clematis flower essence
- Melinda
- May 1
- 12 min read
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.
(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.)
where to buy
If you don't already have the essences on hand (and you're thinking that Clematis 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 Impatiens 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 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 Impatiens with every sip you take. This method is great for children, adults, pets, or even plants. You will continue on with this until the dreaminess, dizziness, excessive sleepiness, or other symptom 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? Irritable with being unwell? 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!
"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
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 :)
Hope your day is a happy one :)
Much love,
Melinda
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