Holly is one of the Bach Flower essences that is prepared by the boiling method. It addresses a pretty serious, often deep seated state of emotion, and like the other essences prepared by this method, is meant to bring transformation. Holly can be a type as well as a passing state or emotion, and often occurs over the passage of time as a habitual way of reacting to events and situations- a worldview in my opinion.
Holly is often recommended for anger, jealousy or hatred. It describes a lot of strongly negative emotions that both burn within a person and are also expressed outwardly. Holly is the classic "road rage" personality. Cherry Plum can also describe that out of control rage, but for Holly, the rage stays long after the car is parked. Unlike Cherry Plum where there more often a fear of loosing control than true outward manifestation, when in a Holly state people often react violently and develop a volatile personality.
Anger in itself isn't wrong- it's an emotion we all have from time to time. It's what keeps us alive sometimes. But if you dwell on the emotion it tends to build and grow even larger. In Bach Flower Remedies: Form and Function, Julian Barnard describes Dr. Bach explanations behind the Holly state. Dr. Bach believed anger is a reaction to an invasion to one's sense of self. Invaded by physical or non-physical factors a person may act in outrage as a natural survival response. But when that outrage becomes habitual, Dr. Bach believed the anger was a reaction to a foreign invasion within the boundaries of self. Rather than being a homeostatic reaction to an outside influence, it indicates that homeostasis has failed and one constantly feels under attack from within. It is because of that internal invasion force, that the Holly state may manifest itself in cancers or other invasive diseases.
Holly is closely connected to the heart Chakra. http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.com/2010/10/holly-for-heart.html Dr. Bach chose Holly as a remedy to provide protection from everything that is not Universal Love. The Holly state is said to develop because of a feeling of a lack of love. Holly is recommended for the type of sibling rivalry that may occur when an older child feels threatened by the attention a parent may be paying to the baby. The child may feel their sense of self invaded by the new family addition and they react by acting out violently. The older child feels their allotment of parent love is threatened or love is no longer available to them.
When Holly becomes your worldview you start to feel suspicious and see everything as a potential assault against yourself. You take external actions very personally. You see that erratic lane change, or slow moving vehicle in front of you as specially cutting you off or purposely delaying your moving forward. Instead of seeing the world from a place of love, you see the world with anger and suspicion. This cycle builds and in the harsh Holly worldview you become bad-tempered and hard-hearted. Then other people are less likely to shower you with love and kindness, only proving your initial hypothesis that they were out to get you!
The Holly plant is a contrast of dark and light. The leaves are dark green while the flowers appear as white clusters in direct contrast to the leaves before the red berries appear. Holly as an essence carries that transformative ability to bring light from the darkness and is a powerful essence in this ability. It can turn negative to positive or darkness to light. As a remedy, Holly acts on the point of choice, turning negative energy to positive through loving intention.
The Holly remedy helps to open up the heart so you can be united again with universal love,self love and the absence of invasion. Once transformed, the Holly person is generous, able to give love freely without any demands for return. Their worldview can change quite dramatically to seeing compassion and love behind the actions people take. Once they feel that inner harmony, Holly types radiate a willingness to share. Secure in the knowledge that their own heart is not under invasion, and love is not being denied them, older siblings become fierce protectors and willing playmates, happy to share their toys and give of themselves. Because they react with love they begin to receive love, not only from their parents, but from the baby as well.
The road rage driver has the capacity to become the most courteous of drivers as well. When they don't feel under attack by the world, they are the drivers that go out of their way to let others merge in, and give up parking spaces in crowded malls "just because".
Holly is considered a catalyst in the Bach Flower remedies. It prompts action and may be given when other remedies fail to have the desired effect or if too many essences seem indicated all at once. There is no fence sitting for Holly types. They are movers and shakers. Whether they choose the dark or the light is the only question.
Christmas is coming and Holly is a strong symbol of the season. Here's hoping we can all start to see the positive light in the world rather than give in to the darkness. A lot of energy work is focusing right now on the heart and that universal heart connection http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.com/2010/11/high-heart-chakra.html Maybe we all could use some of the transformed Holly Worldview.
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