Arnica Flower Essence | Solar

All flower essences are grown and crafted by Andrea The Volva and are from the organically grown plants in the Medicine Wheel and the Garden Of The Goddess, the dedicated herb gardens at VOLVA's practice on the West Coast of Scotland. They are harvested during their flowering time and prepared with intention, love and deep respect for the plant, the land, its own unique medicine - and you.

For solarised essences, these are immersed in the energy of the Sun at its peak. For lunarised essences, these are infused with the powerful Full Moon energy. Divine timing is everything and so crucial in capturing the Sun and Moon phases in alignment with the peak energy of the flowering plant. 

Flower essences are considered some of the safest botanical preparations. They are vibrational medicine; that is, the life force and spiritual song of the plant is partnered with the vibration of the Sun or the Moon, entwining in a cosmic dance. They are crafted in the traditional way with the creation of a Mother essence and the flower essence you see here has been borne from this.

VOLVA Flower Essences are also aligned and imbued with the spirit medicine of the plant, and this makes them different from other essences. This means that the actions - or the issues that the flower essence aligns with - may be quite different from other essences. The information outlined here is the result of Andrea working directly with the spirit medicine of the plant and its communication.

While essences from other providers may outline general information of the essence, the information here has been gained from working directly with the plant through sowing its seeds, tending, harvesting and connecting intuitively, psychically and shamanically with the plants over the course of the seasons. The essences offered here, and their medicine, are unique and specific to the plants grown here. They are grown in spaces that have been mindfully and lovingly designed and built to magnify their potency.

The photographs available on each listing for every VOLVA essence is of the actual plant that the essence has been created from - no generic plant pictures here. This is provided as an additional way to help you intuitively connect with the plant, in addition to the information in the listing. I recommend focusing attention on your body and your mental, physical and emotional responses when you see the photograph or read the information on the essence, to guide you to the right essence for you at this moment. 

I would recommend using one essence at a time - in this way we begin to understand the uses and gifts of each essence - and to work with the medicine of the essence for around 28 days or until you feel a shift or a different essence is required for another layer of healing. It is often beneficial to work with a singular essence for up to 3 months - I have included subscriptions for each essence if you feel a longer time working with the medicine is needed. 

Working With The Sun and The Moon

Some essences do work well together. The Solar and Lunar variations of one single flower essence are excellent companions and work well together for balance. The potency of working with both Sun and Moon together can be increased by working with the Solar essence in the morning and the Lunar essence before bedtime. Do be guided by how you feel both in relation to working with the Sun and The Moon together, and in working with more than one essence and how they would align. 

There are also crafted blends of essences available designed for specific purposes - please visit the shop.

I have been guided by how the flowers wish to be treated. I craft from this crucial communication and so I do not use the Bach method. 

A common practice in the Bach method of preparation is to boil the flower when the Sun is not strong enough. This is not a practice for VOLVA’s Solar essences. I DO NOT boil the flower in water; this is not how I am guided to craft them. When there is no Sun, there is no solarised essences crafted. The Sun is an essential vibratory, spiritual and cosmic partner in the creation of VOLVA’s solarised essences and this cannot be substituted by heat.

There are very limited numbers of  the botanical medicines, preparations and sacred craft items available each year, and some may not be available at all in any given year due to growing conditions or other unforseen influences of Nature! 

Due to the plants and the seasons, no two items are ever the same - each one is unique. So, a smudge stick or flower essence grown and harvested one year will be different in many ways in the next harvest, even when it contains the same plants. This is dependent on the elements, weather, energy and other factors. Many clients and customers have items from different years and harvests that are used for different works of craft. This often makes these items exciting to work with, to get reaquainted with a new incarnation of an old friend!

All items are not intended to cure, diagnose or treat any medical condition. They are for ritual and ceremonial use only and are sold for external  use only.

Avoid using smudge sticks during pregnancy.

If you are unhappy in any way of the quality of the items offered here, this makes me unhappy too - I want to ensure you are delighted with the quality, energy and sacredness of the plant allies you have chosen for your craft. I ensure this as much as possible in their sowing, growing, harvesting and preparation. 

Please get in touch if there is any issue.

Gently move the closed bottle in a figure of 8 on its side (like this ∞) for a total of 4 full figure of eights. There is a video next to the photographs above showing you how to do this. This is different from the traditional way of succussing the bottle against the heel of the hand, but the figure of 8 x 4 times is how these unique essences are ‘activated’. Please do not use this method for other brands of flower essences - please follow their own instructions. This way of activation is specific to VOLVA Essences.

It is required to be stated here that these essences are only for anointing sacred items to deepen your spiritual work - such as rattles, drums, robes, tools and other ceremonial, ritual and craft items - not skin application or internal use. They are among the safest possible preparations to take internally but unfortunately I cannot state that you can use them for this. If you choose to use them in other ways other than what is stated, this is at your own risk. Please see the Disclaimer and Terms and Conditions sections for more information. 

The 10ml bottles are intended to provide enough for approximately 28 days supply if 4 - 6 drops are used in daily practice. 

It is often useful to work with these essences during ceremonies and meditation, and in evening spiritual and ritual practice before bedtime to gain further insight.

Keep in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. The bottle is designed to be carried in a pocket or bag to have handy. They are glass and so they are breakable so please do be careful if you are carrying it with you. If you accidentally break or crack the bottle, DO NOT use the essence. 

The bottles are either green glass (Solar Essence) or blue glass (Lunar Essence) or amber or black glass (Specific blends) - I feel these are vibrationally suitable for these essences. This also makes it easier to determine between the two if you have a few essences in your home apothecary and craft bag.

The pipette is designed to minimise any waste with accurate drops and, as the essence contains alcohol, the cap is tamper and child protective - press it down gently and turn to open. 

Ingredients: Solarised/Lunarised Flower Essence, Shamanic Plant Spirit Medicine, Alcohol*, Spring Water

*The alcohol used for VOLVA's Flower Essences has been given as much consideration as the essences themselves. Many essences use brandy and this is the conventional alcohol for most essences. This is not the alcohol I have chosen to use because I felt the ‘spirit’ - the energy of the alcohol - was also an important part of the essences. It was essential to me that I incorporated an alcohol that I felt was energetically aligned with the flowers used and how the plants are tended and grown here, that the alcohol underwent a similar alchemical process that created the essence, with respect for the plants, loving intent and organic ingredients. The alcohol used is from a small dedicated distillery who grow their own grain for the alcohol, untreated with chemicals in order to preserve its life force, grown on land that has been certified organic. It is distilled with organically grown and ethically wild harvested herbs in a small craft still. It is the first alcohol of its kind in the world, and perfectly suited to VOLVA's Essences.