clematis flower essence

Photo credit: Kev from Pixabay

Clematis flower essence

"Those who are dreamy, drowsy, not fully awake, no great interest in life. Quiet people, not really happy in their present circumstances, living more in the future than in the present; living in hopes of happier times, when their ideals may come true. In illness some make little or no effort to get well, and in certain cases may even look forward to death, in the hope of better times; or maybe, meeting again some beloved one whom they have lost." ~ Edward Bach, The Twelve Healers and Other Remedies

A Clematis blockage:

• dreamy

• indifferent

• absent-minded

• ungrounded

• sleepiness

• escapism

Positive expression of:

• focus

• concentration

• interest

• creativity

• grounded

• purpose

• will to live

Clematis vitalba

Clematis was another of the very first flower essences discovered by Edward Bach and, along with Impatiens, is one of the original Twelve Healers. As with all of the essences, there's both a high and a low expression of this energy, but when it comes to selecting which essence one needs, we look only to the low. These emotional blockages may present as chronic issues or temporary ones, but in either case Clematis will be applicable. So what does life look like when we're in need of this particular essence?

Often, very tired! There's a chronic sleepiness present, and it seems to stem from an overall lack of interest in life. Clematis folks sleep deeply and frequently because truly, what better and more pleasant escape is there than the blissful forgetfulness of sleep? With the inner—and oftentimes outer—gaze focused on something only they can see, daydreaming competes with sleep as a favorite pastime for the Clematis soul. Having little interest in what's presently unfolding around them (especially if unwelcome), they choose a world that currently—and perhaps forever—exists only in the imagination.

With so much time spent in a world of their own making, the demeanor of the Clematis individual appears ungrounded and as if they're unaware of their surroundings. In fact, the memory is often poor because they pay so little attention to the people and happenings around them. With heads stuck firmly in the clouds, they drift through their days untethered to reality. Making little effort to participate with life, they seem to have no intention or inclination to invest more of themselves in the day to day task of building an existence of substance. Mechthild Scheffer aptly calls Clematis "The Reality Flower" because of its ability to anchor us firmly in the present.

Clematis is also indicated when a person keeps their gaze firmly focused on the future, but not in a productive way. Because of the general indifference to whatever is currently playing out in their lives, they cling to some elusive time ahead when they imagine things will surely be better. Typically, death holds no fear, and they do little to improve when ill. Bach called this state out as being a "polite form of suicide," but the Clematis soul believes that "life" will most certainly improve once dead, especially when reunited with lost loved ones.

And lastly, if one has lost interest in some aspect of life that previously held interest for them, consider reaching for Clematis. If, all of a sudden, a much-loved job, relationship, or hobby has lost its appeal and you can't understand why, perhaps give this flower essence a shot before ditching that former passion altogether. It could be an emotional blockage surfacing and giving you an opportunity to deal with it.

physical

When working with any one of the flower essences we look to the moods or personality of a person, but there are also physical indications that mimic the emotional flavor of an essence. Clematis, with its dreamy and not-present nature, is also indicated for unconsciousness, dizziness, coma, or fainting. Basically, it's another version of "losing interest in life," or feeling ungrounded. If the individual is not conscious, you could simply rub the essence gently on their lips, neck, or hand to offer some support until help arrives.

Recently, when my typically boisterous young niece was unusually subdued at a family party and I realized it was because she'd been feeling lightheaded, I dropped two drops of Clematis on her arm. A short while later there was some improvement, so I gave her another two drops. The next time I saw her she was happily shoving food into her mouth with a smile on her face. I don't think of her as the (chronic) Clematis type, but in that (acute) moment, she certainly felt untethered. I often see a response this quickly in acute situations, whereas an overall Clematis personality would probably take longer to ground and refocus their energy in the present.

the flip side

So you've successfully dealt with your Clematis blockages—what lies on the other side? Definitely something more centered in reality! Creativity often runs deep in the Clematis soul, and once they're able to cement that inspiration in the present moment, they can create things of true beauty. Grounded at last, one can consciously use the present moment to create a future moment that is rooted in an actual, solid foundation. Forms of escapism, like deep sleep marathons, become less necessary as engagement with life fuels the body with energy. Having found a purpose, imagination isn't the only place where the Clematis individual feels joy and pleasure in being alive.

"The twelve remedies which I have been working on for the last five years are proving so wonderful in their curative results and they are bringing health to so many so-called incurables, even where homeopathic treatment has failed, that I am endeavouring to make the prescribing so simple that they can be used by all lay people." ~ Edward Bach

how to use

For a detailed explanation of how to take the Bach flower essences and where to buy them, please visit my post here: Flower Essences: How to Use. And before I leave you for today, I will reassure you that I'm still slowly but surely working through each and every one of the flower essences! You can find them all conveniently located here: flower essences. Individually, this is what I've managed to accomplish so far:

• impatiens

• mimulus

• agrimony

• chicory

• vervain

• centaury

• all about Bach flower essences

And that's it for Clematis! Next up is Mimulus, an essence that I think is needed by many, especially in our current political climate. Below you can find my cheat sheet that should tide you over until I get through all thirty-eight of the flower essences :)

flower essence cheat sheet.pdf

Download PDF • 555KB

Hope your day is a happy one :)

Much love,

Melinda

Bach Flower Practitioner