A few of the Bach remedies are made by boiling sections from the plant. The plant, flowers, or twigs are put in an enamel pot with spring water and brought to a boil. Once they reach the boiling point they are simmered for thirty minutes. The liquid is then filtered off and used in the mother tincture. This method seems rather harsh, perhaps a bit shocking.
In a way, that's the point of the remedies that are prepared by boiling. They address a response to the trials of life and are considered to transform thoughts and emotions. They can bring you out of a mind set to balance your world view.
We all have a "world view". It's the way we choose to see the world and the events in it. Most people have a particular lens or filter from which they tend to see things. This view is perhaps shaped by our upbringing, and the circumstances that we find ourselves in. But, I'm not so sure about that. I think it might be deeper than that, and something we hold pretty tight to our core regardless of the events around us. Sometimes we change our world view as our lives change and as we grow and develop. Certainly there are world views associated with chakra development that may contribute to our change over time.
At one time or another, everybody adopts an attitude or belief that they are a victim. It's the "life isn't fair" principle where you feel you are on the loosing side of the equation. This can be a passing emotion, that comes and goes with events that occur in your life. It is a lesson or stage of development that is often related to the heart chakra. http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.com/2011/02/foods-for-heart-chakra.html If it becomes your world view, you might want to consider using the Bach Flower Willow, to clean off the Willow fogging your lens.
Everyone experiences trials, tribulations and misfortunes. Everyone has events in their past or present that can be considered traumatic and difficult. There is lots of debate over whether or not some people experience more difficulties than others. If you find yourself counting up the events and find some satisfaction in the fact that your life has been, or is, more difficult than the lives of others, you're seeing the world as a victim. People who get caught in this Willow victim state, do have more than their fair share of difficulties. Or at least, that's how they feel. Perhaps it doesn't matter whether they actually do or not. I don't think there is any point in the comparison. In fact, that type of analysis just fuels the Willow victimization state. Once you believe you're being treated unfairly you start to loose some energy. You take less interest in life and the things you used to enjoy. You turn inwards. Usually, that makes the problems even worse and you're trapped in a Willow cycle.
The Willow tree is actually a very fast growing tree. In fact, it grows so fast, traditionally at least, the branches were cut back to make poles for fencing, to shape tools, or to use as firewood. This cutting back or trauma seems to make the trees grow even faster. They appear to grow out of resentment alone. When in a Willow state, the more you feel victimized, the more resentful you become. Rather than change directions to get away from the trauma, when in a Willow state, people often continue to "set themselves up " for the same trauma to occur over and over again.
The roots of the Willow tree grow very deep in search of water. In new housing complexes willow trees are often planted because of their fast growth. New subdivisions can have tree-lined streets and look like established neighborhoods very quickly. However, within a few years, many of those houses will have blocked drains and plumbing issues as the roots grow into the drainage lines and pipes. (I know this because I was once such a victim!). Julian Barnard, in Bach Flower Remedies: Form & Function, writes that those with a Willow world view tend to be concerned with material success and they strive to search everywhere for money, the way the tree strives to find water. And yet, the more they find, the more they search, convinced that others have found a deeper source than they have. The search can in fact block the very source of their success. For some, the abundance of money, rather than the lack of, becomes their complaint and they blame their misfortune on too much money. You can't win with those water searching roots it would seem.
The Willow world view is focused inward. They see events in terms of personal impact. They face problems by withdrawing from others and they often tend to wallow in their problems. In a Willow state the sense of sadness is strangely comforting and there can be a subtle sense of self-righteousness. When Willow types are ill they are never pleased or satisfied and will be reluctant to admit to any improvement in symptoms. Being around Willow types can be rather draining. In a Willow state you carry some pretty heavy, doom and gloom type energy that can be a bit contagious.
Taking the Willow essence can help break the pessimistic, bitter cycle of self-pity that can develop with this world view. The remedy can help you break out of the self-absorption so you can dwell less on your own misfortune and see other aspects of the world. The essences prepared by boiling are about soul evolution and spiritual enlightenment. Willow can help you stop blaming the world and others and allow you to see the more positive side of things. Once you start to see the positive, and gain energy from that, you can become interested in the welfare of others and and an agent of change. The evolution of Willow is from a sense of resentment to joy.
Willow types are qualified and capable although they experience a great challenge. Barnard writes ,
"only those that are able to carry much are given the greater load. Accepting that load without complaint, transforming the bitterness into sweet acceptance, makes a real contribution to the evolution of the soul consciousness of life on earth. "Coming out of that Willow world view can be difficult. It's a cycle, and in order to break that, Walnut might be helpful in combination with Willow. When a Willow person starts to come away from their self-absorption they can go through a pretty heavy layer of guilt as well. There can be a period of time when the blame shifts from others to self. For that, Pine in combination with Willow may be indicated. Life may not be fair, who ever said it would be anyway? But unlike today's cartoon picture, that sense of "unfairness" is really not a perspective you have to get used to.
If Willow doesn't sound like your world view, stick with me. Today at least, it seems like a good idea to address each of the Bach Flowers that matches a world view. Unless my view of the world changes in the next week or so, I'll write a series on each on of these.
In the meantime, if you need some help along the way, or find a remedy you'd like to try, go to my website http://www.pixiedusthealing.com/ and consider a consultation. Sometimes everyone needs help to clean off the glasses and allow for a shift.
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