9 Flower Essences for Using Saturn in Libra Effectively

I wish to thank Astrologer Donna Cunningham of Flower Essence Magazine for asking me, along with at least 50 other amazing Astrologers, to participate in the 2010 International Astrology Day (IAD) Blog Carnival! This article will be one of 17 articles that emphasize the amazing combination of using Astrology and Flower Essences together – pass the word along, and of course ENJOY!

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Saturn entered Libra, the sign of its exaltation, on October 29, 2009, and will remain until April 7, 2010 (when it briefly retrogrades back to Virgo), then reenters Libra again from July 21, 2010 to October 5, 2012.

Saturn is the planet of commitment and hard work, and sometimes heaviness and limitations, but brings material reward when we do the right thing.  To better explain exaltation: what is a better application of commitment and hard work than in the area of relationships and partnerships, the domain of the Venus-ruled Libra?

During this time, Saturn will also be making two long-term hard aspects.  The first is a closing square with Pluto in Capricorn (the cycle itself beginning in late Libra in 1983, a more in-depth blog post will follow and be linked here when complete).  The second is an opposition when Uranus arrives in Aries, together called a “T-square” which will cause an excess of tension and stress.

The following consists of 9 scenarios with suggestions of flower essences to use during these times to help cope and even overcome these events more quickly and comfortably than would otherwise be the case.  The long-term effect is that we become healed, more loving and all-around better people in the process.

Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis, Dicentra formosa) – Alleviate Broken Heart, Emotional Freedom

While the influences of Saturn in Libra can encourage commitment in relationships, some of us are choosing relationships that do not match our higher good, due to fear rather than love.  Because of these unhealthy entanglements, break-ups and divorce are rampant, leaving many feeling emotionally co-dependent, overly-needy, vulnerable, and unloved, where the broken-hearted sadness can literally be overwhelming.  Bleeding Heart has come to the rescue in many of these cases, bringing about feelings of stability and security – the feeling of “I will be all right and get through this transition, and be better for it.”  Because it encourages true, unconditional self-love, it can also empower wiser choices of relationships in the future.

Buttercup (Ranunculus acris) – Radiant Confidence

The influences of Saturn in Libra can unfortunately diminish our inner flame, and therefore emphasize the need for recognition and acceptance from others of who we are, rather than ourselves.  Buttercup can correct this, gently kindling and bringing our inherent and radiant light forth from the inside and shining it outward, building self-worth and healthy confidence in the process, and eliminating self-doubt.  It is excellent for depression (including Seasonal Affective Disorder), as it helps us look instead at what makes us happy, and then we rejoice in it.  Buttercup is particularly good for Sun Sign Libras during this time, but it is excellent for anyone (including children) feeling under-confident in themselves and their abilities.  You can use this at the time of your job performance reviews to feel surer of yourself during these times.

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) – Building Foundation on Truth

Ruled by Saturn, Comfrey’s ability to encourage physical healing cannot be overlooked.  It is particularly well-aligned with the Root Chakra, and has an amazing ability to organize energy that manifests into a firmly-built foundation for health, and corrects any “holes” in that energy.  It helps support a diverse range of health conditions, especially if they relate to bones, tissue, nerves and the endocrine system, by reminding our body of our true and original energetic “blueprint.”  It then encourages the body’s ability to rebuild accordingly – excellent for anyone in an accident or a chronic condition that turns acute that wishes to regain their health as quickly yet sustainably as possible.

With firmer foundations being in place, Comfrey can also encourage us to speak our truth.  So, it helps with communications: within ourselves by balancing left-right energies that bring better body coordination – and with others, overcoming shyness.

It is a very earthy, grounding essence and helpful for building practical energetic structures that eventually materialize to allow us to overcome poverty consciousness.  If we are feeling lack, Comfrey helps us to realize the true abundance all around us, and properly aligns us to tap into and fully embrace it.  This can be especially helpful if we experience sudden job loss or other conditions that bring material security to the forefront, and to get back on track while knowingly and courageously following our heart – the best “calling card” for finding and reconnecting to prosperity.

Cramp Bark (Viburnum trilobum) – Feeling Fully Appreciated

For those Saturnian types that feel pressured to give more than they receive, Cramp Bark is ideal.  It inspires contentment and deep feelings of appreciation, and reduces feelings of being invisible and taken for granted.  Cramp Bark helps us find healthy boundaries so we do not give too much, which can in turn cause complaining or criticizing behavior to others as well as ourselves.  It also inspires us to learn how to receive properly.  Cramp Bark is especially beneficial when taken during a woman’s monthly cycle – a time when the tendency to give too much due to expectation of others is high.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) – Release Tension, Relax

For all of you obsessive doers, intense perfectionists and constant on-the-go overachievers who tend to not know when to stop – and neglect your stiff, tense bodies in the process – Dandelion is for you, and doesn’t this describe nearly everyone!  A Dandelion person is usually enthusiastic and self-driven.  The best thing about Dandelion is its ability to educate the body to release tension that is knotted deep in the muscles, so it can be helpful for those with conditions like Fibromyalgia.  It can also show you where you are overdoing it – it helps you to relax, and listen to the song of the Universe, and get back in sync with it, as well as learn healthier outer expressions of inner emotion that don’t tax the muscles.  Massage Therapists who add a few drops of Dandelion to their massage oil will often have an easier time massaging the recipient.  Dandelion teaches us strength not in resistance, but instead in resilience.  It is OK to bend and just be in the flow, and like a Dandelion, we can spring back up!

Ruled by Jupiter, which also rules the Liver system in Western Astrology, Dandelion can also provide energy for the body to correct liver issues, which can outwardly affect everything from skin ailments to inefficient toxin elimination (and that includes allergies), so anyone who drinks much coffee or is on liver-affecting medications may benefit from the use of Dandelion.

Olive (Olea europaea) – Finding Solution for Exhaustion

Saturn can often bring us long-term mental and physical work that needs to be done, whether we ask for it or not.  Ruled by the Sun (according to Scott Cunningham), Olive helps those of us who are weary, run-down, tired and utterly exhausted.  It is a feeling like we are at the end of our rope and we can’t take it anymore, even if there is still so much to do.

This can happen when we limit ourselves to our personal energy reserves only, because we do not know how to tap into spiritual reservoirs of energy available to us for replenishing our soul, and may not have realized we can do this.  Olive connects us to the All-That-Is and allows us to use the ever-present restorative astral “waters” so we can keep going until our tasks are accomplished.

Pine (Pinus sylvestris) – Leave Behind Feelings of Guilt

Saturn in Libra can heighten our sensitivities toward feelings of guilt, remorse, despair, self-blame or wrongdoing.  Sometimes it can be difficult to release an event from the past, believing that we could have done something “better” about it.  Ruled by Mars, which we can view as cutting through to the truth, Pine can help us see the sacredness in our respective paths, and help us arrive at a more balanced view of the situations that brought about the feelings of guilt in the first place.  In turn, this allows forgiveness of the self, forgiveness of others, and eventually self-acceptance – and even a higher self-esteem.

Self-Heal (Prunella vulgaris) – Restore Ability to Physically Heal

Some of us during this Saturn transit will experience the breakdown of structure literally in the body – whether it is from injury, or a latent issue that became major.  Because our society doesn’t nurture our connection to the space where all healing comes from, some of us have lost faith in our innate ability to heal.

Self-Heal is ruled by Venus (the ruler of Libra), which automatically improves inner communications and cooperation between the physical body systems, as well as with the spiritual, mental, and emotional areas.  The very best thing Self-Heal does is bring about and intensify strong belief in our inherent healing abilities, which in turn allows the healing forces of the individual and the Universe to flow in uninhibited, bringing about a balanced state of wholeness in all areas.  This is an essence I tend to add to any others in order to enhance healing on every level, since we need to believe in ourselves and reclaim our power of achieving wellness.  Miraculous recovery after a surgery is one way to experience the power and beauty of this amazing essence.  Children, animals, the elderly, and the weak all particularly benefit from this essence.

Walnut (Juglans regia) – Complete Transition toward True Path

When facing big changes in our lives, the Sun-ruled Walnut can help make the best transition possible.  Be it divorce, a move, a job or career change – and even transitions in our lives, ranging from children teething or first day of school, through becoming a parent, or even menopause – Walnut provides support that creates the least amount of interference, which makes these transitions faster and easier, helping break the links to the past, and encourages independence and healthy self-reliance.  This is especially useful when others inflict their negativity onto us and attempt to hold us back, because they do not want us to change – and in reality they don’t want to change.  A Walnut tree produces a chemical that will not allow other trees to grow close to it.  Therefore, the essence provides a psychic shield to thwart outside influences that would keep us away from our intentions and our true calling.  Walnuts themselves are said to be brain food, and even look like miniature brains – so the essence allows us to free our minds, which is useful if leaving behind old restrictive belief systems, as well as those who still buy into them.  Move into your new life with confidence and ease with Walnut.

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Flower Essences Featured Available through the Following:

Alaskan Essences (Bleeding Heart, Comfrey, Dandelion, Self-Heal)

MK Projects International (Comfrey, Cramp Bark, Dandelion, Olive, Self-Heal)

Dr. Terry Willard’s Wild Rose College (Bleeding Heart, Buttercup, Dandelion, Self-Heal)

Flower Essence Society/Healing Herbs (Bleeding Heart, Buttercup, Dandelion, Olive, Pine, Self-Heal, Walnut)

(If you are one of my clients, I have Bleeding Heart, Buttercup, Cramp Bark, Dandelion, and Self-Heal – and other essences as well.  These may be available for online retail purchase at a later date).

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This article is featured in A Collection of Articles about How to Combine Astrology with Flower Essences published by Vibration Magazine as Part of the 2010 International Astrology Day Blogathon. The purpose of this web-based event is to create a permanent library of articles about how to deal with the stresses of the Cardinal T-Square of Pluto, Saturn and Uranus. The main page for the Blogathon collections is at The Cardinal T-Square of 2010: Saturn, Uranus, Pluto.

BIOGRAPHY:

AarTiana (also known as Calantirniel) has been published in over a dozen Llewellyn annuals and has practiced many forms of natural spirituality since the early 1990’s.  She is a professional astrologer, tarot card reader, dowser, flower essence creator and practitioner, Usui Reiki Master, and became a ULC Reverend and a certified Master Herbalist in 2007.  She has an organic garden, crochets professionally and is co-creating Tië eldaliéva, meaning the Elven Path, a spiritual practice based upon the Elves’ viewpoint in Professor JRR Tolkien’s Middle-Earth stories, particularly The Silmarillion.  Please visit her About Page for more information.