Inner Health and Stillness
Shirley Gillotti, RN, MS, BFRP
707-829-5676
Flower essences bring comfort
Flower Essences, a safe and natural method, can improve quality of life by uplifting the spirit to better address feelings of loss, grief, regret, fear of the unknown, anxiety, isolation and change. Since the middle ages, flower essences have been used to balance the human emotional experience. Dr. Bach originally developed these essences in the 1930s and they continue to promote optimal emotional, spiritual, and physical health worldwide.
My experience
I have come full circle since apprenticing at a London hospice and directing the Hospice of Petaluma many years ago. The same instincts that called me into this field of service have re-emerged, now using flower essences, a natural way to bring comfort and ease.
Now, as an elder beginning to personally ponder end-of-life issues myself in a new way, I believe I can bring this further understanding to support elders approaching their final transition.
"The threshold of death provides an opportunity for flower essences to have a profound impact. There can be increased receptivity to the influence of flower essences as one prepares for death, reviewing one's life, resolving and releasing negative emotions, and transforming anxieties, fears, grief, and regret. At this time, one can also find increased opportunities to express love and gratitude, and to meet death with greater equanimity."
Patricia Kaminski, Flower Essence teacher
Might someone you know benefit from flower essences?
I believe our elders in transition deserve care, especially in our western society where we can often witness and experience increasing isolation, loneliness, and loss of dignity and respect. To support a good life and a good death, we need to address these experiences differently with a wise and skillful heart. I believe flower essences, along with compassionate support for the client and their families, can make a huge difference in how we bring a life to a peaceful closure.
Helpful resources:
Compassion & Choices
"I highly recommend Shirley Gillotti RN as a Bach Flower Practitioner. I have seen first-hand a marked change in my 95-year-old mother’s mood. Shirley attends to my mother with a focused compassionate attention; she listens deeply with true curiosity and respect. After a few days of taking the flower essences, I witnessed my mother relax into what I would describe as acceptance—an easing of a dark mood. She continues to benefit greatly from taking the essences."- Jane Kingston