Issue of the Week - July 7 - 13

ENTHUSIASM

In accordance with the Law of Attraction, I prefer to look at the positive side of issues. What we are seeking more of - is where my focus lies.

Enthusiasm as I see it, is a zest for life. Energy, joy and excitement about the future and what we are creating.

The word enthusiasm is from the Greek enthousiasmos, from enthousiazein 'to be inspired,' irregular from entheos 'inspired,' from en- + theos god

1 a: belief in special revelations of the Holy Spirit b: religious fanaticism

2 a: strong excitement of feeling : ardor b: something inspiring zeal or fervor

Originally used to be inspired by God, to have God come into your being. The meaning has expanded and now includes having a passionate feeling about something - as in the second definition.

Either meaning is acceptable to me.

So what is it that makes you feel enthusiastic? And if you don't ever feel that way - why not?

I believe that it is our natural state to be filled with God (in whatever form you experience her/him/it). It could be the power of Nature - the Creation itself. In this regard, I have my own beliefs, which includes your freedom to have your own beliefs, which may be different from mine.

The way the "issue" is chosen is through inspiration. A word 'swims' into my consciousness while I am meditating. Then I look through my books on flower essences to see if there are any essences that address it.

Enthusiasm


Blackberry flower Rubus ursinus (white-pink)

Positive qualities: Exuberant manifestation in the world; clearly directed forces of will, decisive action.

Patterns of imbalance: Inability to translate goals and ideals into concrete action or viable activities.

The Blackberry remedy helps the person who cannot make a viable connection with the will. The soul has many lofty visions and desires but is unable to translate these into concrete manifestation. Such people are often quite perplexed about the gap between their aims and what they actually accomplish. They give much consideration to their intentions, but lack the ability to organize these thoughts into specific priorities, or to manifest and execute such goals. Such persons often have a great deal of light around the head, which does not radiate and circulate properly throughout the body. The blood is often sluggish, as is the entire lower metabolism. As the light comes more into the limbs, the soul feels greater inner power to take real action in the world and to translate what is spiritual into actual change in the world.


California Wild Rose Rosa californica (pink)

Positive qualities: Love for the Earth and for human life, enthusiasm for doing and serving.

Patterns of imbalance: Apathy or resignation, inability to catalyze the will through the heart.

California Wild Rose is among the most beautiful and fundamental of flower remedies,for it helps the soul to incarnate and really take hold of its responsibilities and tasks on Earth. It is often said that hate is not the opposite of love, only a distortion of it. Rather, it is apathy which is the true polarity of love. The ability to really care and to give oneself to life, to others, and to the Earth characterizes a truly loving soul. Many souls hold back or hesitate, not wanting to experience the pain or challenge of life on Earth. They find it hard to take emotional risks in relationships with others, preferring instead to anesthetize themselves from pain or suffering. Such souls can also suffer from deep-seated social alienation, being unable to rouse the inner fire of the heart toward compassionate caring and activity in the world.

California Wild Rose remedy is useful at all stages of life, but is particularly helpful for adolescent and young adult souls that are longing to find positive ideals and seeking to serve the world through a calling or vocation.

California Wild Rose stimulates the love forces in the heart, so that the soul finds enthusiasm for earthly life, worldly tasks and human relationships.


Cayenne flower Capsicum annuum (white)

Positive qualities: Fiery and energetic, inwardly mobile, capable of change and transformation.

Patterns of imbalance: Stagnation, inability to move forward toward change.

Cayenne flower essence provides a catalytic spark to the soul who may be stagnating in its growth cycle. Such individuals become overly phlegmatic and complacent, not really challenging themselves with new experiences or stimuli. At other times, there may be a quality of simply feeling stuck or immobilized, unable to make real progress or change, or being caught in a patern of procrastination and resistance.

Cayenne is an important general remedy for many life circumstances. It stimulates an energetic response in the body and soul, helting to overcome apparent blocks to progress and transformation. Cayenne ignites and sparks the soul with its fiery essence. The individual becomes more awake and more capable of initiation and sustaining spiritual and emotional development.


Zinnia Zinnia elegans (red)

Positive qualities: Childlike humor and playfulness; experiencing the joyful inner child, lightheartedness, detached perspective on Self.

Patterns of Imbalance: Over-seriousness, dullness, heaviness, lack of humor; overly somber sense of Self; repressed inner child.

Humor is uniquely human. Other forms of life certainly experience joy and delight, but humor requires the ability to step outside oneself, and not take oneself so serioulsy. It is the human being, with its pronounced sense of Self, who has developed and very much needs the soul quality of humor.

Zinnia is a most wonderful remedy for this state of soul, helping the Self to contact its inner child. Every child is born with the innate capacity to laugh and play, to enter into life with the full exuberance of the winged soul. The adult ego all too often stifles and suppresses this part of the Self. This remedy is clearly indicated for those who are overly grave and earnest, who take themselves and life too serioulsy, or who tend toward workaholism or other forms of unbalanced intensity. The message of Zinnia is not that one's life should be frivolous or irresponsible, but rather that qualities of playfulness and laughter can be brought to one's work and daily responsibilities. Zinnia flower essence brings the soul quality of humor to one's humanness, teaching that the soul who is in "good spirits" is truly on a balanced spiritual path.

The Essences and the Photos are from The Flower Essence Society.

The descriptions are from the Flower Essence Repertory, by Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz.