, not to mention that lavender and geranium oil beats any perfume in the fragrance counters. Mix both essential oils in a carrier oil like olive, apricot kernel, walnut oil or almond oil, slather it up on damp skin after a shower, and you’ll smell the cleanest, freshest, most positive fragrance you’ve ever sniffed in a long while.

     

     Passion flowers almost have an alien look to them, with all those vibrant colours and spikes. It is one flower that really excites me because it is not available everywhere – only niche florists sell them so the hunt could sometimes be exhausting.  Passion flowers are my favourite subjects when I dabble with my watercolours on lazy Sunday mornings  (given that I am not too lazy to wake up!). These flowers help to acknowledge and express strong feelings positively and to be open to love and life. A natural relaxant, it is effective in soothing anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, asthma, skin disorders, neuralgia and shingles.

     Jasmine helps balance hormones especially during a PMS emergencies. It also boosts positive hormones for premenopausal years and is believed to increase sexual desire. It has somehow been associated with divinity and religion as you see garland of jasmines being festooned from Hindu celebrations to catholic altars. 

 

     Lavender, the current queen of aromatherapy fragrances, is a powerful herb that soothes the nervous system. In the old days in France, Provencial mothers were using lavender balsm to calm down wayward toddlers and overactive children. Now, lavender is more of a celebrity in the aromatherapy scene as you see lavender fragrance from soaps, body talc, room sprays, lotions, bath foams, linen sprays and more. Lavender can also be a part of high tea for a luxurious floral cup. I hand-craft organic lavender pods mixed with chamomile and pink rose buds I import from France. My tea line is a full-on business in Manila but I also sell it online at www.etsy.com – Namastea. 

      Rose is still the star of all flowers. Ever being the attraction in English gardens,  the subject of some poems, and a favourite bouquet flower among brides, it’s always associated with love and everything nurturing and beautiful. In the world of healing, it is believed to also soothe the nervous system and also balance hormones among perimenopausal women. It also helps to ground people suffering from psychosomatic disorders as well as those who suffer from eating disorders. Rose essences have a very potent astringent effect on the skin and are refuted for healing dry skin. Browse in your favourite beauty bar and you’ll see rose in products for mature skin from lotions to face serums. Rose also make a beautiful beverage as seen from Chinese tea shops selling red rose teas and also Indian beverage and desserts using rose water. My favourite kind are pink rose buds from France that make a really soothing and luxurious beverage by itself of with other floral infusions like lavender and chamomile. I love mixing rose otto essential oils with lavender as well as a weekend massage treat. 

     Of course, we all know chamomile’s ability to put us to sleep and induce quiet moments. What’s about this flower that just sends us to la-la land? Whatever it is, I’m just really glad that chamomile teas are everywhere to be found, even the most common supermarket would have at least three brands carrying chamomile teas. I prefer mine in loose leaf and I strain them in a pot when I really want to wind down. I also love diluting chamomile essential oil in witch hazel and spraying it on my pillow for some sleepy time. 

   Narcissus brings boosts self-confidence and enhances inner beauty and radiance. It may be one of the most uncomplicated flowers you’ll see, and it relieves  coughs and colds and is a natural sedative, calming panic attacks and preventing insomnia.