The alchemical elixir that is created when making a Flower or Spirit Essence is referred to as the Mother Essence. Flower Essences use a dilution method to potentize the effects. While we do not ingest or sell the Mother Essence, this is the foundation of the stock and dosage Essences.

The first level of dilution of the Mother Essence results in the Stock Essence. The Essences that Brigid's Way (and most Flower Essence companies) offer for sale are stock bottles.

These stock bottles can be further diluted to create a Dosage Essence. As part of a HEARTransformation healing session, Jen formulates a dosage Essence to help support her clients.

Stock Essences are wonderful for exploring and expanding our consciousness. We take 1 drop of the stock Essence and experience a shamanic journey, mediation, dream work, creative process, or similar exploration.

This method is also a phenomenal way to get to know a Plant or experience the energy and healing gifts of the Sacred Being(s) the Essence is made with.

Being less dilute and denser energetically, stock Essences tend to be more aligned with physical ailments. Therefore, we work with stock Essences in our PET sessions (or energetic Flower Essence sessions).

Drops of the stock can also be added to a spray bottle to spritz your aura or area with the healing gifts of the Essence or included in a sacred bath. Some practitioners like to place the Essence on the appropriate acupuncture points, chakras, or other energy centers.

The stock Essence can be diluted to create a dosage bottle.

Brigid's Way sells stock bottles of Essences which can be used to create your own dosage bottles. 

To do this, fill a ½-ounce bottle with 3 parts good quality brandy and 7 parts pure spring water (do not use water that has been chlorinated). To this bottle, add 3 drops of the stock Essence. You now have a dosage bottle.

Yes, absolutely! We often combine several Essences in our dosage blends, each one adding their particular "flavor" to address the issue we are focusing on. Sometimes we include Essences to help soften the possible affects or facilitate the shifts.

For instance, if we are taking an Essence to release unexpressed grief, we might also include Essences that support our Heart or help us feel safe and grounded, so that we aren't overwhelmed by our grief.

When making Brigid Way's Essences, we invite the Spirit of the Plant (or other Being) to be part of the Essence. Not all Essences contain the Spirit of the Plant. We feel this makes a difference. Including the Spirit of the Plant creates a more complete form of the Plant's Essence and gifts. 

An Essence represents the alchemical relationship between the human, Plant (or other Being), and water. Therefore, Essences of the same Plant made by different people will have a similar core theme and be energetically different. 

At the end of each client consultation, Jen identifies which Essences are needed at that time and formulates a dosage bottle for her client to take over the following month.

This dosage blend supports the energetic adjustments experienced as well as facilitating the next steps on the healing journey.

In general, we ingest an Essence orally, putting the drops under our tongue, being sure to avoid touching the dropper to our mouth.

A typical dosage is 3 drops/3 times a day. If you follow this, a ½ ounce dosage bottle will last about a month. You are also welcome to follow your guidance or intuition on dosage amount. 

If possible, it is nice to sit quietly for 5 - 10 minutes after taking the Essence and ideally the last dosage of the day is at bedtime. The drops can also be added to a water bottle or beverage and sipped throughout the day. 

Essences do not work like pharmaceuticals so there is no concern if you miss a dose or take 2 doses close together.

No, you do not need to work with a practitioner. You are able to decide what Essences you want to work with. However, a practitioner may be able to see aspects of an issue that you would not realize on your own. We all have our blindspots. 

Some Essences are too strong for certain people; they can bring up something that someone is not ready for or doesn't have the support system to work through. An experienced practitioner should have a greater understanding of the particular Essences and the impacts that they may have. 

It can also be helpful to have a witness to support us as we navigate our healing journey. We know that Flower Essences work because we can notice the shifts in our lives. We have a tendency to get used to our current situation, akin to the frog in the pot; it can be helpful to have someone else who can remind us of what life was like before taking the Essence. 

If you would like to pick out your own, pay attention to what Essences you are drawn to. For instance, as you look over our Essences from Around the World, you may be attracted to certain pictures or descriptions. If there is a particular issue you want to focus on, you can search for this on our shop page to find corresponding Essences. When in doubt, we are fans of using a pendulum or body dowsing.

If you are looking for a specific Essence that is not listed on our website, please email us. We have many available Spirit Essences that are not listed on our website, including some of our favorites.

We wait until a Plant (or other Being) invites us to make an Essence with them because our relationship with this Being is vital to the quality of the Essence. If we do not already have the Essence that you are looking for, we are happy to inquire about the possibility of making this.

The short answer is no. Flower Essences work on the root cause of an issue. Because there are many root causes that can result in the same symptom, there are many possible Essences that could help. The key is to understand what the underlying energetic issue is and then work with the Essences that will help to shift this.

For instance, a headache can be caused by tension, lack of sleep, liver toxicity, trauma, food allergies, illness, being stuck in the head/too intellectual, energy blockage, injury, dehydration, and many other possibilities. Someone who has a tension headache may benefit from a very different Essence than someone who has an energy blockage. It's also possible that maybe they would benefit from something other than an Essence like drinking water if they have a dehydration headache.

Partly this depends on what Essence you are working with and the issue you want to address.

Flower Essences shift our vibration, providing an opportunity to experience life differently.  They can help to remove the energetic imprints from traumas, fears, beliefs, and blocks that are inhibiting the body's innate healing ability. Essences give us a reprieve allowing us to remember our Truth. They may also bring forward aspects of our subconscious that we have suppressed.

Often Flower Essences are considered to be gentle and subtle; however, they can also be incredibly potent.

When you experience an Essence that is right for you, there is a realization that you are loved and held by Nature. We are encouraged to remember who we are and to release the burdens and untruths that we have been carrying.

Generally, Flower Essence practitioners say no, Essences do not interfere with medication because Essences are energetic in nature and do not have any chemical constituents. 

However, by addressing the root issue, some of our clients have been able to reduce or eliminate their medications. We always advise working with a trained medical professional when adjusting medications.

Usually, taking the "wrong" Essence simply results in no shifts or changes.

Sometimes what we can consider as "wrong" is an Essence that we were not ready for. In this case, it is possible that you may have strong emotions or reactions that you find destabilizing - memories coming forward, anger that you don't know what to do with, intense grief, etc. If this happens, simply stop taking the Essence. If you are working with a practitioner, contact them as they may have other suggestions for support. If you are not working with a practitioner, you may want to seek out a therapist or other professional to work through the suppressed emotions or memories that came forward. 

Essences like to be kept in a cool, dark place away from scents including essential oils. At Brigid's Way, we have a special cabinet where we keep all of our Essences. Note that sunlight or heat will cause the liquid to evaporate. 

If they are stored properly, the Essences should last for decades or longer. 

It is important that you do not touch the glass part of the dropper with your fingers or mouth as this can introduce bacteria into the Essence. If you see anything floating or growing in the Essence, discard it immediately. (We gift our excess Essences to a Plant.)

Yes. Brigid's Way Essences are preserved with a high-quality brandy that is made from grapes and is therefore, naturally gluten-free.

Jen has alcohol sensitivities and addiction runs in her family, so we are very conscious around alcohol. As always, we recommend trusting your instincts and doing what is right for you.

Because we use such low doses, the actual amount of alcohol ingested is quite small. Therefore most practitioners say that it is safe to ingest Essences if you have alcohol sensitivities. However, if you are placing the drops directly into your mouth, you will taste the brandy which can be a trigger for some people. Placing the drops in water will reduce this risk. You can also add them to hot tea to help evaporate some of the alcohol. 

When creating your dosage bottle, you can use a base of 100% pure, non-chlorinated water. This Essence should be consumed within a month with extra precaution around touching the dropper or introducing any bacteria or other pathogens into the bottle. You can also use apple cider vinegar instead of brandy as the preservative for your dosage bottle. In this case, the dosage Essence should be used within a year.

Other ways to work with the Essences without ingesting them include: 

• Adding them to a spray bottle and spritzing yourself with them
• Placing the drops on your inner wrist or on acupuncture points
• Including the drops in a bath
• Holding the bottle as you do a mediation or journey
• For energetically sensitive people, often having the bottle next to them as they sleep is enough 

Please contact us if you are concerned about the alcohol content and would like your stock Essences preserved with apple cider vinegar. Please note that the shelf life for Essences preserved with apple cider vinegar is one year.