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Have You Ever come Across a New Product and Wondered what the Motivation was for Creating it?

The Birth of Ashwhin's two Flower Essence Ranges was as Natural and Magical as a Bud Opening

From the very first moment, the process of creating Ashwhin's Flower Essences has been magical, and meant to happen. No doubt we have all been steered into a new adventure because we were given three reminders or catalysts, and so it happened in the creation of my flower essences.

The first small event happened In February of this year. I had been researching ancient plant lore and uses for years (actually decades) with the vision of perhaps producing an encyclopaedia someday. And as these things do, the brimming box file with these notes leered at me from my top office shelf, whenever I glanced that way. However in February, I consulted these notes, and was captured for a couple of hours as I read some of the fascinating stories of how people in the past used and revered plants and trees.

The second catalyst was a growing sense of frustration. I had been using Bach Flower Remedies myself for many years, and when I began my business in balanced living and holistic therapies, I occasionally recommended them to my clients. But I had been doing this less and less frequently of late. Now I do not know just why this was. Perhaps this wonderful collection of essences developed in the 1930s is not quite so relevant to the problems of today. Perhaps, as rumour has it, their method of preparation has changed in the past few years. Whatever the truth is, I certainly found that I used them less frequently, and when I did use them I used several essences in combination. I also tried a few essences from some of the newer ranges, but was not sufficiently impressed to become an advocate for any one range.

Then in Early April, Peter and I took a much needed weekend break on the lovely island of Gigha. Whilst exploring the tiny island, we visited the gardens of Achamore House - which are truly lovely, and are now owned and managed by the people of Gigha. Achamore house has been purchased by a charming American named Don Dennis. There he lives, and runs his business, the International Flower Essence Repertoire. Peter and I found IFER inspirational, and Don delightful.

The Rational

I suppose that we are all a little superstitious sometimes - and it is wonderful to have signs and portents that seem to confirm and support what we intend to do. But however spiritual I am, I also am me - rational, and methodical. And, very much the product of a patriarchal society where logic is king. So, before we started to do anything, we had a long think and longer chat about how to proceed.

It was whilst we were discussing our visit, and the tour of the house that Don had so kindly given us, that we decided to create our own flower essences. There were loads of good reasons to proceed, and especially because Peter and I wanted to find a project that we could do together, that interested us, challenged us and used our various skills.

We both wanted to be certain that our essence range was a useful addition to the wonderful ones on offer from around the world, and thus not in direct competition to any other. In this IFER was an excellent help, as they have already done the necessary research and offer for sale the 21 essence ranges that they have found to be best. Of course this in itself was scary, because at first it seemed that there was no way that we could offer what we wished to - something complementary and filling an unoccupied niche.

The Beginning

I leapt into the research with gusto, and Peter spent most of the spring and summer photographing a daily changing list of plants. I can only say that we have both come to believe that our essence ranges were truly meant to happen.

On the surface, the other demands on our time and energy this year should have made the launch of flower essences impossible. Instead, it was the plants, their beauty, energy and inspiration that kept us going.

Of the 98 individual plants used in our ranges, over 80 we have found in our own garden, and this apparent confirmation spurred us to continue the project with growing enthusiasm. The other plants, we found along the shore here on the peninsula that houses Dunstaffnage Mains Farm, and, of course, the castle.

We were also both pleased and surprised to find encouragement from friends, colleagues, clients, neighbours and strangers.

So the essences were created, the flowers carefully selected, the plants thanked for their energy, beauty and generosity. Both donor plants and the flowers that went into the collection jars were celebrated and given an energy boost with reiki (a practice that uses life force energy to heal and balance all living things).

The Ranges Developed

First there was One

Whilst in no way am I against technological development, I am often saddened by the huge distance between people and the environment. It is a sad loss for us all, nature loses and is damaged by our abuses, but we also lose on all levels of life and experience. Primarily, the loss of our natural rhythms, so linked to the earth, adds to the stress, spiritual desert, and sense of isolation that are a part of our society.

Over the past eight years, I have worked to rediscover the patterns of our ancient ancestors, and to use these as a way of spiritual and emotional development. The success of this led me to the creation of my first range of plant and flower essences, Ashwhin's Ancient Alba Flower Essence Remedies. The Celts, and the ancient Scots before them, revered and celebrated the passing of the seasons, which they marked very clearly and accurately by the movement of the sun and moon.

In the pagan world long before any written history, the moons' cycle was deeply linked to fertility, female powers, magic and birth. Archaeological evidence traces moon worship, celebration and calendar to the very dawn of human existence. We know it was used by the ancient Irish and Scottish people when the Celtics came to here in the fifth century BC. The Druids, leaders and guides to the Celtic people, were well known for adopting the spiritual and daily practices of indigenous peoples, as well as bringing their own wisdom and learning. And, of course the Celts themselves would have long used the moon as calendar and guide, for this pagan practice was world wide.

But Ashwhin's Ancient Alba Flower Essences are not simply an attempt to regain ancient wisdom, I also spent many hours working with the plants intuitively. Thus confirming that the nature and uses of the plants selected are still utterly relevant and efficacious to us now.

I trust that my special essences will be catalysts to a reconnection with the spirit of nature, and the energy of our planet, helping us to feel more balanced and comfortable on an emotional and spiritual level. I also hope that these essences do in truth capture some of the wisdom and magic of our ancestors. Ashwhin's Ancient Alba Essences are comprised of 13 moon essences and 8 sun festival essences. The latter celebrate the solstices, equinoxes and quarter days. Each Moon Essence in comprised of two plant energies, and the sun festival essences are made up of three. And each of the 50 plants used in the range were used and revered here in Scotland in ancient times - at least back to 450 BC and almost certainly long before that.

Then There Were Two

Whilst the form and shape of Ancient Alba range was developing, I felt nagged by a little voice that told me that wonderful as I thought it was, the very spiritually biased Ancient Alba range would not be what everyone needed.

So Ashwhin's Dynamic Balance grew in a totally different manner. I began by listing the struggles, issues and problems that my friends and clients have shared with me over the years (and of course my own challenges). Then I spent a great deal of time in the garden, admiring the plants, talking with them and working with them intuitively. By this I mean, that in meditation I opened myself to their energy and waited. What I heard and felt was a revelation and a joy, for with each plant I focused upon, come a unique and clear sense of their identity (signature, essence, energy, call it what you will).

Then armed with the list of issues needing to be met, with my researches into plant lore, and my own intuitive work, I matched two flower essences to each of the 24 issues. I chose to use two plants for each final essence, as they help provide the balance of energies that is at the heart of this range.

That was the core work - planning the ranges, naming them, collecting the flowers and blending the essences. Finally came all the practical aspects of bottling, and ensuring that every step of this practice was done in line with the guidelines for good practice in the industry; labelling and sealing the bottles; and now marketing the finished products.