Written by Pacific Essences facilitator Maryanne Campeau
Have you ever tried to explain the benefits of Essences to someone only for them to ask, ‘How come they don’t smell like flowers?’
That’s a clue that they are confusing Essences with essential oils, which is a pretty common misunderstanding.
Here is one way to explain the difference.
Since most people have at least a rudimentary understanding that plants have various qualities, be it culinary, medicinal, aesthetic or utilitarian in some way, start with herbal medicine.
Whether it’s in the form of a tea, tincture, capsule or poultice, the herb’s use is based on the physical plant and its particular biology and biochemistry.
Explaining that aromatherapy is a specialized branch of herbal medicine helps to distinguish its difference from Essences.
A plant’s fragrance depends on the physical presence of volatile/essential oils. These essential oils are fundamental to the therapeutics of aromatherapy.
Essences, in contrast, are non-physical. They are the energy-based expression of the flower.*
Whether one best understands an Essence as an energy body, electromagnetic field, bio-field, or the chi or aura of the flower, they all refer to this inherent energetic fingerprint of the plant.
Since Essences are non-physically-oriented, by their very nature they do not have fragrance.
That is the key difference between essential oils and Essences. One is a medicinal system reliant on the physical nature of the plant and the other is not.
Instead Essences are a form of Energy Medicine®.
The flower’s resonance, unrelated to its biochemical constituents, is what provides healing. If anything, as a healing modality Essences are more closely related to homeopathy and acupuncture than herbal medicine and aromatherapy.
With Essences, homeopathic remedies and acupuncture there is direct communication with the subtle bodies via the meridians, chakras, fields and cellular intelligence. Then integrating with our nervous system, this vibrational message is relayed to the emotional, mental and physical bodies as needed.
Essences can help remove obstacles to healing, promote shifts in consciousness, and foster health and wellbeing. They can help close the gap between our physical, limited self and our expansive spirit self, thus helping us tap into and align with our potential and purpose.
Aromatherapy and herbal medicine have long histories regarding their benefits and are wonderful, valuable tools in our wellness toolkit. Essences belong there also.
Nature provides us with so many gifts. Her essence is, in my mind, one of her most precious.
* As well as plant-based Essences, the same holds true for sea and gem Essences.
