Flower Medicine: An Invite into Chinese Herbalism
by Dr Linh Le
“The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.”
- Thich Nhat Hanh
The use of flowers in Chinese Herbal Medicine has been used for thousands of years for supporting holistic wellness and healing for people with conditions ranging from common colds, influenza, eye disorders, infections, and more. One major and recent use of flowers has been for mental, emotional, and spirit wellness.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a system of energy medicine based in nature-based wisdom that has been researched, documented, and used to create branches of medicine that includes herbalism, acupuncture, massage, and more. As TCM is fundamentally a holistic based approach to medicine, it aims at supporting all aspects of the being, rather than only focusing on the physical or using a reductionist view. It is about looking at the whole person and the health of their relationships.
Flowers play a vital role in nature. Ecologically, flowers are attractors of pollinators and contributors to the biodiversity and stability of ecosystems. Nature reflects our bodies. When we incorporate herbs and earth medicines into our self-care practices, they act as allies and bridges for us to learn and grow from, and heal.
In TCM, flowers are used for their medicinal properties to regulate Qi and support the body’s functions. We’ll dive into a few ways you can incorporate Flower Medicine into your daily lives.
Flowers As Tea Medicine
There are a variety of flowers that can be used as herbal teas within Chinese Medicine. Used in single doses, working with flowers through tea can be simple, effective, and supportive to our daily self-care or medicinal pleasure.
A few flowers that are used for their medicinal properties are listed below:
Jasmine flowers known as Mo Li Hua are used to provide support for depression, irritability, PMS, and menopausal symptoms. It has a slight detoxifying quality that helps with clearing the skin.
Rose flowers known as Mei Gui Hua are used to treat high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, hypertension, frustration, and anemia. Known for its sweet and distinct flavor, it is a tonic herb that helps to restore Qi and Blood, great for post-menses.
Lotus flowers known as Lian Zi Xin are highly regarded in Asian cultures as a medicinal food and herb. Eating lotus seeds and drinking tea helps fight infections, supports mental clarity, and digestive health.
Chrysanthemum flowers known as Ju Hua are used to treat high blood pressure, fevers, hyperthyroidism, respiratory dryness, dry and red eyes, fatigue, and common colds. Known for their cooling properties, drinking the tea can help to detoxify the Liver.
Flower Essences & Chinese Medicine
The earliest use of flowers and flower essences for medicine were recorded and documented in Chinese Medicine.
The recent popularization with flower essences as a therapy was done with Dr. Bach’s research, discovery, and body of work that created Bach Flower Essences. An acupuncturist, Pablo Noreiga, documented his exploration of the intersection of Bach Flower Essences with Chinese Medicine. Because these two fields play an important role in supporting the mind and emotions in relation to human health.
Flower Essences are a form of vibrational medicine that uses the frequency of the flower through a specific form of distillation to create an essence that can be taken similar to a homeopathic remedy. These essences are intended to take continuously and constantly with subtle, yet long lasting effects to mind-body and spirit health.
A few flower essences I recommend working with or incorporating in your self-care routine are ones that are ideally growing local to you because this makes them more potent and sometimes more specific to your health needs. Here I list some Bach Flower Essences that can be useful:
Clematis → nourishes the Blood to allow people to feel more grounded, helps to support the Spleen when we have poor memory, difficulty with concentration, and muscle weakness, can support our immunity, supports circulation of Qi and Blood
Agrimony → helps when someone is holding onto a ‘false’ smile, difficulty expressing emotions, provides mental clarity, connects with internal peace
Water Violet → a flower that needs a habitat of extremely clean and quiet waters mimics our individual need of finding peace in solitude. Rich in saponins, which gives it antiseptic and antibiotic properties - helps to purify the body. Supports with sadness and grief.
The 4 Flowers Acupressure Points
When you are feeling tired, there are four acupressure points on the back that are traditionally called the ‘Four Flowers’ because of its ability to support and boost the body’s Qi, blood circulation, and a person’s vitality.
Use these points to support yourself by asking a partner or a friend to press on them for you or sending your intention and breath there in sets of 3:
UB 17 - Level to vertebrae T-7, 1.5 inches from the spine
UB 18 - Level to vertebrae T-9, 1.5 inches from the spine
Flowers As Offerings
Flowers As Offerings
In many cultures, flowers are used as symbolic offerings used in rituals, ceremonies, and rites of passages. Flowers are given as gifts of love, respect, beauty, and reverence. Traditionally, in Chinese and Vietnamese culture, the favorite flower of ancestors are given as ancestral offerings of respect and love.
Just like we would give flowers to a friend on a special day, we can give flowers to ourselves and uplift the vibe of any space or altar.
For more resources on this:
Bach Flower Essences and Chinese Medicine by Pablo Noreiga & Translated by Loey Colebeck
Chinese Materia Medica by Dan Bensky, Steven Clavey, Erich Stöger
Foundations of Chinese Medicine by Giovanni Maciocia
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About the Author
Linh Le is a Doctorate in Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture and a medicine women.
To learn more from Dr. Linh, visit her website for courses, podcast & offerings: https://drlinhlove.com
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