They are beautiful. They are symbols of love. And their fragrance is a pleasure to the olfactory senses. However, along with all these qualities, flowers are also healers in their own right. Indian flower remedy is another form of alternative healing that can combat many ailments. You name any problem and it seems that flower remedy has an answer, says Dr Rupa Shah, who, along with her husband, Dr Atul Shah, has been practising flower remedy since the last 18 years. According to her, the healing energy of flowers is distilled with spring water and charged with sunlight or moonlight. Medicines are then prepared from this mother essence and preserved with vinegar or brandy. The Shahs, who are allopaths, add, "Flower essences facilitate and accelerate the healing energy of one’s body." Flower essences can either be consumed (as a solution), applied as a gel (external application only) or used in bath water for therapeutic uses. The essences are often mixed with the energy of gems for faster and better benefits, says Dr Atul Shah. For instance, curry flower essences provide relief when one is suffering from acidity. But for severe cases of acidity, the essences of curry flower and the rare Karvy, added to the energies of diamond and sapphire, accrue better and faster results.
Apart from chronic and acute ailments, flower remedies also work wonders with all types of addiction, and they aid in the rehabilitation process as well. They work best in the areas of acute pain/injury, allergy and emotional problems. Essences are also available for improving one’s memory, eliminating behavioural problems like thumb sucking and juvenile delinquency and enhancing one’s libido. The cosmetic uses of flower remedy include toning and/or increasing the bust size. The essences can change one’s personality by imparting confident, positive and energetic vibes. Last, but not the least, there are essences for pets too, which combat many problems – right from emotional stress to skin problems. Explains Dr Rupa Shah, "The best part of flower remedy is that it doesn’t have any side- effects as it is a complementary medicine. Remember that the flower essence should not be applied on open wounds or in the nose, ears and eyes. And there are certain ailments like diabetes, cardiac ailments, cancer and AIDS, where the efficacy of flower remedy is yet to be seen." Flower remedy also appears to be cost-effective – a 15 ml bottle costs Rs 100-150. This bottle can last for a month, depending upon the dose.
