centaury flower essence

Melinda
Sep 22
12 min read

A beautiful Centaury flower blossom — Photo credit: Image by Daniel Roberts from Pixabay

Centaury flower essence

"Kind, quiet, gentle people who are over-anxious to serve others. They overtax their strength in their endeavours. Their wish so grows upon them that they become more servants than willing helpers. Their good nature leads them to do more than their own share of work, and in so doing they may neglect their own particular mission in life." ~ Edward Bach, The Twelve Healers and Other Remedies

A Centaury blockage:

weak-willed

insecure

easily upset and hurt

easily influenced

passive

timid and docile

uncertain

unassertive

can't say no

Positive expression of:

retains individuality

lives own life

knows when (and why) to say yes

serves by choice

follows own personal mission/calling

Centaurium umbellatum

Regardless of whether or not they're presenting in a "negative" or "positive" way, I would be inclined to call Centaury souls the giving ones. Good-natured, quiet, and fairly non-problematic to be around, as children they're often labeled the "easy kids" who don't give their folks much—if any—trouble. Which, as a parent, might sound pretty dang nice, especially when we consider the alternative.

But the reality is a little less rosy and leaves the Centaury soul so busy "nicely" serving others that they ignore their own mission in life. Thus their personal inner calling goes unanswered, and the joy that it would lead to lies undiscovered. That joy is still there for the taking, but the Centaury soul has no time to reach for it, buried as they are in the demands and dictates of others.

doormats & servants

If I could give you only one word to accurately sum up a negative Centaury personality? It would be the proverbial: doormat. If I were allowed to give you a second? Tack on servant. Often insecure and eager for validation, they find themselves unable to say no to anyone or anything.

This is due in part to a need for recognition—recognition that their service will give them. But it's not only the insecurity that turns them into the "yes man," but also their need for peace. Because saying yes is the path of least resistance, and while they very much want to please, they would also like very much to not rock the boat.

A classic example of this is the adult child that takes over the family business even if they feel no inclination to do so. It's the painter that follows in her mom's footsteps and becomes a lawyer simply because it's expected of her. It's the son who never marries, forgoing his own family to instead care for his demanding mum. It's definitely not that the Centaury soul doesn't want to be of service, in fact they're frequently eager to do so but the duties they take on just aren't their calling. And so they find themselves so busy helping and/or pleasing others that they forget to help (and please) themselves.

lack of will

The problem with a negative Centaury personality is that they lack will—or perhaps more accurately—the capacity to assert it. Not feeling as though they're able to stand up for themselves, let alone argue on their behalf, they are easily taken advantage of by the more assertive souls among us. Their wishes go unheard, but largely because they simply don't speak them. And in the presence of these dominant personalities, the individuality of the Centaury person diminishes. Timid and shy, they almost seem as if they've been absorbed into another person or situation.

Not only do they take on jobs and duties that don't serve them, but they also typically take on a far heavier workload than they should. The submissive nature of the Centaury individual leads them to be easily overworked, resulting in low vitality and chronic fatigue. Because if all we do is say yes to everything that is asked of us, it leaves no time to follow our own joy. Our own explorations and discovery of purpose. Not only does this strip the Centaury soul of life's joys, but it also turns them from a helper into a servant.

the flip side

The positively expressed Centaury soul looks much different, however. They are often still the servers of society, but now they do so on a path that is their own and not one set out before them. Mentally active and alert, they have the courage to follow the dreams and wishes that spring from within, staying true to themselves.

Negatively, the Centaury individual can often be persuaded to do things that they really have no inclination towards, but on the positive side we see them following the call of their soul even if when doing so won't please others. They realize that this is their life, and if they won't live it, who will? There's a new inner fortitude that allows them to say no when they need to. And when they do say yes? It's because they've knowingly made the choice to do so and not simply for the validation, the recognition, or the need to maintain peace.

The healthy Centaury soul is also able to retain their glorious individuality. They are now a distinct and separate personality, even when integrated into social groups and settings. No longer are the lines blurred, they are their own person and now possess the will and the confidence to express it ♥

"Are you one of those people whom everybody uses, because in the kindness of your heart you do not like to refuse them anything: do you just give in for the sake of peace rather than do what you know is right, because you do not wish to struggle: whose motive is good, but who are being passively used instead of actively choosing your own work.” Edward Bach

(Because I'd like these flower essence posts to function all on their own, the next parts will be a repeat of things you've already heard if this isn't the first post of mine you've read.)

only one

It's important to remember that if only one of the aforementioned blockage symptoms resonates with you, then giving Centaury a try is still a good call. There will be certain personality types that exhibit nearly all of the symptoms nearly all of the time, but that's not always the case.

where to buy

If you don't already have the essences on hand (and you're thinking that Centaury might be just the essence for you!), there are two options I would recommend you explore. I buy my bottles through Flower Essence Services and the essences are prepared by Julian Barnard exactly as Bach prepared his. Barnard's line of essences is called: Healing Herbs Bach Essences and the reason I choose them is because they're prepared with organic ingredients. The preservative used is organic brandy but even if, like me, you don't consume alcohol, there's another way besides consumption to use them if you wish.

The second option is the original Bach line, still made by Nelsons which is the company Bach originally gave his essences to. These are prepared with either alcohol or vegetable glycerin if the alcohol concerns you and you'd prefer to avoid it. I'll just add here that if you make a dosage bottle as outlined below, the amount of alcohol will be minuscule, having been diluted multiple times. Alcohol is considered a Group 1 carcinogen, however, so do what you feel is best for you and your health.

how to use

There are several ways in which you can take the remedies, and all of them are simple! Remembering that even if you choose the wrong essence they can do no harm (they simply won't have an effect), you can experiment and choose the avenue that suits you best. I have my preferences, but I encourage you to play around and see what works most effectively for you :)

No matter which brand you purchase, you'll use it in exactly the same way. The small bottles you purchase are called stock bottles (diluted from the original Mother Essence), and the first method involves making yourself a further diluted dosage bottle. This is the most cost-effective method and the one I typically recommend, especially for chronic issues. Once the dosage bottle is made, it's extremely easy to add it to whatever you're drinking throughout the day.

Stock bottle: The bottle that you will purchase; this bottle is more concentrated. If you take the drops by mouth, you'll taste the preservative.

Dosage bottle: The bottle you will create, using the specific essences you need; this bottle will be much, much more diluted. If you take the drops by mouth, there won't be much, if any, flavor unless you add an additional preservative.

Dosage Bottle

Fill a 1 ounce glass dropper bottle with clean spring water. Distilled water is not recommended, and I have found that this "dead" water doesn't seem to work nearly as well. It will preserve the essences for longer if you aren't using any additional preservative, but it doesn't pack nearly the same (gentle) punch. For whatever reason, the essence doesn't seem to be able to impregnate distilled water.
To this spring water, you will add 2 drops of your Centaury flower essence. There is usually no need to add any preservative if the bottle will be used with 2 or 3 weeks, especially if you store it in the refrigerator. Make sure the dropper never comes into contact with your mouth or fingers, and it should keep fine. You could, however, replace 25% of the spring water with either brandy or vegetable glycerine to preserve it for longer. If you're using multiple essences (up to 6), add 2 drops of each of them to this bottle as well.
Add 4 drops of this diluted dosage bottle to whatever you're drinking throughout the day. The energetic vibrations will imprint on the water, so essentially you're getting a hit of Centaury with every sip that you take. This method is great for children, adults, pets, or even plants. You will continue on with this until the symptom(s) passes. In the case of an acute flare-up, this may only be for an hour or a day. In the case of a chronic condition, I'd take the essence for 3 weeks and then reevaluate. If you feel the need to continue and aren't using any preservatives, I'd prepare a fresh bottle at this time.
You can also drop 4 drops from the dosage bottle directly into your mouth as needed. I tend to prefer adding the drops to my drinks throughout the day when using the dosage bottle, especially for chronic emotional issues. This is mostly because I get in more of the essence(s), but this is entirely up to you. You can always pop your dosage bottle into your purse/pocket and carry it with you, taking drops throughout the day.
Making a dosage bottle is my preferred method when you're working with multiple essences at the same time (which happens frequently) or when you anticipate the essences will be needed long-term. It'll save you the time of having to sort through all of your essences and drop them in individually whenever you need some support.

Stock Bottle by Mouth

Take two drops of the stock bottle (the original bottle you purchased) and drop directly into your mouth. I have experimented with both myself and my family, and I find this to be one of the two most effective ways to approach an acute emotional flare. Usually within minutes I can feel a shift, and then the mood begins to blessedly lift. This lifting will almost always expose new emotional issues underneath, and I continue working with the revealed emotional blockages until I'm feeling better.
If, after 15 minutes or so you haven't felt any change (or enough of a change), take another two drops by mouth.
If, after another 15 minutes you still haven't felt any kind of shift, no matter how minute, it's quite possible that the wrong essence has been chosen. Sometimes it's difficult to differentiate between moods and there is definitely some trial and error involved. If you're certain that it is the correct flower essence, I would then switch over to a glass of water with 2 drops of the stock bottle added and sip it throughout the day (see below: Stock Bottle in Drinks).
This way most certainly isn't the most cost-effective method, but it is easy and works well, especially short-term. The bottles preserved with brandy will taste like alcohol and the ones with vegetable glycerine will taste sweet.

Stock Bottle on Skin

You will do exactly as described as when taken by mouth, except now you'll drop them onto your skin. I generally drop the essences onto my wrists and rub them together, but you could probably apply them anywhere. Remember, they're energetic in nature and the rules are far less rigid than what most people are accustomed to.
Some flower practitioners may disagree, but so far I have found this method to be as effective as dropping into the mouth for acute negative moods. I think taking it by mouth makes one think of a traditional medicine and so the mind has an easier time accepting what it (most likely) can't understand, but your energetic field surrounds your entire body; thankfully, the flower essences can work with it in a number of ways.
This is an excellent approach to use with children. Just the other day, my young niece wasn't feeling well—dizzy and light-headed. I pulled out the appropriate essence and without thinking, went to drop it into her mouth. She recoiled with a "does it taste bad?" so I instead applied it to her arm. After the first dose she felt better, so I gave her another. After the second, the next time I saw her she was smiling, chatting, and eating again :)
I would recommend this method only with the essences preserved with brandy. They'll dissipate quickly and leave no residue whereas those with glycerine will leave a stickiness behind.

Stock Bottle in Drinks

Instead of the mouth or the skin, simply drop 2 drops of the essence directly into the drink you're drinking.
One of my girls likes to make up a fresh glass each morning to address the moods that she feels pressing on her when she wakes; she calls this her Trauma Cup ;) She'll sip from it periodically, making it last for the entire day. If the glass runs low, you can leave some of the essence water and refill; I've found the essences will impregnate the fresh water and continue their work. You can also simply make up a fresh glass with fresh essences.
This method would be helpful if you feel as though your emotions are continually shifting. Daily, you'll peel back fresh layers of emotions to be dealt with. Eventually you'll almost certainly reach a chronic personality blockage that will require more than simply a day to work through, but you can continue on with this method for chronic issues if it's most convenient for you.

patience, diligence & time

I think it's important to note that your response to the essences won't always be immediate. I can almost always, quite quickly, find relief to the acute moods that strike, but chronic deep-seated issues usually take longer. I've been working with someone on their guilt issues for several months now (they add drops from a dosage bottle to their water throughout the day) and just recently they've begun to feel a welcome shift.

If you know your emotion (for example, I've had to work a lot of frustration as of late!), then keep on keeping on with the essences. Give them time. I personally believe that some of these blockages are carry-overs from other lifetimes and won't disappear overnight. With time and patience, however, I've seen some remarkable shifts that make your diligence well worth it. In the end, does it really matter whether it takes an hour, two weeks, or four months if you can finally shake an emotional blockage that saps too much of the joy from your days? Continually addressing my emotions has given me a lightness and newly focused clarity that only enhances the hard work of living life as a human. And all it took was a commitment to sipping water ;)

Additionally, I think it's very important to add that I anticipate needing the support of flower essences for the duration of my lifetime; I don't think of them as a tool to use and then discard, but to continually reach for in times of emotional distress. People are generally a seething bundle of emotions—often negative ones—and I think that's just part and parcel of being a human. While souls may be universally "good," not all people are. And because we're social creatures and require at least a modicum of interaction, we'll get plenty of chances to work on those negative emotions that we struggle with most. While flower essences are excellent at helping us tackle our chronic issues, they're also invaluable for supporting us with the day-to-day struggles. In my home, my essence kit is kept in a spot that is available to all, day or night, and there's always someone rummaging through the bottles in search of just the right helpmate!

working with infants

Flower essences are safe to use, even with the smallest of babies. I wish desperately that I'd known about essences when my girls were young because they would have been such an awesome tool to have in my mama tool-belt! Upon reincarnation, I think some souls have a much more difficult time re-acclimating to the human body and struggle with being so helpless and restricted again. I believe flower essences would have made a world of difference for some of my girls (and definitely myself!).

Obviously, though, babies can't speak. In this case, it's up to the caregiver to assess the baby's behavior. It's often easy enough to tell when a baby is irritated, scared, weak, or in pain. Look to what their body and face are showing you. This would also be helpful with anyone unable to speak. Are they feverish and restless? (Agrimony) Irritable with being unwell? (Impatiens) You can apply the essences directly to their skin, knowing that they can do no harm. Hardworking mamas could also benefit greatly from the support of flower essences, both during pregnancy and then for those challenging days (and sleepless nights) beyond!

And that'll wrap it up for Centaury! Next on tap: Cerato. Below you can find my cheat sheet that should tide you over until I get through all thirty-eight of the flower essences :)