1.
What are Yogananda's Spirit-in-Nature Essences or flower essences?
Yogananda's Spirit-in-Nature Essences are herbal infusions that stimulate
positive qualities within our nature. These essences have been
created according to the teachings of the great yoga master
Paramhansa Yogananda, author of the world-renowned The
Autobiography of a Yogi . The 20 essences are prepared from
the blossoms of fruit and nut trees and vegetable plants. Nature
has given us fruits and vegetables so that we might benefit from
their nutritional sustenance; flowers so that we might be
inspired; and flower essences so that we might transform ourselves
through their purity and power. In taking the essences, we
manifest their positive qualities more fully in our
lives.
These
essential infusions are completely safe, non-toxic, quick-acting,
and easy to use. They work effectively without the possibility of
contraindications, overdosing, or negative reactions. They cannot
be neutralized by other substances. They may be used to supplement
other forms of treatment and therapy.
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2.
What do flower essences do?
All flower essences do the
same thing: they restore us to a state of balance in which our
internal, intelligent life force is activated. Life force is the
real healer; the energy of the flower essence creates a
vibrational resonance that gently stimulates that life force. And
since the uplifting qualities embodied in the essences are our
truest nature, to resonate with those qualities is only natural.
"You have to live anyway", Yogananda said, "so why not live in the
right way?" The essences help us to express the highest octave of
our nature in our daily lives.
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3. How
do the essences work?
Just as plucking a string
on one sitar will cause the same string on another sitar nearby to
vibrate in unison, these flower essences awaken certain qualities
that we already possess. For example, Orange Essence draws out our
enthusiasm; Tomato Essence, our strength and courage.
Flower essences work on a
vibrational rather than a biochemical level; they do not need to
be absorbed into the bloodstream or go through the digestive
system to take effect. They are completely safe to use: nontoxic
and without contra-indications, side effects, or the possibility
of overdosing. Their benefits are complementary to other herbal
therapies and treatment. Please note, however, that flower
essences do not directly treat physical symptoms.
Through the vibratory rate
of the blossoms from which they are prepared, flower essences
interact with our willingness and commitment to change.
Willingness plus commitment equal energy, the active ingredient in
flower essence therapy.
Flower essences activate
our life force, the true source of well-being. They act as
catalysts, or pump-primers. For this reason we may take credit for
the changes we co-create through taking the essences.
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4. How
are Yogananda's Spirit-in-Nature Essences different from other flower
essences?
Flower essence therapy has
been practiced in the USA and Europe for many years, although it
is a relatively new concept in India . The best known of the
traditional flower essences are Bach Flower Essences. Yogananda's
Spirit-in-Nature Essences are made in the same way as the Bach
Essences: that is, the essential quality and energy of a flower is
infused into pure spring water, using sunlight as a
catalyst.
The unique
aspect of these essences is the principle that lies behind the
choice of flowers that are used. Yogananda explained that food has
consciousness. The fresher its quality, the stronger its life
force. Yogananda listed the psychological and spiritual qualities
of different foods. Eat these foods and you ingest their
vibrational messages as well: for example, the peacefulness in
pears, the flexibility in figs, and the quiet dignity of
strawberries. The essences are made from the blossoms of these
foods and contain their vibrational qualities in a highly
concentrated form.
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5.
What is the history of Yogananda's Spirit-in-Nature
Essences?
Yogananda's
Spirit-in-Nature Essences is a branch of Spirit-in-Nature Essences
(formerly Master's Flower Essences) that was established in 1977
in California, USA. At that time, Swami Kriyananda, a direct
disciple of Yoganandaji and founder of Ananda Sangha, commissioned
his friend and student, Lila Devi, to develop these herbal
infusions. Having studied the Master's teachings on the spiritual
qualities of foods, he saw the potential to use flower essences as
a practical way to draw on these qualities and to express them
more fully in our own lives. (For more information about Swami
Kriyananda, see the link on our home page; for more information
about Lila Devi, see her Web site,
http://www.spirit-in-nature.com/.)
The result is this line of 20
essences: the oldest flower essence line outside the UK. The
essences have gained worldwide recognition and acclaim and are
rapidly finding their way into the homes of people in Yogananda's
native country. In India, this product is marketed by
Lotus Essences Pvt. Ltd.
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6. How are Yogananda's
Spirit-in-Nature Essences prepared?
The blossoms of the
particular plant or tree are carefully selected, gently harvested,
and floated on pure spring water in a glass bowl. After sitting in
direct sunlight for three to four hours, the blossoms are
discarded and the water, which has now absorbed the vibrational
life force energy of the blossoms is now called the mother
essence . This mother essence is then stored out of heat and
sunlight in a dark-coloured bottle half filled with a natural
preservative.
The
mother essences are prepared by Lila Devi Stone in the clean
desert air of the Sierra Nevada foothills at Ananda Village,
outside Nevada City, California (the tropical varieties are made
in Hawaii) and are exported to India where stock concentrates are
prepared in Gurgaon by members of Ananda Sangha.
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7. How
do I take the Yogananda's Spirit-in-Nature
Essences?
Remember: 2 x 3 x 4. Take
two or three drops, four times daily (the first one on awakening;
the last before going to bed). This formula also applies to
children and infants (several drops in the bottle, four times each
day). The essences work best when taken separately from food—10
minutes before eating or one hour after finishing your meal. You
may take them directly under the tongue or in water, juice, or
tea.
Alternatively,
apply them topically by rubbing a few drops on your wrists; mix 16
drops in bath water; or add four drops per cup of water to a
misting bottle and spray it on your skin.
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8.
What are affirmations?
An affirmation is a seed
thought that states a higher truth. Our thoughts have a powerful
effect on our mind and our physical body.
The effectiveness of flower essences
is greatly enhanced when combined with specific affirmations,
uttered out loud or mentally with concentration, will power, and
energy. Repeating the affirmations helps to engage the conscious
mind and uplift the subconscious mind—thus it can strengthen the
benefits of the essences. Swami Kriyananda has written an
affirmation for each essence, which can be found on the individual
boxes.
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9. How
can I know which essence(s) to take?
Unless you have a clear
"hunch", start with Pear for peacefulness. When you are in your
natural state of inner peace, your intuition will develop and help
you clarify which one to take next. Our list of 20 essences along
with their spiritual qualities listed in our brochure (or in the
section of the essences in this Web site) will help you to
determine what to take. Trust your intuition and ask yourself
which positive quality you want to enhance in this moment.
The Spectrum
Chart can be used to determine which essence(s) you need. If,
for example, all you knew about Lettuce Essence was that it is
placed in Quadrant One and the feminine half of the chart, you
would know that its calming nature has a certain gentleness,
containing the fresh vibrancy of springtime and childhood. Also
helpful is The
Essential Flower Essence Handbook with a 10-page chapter
on each essence. This book is available from Yogananda's
Spirit-in-Nature Essences.
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10.
Can I take more than one Yogananda's Spirit-in-Nature Essence at a time? I
think I could use them all!
Although many people take
combinations of essence formulas, 30 years of research and
analysis shows that taking them singly yields quicker and more
noticeable results. Also, this is a good way to know which one is
working for you. Chances are, you will want to take them all,
though singly, over time.
We recommend that you
prioritize according to which essence you feel most drawn to. Take
that one first, and the others in succession. This will help you
to connect with each essence on a one-to-one basis through your
own direct experience. If we liken taking the essences to saying
affirmations, it is easier to focus the mind—and likewise the life
force—while repeating only one affirmation at a time.
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11.
How long do I need to take the essences?
One week is standard, when
taken singly rather than in combination. We generally recommend
that people take the essence anywhere from three days to two
weeks, though longer is not uncommon. (For example, one man took
Cherry Essence for six months following a difficult
divorce.)
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12.
What if nothing happens after taking an essence?
In 95% of the cases when
people report no noticeable results, this lack of response is due
to not following the directions properly. It is important to take
the essence at least several times a day, and more often in
emergencies or when the need is felt.
Since spiritual advancement
is more subtle to perceive than physical, mental, or emotional
growth, you may not notice the positive changes initiated through
your essence programme. When taken correctly but you still don't
see results, it may be that your friends or family can see that
something about you is different. Or, you may need to try a
different essence.
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13.
What if I have a negative or adverse reaction to taking the
essences?
This response is extremely
rare. Interestingly, it only occurs with adults—never, according
to our records, with children or animals, neither of whom are
prone to demonstrate the placebo effect, unless the children are
influenced by adults. Animals, which are on a natural,
evolutionary track toward higher consciousness, tend to respond
quite favorably to these herbal remedies.
Upon closer investigation,
it is not a "healing crisis" but rather what we call an "awareness
celebration" that people experience. This means that what they may
consider to be a negative response is actually a very positive
one. If we compare taking an essence to turning on a light in a
darkened room, the room may suddenly feel too bright. One might
say, "Oh, but I didn't want to grow that much!" The good news is
that this response occurs only when people are ready for it. If
this happens and it feels unpleasant, simply stop taking the
essence and the reaction will subside. Or, take Pear Essence to
restore a sense of peace.
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14. Will I need
to take Yogananda's Spirit-in Nature Essences for the
rest of my
life?
Absolutely not! However, many people like
to take them from time to time as refreshers, or "energetic
reminders", when different issues arise in their busy lives. Again, taking an essence
may be likened to turning on a light in a dark room; once the
light is on, there is no need to keep fiddling with the light
switch.
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15.
Are Yogananda's Spirit-in Nature Essences
effective?
Thirty years of case
studies, direct testimonials, and ongoing research have verified
that the essences are effective. Trust your judgement and
intution. Try them!
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