I
 continue to have people contact me for help with specific physical  
conditions.  I cannot state often enough that flower essences are  
neither herbs or drugs.  If you're looking for a substance that is going
  to take physical effect, flower essences will be disappointing,  
however, last week I had a client with a realistic perspective toward  
his illness. Lets call him Jack. 
Jack has just been diagnosed  
with Ankylosing Spondylitis.  "What's that?" you say?  Ankylosing  
spondylitis is a long-term disease that involves inflammation of the  
joints between the spinal bones, and the joints between the spine and  
pelvis. These joints become swollen and inflamed. Over time, the  
affected spinal bones join together.  
Jack is on medication to  
control pain, and is working on an exercise program to maintain  
flexibility.  He's a fan of yoga, even though its a real challenge for  
him.  He's looking at getting into a regular physical therapy program as
  well. His current job as a helicopter pilot is not doing him any  
favors.  Long hours of sitting and high stress are major contributors to
  the progression of the disease.  He's planning on getting into a line 
 of work that features more activity.  I say all this so you can see 
that  he is not looking at me to "fix him". He is interested in hitting 
this  from all angles to improve quality of life as much as possible.  
Where I come in:
Keeping
  stress levels down is a huge factor in Ankylosing Spondylitis.  Until 
 he can transition into a lower stress job, we need a work-around for  
right now.  He also mentioned some anxiety, and taking on some family  
responsibility that really wasn't his to deal with.  Since Ankylosing  
Spondylitis is genetic, we also needed to do a spiritual cleansing  of 
his genealogical line.  It's also thought to be an autoimmune  disease, 
which in many instances, childhood trauma can flip the switch  meaning 
what may have been a simple genetic predisposition before,  becomes a 
seed of disease for later on in life.  Only 5% of the people  who have 
genotype for Ankylosing Spondylitis actually develop it.  Your  genetic 
predisposition does not determine your health.  Your emotional  health 
is the larger factor.  
We worked out the following custom  combo, which if you 
order one,
 you get a sheet like this detailing what  each essence does.  There's 
an emphasis on mental/emotional flexibility  here, as stubbornness runs 
in the family as well.  You'll also see me  target that childhood 
trauma, as well as the stress, anxiety and the  tendency to take on too 
much.  We will probably need to revisit all this  when he gets his 
lifestyle a little more conducive to managing his  symptoms. 
Jack's Custom Combo
Verbena
 loosens up rigidity in the body and mind.  Softens stiff conceptual 
thinking, hostility, judgement and hardened attitudes.   Used internally
 to relieve stress when one feels overwhelmed with a "taskmaster" 
mindset, as if one has too many things to do. Can also be used to 
balance the emotions and smooth out rigid, more abrasive personality 
traits. Creates a detached perspective without eliminating a caring and 
loving attitude. 
Arnica flower essence helps 
deal with emotions that get locked in the body after accidents, or 
violent experiences.  Arnica is the remedy of choice for dissociative 
disorders, puzzling illnesses or autoimmune diseases that don't respond 
to other methods of treating the physical symptoms.  Arnica is also 
helpful to release shock held in the body's musculature, or it can be 
used as a release of old "set in" trauma whether for emotional or 
physical. 
Dandelion works out the knots and 
stress that are held in the musculature of the body.  For the 
overdriving enthusiastic personality that pushes beyond their physical 
capacity to carry out such intense activity.  Dandelion will tune you in
 to what your body needs as well as help you process through some much 
needed inner quiet time.  If you tend to throw yourself full-on into too
 many activities, over-plan, over-schedule, Dandelion is a great 
balancer for a more sustainable lifestyle.
Lemon Balm facilitates
 a deep natural relaxation.  It eases the velocity of the mind, helping 
you slip into an alpha state more easily.  Lemon balm also moves anxiety
 out so that revelation can surface.  Calming to fears and helps to 
regulate sleep cycle.  Sleep is key to restoration and healing.  Lemon 
Balm flower essence is a restorer after stress from modern civilization,
 being around too many people and stretched too thin. There may be 
anxiety over something obvious or anxiety over something lurking in the 
background of the mind.  Either way, Lemon Balm helps to release those, 
usually through dreams.
Star of Bethlehem is the
 classic trauma essence.  Whether old trauma or new, it helps people 
find reassurance and rapidly neutralizes any kind of trauma.  
Practically all of us experience shocking events in our lives that we 
are unable to cope with.  A practitioner I know uses Star of Bethlehem 
in every combo because "Everybody's been through something."  Star of 
Bethlehem reverses the "shutting down" effects of trauma and helps the 
person regain the ability to cope with circumstances with mental clarity
 and inner strength.
Lilac helps assorted back 
problems due to emotional resistance.  Helps you find a balance between 
not accepting anyone's help and being overly dependent on others.  If 
you've taken on too much of a load, lilac helps you find a way to 
release some of that. 
Pussy Willow helps us 
regain our balance and flexibility when there has been too much doing 
and not enough being.  In today's society, we tend to create high 
pressure situations, trying to cram it all in at the expense of 
relaxation.  Too much pressure causes us to become rigid and resentful 
and eventually crack, much like a willow that is no longer tapped into a
 water source.  The positive side of willow is creativity, flexibility, 
increase in intuition, patience, kindness, grace and a proper balance of
 right brain/left brain functioning.  Pussy Willow helps us to find new 
ways of operating, new ways to organize our days to have a balanced 
lifestyle that is conducive to love, comfort, flowing in proper timing 
and rest.  Pussy Willow also helps us engage with our 5 senses, helping 
us take in life and all it's sensual pleasures more fully.