About essences.

Sen/Essences are plant and nature remedies made in South Africa and other parts of the world which work at the source of imbalances to bring harmony and vitality.

 

  • Essences are a wonderfully subtle yet very effective way of working with plants in a healing way. The plant spirit medicine can work on our emotional and energetic bodies, where a great deal of imbalances and disease originate. Helping to bring these parts of us – and ultimately our spirit – back to balance, as well as bringing through guidance and wisdom, they work more at the source of a problem and ripple the well-being down to the physical body.  

    

Each plant has its own characteristics, qualities and properties.

    They are different to Bach Flower remedies or Homeopathy.

  • There are different methods of choosing an essence. You can look at the description of the plant, use a pendulum/ kinesthesiology or go with your intuition (if you struggle with this, here’s a guide to help you connect). Alternatively you can book a session where we choose or create a bespoke essence for you.

    No matter the plant description, it may work differently for different people depending on what they need. So don’t fix yourself to the write ups about each plant, rather go with your gut and observe what it brings you.
    (Similarly to how each person has a character, so does each plant species and each one of us will have a different experience with it.)

    It can be that you will resonate strongest with the plants which grow in your area. It may make it easier to also connect in a physical form at times.

  • The essences can be taken orally - directly under the tongue or in a glass of water. 2-4 drops 2-4 times a day. If you want to use more of it, take it more frequently rather than more drops. They can be used in diffusers or mixed with essential oils. Some may feel the effects simply by holding the bottle.

    Use the essence for as long as you feel you need in order for your ailment or challenge to get resolution. This can be for a few weeks, but sometimes just for a few days. For deeper problems and effects it is best to use an essence for at least a week or 2, but I have had cases of grabbing an essence just for a day to help with certain challenges.

    Connecting with your essence

    Try to find a quiet spot for a few minutes where you will be undisturbed. Holding the essence in your hand, notice how you are feeling right now. Set an intention to connect to the essence you are working with and take a few drops (or drop them into a diffuser).

    If you have a moment, clear your mind of other thoughts and place the essence/plant in your mind’s eye. Focus and ask - what are your qualities? (Don’t worry if this is different to the provided description - these are just guidelines and your experience will be unique). Ask whatever else may come up for you (e.g. what can I do for you?) and make sure to take the time to receive whatever comes.

  • Each of these essence is a stock essence.
    You can choose to take the stock bottle essence (2-4 drops 2-4 times a day), or you can further dilute the essence into a dosage bottle.

    This is mostly done when combining more than 1 essence but can also be done with just 1 essence.

    To make a dosage bottle:
    Make a mix of 50:50 water:alcohol (40% is best - e.g. brandy or vodka), and add 1-7 drops of the stock essence. (You can add some honey for taste).

the elements.

The 5 elements make up the world around us. Present in everything, yet in different proportions, they are at the heart of some of the most ancient healing modalities. Bringing them into our awareness — from the food we eat, how we carry ourselves, to the way our mind functions — can empower us to make choices which lead towards more balance in our daily lives, as well as facilitate a more intimate connection with our environment.

  • Earth is grounding. Stable. Solid. Dense. Something you can count on. A feeling of safety and security. A space that holds. It’s the foundation on which we build. It doesn’t move. So, too much can mean a sense of stagnation or laziness, but too little can mean a struggle to manifest or keep focused.

  • Water is constant movement and there is a density to it. So it too is holding and nourishing, but too much of it can wash away what’s needed. Water can help us to loosen up, to get into flow, to connect with natural rhythms. It is clearing, cleansing, soothing. So it helps us to let go and make space for the new. In this way it can be uplifting and energizing.

  • Fire is raw power and so it connects us to our inner strength and power. It’s vitality, it’s life-force, it’s transformative and it is a teacher. It helps us to process and digest life and our emotions. To stand up for what we believe in and take what we need. In Ayurveda it is said that health begins in the gut and those with a strong digestive fire are vital and strong. Too much fire can burn, causing inflammation, pains, dryness, redness.

  • Air brings space, possibility for movement and changes. It can balance these if there is too much stagnation or density. It’s light, delicate, fresh, active, cleansing and uplifting. But it can also dry out causing roughness or scatter, causing confusion.

  • Ether is the void, the space from which all else emerges. It is seductive (like youth) because it’s full of potential and possibility, but that’s all it is… too much means ideas unrealized. It is the stillness that connects us to everything. The wisdom and the chaos. Here anything is possible. All this is within us.