Featuring the Work of Begoña Siegrist
Begoña Siegrist utilizes flower essence therapy in combination with aromatherapy and color therapy. Working in tandem, these three therapies augment each other, helping both the practitioner and the client.
Begoña began her work as an Aura-Soma practitioner and pursued additional training in aromatherapy, one of the components of Aura-Soma therapy. She then discovered flower essence therapy, studying the Bach and FES essences with a teacher in Mexico. Further studies brought her to California where she attended the Flower Essence Society Practitioner Training in 2005. The combination of these therapies resonated strongly for her and she has since then incorporated all three in her healing practice.
A synthesis of therapies inspires a new healing modality
Inspired by the dynamics of the therapies, and utilizing her own innate sensitivity to aromas and the emotions and feelings they stimulate, Begoña naturally began to think about combinations of color, essential oils and flower essences. She experimented with oils in her own home and allowed herself to make combinations freely, by instinct and intuition.
The first combination spray she developed utilized pure rose essential oil which she associated with the color pink (for unconditional love, feminine acceptance, compassion and liberation). She incorporated into it other essential oils and Mariposa Lily (for healing the mother archetype and creating a bond with it) and Shasta Daisy (to reintegrate the emotions and get the feeling of wholeness of oneself) flower essences. When sprayed in her clients’ auras, this formula immediately evoked feelings of love, comfort, emotional security, and warmth, hence she called it Abrazo or “Hug.” Begoña began using it with more of her colleagues and clients, and it was received with much enthusiasm—as were the subsequent six sprays she developed. She found that the spray formulas were a good compliment to the therapy she provided.
Mariposa Lily & Shasta Daisy (above L to R)
A natural therapy for children
Begoña works quite often with children; “It’s a natural therapy, it will not change a child’s personality but guides it toward positive development. It works so well; the personality remains alive, but fears and anxieties transform toward the positive.” She finds that children heal very quickly. Subsequently, she begins working with their mothers who generally have deeper issues to address. Next, the fathers often join in on the therapy and even entire families at times. Begoña notes that often times children are a reflection of their parents; once the parents become well, the children are also well. Read Begoña’s narrative regarding the case of JP, a boy who has been transformed as a result of using flower essences and Begoña’s spray formulas.
A look at the healing sprays
Begoña’s experience has shown that all of the sprays give the sensation of releasing a burden or problem for those who use them; they foster positive sensations. Perhaps one’s life may not actually change, but rather their attitudes in regard to problems change. Following are brief case descriptions or uses of each of the sprays that Begoña developed.
EL ABRAZO “Hug” Pink Spray
As described above, this particular spray has the flower essences Mariposa Lily and Shasta Daisy and Geranium, pure Rose and Ylang-Ylang essential oils, and pink vegetable color.
Case 1
Emilio is addicted to alcohol and drugs, his father admitted him to a detoxification clinic. The place seems like a jail, and the patients are treated like criminals. Emilio's sister gave him the Pink Spray and asked him to use it several times a day. After a few weeks, the sister came back to visit him and he said that the aroma of this spray was his only comfort in that horrible place. He felt “warmth” when using it.
Case 2
The same Pink Spray was applied to a dog that was left alone for most of the day. His owner had to work all day long and did not come back until late in the evenings. She started to spray the dog every time she came back from work and then also started to spray him before leaving. The first thing she noticed was that the dog didn’t mind being sprayed, but seemed to enjoy it. She also noticed that before using the spray, the dog seemed very anxious and sad and after using it, he seemed very happy and secure.
GIRO “Turn” Green Spray
This spray contains flower essences of Fairy Lantern (to stop child-like behavior and obtain a more mature attitude toward life), Filaree (to stop obsessive worry and compulsion to focus on small issues and make them larger) and White Chestnut (to stop mind confusion). Lemongrass, Cypress and Ginger essential oils were added to wake up the mind and feel alert and fresh. The bright green vegetable color helps to make decisions from the heart, to heal and re-generate on all levels. This spray is intended to help people become more mature, to see things from a new and bigger perspective, and to help with stress and compulsive thinking.
One situation in which this spray was used involved a Reiki and regression therapist that works full time with clients having severe emotional problems. Sometimes, after listening to so many problems he was affected by them. He reports that after using the Green Spray during the evening or after his sessions, his problems seem to be very small and manageable. He describes it as “taking a shower that cleans your energy and suddenly nothing seems so difficult to solve.”
(Fairy Lantern picture above right)
APOYO “Support” Blue Spray
This spray contains flower essences of Baby Blue Eyes (for trust, support and love) and Sunflower (for a healthy sense of individuality, and self esteem) and Sandalwood, Cedarwood and Orange essential oils and blue vegetable color (which represents authority, protection, action and a good father archetype). After using it most people feel support and find it easier to start doing actions, also they reported to focus better on things. I called this spray “Support.”
(Baby Blue Eyes Flower Photo above left)
Case 1 - Read more about this case here
This spray was used by a child that was too hard on himself. His mother said the father was too severe with him and that the boy seemed to believe that nothing that he did was good enough for his father. Also, ever since he was a baby, this child never let anyone hug him and he never showed physical affection with anyone. After several weeks of using the Blue Spray, the boy started to be very confident at school, he did not get too emotional if things went wrong for him. The most amazing thing was that he started telling his mother that he loved her and started hugging her and letting himself being hugged. Even the father changed his attitude because the boy did not try to fight him back and seemed not so much emotionally involved; their relationship improved very much.
GOZO “Joy” Yellow Spray
It contains flower essences of Pine (to deal with guilt feelings, for self-forgiveness and freedom) and Zinnia (to be able to laugh again and to recover a sense of humor). Bergamot, Lemon, Patchouli, Cypress and Rosemary essential oils were added because they are cheerful and awakening aromas. The color yellow is related to happiness, laughter, a clear mind, and cessation of fear.
I wanted something that helped people feel light and happy. With my clients, I noticed that guilt was one of the major obstacles for them to feel better. When I have a client who has feelings of depression or guilt I give them the Yellow Spray.
I met with a client who was taking a formula of sea essences and suddenly felt extremely depressed. She said that the only thing she wanted was to die. I gave her the Yellow Spray. After a week, she reported a feeling of lightness and even had periods of good moods and laughter.
ACEPTACION “Acceptance” Orange Spray
This spray contains flower essences of Rosemary (for a warm physical presence) and Manzanita (for joyous embodiment). Ylang-Ylang, Cedarwood, and Sandalwood essential oils were selected for their warm and sensual aromas along with the awakening aromas of Lemongrass and Peppermint. The color orange works with the feeling of self-worth and sensual pleasure.
This spray is meant for clients who have issues with their own bodies and self-acceptance in general. This is given to people who do not feel comfortable in their bodies such as people with eating disorders or children that hate themselves because they cannot move as fast as they wish they could, are not as athletic as others or for those who are rejected because of their physical appearance.
(Manzanita Flower above left)
EL CIELO “Heaven” Violet Spray
El Cielo contains flower essences of Tansy, Trumpet Vine, Pomegranate, Quaking Grass, (all for helping to get into action with new creativity and healthy social interactions), Angelica (for a sense of spiritual protection), Joshua Tree (to get rid of old family patterns) and Bleeding Heart (for healing the heart). The essential oils in the spray are Lavender, Ylang-Ylang, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Thyme, Mint, Ginger, Sandalwood, Basil and Angelica. The color violet is mind-soothing and is the color for spiritual transformation, spiritual connection, and heaven coming to earth.
I did something unusual when developing this spray: I selected each ingredient with kinesiology and this beautiful formula of 10 essential oils and 9 flower essences came up. The formula has a strong and calming effect. This formula is the favorite of my clients and very small children love it and become very calm after using it.
(Bleeding Heart Flower above right)
LA TIERRA “Earth” Red Spray
It contains flower essences of Hibiscus (for warmth and passion in sexuality), Rosemary (for warm body presence) and Hound’s Tongue (to decrease a materialistic attitude toward life and increase spirituality at this level). A powerful, hot aroma was added with a mixture of Cinnamon, Sandalwood, Marjoram, Rosemary, Rose and Ginger essential oils. The color red works well for survival issues, sexual matters and spiritual renewal.
Red Spray allows people to work with issues such as money concerns, sexual problems and connection to the earth.
(Rosemary Flower above left)
About Begoña Siegrist:
Begoña Paula Siegrist is a graduate of New York University. She has a M.A. in Graphic Communication (1998). After graduating, she became a website freelance designer. In the year 2001, she started creating the website for the Aura-Soma Center in Mexico City and became very interested in learning about the healing power of color and essential oils. By 2003, she graduated as an advanced Aura-Soma therapist and began giving consultations. She also studied Bach flower essences and the California essences at “Florescencias Center” in Mexico City. In July 2005, she traveled to California to take the FES Practitioner Training. Currently, Begoña combines flower essence and Aura-Soma therapies in her practice. She leads California flower essence study groups in Mexico City, and has also created her own products by mixing vegetal colors, FES flower essences and essential oils.
Aura-Soma Color Therapy
In 2001, Begoña Siegrist completed training as an Aura-Soma practitioner, having worked through three levels of advancement. This method of color therapy provides a means through which people can express themselves and their emotions if they are unable to easily identify and express them verbally. “Colors are a way to accurately identify what people feel; it’s a very precise method. A client who is unable to express their emotions is asked to select four bottles from the range of 103 combinations of the Aura-Soma collection of colors in clear bottles. The bottles tell me how they are feeling. I’ll ask them then, do you feel fear, or whatever it is that the bottles will indicate, and they’ll say yes…”
Write to Begoña at begonas@yahoo.com
About Jann Garitty
As a Flower Essence Society staff member, Jann Garitty is involved with web design, class administration, writing, research and practitioner outreach. She has a wide variety of personal interests and commitments as a jeweler, gardener and herbalist. For over 30 years, she has worked with Native American organizations in education, arts, and cultural outreach and is the former Director of the Sierra Storytelling Festival. Jann is the mother of two grown children and lives in the Sierra Nevada foothills of northern California with her family and a menagerie of animal companions.
(Photo of Begoña Siegrist courtesy of Flower Essence Society. Photo of Jann Garitty courtesy of the author. All flower photos courtesy of the Flower Essence Society. Reprinted with the kind permission of Jann Garitty and the Flower Essence Society. See page three for information about FES)
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Case Study: JP's Anxiety by Begoña Siegrist
Recovering Trust
Baby Blue Eyes helped JP to recover his childlike trust in the world and in himself. He is now a more confident, happy and motivated boy.
JP was so anxious that he would often bite his school jackets, sweaters and pencils to reduce the stress.
JP is an 8-year-old boy who first came to therapy with his mother after being diagnosed by a psychologist with extreme anxiety and intolerance to changes. At that time his little sister was about to be born, so the psychologist asked JP´s mother to wait 6 months and see if the anxiety disappeared. At the time he began flower essence therapy, any change in his life schedule caused him to become very nervous and to bite his school jackets, sweaters and pencils to reduce the stress. He felt very insecure in social situations and rarely dared to approach a group of boys to play. He was always asking what was to be next in his activities. His mother said that sometimes he broke the house rules in order to please a friend.
Close up of Golden Yarrow
I gave him Golden Yarrow in order to cope with social stress, Rock Water to accept changing situations in his life. I gave him Mimulus for his feelings of fear, Impatiens to calm his stress and Larch to like and accept himself. I gave JP a yellow spray that he could use whenever he needed support and happiness. This spray contains Pine and Zinnia as flower essences, Bergamot, Lemon, Patchouli, Cypress, and Rosemary essential oils.
The next time JP came into therapy, his mother reported he had more self-control, a positive attitude that included being happy and kind, and he was full of energy. His attitude was not aggressive anymore. He was more confident—however, he was preparing to attend a school camp and bit his jacket sleeve and destroyed it. I gave him a spray to take with him to camp to use whenever he felt fear, that way he was in control and could spray himself to regain his confidence.
At this session, the mother mentioned that JP's father is strict and yells often at his family members and that all of her children where afraid of him.
Baby Blue Eyes
I gave him Golden Yarrow, Rock Water and Mimulus to keep going with his confidence and energy and added to the formula Baby Blue Eyes and Goldenrod for him to feel good. This time I also gave him the Blue Spray that contains Baby Blue Eyes and Sunflower as flower essences and Sandalwood, Cedarwood and Orange essential oils.
At the following session, the mother reported that JP was expressing himself by talking very much about his feelings and worries. The episodes of anxiety reduced from one per day to two per week. However, the intensity of his anxiety episodes was increased and he started to wet himself and drink too much water. While talking about his feelings, JP recognized the aim of his actions were to please his father.
I repeated the same formula and added Snapdragon to ease his biting necessity. JP likes to use the Blue Spray; his mother believes that after using it, he is more loving and kind.
JP had a major change; he started talking, expressing himself through words and also expressing his feelings toward his father. The anxiety episodes decreased in frequency but increased in intensity.
JP began having a new social life at school. He became more kind and friendly. He started to be able to solve problems and to solve them without feeling stressed. The reflex to destroy and bite things also stopped. He started hugging his mother and became very loving with her. After four months of flower therapy, from November 2005 to February 2006, his teachers called the parents and asked them if JP was under some kind of therapy, because he was totally changed in a good way. When the parents told the teachers about the flower essence therapy, the school advised them to continue with it.
JP is able to face and talk with his father with no fear. His social life is improving. He participates in class and his attitude in general is positive. He is able to address life's changes in a positive way.
Snapdragon
JP is still in therapy and we are now using flower essences to help him with his verbal communication (Snapdragon, Calendula and Holly). He is now able to express himself, his feelings and concerns clearly. His anxiety has reduced by 90% and he only feels anxious while watching TV. I advised the mother to be very careful about the programs he is watching and to encourage him to pursue other healthy entertainment such as playing in the garden, doing art crafts, etc.
JP's progression of drawings throughout the course of our sessions
#1 JP's drawing of an anxious boy (himself) trying desparately to stop a ball in a football game.
#2 This boy (JP) has an anxious and scared look. Note the tension of the mouth.
#3 This drawing has no color as in the previous two drawings, and JP described it as a plane that is about to be devoured by a monster. (JP might be considering himself a monster who devours objects?)
#4 This drawing has colors and the family seems very happy at home. JP is in the center of the picture and his loved ones surround him. The sky is blue and the sun is shining.
About Begoña Siegrist:
Begoña Paula Siegrist is a graduate of New York University. She has a M.A. in Graphic Communication (1998). After graduating, she became a website freelance designer. In the year 2001, she started creating the website for the Aura-Soma Center in Mexico City and became very interested in learning about the healing power of color and essential oils. By 2003, she graduated as an advanced Aura-Soma therapist and began giving consultations. She also studied Bach flower essences and the California essences at “Florescencias Center” in Mexico City. In July 2005, she traveled to California to take the FES Practitioner Training. Currently, Begoña combines flower essence and Aura-Soma therapies in her practice. She leads California flower essence study groups in Mexico City, and has also created her own products by mixing vegetal colors, FES flower essences and essential oils.
Aura-Soma Color Therapy
In 2001, Begoña Siegrist completed training as an Aura-Soma practitioner, having worked through three levels of advancement. This method of color therapy provides a means through which people can express themselves and their emotions if they are unable to easily identify and express them verbally. “Colors are a way to accurately identify what people feel; it’s a very precise method. A client who is unable to express their emotions is asked to select four bottles from the range of 103 combinations of the Aura-Soma collection of colors in clear bottles. The bottles tell me how they are feeling. I’ll ask them then, do you feel fear, or whatever it is that the bottles will indicate, and they’ll say yes…”
Write to Begoña at begonas@yahoo.com
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Flower Essence Society
“The Flower Essence Society (FES) is an international membership organization of health practitioners, researchers, students, and others interested in deepening knowledge of flower essence therapy. Originally founded in 1979 by Richard Katz, the society has been co-directed since 1980 by Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz, who are married and professional partners.The Society promotes plant research and empirical clinical research on the therapeutic effects of flower essences, conducts training, certification programs, and seminars throughout the world as well as disseminating publications about flower essence and provides a communication & referral network for an estimated 50,000 active flower essence practitioners who are teaching, researching and practicing flower essence therapy in their healing work.”
The Flower Essence Society maintains a beautiful and informative website with an abundance of free research articles by & about practitioner research in the field and in depth case studies. You can make online donations at the website. You can also become a member in the society right online giving you access to an additional wealth of research essence profiles. Membership also includes access to the book, Flower Essence Repertory. The Repertory is a richly illustrated, cross referenced informative resource for anyone interested in Flower Essence therapies. Patricia and Richard also manage Flower Essence Services, which produces flower essences and herbal products at Terra Flora, their 17 acre biodynamic/organic garden and wildlife sanctuary in the northern Sierra Nevada foothills of Nevada City, California.
(Note: Jane Sherry & Curtis Lang, Satya Center Founders have been using the Flower Essence Services products for several years, and have found that they provide consistant, vital and exquisite flower essences and herbal products of a very high vibrational quality. They have a deep and profound effect personally and in their healing practice. FES very generously provides a discount for health practioners and their products are very affordable for the general public.
And, if you are interested in learning more about flower essences, reading up on groundbreaking research, flower profiles, flower affirmations, discounts on publications, practitioner referral network and member newsletters, I highly recommend investing a small amount of time and money in becoming a member of the Flower Essence Society. It costs only $25 per year, and is a valuable way to contribute your love and energy into healing yourself, your loved ones and our only home, Planet Earth.)