9
The Ten Trees
Cherry Plum
We will begin by situating ourselves in Wood’s Movement, in the Liver and its Psyche.
Wood represents expansion—the force that impels movement. If this Energy is manifested in an imbalanced way, we will encounter difficulties in taking action, difficulties getting in gear and expanding our being toward the outlying world, and difficulties in externalizing and saying what we feel and think. Or, we will find ourselves impelled in action, possibly entirely unconsciously or with scarce participation of regulatory mental processes.
These two types of disharmony relate to and weave through each other. When we try to repress all sorts of content—which vary among people—we start betting against the force that lets us spring forth and act. Putting the brakes on that which we would rather keep in the dark (consciously or unconsciously) also damages this expressive force and damages many of our best intuitive, creative, and affective prospects, which we do not control and which we’ve sometimes not even registered.
Obviously, it is not desirable to have everything internal bud out into action and materialize without mediation. Nor is it desirable that the various mechanisms that sift our actions impose such restrictions that our impulse becomes imprisoned.
Moreover, as Josep states, “a mental impulse, a thought, an idea . . . doesn’t necessarily becomes translated into an action or a concrete life occurrence.” For this we have moral conscience, exerted by the Heart, which allows us to contain impelling forces, passions, and unconscious contents (all part of the Liver’s Psyche), and likewise the constrictive force of the Lung, which puts some healthy, balancing brakes on the Liver’s infinite expansive tendency.
Thus we can see that the Cherry Plum state affects these three Organs and that the person who suffers from it feels unable to keep active those controls that the Lung and Heart exert on the Liver’s activity. So she decides (many times unconsciously) to make a stronger effort, to put the brakes on more forcefully. This maneuver works for a bit; however, the sustained restriction later generates Liver Energy stagnation, followed by Blood stagnation, and then increased Heat. Result: tension grows and overgrows and finally will blow a fuse, provoking the classic uncontrolled explosiveness.
The Kidney is also implicated given that its balanced activity can prevent the appearance of Cherry Plum states. Kidney deficiency foments Liver excess. Likewise, fear and its family of Emotions are big generators of chaos.
Cherry Plum (also Scleranthus, Cerato, White Chestnut) is very useful in disorders that, in Chinese Medicine, pertain to Wind. This pathogenic factor is a great source of chaos and loss of control.
We see Wind in action when disorders that are presented are missing a fixed location and are changing constantly. We see it not only in uncontrolled movements but also in another facet of lack of control: paralysis.
Wind upsets the direction and situation of things and does so quickly, presenting a panorama of inconsistency and unpredictability.
Common symptoms are spasms, trembling in the extremities, cramps, numbness, loss of sensitivity in some part of the body, vertigo, loss of balance, and repetitive movements like tics.
Some of the disorders that may create a base for the Cherry Plum state are profuse hemorrhages (such as those that occur during birth or heavy menstruation that lasts many days), illnesses that produce high fevers, intense emotional shock or strong Emotions that persist over time, and liquid loss through diarrhea or vomiting.
Staying steady in the Wind requires some strong and deep roots. Jordi tells us that Cherry Plum’s roots are shallow and that the Flower provides peace, silence, calm, and equilibrium. We might think that it ought to bury its roots deeper to find wisdom (which lies in the Water element), fortifying the Kidney, but then on the other hand, we may follow the Flower’s proposal (the most spiritual aspect of the vegetable kingdom): quieting the mind via various methods, for example through meditation.
As Ricardo mentions, Cherry Plum “helps one accept disturbing or irrational thoughts or images, allowing them to circulate.” These thoughts or images may be observed during the meditative practice without the mind becoming alarmed or attached. The Spleen benefits from this practice, given that excess thought affects it. Emotions, which by nature need to move (as Ricardo also mentioned), also benefit. When they stagnate and become repetitive, they generate pathology, harming the functioning of the internal Organs, Blood, and Energy.
Now, let’s look again at the Heart, noting that the Heart is Emperor who in the highest court establishes organization, coherency in the personality, harmony, and equilibrium. The Heart’s Psyche (Shen, Spirit) is in charge of exercising functions that maintain physical and psychological integrity, that provide the capacity for adaptation to the environment and conscience, and that coordinate and harmonize activity of the Viscera.
When the Heart’s functioning declines, we observe disorders occurring in various areas simultaneously. The principal systems of control and communication become disorganized: the nervous system, the neuroendocrine system, the circulatory system. Depending on the degree of lack of control, other systems will join in until the situation reaches such a level of chaos and confusion that the person’s integrity is at risk. In these cases the mind loses support and can manifest disorders that could be called insanity, plain and simple.
So it is worthwhile to regulate Emotions affecting the Heart, through the appropriate Flowers, to help it recover its role. Euphoria, excitability, moods that swing between euphoria and depression, sadness, anxiety, and others are Emotions that upset the Heart’s capacity to carry out its function as Emperor. Also, we must remember that all Emotions impact the Heart.
Cherry Plum Essence acts on pain. Jordi refers to the hairs on the central vein of the back side of the leaf, telling us about the sensitivity located in the central nervous system.
We have observed that in intense, unbearable pain, the Cherry Plum Essence is very redeeming (see Vohra, Bach Flower Remedies); likewise for types of pain that come from cold, that are piercing, or that are due to Blood stagnation, also in distending pain (along with Vine) and those that are erratic and change location (with the help of Cerato and Scleranthus). Elm, as Ricardo mentions, is another essence to consider for accompanying Cherry Plum in treating intense pain. In the Cherry Plum state, pain tends to be generated due to a restriction in the circulation of Blood and Energy and the internal tension that this imposes—tension that struggles to emerge.
Josep’s comment regarding the Centaury attitude of some children, oriented around not releasing their power (which could be lethal), reminds me of having noted, in persons with a marked Cherry Plum tendency, difficulties in getting Energy to the extremities and allowing it to manifest itself. This difficulty also carries with it problems in materializing things, a certain awkwardness in fine motor skills, and difficulties controlling Movement.
Untamed Energy that runs amok is draining, reducing energetic resources, often damaging just as much internally as externally.
Tightly maintained contention also leads to loss; that which we retain on one side escapes out the other, and what was lost without our ability to control it was almost always very valuable.
One way to balance Cherry Plum states is to work with the Emotions of the Organs implicated: balance the Liver, fortify the Kidney, care for the Spleen, promote the unexaggerated contention of the Lung and harmony in the Heart.
Regulating the Emotions and Psyches of these Organs—according to each person and always taking into account balancing the Liver—is one way to favor the essence’s action.
Elm
Many of the qualities and defects we find in the Elm state are inscribed in Metal’s attributes and the Lung’s activity. And so, just as impulsive Liver Energy tends to expand outward—at times excessively—the Lung’s contracting Energy, when imbalanced, leads to rigidity and introversion.
It is precisely in the area of the Lung where challenges related to spontaneity, perfection, and the Virtues of rectitude and justice are played out. When a person possesses ideals of a certain importance, the delicate issue arises of how to bring them into being without losing one’s capacity for adaptation while, at the same time, not allowing their completion to fall to the wayside. It is a characteristically Metal-type balance issue: sustaining structure while still having malleability.
If rigidity is imposed, structure will then drown spontaneity, reducing the capacity to let oneself be shaped by situations but without losing one’s own form.
Shielding oneself within a rigid structure may seem appropriate for sustaining ideas, goals, and actions, but it is an adaptation that leads to malnourishment and exhaustion. We know that it ultimately takes a lot of Energy to maintain structure, causing weakness or interruption in achievement.
The tighter and stiffer the structure, the easier it is to overwhelm it. Elasticity affords us more space, letting us expand our limits while maintaining an identity.
Elm Flower Essence favors a balance between rigor and plasticity, giving us back a sense of proportion.
Order, seriousness, schedules, precision, and being methodical pertain to the Lung’s territory. They can be qualities applied to daily life, but they can also become defects when exaggerated. The person then becomes strict, dogmatic, obstinate, and perfectionist. The Lung’s Energy will become upset, possibly producing symptoms like shallow breathing, coughing, dyspnea, asthma, respiratory mucus disorders, mucus, urinary disorders (like a small urinary reservoir or difficulty urinating), skin afflictions, edema, and others; likewise tiredness and weakness due to a lack of Energy, with reduced immunity.
We are aware of Elm Flower Essence’s action on colds. When a person in an Elm state begins to doubt herself and become depressed—added on to her weariness and especially her feeling of being overwhelmed—Defensive Energy is diminished, and so respiratory disorders, including infectious types, survive. When facing external climatic factors, this same debility opens the door to joint problems, with varying degrees of pain and stiffness.
Rectitude, honor, and justice are Virtues belonging to the Lung. It’s not all that hard to see how complex it can be to keep balance when exercising such Virtues. One of the most common Emotions that arises as a consequence (as Ricardo mentions) is guilt, inciting Energy stagnation in various parts of the body, such as the chest and pit of the stomach, and affecting the Lung’s functioning.
A lack of harmony in the Lung’s Psyche creates conditions for obsessive states and a notable fear of whatever might happen in the future, a fear mentioned by Jordi, tied in part to difficulty in cementing ideals and bringing them forth into reality (capacities of the Lung).
In this terrain (the Lung’s Psyche), other problematic aspects of the Elm state are at play: the ability to share—in the sense of being able to delegate—and thus transcend one’s individualism when carrying out tasks. This would imply less rigidity and self-centeredness regarding how things ought to get done. The Spleen’s Virtues of faith and confidence become necessary.
The Elm type tends to be self-assured and acts out of that internal space but loses substance in moments when she feels shadowed by circumstances. She doubts. One way to work with this trait is to develop confidence, not only in herself but also in others, and even more so in the process of life—to have confidence in the flow of the whole. This confidence will not be related to success, failure, responsibility, or perfection; it will relate to the Higher Self, relatively detached from the ego and from personal achievement, though within the field of service to others based on one’s vocation.
It could be that Elm folk carry a certain fear of becoming lost in the group, a place in which they may not be able to keep sight of their goals, or a fear that the task cannot be carried out if diluted by group action and thus not conducted by themselves and according to their standards of quality. Flowers that could help in this regard are Water Violet and Gentian.
The relationship between Elm and the Spleen is not limited to faith and confidence. The Flower Essence collaborates with Spleen forces to keep Blood inside its vessels, preventing hemorrhages (Transpersonal Pattern). We have also been using Elm in prolapses (along with Horn-beam). Just as the Elm person’s spirits fall from their usual place, his Energy falls and the “level” of his Organs falls; it is the Spleen’s task to prevent this from happening.
Digestive capacity is another Spleen-related aspect. Elm is a state of being overwhelmed where there is no room for anything else, making it difficult to assimilate and to learn. We have for a while now been using Elm Essence in this regard, occasionally along with Chestnut Bud and Rock Rose.
We may also use Elm Flower Essence in Dampness disorders. The proper functioning of the Spleen prevents Dampness from accumulating in the body (this may take the shape of mucus, a feeling of heaviness in the body and fullness in the belly and chest, cloudy secretions, dullness, a clogged mind, circulation disorders, edemas). When Dampness accumulates, it generates obstructions and stupefaction of fluid, Energy, and Blood circulation.
Regarding some Emotions and mental states in Elm-type imbalances, we see depression, frustration, and internal pressure (as Ricardo states), which influence the Liver’s functioning, fomenting Energy stagnation. The same happens with abatement, an Emotion that creates discouragement and affects the Lung as much as the Liver, reducing the force of vital impulse, draining Energy, and generating stagnation. And finally, the anxiety, worry, and obsession characteristic of Elm states interfere with proper Spleen functioning.
Pine
If we bring our attention to the tree’s deep roots, as Jordi notes, we see a relationship between a certain aspect of guilt and a feeling of being too terrestrial, too material.
The Lung’s Psyche is the most material aspect of Spirit, the one most related to the body, to substance. When this Psyche is especially strong, there is a great attachment to the body, possibly creating, in some people, an unconscious sense of guilt at the base of their person.
Some people may feel incarnation as a sort of punishment, somehow making them feel unworthy as people. Out of this feeling comes the strong emphasis on perfection, purity, and rectitude, also corresponding to the Lung and Metal; likewise, rigor, which, in Pine’s case, is turned against oneself, obscuring one’s chance to respond to the environment to make choices in favor of survival.
In making this choice for survival, the mind does not intervene; we might say that the choice is an expression of a survival instinct, a rejection of that which is harmful. In Pine states, this process is violated for the sake of receiving punishment.
Lung disorders will appear as diminished Energy and may be observed as physical and mental weariness along with weakened external defenses of the body: respiratory disorders, mucus, cough, edema, little desire to speak, a weak voice, and trouble breathing when physical effort is made.
Guilt generates Energy stagnation and may also be manifested as a feeling of epigastric, abdominal, and thoracic distension.
Many of the Emotions experienced in Pine states also impact the Lung’s functioning, as happens with sorrow, grief, sadness, discouragement, and depression.
The stagnation of Energy seen in Pine states may produce obstructions with circulatory disorders and disconnection between the various parts of the body, mind, and Spirit. In this sense, Crab Apple, Star-of-Bethlehem, and Clematis Flower Essences can be very helpful remedies.
This disconnection also cuts one off from one’s environment. Forgiveness restores the connection between people, and dialogue plays a part. People in Pine states imperiously need to reestablish their internal connections in order to maintain a dialogue with themselves.
Ignorance about oneself opens the door to autoimmune diseases. In this same sense we can see how toxic substances, thoughts, and experiences (Crab Apple) accumulate when the door is left open, and the consequences of this negligence.
Accumulation, expressed first as Energy stagnation and followed by stagnation of substances, is related to Pine’s mental state of rumination (White Chestnut) and self-involvement, fully impacting the Spleen and influencing digestive processes, cognitive capacity, and learning ability. Corresponding metabolic processes remain incomplete, and waste products continue to accumulate.
The Liver is also implicated where Energy is stagnant, possibly manifesting some of its corresponding Emotions and disturbances. Likewise, the Emotions that a Pine person accumulates can generate internal Heat, resulting in symptoms such as irritability, insomnia, restlessness, a bitter taste in the mouth, and other Heat-related symptoms.
The Pine tree has been associated with longevity, and so it’s in our interest to investigate Pine Flower Essence’s action at the level of Essence and, as follows, areas related to the Kidney, including congenital diseases. We are also currently evaluating its application in developmental delays.
The union between Heaven (one) and Earth (two) results in the human being (three); the alchemy that transforms that which is terrestrial, converting it into the subtle, occurs within the human being.
We might say that Pine is necessary to move from two (Jordi tells us that it’s the most repeated number) to three, and thus to enter into the human dimension.
The human being exists between Heaven and Earth, synthesizing both influences. In Pine states, the person feels these two influences as separate and is unable to incorporate them in the human dimension, which is a place that is perfectible but not perfect. We might say that in a Pine state, the person has lost his sense of place in the cosmos, and so his capacities for relating and participating in solidarity have become injured.
As Mario Satz writes in El Eje Sereno y la Rueda de las Emociones (The Still Axis and the Wheel of Emotions): “One who relates, who acts in solidarity, who accepts familiarity as a perfectible fabric, therefore also forgives.”
Larch
A person in a Larch state is unable to initiate Movement. What he needs is an impulse strong enough to move him past his conviction of failure.
This impulse must be sought in the Liver and Gallbladder. The force to initiate action and generate projects stems out of the first Organ mentioned. It is about creating Movement—that delicate moment in which inertia is broken. From there, the cycle of Movement has been initiated. This is the first step toward completion.
It is said that character depends on the Liver. Thanks to its Energy, aptitudes of a healthy warrior—a character apt to take risks—may be developed. Here is where we see the Liver’s importance in Larch, Mimulus, and Centaury states, for example. We ought to keep an eye on Emotions that affect the Liver, in order to regulate them, and in doing so preserve the Liver’s Energy so that it might display the Virtues mentioned above.
Emotional states that lead to inhibition generate Energy stagnation. The Liver is particularly at risk in these cases given that it is one of the Organs responsible for adequate circulation of Blood, Energy, and fluids.
We see how Energy stagnation due to various factors can lead to Larch states, and likewise how an established Larch state can lead to Energy stagnation. A feedback loop is created, making it difficult to recover equilibrium. Energy stagnation, particularly in that of Liver Energy, is the origin of dissatisfaction, frustration, and depression.
Mucus, malnutrition, and trauma (appropriate areas for the Flower’s application) are other factors leading to stagnation. These may sometimes explain momentary or chronic Larch states, as can happen, for example, when there is chronic mucus as a consequence of Lung disorders.
Larch Flower Essence favors the circulation of Energy, Blood, and fluids, and we have been using it for this purpose.
Along the same line of what we’ve said thus far, we may encounter Larch states within symptoms such as migratory pain, distending pain, reiterated sighs, painful and swollen sensations in the chest, sides, groin and lower abdomen, menstrual disorders (irregular menses, premenstrual syndrome with painful swollen breasts, absent menses), the feeling of something stuck in the throat, pessimism, irritability, mood swings, and others.
The Gallbladder, closely related to the Liver, provides us with initiative and courage to realize, to turn a desire into reality. It provides the audacity that a person in a Larch state so badly needs. It is the place of origin for our capacity to make decisions to take on actions favorable to us. It propels dynamism. Through it, we are capable of making judgments. It gives us resistance against psychological pressure in the environment. When the Gallbladder adequately fulfills its functions, we are less vulnerable. As Jordi comments, we can see in the Larch tree’s signature its “great sensitivity to the environment.”
When the Gallbladder lacks strength, it is difficult to make decisions and to advance. It is very easy instead to become discouraged when facing even the slightest difficulties.
Once an action has been initiated, in order for it to be sustained over time, we need the Kidney’s Energy and Psyche. It is he, Zhi, who provides the vitality, will, and tenacity needed for carrying out an action without stopping at obstacles, without submitting easily to adversity. All these are truly important attributes for achieving our worldly longings, not to mention following through with transcendental ones. What is more, the Kidney endows us with authority, determination, and self-affirmation.
None of this would be bad for a person in a Larch state; the tree’s signature shows us that internally it has Kidney strength but needs more engagement from the Liver and Gallbladder in order to put the Kidney’s potential into action.
Although we still need more verification, we have seen various cases of how Larch Essence has helped to fortify the Kidney.
Fear of failure, characteristic of Larch states, drains Kidney Energy and tends to drag the Larch state on and on. Abatement affects the Liver and Lung, easily generating Energy stagnation.
When a person has inherited a weak Gallbladder, Liver, and Kidney, she may be quite predisposed to Larch states.
To paraphrase Ricardo, in Larch states that stem out of Mimulus and Centaury types, we find imbalances in the Gallbladder, Kidney, and Liver. In Larch states that arise out of Scleranthus, we see Gallbladder disorders. In those coming from Cerato, Kidney, and Gallbladder, problems are apparent, and those coming from Gentian show Spleen and Lung problems.
When aggression is used to compensate Larch states, we’ll find excessive Liver activity, not absent of Heat, which vastly increases hostility. It is not uncommon to see attitudes that are disqualifying, contemptuous, intolerant, and in constant dispute, seeking self-appreciation through the defeat of someone else. This observation is of course not exhaustive; it is what we have been able to observe up until now.
Let’s have a lightning-quick review: thanks to the Liver we generate a project and initiate action; the Gallbladder provides courage and the capacity to be decisive in bringing it to completion; the Kidney sustains action with tenacity based on a sense of authority and internal affirmation; the Heart governs the mind and coordinates the whole process.
Just as in Pine, the Larch state must move from two to three and become conscious that, in the human dimension, the union between Heaven and Earth takes place by doing, especially doing that which leads to fulfilling our life’s mission.
Willow
The first Chinese Medicine–oriented uses of Willow were in relation to Dampness. Backing us we had Ricardo’s Transpersonal Patterns as well as ancient knowledge about Dampness and the relationships that exist between Emotions found in the Willow state and those of the Liver.
These Emotions disturb Liver functioning, which includes propelling the flow of things in the body, without interruption, in the appropriate directions and at a regular and harmonious rhythm. Thanks to the Liver, Emotions can have stability and the Spirit may be at peace.
Episodes from the past that were experienced as trauma and felt as conflict and that have not dissolved also directly and bluntly affect the above-mentioned function.
Once pent-up anger, frustration, and bitterness destabilize the Liver, it starts to fail at draining water and Dampness; Blood circulation becomes more difficult, tending toward sluggishness and stagnation.
This dysfunction is going to have an influence on digestion and the correct assimilation of food, which will affect the Spleen. And here we find another way through which the Willow state generates Dampness.
So, because digestive processes become difficult, substances that should be assimilated get stuck in a loop, unable to metabolize, and we’ll see rumination, generated by Spleen dysfunction, and resentment, an Emotion forged by the Liver and Spleen together. Feeling traumatic occurrences over and over again (resentment) is one way of exercising rumination.
I fully agree with Ricardo when he says that this rumination is the most important mechanism keeping Willow in a state of chronic anger, because Dampness is one factor that best sustains chronicity—and not only with regard to anger but also regarding the whole Willow state.
When Dampness and Heat combine, it becomes more likely for Holly states to erupt. Heat pushes outward and carries with it anger, which now finally manifests itself. It also affects the skin, as it is through the skin that this externalization tends to happen. A bet is placed between Dampness and Heat, and many times Dampness wins, preventing Heat from externalizing itself. This greatly increases fermentation and likewise refers to the passive-aggressiveness of Willow states.
Incessant return to the causes of disgrace further affects the Spleen, so not only is digestion further hindered but learning is also clouded. The inability to learn is another way that this state becomes chronic. So we can see why resolving a chronic Willow state is not so simple. Some symptoms that may be present are abdominal swelling after meals, weak muscles, weak limbs, weak appetite, weariness, heaviness in the body, little memory, mental weariness, and others.
Dampness is a good terrain for fermentation. It is very much related to that which is hidden and latent. It is sticky and difficult to eliminate, and as such, it continues to generate disorders with symptoms reappearing just like insistent thoughts.
Mental clarity may be seriously diminished as Dampness affects the Heart. Symptoms that may appear include dullness, depression, mental confusion, incoherence, chest pressure, nausea, a full feeling in the epigastric area, and mucus that hinders breathing.
If we add Heat (which is not unusual in the presence of anger and stagnation), we will see intense anxiety, mental acceleration and agitation, much aggressiveness, and insomnia, among other symptoms. Of course not all cases will evolve in this way. This is just one possibility within an advanced and chronic Willow state.
The team for treating Dampness, stagnation, and accumulation is made up of Crab Apple, Chicory, Willow, White Chestnut, Heather, and Chestnut Bud, in the first lineup. Larch, Red Chestnut, and Honeysuckle follow with differing functions. And of course you may find a few others to explore as well.
Finally, a few of the disorders and pathologies that Dampness and imbalances in organic fluids can provoke are mentioned below, not only because we might find them in Willow states but also because Willow Flower Essence can be useful in treating them. This is not an exhaustive list.
Aspen
What you are about to read will certainly not be news to most of us: Aspen is a mystery. It is inapprehensible enough to deserve the Transpersonal Pattern of disembodiment/dissolution. It would seem to be everywhere and nowhere.
Now that we’ve declared our perplexity, let’s look at some facets of this Flower Essence.
According to Jordi, the Aspen tree’s roots are superficial, and both Ricardo and Josep agree that a person in an Aspen state is ungrounded. Without exhausting all possibilities, we can speak of three roots in the body: the Kidney, the feet, and Blood. We’ll find these three aspects devitalized or as the source of various symptoms, and so should keep them in mind regarding disorders that Aspen people suffer.
Blood is the material base for Spirit, giving it root, allowing Spirit to anchor itself in the body. Without an adequate reservoir of Blood, the Spirit has difficulty establishing itself in the body and tends to float. This may be perceived as a light dizziness or a feeling of floating, even a vague sense of fear, before falling asleep. Some other symptoms may be anxiety, insomnia, a tendency to be easily startled, and periods of accentuated fear and restlessness. We have seen this to be the case in some Aspen states, with varying degrees of intensity, along with a greater or lesser degree of paleness in the face; sometimes the lips may lack a little color or be thoroughly pale. Also, the fingernails may be colorless, dry, and fragile, and the eyes may be dry.
Clematis and Rock Rose people may also present these symptoms. Scarce Blood supply gives material base to these imbalances.
In all three Flower states mentioned, it seems as if the people suffering them were in at least two dimensions at once, like riding between two realities. This is obviously very destructuring. We have noticed that people whose cleft at the tip of their nose is very pronounced, as if it were split in two, suffer from very accentuated Clematis and/or Aspen states; they greatly improve through toning Blood.
Paying attention to nutrition and digestive efficacy and to any possible hemorrhaging (prolonged and abundant menses, for example) can help balance these states more quickly.
The Lung also helps to anchor, making celestial influences earthly. As such, it supports materialization, and therefore could also be affected. What is more, of all the Psyches, its Psyche is the most related to matter and to corporal sensation.
It would seem that this Flower Essence has to do with the process by which Energy, coming out of nonexistence, is materialized and takes shape in the manifest world. Facets of this process, which cannot be decoded or filtered, generate symptoms.
Aspen Essence also intervenes in the inverse process—from matter toward the nonmanifest, when substance tends to disintegrate—by preventing this from happening.
There really is a sense that this essence is connected with that which is nonmanifest, from where changes and situations happening in the manifest world operate.
We are trying out Aspen Essence in any process where regeneration is needed (as the signature shows in the roots’ vitality) together with Sweet Chestnut. Also, in everything that precedes our entrance into the world and that has an influence on us (Josep gives the example of Pisces/Neptune) and congenital illnesses (in collaboration with Chestnut Bud and Pine).
We are also trying it as a preventative essence in imbalances that have not yet manifested themselves in the body’s functions or tissues.
One application that is very new to my clinical experience is in symptoms and disorders that are rare and that are missing a clear entity, following the idea that these are expressions of things nonmanifest and which in the person are expressed as pathology, as this is the only route of possible expression. This generally occurs both in sensitive, perceptive persons and also in persons whose structure does not give space nor an attentive ear to said manifestations.
Once again, artistic expression provides us with invaluable help for expressing these forces; through this route they find a nonrational means of becoming manifest.
Hornbeam
Increasing one’s available Energy supply stabilizes and strengthens the mind. This is why increasing Energy is so helpful in Hornbeam states. One may go about his tasks, facing the less captivating ones or those that are decidedly unpleasant, while still working in the areas where he wishes to create changes.
The Spleen fulfills a prominent role in Energy production. After birth, the Spleen and Stomach form one of the most important resources for the production of Energy, Blood, and organic fluids. Worry, obsession, and too much thinking all disturb the Spleen’s functions, among them, Energy production. The same goes for using intellectual capacities during multiple hours without adequate rest.
Sometimes, a little increase in Energy flow improves spirits and physical tone, allowing one to see things with more clarity and providing the necessary strength for change. In some treatments that fail to evolve, especially when the person has a certain clarity about what it is he needs to modify but still can’t manage to do so, toning Energy allows him to move past his limitations.
Nostalgia and anxiety, like self-centeredness, also have a negative impact on the Spleen. The great amount of Energy carried away by Emotions and harmful mental states ceases to be available for assimilating, nourishing, and transporting nutrients to the totality of the person. Treating these mental states with their corresponding essences (White Chestnut, Crab Apple, Honeysuckle, to name a few) is one way to help the action of Hornbeam Essence. Gentian for negativity, as Ricardo states, also acts on the Spleen, given that doubt and a lack of faith injure this Organ.
If the Spleen is in balance, it secretes fewer thoughts; the mind becomes still. It is easier to concentrate, to pay attention, to be more in the here and now. We can take the vehicle off autopilot.
Some symptoms that may indicate a need to increase Energy are physical and mental weariness, a feeling of weakness in the extremities, spontaneous perspiration or perspiring under minimal effort, less resistance to changes in the weather, little desire to speak, weak voice, abdominal distension, and others.
The Spleen’s activity also helps us to understand some applications of Hornbeam Flower Essence as indicated by the Transpersonal Pattern.*14 This Organ strengthens and tones the muscles, nourishing them. It influences connective tissues and takes care of nourishing the whole organism. The other Organs depend upon the nourishment it provides. By generating Blood and Energy, it can strengthen any tissue. What is more, this Organ not only produces Blood and Energy, but it also makes sure these get to where they are needed (in the case of temporary weakness) by way of the meridians and blood vessels. Its activity prevents flaccidity and is also related to lymphatic and body fluid circulation.
Hornbeam Essence may also be used to help treat Dampness and stagnation disorders such as mucus, joint pain, edemas, diarrhea, and so on (see Willow).
Dysfunctions caused by Dampness can generate lethargy. The Spirit becomes heavy. Energy tends to drop down a level, and the person loses impetus. Events seem to occur in slow motion. Weariness appears.
Other applications being corroborated have to do with hemorrhages (with the help of Walnut and Elm) and in prolapses.
Finally, let’s not forget to take the Lung into consideration as it is another Organ generating Energy, so we might need its help for resolving a Hornbeam state.
Sweet Chestnut
The darkness and profound anguish in which a person experiencing a Sweet Chestnut state may be submerged remind us of the abysmal depths of Water. This enveloping darkness seals off even the most minute speck of light or slightest point of reference that might support the person for reconfiguring the world.
Water is the area where we find the end and the beginning of the life cycle—potential life in a latent state. It isn’t just darkness but also silence—the closest thing to emptiness in the manifest world—so it is not surprising that when in contact with this state of being, there comes a sense of finality and of anguish.
We really are quite poorly equipped in modern society for such an intense encounter. Life is so full of things, the mind is so replete with worries, thoughts, and contents of all sorts, that the impact is huge. Such is the magnitude of the experience that ordinary perception is suspended and a breech opens to new potential, new ways of being in the world.
To speak of Water is to speak of the Kidney, which is where ancestral Energy (the Energy we’ve inherited from our ancestors) inhabits the human being. In Chinese terms, we could call the Kidney the source of “Pre-Heaven Essence.”
The first thing we can say about Sweet Chestnut is that this state demands a great deal of Kidney Energy, which is why it is not uncommon that after experiencing this state, a deep weariness overcomes the person. They had to tap their deep Energy reserves. This is how we use Essential Kidney Energy during difficult times and chronic illness, and why it is said that in the case of any chronic illness, or deep or difficult life change, the Kidney needs toning.
A good portion of the symptoms that appear in an acute Sweet Chestnut state correspond with imbalances in the Heart and Kidney, Organs that are affected by overwhelming fear and terror, as Ricardo mentioned. The Lung is also affected in these circumstances. As a consequence, the circulation of Energy becomes disorganized and the direction of its Movements is altered.
This Flower is also related to regeneration, and the Kidney is in charge of the capacity to regenerate. When tissues need repairing, it is the Kidney that gets asked to give up its Energy, specifically for bone tissue, bone marrow, spinal cord and brain tissue, and teeth but also for any other aspect of the body’s substance possibly needing regeneration.
Following birth, the Kidney controls the cycles of development and growth, and from what we know about the Sweet Chestnut Flower, we could include the potential for cycles of transformation. Each one of these transformative moments in life is a signpost also constituting a fissure through which other states of being may be accessed—a split that opens up to evolution.
Some of the dysfunctions arising when the ancestral Energy stored in the Kidney is not able to properly fulfill its functions are poor bone development, infertility, repeated miscarriages, tooth deterioration, hair loss, and premature aging. In children, rickets, mental delays, and delays in fontanel closure may occur.
A person’s constitution also depends on the Kidney. When this is not robust enough, the following conditions may appear: predisposition to colds, flu, and other external pathogenic factors, chronic rhinitis, allergic rhinitis.
Problems at the mental level may be observed, such as poor concentration, reduced memory, dizziness, a feeling of emptiness in the head. It is also common to experience disruptions in sexual functioning, weakness in the knees, deafness, and tinnitus.
I’m not saying that this myriad of symptoms may be totally resolved by taking Sweet Chestnut Flower Essence; we have, though, observed that it does sometimes bring about great improvement. We use it in conjunction with Olive, and with regard to those aspects related with regeneration, we mix it with Clematis and Aspen.
Another of the Flower Essence’s applications is in congenital diseases, in which case it gets accompanied by Pine, Aspen, and Chestnut Bud.
As Ricardo notes, we are still at the stage of investigation and observation to confirm these effects.
Beech
Both Josep and I felt attracted to Dr. Bach’s description of Beech: “For those who feel the need to see more goodness and beauty in all that surround them.” And I remembered a phrase that the Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hahn wrote in his book The Sun My Heart, “Seeing and loving go always together,” in reference to the interdependence of all beings, that the life of all beings is one life. When one achieves this vision, one is overcome with compassion. The paragraphs that follow seem at times to be what Dr. Bach wrote about Beech.
Goodness is a Virtue corresponding with Wood and is related to the Liver. When the Liver’s Energy is balanced, the mind is naturally predisposed to fluidly express goodness. Likewise, as we’ve said before, cultivating this Virtue helps to regulate the Liver’s functioning. Let’s not forget that we are not only talking about the Organ but also its whole sphere of influence, including its Emotions and its Psyche.
Obviously, when one is unable to experience goodness, softness, and kindness (all attributes of Wood), it is also difficult to recognize their existence in daily life.
The Liver’s Psyche is implicated in various aspects related to Beech. It impels us to relate with others, to have a healthy and balanced degree of extroversion. On the contrary, if this Psyche doesn’t have a strong enough expression, the Movement will be reversed, and there will be a tendency to turn back into oneself, creating a sentiment of being isolated. The tendency to introversion effectively favors isolation, creating a feeling of disconnection and of separation from other people and living creatures. Goodness, on the other hand, leads us to get out of ourselves and, at the same time, to be more inclusive and to accept others more, including their ways of thinking and living.
When out of balance, the Liver’s Psyche generates a rigid mind-set that lacks the flexibility indispensable for putting oneself in the others’ shoes, and on the contrary there is a tendency to reject and to feel rejected, once again creating division and isolation. Intolerance, irritation, and rejection are Emotions of the Liver, in consonance with disharmony of its Psyche.
In the body, this may be expressed as joint stiffness, limited range of motion, difficulties in coordination (very evident when it’s also necessary to coordinate one’s own movements with those of others, such as in team sports), rigid movements, cramps, tight and knotted muscles, and tingling sensations.
Circulation of Blood and fluids may be disturbed. Digestive and hepatobiliary problems, eye trouble, headaches, insomnia, painful menstruation, and other problems may also appear.
Making a fist is a gesture that has to do with the Liver; in many cases it is done quite unconsciously, even while sleeping. It is an indicator worth noting for prescribing Flower Remedies that act on the Liver, including Beech. People in a Beech state may express their irritation and annoyance through this gesture, sometimes also clenching their teeth.
Tension in the chest and arms, like the symptoms mentioned above, could be related to repressing the need to attack physically—to release tension (which could lead to rage and loss of control) through hitting.
Occasionally we’ve noticed rigidity or even a crick in the neck as a possible response to the desire to look straight ahead only—to not have to see who is in one’s company, at one’s side.
The Lung’s sphere of influence also participates in Beech states as it relates to rigidity and to difficulties in adapting to change. Also, tendencies toward perfectionism and criticism go hand in hand with an exaggerated and partial sense of justice and rectitude, which, if they weren’t imbalanced and expressed as defects, would be Virtues of the Lung. Imbalances in the Lung’s Psyche can generate interior-directed Movement, increasing self-involvement and egocentrism. Sadness, pessimism, melancholy, and sorrow are Emotions that could stem out of Beech states.
We must also take the Spleen and Earth element into account. First, because imbalances that Beech states create in the Liver are going to affect the Spleen, given that the two Organs closely collaborate. Furthermore, people in a Beech state would do very well to develop Earth element qualities: to be more nourishing, to encourage growth, to pay more attention to those things we have in common, and to be capable of discovering the most subtle and valuable qualities in others. Fostering a balanced Spleen helps to cultivate these qualities.
People in a Beech state also often deal with food in a very selective manner, which, in the long run, ends up deteriorating the Spleen’s functioning, favoring food allergies.
We see that in the Beech state it is difficult to incorporate external elements, to transform them, assimilate them, and convert them into part of oneself, and this difficulty deteriorates the digestive process just as much as it does the learning process.
Allergies, commonly seen in this Flower state, have a clear relationship with the Liver and with the Kidney (for example, Beech stemming out of Mimulus) and may be expressed in areas related to the Lung, Spleen, and Stomach.
Crab Apple
Crab Apple Essence clearly has a wide range of applications and acts on many levels.
Let’s begin by talking about some of the pathogenic productions that settle in the body and are created by various factors, including the Emotions and Psyche.
We have generally become accustomed to using this essence for cleansing the organism of any of these productions: mucus, for example, or when urine is heavy with waste product. Still, we are not always aware of these substances’ possible consequences. Knowing a bit more about this topic, we’ll be able to use Crab Apple Essence in situations where we otherwise might not have considered it. Below we will emphasize some of the more unusual signs and symptoms where this essence may be indicated.
Some of said substances originate in disorders in body fluid management, and we’ll be able to recognize these either for what they are or through the effects they create.
Some possible disorders are:
The Kidney’s, Spleen’s, and Lung’s Psyches and Emotions may be disturbed. If so, we’ll find sadness, grief, abatement, discouragement; nostalgia, anxiety, worry; fear, angst, phobia; and others. (See appendix 1, “Navigation Charts.”)
As we’ve seen in other Flower states, the substances we’ve been talking about may also be present when the Liver is disturbed. Emotional disorders are one of the main causes of Liver dysfunction.
On the other hand, Blood stagnation may produce accumulations, generating:
Using Crab Apple along with other corresponding essences—through oral or topical application—can be very helpful in the above-mentioned cases.
It is recommendable to use other essences that help mobilize stagnation, such as Chicory, Larch, and Willow.
In general, we can use Crab Apple Essence in any situation where we find thick, cloudy secretions (Dampness), like vaginal discharge, pasty feces, cloudy urine, cloudy mucus, greasy skin, and skin diseases with thick, dirty secretions. Sometimes these secretions will have a foul odor, an indication that may especially call for Crab Apple.
Although we have already talked about this with regard to another Flower, Dampness in Crab Apple states may likewise present joint disorders of the rheumatic type with limited movement and muscle pain. Pain caused by Dampness is dull, with swelling, and sometimes with numbness.
It is not surprising that the secretions mentioned would have characteristics such as dirtiness and foul odor. Crab Apple’s mental and emotional state foments these types of discharges.
The Dampness present in many of the disorders mentioned are characteristically dirty, impure, and sticky. Getting rid of it is quite difficult. In the mental plane, these sensations are associated with shame, a feeling of internal corruption, indignity, or impure thoughts.
Fixed or obsessive thoughts are one of the mind’s manifestations of this sticky state, as is laziness or even apathy. There may be considerable weariness. The mind is dulled, so of course concentration and memory are reduced.
Among the Organs, the Lung may be affected by thoughts and feelings of dirtiness and impurity; likewise, its dysfunctions can generate them. The person may present thoughts and feelings related to divinity, religion, and guilt: he may be disgusted with the body, perceiving it as blemish to the Spirit and grounds for all sorts of filth or carnality and attachment such that the person defends himself with fear, rejection, and guilt.
We might also find Gallbladder-associated problems given that this Viscera is related with purity—due to the purity of the fluid it stores—and it emulsifies fats.
Both the Lung and Gallbladder are related to justice. If this Virtue is conceptualized out of proportion, it will generate fertile ground for guilt and feelings of impurity and shame.
Crab Apple Flower Essence is of great help for the functioning of all Organs that fulfill secretory functions, such as the Lung, Spleen, Liver, Kidney, skin, Large Intestine, respiratory mucus, and others.