impatiens flower essence

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photo credit: Joke2 from Pixabay

Impatiens flower essence

"Those who are quick in thought and action and who wish all things to be done without hesitation or delay. When ill they are anxious for a hasty recovery. The find it very difficult to be patient with people who are slow, as they consider it wrong and a waste of time, and they will endeavour to make such people quicker in all ways. They often prefer to work and think alone, so that they can do everything at their own speed." ~ Edward Bach, The Twelve Healers and Other Remedies

An Impatiens blockage:

impatience

irritability

hurried

tension

short-tempered

impetuous

Positive expression of:

patience

gentleness

quick & alert

decisive

independent

tolerant

forgiving

Impatiens glandulifera

Impatiens earns the distinction of being the very first of the thirty-eight flower essences to be discovered by Edward Bach, and is one of the original Twelve Healers. A person can be in one of two Impatiens states—the high or the low—but when it comes to working with the essences, we focus only on the lower expressions. It might be tempting to look at the more positive expressions and want to reach for those, but first we need to properly identify and address the emotion standing in the way of you achieving those higher states naturally. So when should you reach for this particular essence?

Not all of the flower essences will be quite so obvious, but Impatiens is indicated when impatience and irritability rear their ugly heads. An Impatiens soul is one who finds it hard to sit still and allow others to work at their own pace; they have to fight—often unsuccessfully—not to commandeer the task themselves and so complete it in a "timely" fashion. Nothing irritates an Impatiens type quite like a slow pace does. Often they will fidget or drum their fingers, an obvious display of the inner mental tension.

Quick to anger, but just as quick to let it go, Impatiens people do everything just as speedily. Quick to think, quick to act, quick to speak, quick to decide—everything they do seems to scream "there's not enough time!" In fact, Mechthild Scheffer calls it "The Time Flower" because Impatiens types always behave as if the clock is loudly ticking and there's not a second to spare.

muddy the waters

If you read my previous essence post (here), then you know that the flower essences target emotions. If you were to reach out to a flower practitioner because you were unwell, the nature of your sickness or disease would have little to no bearing on the essences chosen. What that practitioner would be largely focused on is your mood.

Having said that, I'm now going to muddy the waters just a little bit (because when is anything ever black-and-white?), and tell you that the Impatiens essence is useful for more than just a mood and can also be used when one is in acute pain. This might seem initially confusing, but pain and tension so often go hand-in-hand. Whether or not tension causes pain or pain causes tension, the cycle can repeat ad infinitum. Impatiens types, with their high level of inner tension, can easily and unintentionally translate that stress into physical pain. This can often manifest as cramping, especially of the digestive track because of the tendency to eat just as quickly as they do everything else.

the flip side

So that's what things look like when you're in need of Impatiens, but what about after you've successfully dealt with your blockages—what lies on the other side? Definitely something altogether different! There's still a quickness to the energy, but now it's not harried, abrupt, and curt. It won't cut off your sentences or snatch the job from your hands. Instead, there's an air of patience, of gentleness, tolerance, and forgiveness. Additionally, there's a willingness to let others move at their own pace, even if it is a slower and more deliberate one. Alert and decisive, Impatiens types are independent without the pressing need to always work alone simply because collaborating with others drive them bonkers ;)

where to buy

If you don't already have the essences on hand (and you're thinking that Impatiens 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

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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 impatience, irritability, 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.

4. 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.

5. 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

1. 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.

2. If, after 15 minutes or so you haven't felt any change (or enough of a change), take another two drops by mouth.

3. 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).

4. 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

1. 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, especially if you're in pain; in that case, I'd apply it directly to the area that hurts. Remember, they're energetic in nature and the rules are far less rigid than what most people are accustomed to.

2. 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.

3. 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 :)

4. 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

1. Instead of the mouth or the skin, simply drop 2 drops of the essence directly into the drink you're drinking.

2. One of my girls like 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.

3. 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 often 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 all be "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? (Irritation is a case for 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!

"The main reason for the failure of modern medical science is that it is dealing with results and not causes. For many centuries the real nature of disease has been marked by materialism, and thus disease itself has been given every opportunity of extending its ravages, since it has not been attacked at its origin. The situation is like an enemy strongly fortified in the hills, continually waging guerrilla warfare in the country around, while the people, ignoring the fortified garrison, content themselves with repairing the damaged houses and burying the dead, which are the results of the raids of the marauders. So, generally speaking, is the situation in medicine today; nothing more than patching up those attacked and the burying of those who are slain, without a thought being given to the real stronghold." ~ Edward Bach, Heal Thyself

And that'll do it for today, my friend. The next essence on tap is: Clematis. (Are we having fun yet?) It's going to take me a while to get through all thirty-eight flower essences, so I've made up a cheat sheet to help you with your essence selection in the meantime. You can find that here:

flower essence cheat sheet.pdf

Download PDF • 555KB

Hoping your day is a productive one :)

Much love,

Melinda

Bach Flower Practitioner