(By Sri Dimond. Originally published in Lifescape magazine, 2008)

An expert in the power of petals:
Dr. Judy Griffin has been using flower essence remedies as a part of treatment programs in psychiatric hospitals in Texas for nearly forty years, pioneering this with seriously disturbed patients, not the "worried well." She provides blends to Baylor Medical Center in Dallas, Texas to reduce pain, nausea, anxiety, and stress, amongst other symptoms. She is well known for her many books on organic gardening, herbs, and diet, including, most recently, Mother Natures Herbal, and she lectures worldwide. Dr. Griffin has researched and cultivated rare plants and distills her own oils with the kind of devotion rare in a chemist's lab, for her own "Petite Fleur" range of essences.

I met her at a professional flower essence seminar she gave in London recently where she focused on immunology and brain chemistry. She later talked with me about the vexing question of research in order to establish validity. She explained;" Validation in the orthodox sense would take certain kinds of studies and I couldn't do them because of the fact that I produce the essences myself. For example, studies have been done on individual essences like lavender but these don't necessarily relate to my own essences, as the lavender varies. Baylor Hospital has done studies on how my essences effect blood pressure, breathing time, pain, and so on but the results will not necessarily be placed in the public domain. One can observe similar reactions in people who are generally responsive to natural remedies, but others might not feel anything. Of course, that is not to say there could not be profound changes, and there often are, as with other medication and breathing exercises, people may say they don't feel any different, but in fact, they are different and do change!"

"I place remedies on key points on the skin.
They kick-start the immune response and this is what affects brain chemistry.
It is 250 times more powerful than what we smell!"

Dr. Griffin is not fazed by any of this and as someone who has cured herself of Crones Disease, and her two young twins of acute health problems, including being born with immune deficiency disease that threatened their lives, she is no stranger to battles. Dr. Griffin says," It's ok. Like 'organic,' little by little, things have changed. I know medical doctors who only use flower remedies. However, in the United States, you always have to consider the American Medical Association and their approach to regulation. We must also remember that so many healers and remedies have lots of 'shakti' or healing energy-once it is made by machine, it is different. It is about an electro-magnetic exchange and relationship with the plant."

It doesn't all smell the same.
Quite often people merge their thoughts on aromatherapy and flower essences and think they have much the same effect. Dr. Griffin disputes this saying," That is why I use topical treatments and have been able to work in hospitals for so long. I place remedies on key points on the skin. They kick-start the immune response and this is what affects brain chemistry. It is 250 times more powerful than what we smell - scent plays a part but these are about more than scent - they are not working in the same capacity because of the immune response. Scent effects the endocrine response and this can then effect the psychological one."

Working in this way, Dr. Griffin has helped huge numbers of severely depressed people, as well as cancer, cardiac and sickle cell patients recover. She knows because she works very intuitively but her respect for the work that the flowers do is sobering. I was curious to know about her extensive work with roses as they are known as the most evolved flower on the planet and have such a wide appeal. She agreed they were, although she does not work with hybrid varieties, "yes they have an ability to survive extremely tough conditions, but roses need us too." Her range of Antique Rose Essances support the neurological system.

On the question of who inspires her most she paused and asked me if that meant past or present, flower or animal, before saying, "Being out there with the plants in nature. When the roses bloom, I go nuts! I love Wisteria - anything that blooms! I have this incredible feeling of joy - completely unannounced!"

Lifescape focuses on complimentary and intergraded health and I was inspired that she refers to her work in this way rather than "alternative." "Yes, something inspired me to move from an alternative medical position and it was in the main due to the new kind of therapists, nurses, doctors and occupational therapists that I started to encounter. The fact that they work one on one, using integrated modalities, made a difference to me. I have had many cancer patients who didn't want to be well, what ever they said. It made me realize that it is their program and their choice. This also made me realize what complimentary care is: I have to be on the same level as the physician and in union, in terms of focus. If I separate myself in some way, it is no good. I am not concerned what part my intervention plays. We work together for the patients well-being!

Using flower essences on ourselves

Dr Griffin has worked with the strangest and hardest illnesses to cure, but she finds that the work that people do on themselves can be incredible! She helped a patient with no stomach and acute addiction problems, and like so many, whose lives are wrecked, finally recover using flower essences! Dr. Griffin said, "I never see people as sick. We are actually beautiful, but somehow we lose the script. We are in the matrix, playing a human game and I don't know why we put ourselves through such pain at times. We have become heads walking around on sticks! The connection with touch is also critical as our bodies are holograms and placing the essence on key points affects the whole body." She readily emphasizes, "We could all use more touch." Flower remedies reach the pleasure centers in the brain which is one of the reasons why they work so well. To Dr. Griffin, the power of flower essences is that they work simply and have no side-effects at all, but by using them, people feel they have made a noticeable improvement, in their health, on their own!

For further questions or comments please email Dr. Griffin at petitefl@aromahealthtexas.com

Please Visit: www.aromahealthtexas.com or call (817) 294-5410

Crohn's Disease: Petite Fleur Flower Remedies that can help:
Snap Dragon and Yarrow - to balance out the auto-immune response
Abate Anger - for inflammation
Inner Strength - for inner will and bone health
Recovery Essence - for overall support
Kolancho - for that blind side we all have
Onion - for prejudices and prejudgments